John Calipari has brought another former Kentucky player to Fayetteville.
Former Wildcats guard and five-star Rivals.com 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 job with the Razorbacks earlier this year.
Wagner, the No. 6 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 didn’t visit USC and Arkansas until after entering the portal.
Wagner averaged 9.9 points and 3.3 assists as a freshman at Kentucky last season. He also shot just better than 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, as Wagner did to follow Cailpari there. A fellow five-star recruit, Ivišić is a 7-foot-2 center from Croatia with real NBA upside. Recruits Boogie Fland, Karter Knox and Billy Richmond have all changed their commitments. Arkansas also acquired Florida Atlantic transfer and AAC Player of the Year Johnell Davis and Tennessee transfer Jonas Aidoo after hiring Calipari.
Former Louisville head coach Kenny Payne has also joined Calipari’s staff at Arkansas after being fired by the Cardinals after two seasons there. Payne also recruited Wagner heavily out of high school, and he played with Wagner’s grandfather on Louisville’s 1986 national championship team. Calipari also coached Wagner’s father while he was in Memphis.
Although it is still early in his tenure, Calipari is wasting no time in Fayetteville. The Razorbacks, at least on paper, appear more than capable of holding their own in the SEC and continuing the success Musselman has built there.
