Image Courtesy: New York Post
Arkansas basketball will begin its 2025–2026 campaign in just 112 short days. The media got its first glimpse of a summer practice last Wednesday. After the session wrapped up, John Calipari and a select group of players—guards DJ Wagner and Meleek Thomas, and forwards Trevon Brazile and Nick Pringle—spoke to the media.
Calipari said, “I like where we are… it’s July 7th.“ That’s a promising sign for Arkansas fans.
Below is a look at the projected rotation, the incoming freshman and transfer classes, players who have exited the program through graduation, the pros, or the transfer portal, as well as the updated schedule and other key offseason developments.
So, here’s everything you might have missed from Fayetteville since Arkansas’ exit from the NCAA Tournament in March.
Projected Rotation
Starters
Darius Acuff, Guard (Freshman)
DJ Wagner, Guard (Junior)
Karter Knox, Forward (Sophomore)
Trevon Brazile, Forward (Senior)
Malique Ewin, Center (Senior)
Bench
Meleek Thomas, Guard (Freshman)
Billy Richmond, Forward (Sophomore)
Nick Pringle, Center (Grad Senior)
Isaiah Sealey, Forward (Freshman)
Paulo Semedo, Center (Freshman)
Karim Rtail, Forward (Freshman)
Elmir Dzafic, Center (Freshman)
Jaden Karuletwa, Guard (Sophomore)
Ayden Kelly, Guard (Sophomore)
Amere Brown, Guard (Freshman)
2025 Class (via 247sports composite)
10.Meleek Thomas (#2SG) Pittsburgh, PA (Overtime Elite – City Reapers)
12.Darius Acuff (#2PG) Detroit, MI (IMG Academy)
75.Isaiah Sealey (#18SF) Springdale, AR (Springdale)
Paulo Semedo (C) Orlando, FL (West Oaks Academy)
Elmir Dzafic (C) Tuzla, BiH (KK Bosnai)
Karim Rtail (PF) Beirut, LB (Neptūnas-Akvaservis)
Amere Brown (PG) Pittsburgh, PA (Woodland Hills)
Transfer Additions (via 247sports)
105.Malique Ewin, Center (Senior) Former School: Florida State
127.Nick Pringle, Center (Graduate Senior) Former School: South Carolina
Transfers Out
Zvonimir Ivisic, Center (Junior) New School: Illinois
Melo Sanchez, Guard (Sophomore) New School: TBA
Casmir Chavis, Guard (Freshman) New School: UT-Arlington
Boogie Fland, Guard (Sophomore) New School: Florida
Graduated or Going Pro
Jonas Aidoo, Forward/Center
Johnell Davis, Guard
Adou Thiero, Forward
2025-2026 Schedule (As it looks right now)
TBA @ Memphis (Exhibition; Fred Smith Classic)
TBA Baylor
TBA @ Michigan State
11/3 Southern
11/11 Central Arkansas
11/27 Duke (Chicago)
12/3 Louisville (ACC/SEC Challenge)
12/13 Texas Tech (Dallas)
12/16 Mount St. Mary’s
12/20 Houston (Brooklyn)
TBA Auburn
TBA Kentucky
TBA LSU
TBA Missouri
TBA South Carolina
TBA Tennessee
TBA Texas
TBA Texas A&M
TBA Vanderbilt
TBA @ Alabama
TBA @ Auburn
TBA @ Florida
TBA @ Georgia
TBA @ LSU
TBA @ Ole Miss
TBA @ Mississippi State
TBA @ Missouri
TBA @ Oklahoma
On the Razorback Sports Network postgame show following Arkansas’ dominant mid-December win over UCA in North Little Rock, John Calipari announced that the Razorbacks will play in Chicago on Thanksgiving Day 2025. He also stated that Baylor will make a return trip to face Arkansas at Bud Walton Arena and that the Razorbacks will host a game in the ACC/SEC Challenge next season. Then, on March 6, it was officially announced that Arkansas will face Duke at the United Center on Thanksgiving Day in primetime.
On March 11, CBS college basketball reporter Jon Rothstein reported that Boston Celtics Director of Scouting Remy Cofield was leaving the NBA to become the general manager of the Arkansas athletic department.
On June 7, Team B Media CEO Josh Bertaccini reported that “[John] Calipari confirms Arkansas will go back to New York to play Houston.” It was later confirmed that the Razorbacks will face the Cougars on December 20 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
On June 11, Jon Rothstein reported that matchups for the 2025 ACC/SEC Challenge had been finalized. The following day, the Arkansas men’s basketball social media team confirmed that the Razorbacks will host Louisville on December 3 inside Bud Walton Arena.
On June 14, Bertaccini also reported that Calipari announced two additional games: a road matchup against Michigan State in East Lansing and a neutral-site game in Dallas against an opponent yet to be announced (Arkansas faced Baylor there last season). The Razorbacks will host Michigan State in Fayetteville the following season as part of a home-and-home series. On June 19, John Calipari announced that the Razorbacks will face Texas Tech in Dallas (later confirmed that it will be on December 13). It will be a rematch of last season’s heartbreaking Elite 8 loss to the Red Raiders.
On June 18, Arkansas’ SEC opponents for the upcoming season were announced. The Razorbacks will play home-and-home series with permanent rivals LSU and Missouri, as well as a rotating home-and-home against Auburn. They will host Kentucky, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Texas A&M, and Vanderbilt, and will go on the road to face Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, and Oklahoma.
With the 36th pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, the Los Angeles Lakers selected Razorback forward Adou Thiero. He became the first Razorback to be drafted under Coach John Calipari since they both arrived at Arkansas following their departure from the University of Kentucky over a year ago.
Before the action began in the NBA Summer League, the Los Angeles Lakers announced that Adou Thiero would not participate due to a left knee injury he sustained back in February. Thiero’s teammate, guard Johnell Davis, joined the Orlando Magic for Summer League play.
On July 7, HawgBeat’s Jackson Collier reported that Arkansas will face Southern on November 3 and Central Arkansas on November 11 in early nonconference play inside the friendly confines of Bud Walton Arena. The Razorbacks crushed the Bears 82–57 last season in North Little Rock at Simmons Bank Arena and have not faced the Jaguars since defeating them 79–44 during the 2020 season.
During John Calipari’s post-summer practice interview, he discussed Arkansas’ upcoming exhibition matchup against Memphis, which will benefit St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Hitmen Hoops first reported the potential matchup between the Razorbacks and Calipari’s former team, where they plan to honor several of his former players from his time with the Tigers. Calipari also mentioned that they hope to honor the late FedEx founder, Frederick Smith, by naming the game the Fred Smith Classic. The date for the exhibition is still to be determined.
On July 11, college hoops analyst Rocco Miller reported that Arkansas will host Mount St. Mary’s on December 16 at Bud Walton Arena.
