John Calipari brought another former Kentucky player to Fayetteville.
Former Wildcats guard and Rivals.com five-star recruit DJ Wagner has committed to play for Calipari at Arkansas next season, he told ESPN’s Jeff Borzello on Monday. Wagner is now the sixth former player or prospect to follow Calipari from Kentucky to Arkansas since taking the Razorbacks job earlier this year.
Wagner, who was the No. 6 ranked player in his class out of high school, entered the transfer portal in April, shortly after Calipari shockingly left Kentucky after 15 seasons with the Wildcats. Wagner only visited USC and Arkansas after entering the portal.
Wagner averaged 9.9 points and 3.3 assists last season as a freshman at Kentucky. He also shot just over 40% from the field and helped lead the Wildcats to the NCAA tournament – where they were eliminated in the first round for the second time in the last three seasons. Kentucky has since hired former BYU coach Mark Pope to replace Calipari.
Calipari has quickly brought a lot of talent to Arkansas since taking the job. Adou Thiero and Zvonimir Ivišič transferred from Kentucky to Arkansas, just as Wagner did to follow Cailpari there. Ivišić, a fellow five-star recruit, is a 7-foot-1 center from Croatia who has real upside in the NBA. Recruits Boogie Fland, Karter Knox and Billy Richmond changed their commitments. Arkansas also landed Florida Atlantic transfer and AAC Player of the Year Johnell Davis and Tennessee transfer Jonas Aidoo after signing Calipari.
Former Louisville coach Kenny Payne also joined Calipari’s staff at Arkansas after being fired by the Cardinals after two seasons there. Payne also recruited Wagner out of high school and played with Wagner’s grandfather on Louisville’s 1986 national championship team. Calipari also coached Wagner’s father when he was at Memphis.
Although it’s still early in his tenure, Calipari isn’t wasting any time in Fayetteville. The Razorbacks, at least on paper, appear more than capable of holding their own in the SEC and continuing the success that Musselman has built there.
