Arkansas’ John Calipari eyes new ‘method’ for roster constructing

DESTIN, Fla. — Probably the most jarring sight on the SEC conferences in Destin has been John Calipari strolling by way of the resort foyer with an Arkansas brand on his pullover.

Probably the most jarring sound Wednesday got here from Calipari admitting it is going to take a brand new “method” to win within the NCAA match after persistent postseason failures in latest seasons at Kentucky.

Calipari, in his first SEC conferences because the coach at Arkansas, referenced No. 3 seed Kentucky’s loss to No. 14 Oakland within the first spherical of the 2024 NCAA match. It included a 32-point outburst from a 24-year previous Division II switch named Jack Gohlke.

“The lesson was you’ll be able to’t do that now with seven freshmen,” he mentioned. “You simply cannot. You are going to hit a staff that is 25 years previous on common, one was 26, and that staff is bodily going to get you, and so now we’ve got a pair transfers which might be older, some children that transferred from Kentucky that went by way of it, and so they’re a 12 months older, and a few freshmen.”

Whereas Calipari’s age estimates comprise a few of his penchant for exaggeration, the purpose of him addressing his postseason failures and making a concise pivot in his staff constructing is critical.

Calipari left Kentucky after only one NCAA match win up to now 4 seasons and a feeble 1-4 mark in SEC match video games over the identical interval. The NCAA match lowlights included a loss to No. 15 seed Saint Peter’s within the first spherical in 2022.

Within the wake of these postseason flops, Calipari admitted his method of gathering a bevy of high highschool expertise would not work in fashionable school basketball. He is making a direct effort to skew older and take extra transfers.

“We’re not going to take six, seven freshmen now,” Calipari mentioned. “It will be three or 4. Hopefully retain a couple of, get a pair transfers, and that’s the method.”

He added with a smirk: “Now that will not work. And then you definately’ll say, ‘Properly, you mentioned … ‘ Properly, I modified my thoughts. I did not like the way it appeared.”

Calipari mentioned he is been energized by the brand new job at Arkansas, calling it a “breath of contemporary air.” He known as his time at UK “15 nice years” and defended his last season at Kentucky, saying “we obtained so much performed” amid the 23-10 season that included a second-place SEC end.

Calipari mirrored on his time period at Arkansas, which formally started April 10. He mentioned there was “no staff” and “no schedule” when he started, stressing that there have been zero gamers.

He joked that he obtained joyful when the roster jumped as much as 5 gamers, as that meant Arkansas might subject a staff this 12 months. He mentioned the Razorbacks are at eight gamers now and probably in search of another.

The incoming class contains three top-40 gamers within the ESPN highschool recruiting rankings, led by Boogie Fland, a guard from New York who’s ranked No. 15.

The switch class contains three Kentucky transfers, highlighted by guard D.J. Wagner, who arrived at Kentucky as a top-five participant in 2023 earlier than an underwhelming freshman 12 months. He averaged 9.9 factors.

Calipari defended the thought of not filling out all 13 scholarships with recruited gamers, as he mentioned they’re prone to end at 9.

“The ninth? It relies on who it’s,” he mentioned. “That is what we’re in search of. Is it a shooter? Is it a 4-man that would shoot? Is it a robust bodily [presence]? Is it a defensive man? Or simply proper now I can breathe as a result of we obtained eight and I am hoping there will be 9. However what if there’s not? Any individual mentioned, ‘Properly, what if in case you have accidents?’ If the incorrect man will get injured on any staff on this nation, you are performed.”