Patience is running out for the Arkansas fan base as the Razorbacks basketball team still has glaring needs before the 2024 NBA Draft withdrawal date on May 29.
Don’t worry, as head coach John Calipari is moving in the shadows behind the scenes to ensure the Hoop Hogs have one of the most competitive rosters in the country during the 2024-25 season.
Arkansas has already appeared in the preseason rankings despite having just seven scholarship players, although it helps when some of those are names like Johnell Davis, Jonas Aidoo and Boogie Fland.
RELATED: 2024-25 Arkansas Basketball Roster Tracker
The latest rumors seem to indicate that Calipari is focused on adding 1-3 more contributors, whether from the NBA Draft pickup pool or the outside market.
HawgBeat provides a recap of the latest information along with more appropriate rankings of Arkansas’ known priority targets:
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#1 – F Coleman Hawkins, Illinois
In addition to an experienced point guard, a forward capable of stretching the floor and starting some offense is the biggest remaining need for the Razorbacks.
Hawkins is unequivocally the better option, as the 6-foot-2, 225-pound senior averaged 12.1 points, 6.1 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game last season while shooting 45.1% from the field , 36.9% from beyond the arc and 79.2% from the charity stripe.
Still scheduled to meet with NBA teams this week, Hawkins made it clear that his main goal is to remain in the draft and forgo his final year of college eligibility. However, he would likely earn a large NIL payday if he decides to return to college and Arkansas is not afraid to use its resources to get what he wants.
If Hawkins postpones his professional career for another year, Arkansas will be a strong candidate for his services. North Carolina was another program with interest, although that may be moot after the Tar Heels secured a commitment from transfer forward Ven Allen-Lubin.
#2 – PG DJ Wagner, Kentucky
Tick-tock, Mr. Wagner. After visiting the Razorbacks two weeks ago, Wagner’s recruitment has seemingly stalled. He hasn’t made any other known visits since then, and the connections to the Arkansas program are too hard to ignore.
In a world where experience and continuity are valuable, Wagner is a crucial piece of the puzzle in building the Hogs’ roster. Without him, Arkansas would have to rely on someone like Fland to lead in just his freshman campaign.
For the Wildcats under Calipari last season, Wagner earned a spot on the All-SEC Freshman team after averaging 9.9 points, 3.3 assists and 1.9 rebounds per game. The 6-foot-3, 192-pound transfer shot 40.5% from the field, 29.2% from beyond the arc and 76.6% from the charity stripe.
#3 – F Jaylen Wells, Washington State
When you think of a true prototypical NBA player, Wells fits the mold almost perfectly. At 6-foot-2 and 200 pounds, he has the size to stay on the perimeter and is a deadly shooter, as he connected on 41.7% of his long-range shots last season.
Wells ranked in the 99th percentile in spot-up shooting and is the piece on the roster to elevate a team from underdog to contender. Will an NBA team take a chance on him in the second round? Will he want to turn down a huge NIL for a contract that will almost certainly pay him less?
If the answers to those two questions lead to a college return, expect Arkansas to push for his signature if the Hogs are unable to sign Hawkins.
#4 – G Wooga Poplar, Miami
The buzz surrounding Poplar’s recruitment with Arkansas has been forgotten in recent weeks, but a report from KSR’s Jack Pilgrim stating that the Miami transfer is expected to visit Arkansas along with Kentucky and Oregon has changed that.
A three-point shooter who impressed at the G-League Combine, Poplar has been there and done that throughout his college career with Final Four experience and a true scoring mentality.
The only reason Poplar isn’t higher on this list is because there can only be one player with the ball in their hands. Assuming Wagner commits and plays lead guard and Davis works the ball, that would leave a lot of mouths to feed if Poplar also joins the group.
Still, hitting a player who averages 13.1 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game in the ACC while shooting 38.5% from beyond the arc is something you can live with.
No. 5 – G. Egor Demin, Real Madrid
Calipari is no stranger to recruiting abroad, as he already has a foreign player, the great Zvonimir Ivisic, on his squad. Real Madrid’s versatile combo winger Demin has gained a lot of momentum with the Hogs and can fill multiple needs at once.
Because of his reported size of 6’1″ and playmaking skills, Demin could realistically play 1-4 on the court if needed. Viewed as a high-level 2025 NBA Draft prospect, Demin recently had a 19 point, 6 rebound, 4 assist performance in 28 minutes against Milan at the Adidas Next Generation Tournament.
Illinois was once the favorite to sign Demin, but BYU and the Razorbacks are now the two known programs in contention for the prospect to go all out.
