FAYETTEVILLE — Two exhibitions in a four-day span are set to unofficially begin John Calipari’s second season in charge of Arkansas basketball.
The Razorbacks get their preseason festivities started Friday, Oct. 24 with a home game against Cincinnati. After a break for the weekend, the Hogs will then travel to face Memphis on Monday, Oct. 27 in what should be an emotional reunion for John Calipari.
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Recent history suggests some exciting storylines lie ahead. In 2024, Arkansas beat No. 1 Kansas by 16 points in a preseason exhibition before losing to TCU 66-65 with a 3-pointer in the final seconds sealing a victory for the Horned Frogs. In 2023, Arkansas and outlasted No. 2 Purdue 81-77 in overtime.
Here are four key questions for the Razorbacks’ during the upcoming exhibitions.
Who starts in the frontcourt for Arkansas basketball?
Three players are vying for two spots. Regardless of who starts, Trevon Brazile, Malique Ewin and Nick Pringle will all play significant minutes this winter.
However, the two big men on the floor for the opening tipoff could give fans a hint at what identity Calipari desires from this year’s Hogs. It feels like a safe bet that Brazile will be one of the starters after his successful close to last season.
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Ewin next to Brazile would give Arkansas a dynamic and multi-faceted offense with players who can stretch the floor and create for others. With Florida State last year, Ewin operated as a point-center, thriving out of the high post and in semi-transition situations after he grabbed a defensive rebound.
If it’s Pringle, Arkansas would be leaning into a more defensive starting lineup with physicality and rim protection. Of the three, Pringle also has the best track record of low-post offense, which is a focal point for Calipari.
What does the D.J. Wagner-Darius Acuff partnership look like?
Wagner and Boogie Fland simply didn’t fit as a backcourt duo last season. The Hogs’ season flipped when Fland went down with an injury and Wagner took over as the starting point guard.
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There’s a new competitor for floor general minutes this year in Acuff, a five-star recruit from Detroit who has the potential to be a first-round pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.
Can Acuff and Wagner thrive together? Who plays off-ball and who organizes the offense when they share the floor? And finally, how does fellow five-star freshman Meleek Thomas fit into the crowded backcourt? These questions could determine the ceiling of the Razorbacks’ season.
Where have the sophomores improved?
Calipari is excited about the developments of Karter Knox and Billy Richmond III.
Knox flirted with the NBA Draft before returning to Fayetteville and could be the most-improved player in the SEC if his late-season surge as a freshman carries over to this campaign. An improved 3-point shot combined with consistent trips to the free-throw line could turn Knox into the Hogs’ best offensive threat.
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Richmond’s biggest area for improvement comes behind-the-arc. He shot 12.5% on 3 pointers as a freshman. It will be a great sign for Arkansas if there’s evidence during these exhibitions that Richmond can stretch defenses with his outside jumper.
Is anyone else a meaningful contributor?
We’ve highlighted eight names in the three previous questions. Without any injuries, those Razorbacks should eat up most of the minutes this season.
But minimal depth was a consistent issue across Calipari’s first season. He’s responded by adding more players on the fringes who should be capable of contributing in emergency situations, but will anyone be part of the immediate rotation?
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The candidates are sophomore Jaden Kurletwa and freshmen Isaiah Sealy, Elmir Dzafic and Paulo Semedo. Sealy, a Springdale High School graduate, received rave reviews from Calipari this summer and is the most-likely of the four to have a meaningful role.
Jackson Fuller covers Arkansas football, basketball and baseball for the Southwest Times Record, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at jfuller@gannett.com or follow him @jacksonfuller16 on X, formerly known as Twitter.
This article originally appeared on Fort Smith Times Record: Four questions for Arkansas basketball’s next preseason exhibitions
