HawgBeat - Calipari embracing older roster at Arkansas
Arkansas head coach John Calipari wants his team to be a little bit older for the 2024-25 season.
arkansas.rivals.com
The era of winning games on talent alone is nearing its end thanks to NIL and the transfer portal, and Arkansas head coach John Calipari has shifted his recruiting philosophy during the offseason as a result.
Known for his ability to take talented freshmen and mold them into one-and-done superstars worthy of the NBA, Calipari has adapted his Arkansas roster to be older and more experienced — two crucial qualities needed for the NCAA Tournament.
Calipari coached eight freshmen for the Wildcats last season, a campaign that ended in a Round of 64 exit following an upset loss to 14-seed Oakland, which featured a 32-point performance from 24-year-old graduate senior Jack Gohlke
"Look, the game has changed in that you’ve got 25 and 26-year-olds playing," Calipari said during his roadshow on Tuesday. "So where I would have a roster full of freshmen, you can have a freshman, you just can’t have a roster full.
"First of all, my team last year, the average age was 19.4. The team we played was 24. Tyler Herro called me after the game and said ‘I’ve been in the NBA for 5 seasons and I’m 24.’ So you have to be a little older."
Change is a good thing for Calipari, who faces a complete roster rebuild in Fayetteville since he was hired on April 10. This opportunity gives him a chance to wipe the slate clean and show the basketball world that he doesn't need to rely on freshmen, though that doesn't mean he won't still land them.
"I’m still going to recruit young players, because I like changing families," Calipari said. "I’m hoping that some kids have to do two years, because I like changing families. But when you start talking more than nine, 10, 11, 12… I’m coaching everybody. I don’t just coach the guys that are starting. I’m coaching them all.
"Basically, I’m preparing them and putting my soul into it for another guy to coach them. They’re going to leave and go somewhere else. Well, how about if I just focus on my 8 or 9 and let me do that? I think we’ll still recruit freshmen, but we just won’t have like last year when we had 7 freshmen. Can’t do that anymore."
The last few weeks have been a whirlwind for Arkansas fans in the seas of recruitment. Players — freshmen and transfers alike — once thought to be outside the realm of possibility for the Hogs are now clamoring to put on Razorback Red because of Calipari's reputation.
RELATED: Arkansas Basketball 2024-25 Roster Tracker
"So having (Johnell Davis) and Jonas (Aidoo) be the first two was really big for us," Calipari said. "Having Aidoo, having (Zvonimir Ivisic). hopefully one more that has done this. Billy (Richmond) and Karter (Knox), Boogie (Fland). I mean, Boogie was one of the best point guards, if not the best, in the country. Won the state twice. Karter, I coached his brother, Kevin. Aidoo, I coached his dad. Billy Richmond, I coached his dad.
"I guess I would say, because that was tougher back then, the ultimate compliment is that they want their son to play for me. And believe me when I tell you, it was a little… we grabbed people back then. You don’t do that anymore."
Calipari and the Razorbacks still have many changes with six open scholarships ahead of the 2024-25 campaign, so be sure to follow along at The Trough premium message board for updates on all the offseason action.
