Razorbacks' Top Basketball Recruit Dressed in LSU Colors

JJ Andrews visited Baton Rouge campus and saw the Bayou Bengals lose to Vandy
Arkansas Razorbacks coach John Calipari said he was disappointed but not discouraged by the Hogs' loss to Ole Miss on Wednesday at Bud Walton Arena. He needs to start winning on the court but is also concerned with attracting more top recruits to Fayetteville.
Arkansas Razorbacks coach John Calipari said he was disappointed but not discouraged by the Hogs' loss to Ole Miss on Wednesday at Bud Walton Arena. He needs to start winning on the court but is also concerned with attracting more top recruits to Fayetteville. / Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images
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Despite the Razorbacks' recent disappointments on the court, coach John Calipari must still spend time on recruiting. It's the cross college coaches bear.

Win now and spend time wooing high school phenoms in order to win later. Lose too much, though, and you'll lose out on the stars of tomorrow.

Devastating defeats will convince those 5-strar recruits to choose other schools. For now, Calipari is more worried about salvaging this season.

Arkansas has suffered back-to-back setbacks, losing in humiliating fashion by 24 on the road to then-No. 1 Tennessee Saturday. That was followed by an equally, perhaps greater, fiasco considering it came at Bud Walton Arena.

That seven-point loss to No. 23 Ole Miss puts the Hogs in a precarious position at 0-2 in the toughest roundball conference in the country.

Still, as frustrated as Calipari was by the Hogs' home loss to Ole Miss on Wednesday, he hopes to continue winning recruiting battles for top talent and turn Arkansas back into a feared team that will compete with the likes of Duke, Kansas, UConn and the SEC's top teams.

A big step to securing future success would be to get the signature of Ja'Shawn "JJ" Andrews on a letter of intent. No hurry since Andrews is a member of the 2026 recruiting class.

But others are also wooing the 5-star recruit. Before getting too worried, understand that high school stars often take photos like those above to post on social media.

It doesn't indicate LSU and coach Matt McMahon have the lead in securing the services of Andrew. In fact, it could be the opposite.

Andrews is a junior at Little Rock Christian Academy, so Calipari seems to have the inside track to a local kid. Andrews is also the son of former Arkansas All-American offensive tackle Shawn Andrews, so being a legacy could also help Calipari.

Arkansas hosted Andrews on a recruiting visit Dec. 29-31 and the young phenom watched the Hogs overwhelm Oakland 92-62 with an overpowering second-half surge. He was reportedly impressed by the Arkansas campus and enjoyed the visit along with his family.

Andrews had a previous scholarship offer from former hoops Hog boss Eric Musselman before he bolted for Southern Cal. It's always satisfying to have coaches call, visit and offer scholarships but it's rarely an easy choice where to play and attend college.

When Calipari, the Hall of Fame coach and 2012 national champion, moved from Kentucky to Fayetteville, it didn't take him long to learn about Andrews. He offered a scholarship last June to the highly coveted lefty.

After his visit to the Arkansas campus, Andrews spoke with Hogs on SI writer Jacob Davis.

"It was a great visit," Andrews said. "I was excited to be able to get an inside scope of what it is like to play basketball for Coach Cal at the University of Arkansas. My family and I enjoyed ourselves, spending time with the coaches and learning their schemes and style of play, and also getting to see the great campus.

"It was great to see that Coach Calipari was coming to Arkansas and I knew it would mean a lot to the Arkansas fans. It’s really a blessing to be recruited by a legendary coach such as himself. He ultimately told me that they have many things to help guide me on my way to my goals of playing in the NBA and winning a national championship. He told me it is up to me to put the work in to get there."

Others are on the recruiting trail trying to secure Andrews' commitment, including three other SEC schools. He's already visited Missouri and North Carolina State — his mom has ties to the state of North Carolina — and has announced plans to visit Oklahoma and Marquette.

Davis reports that Alabama and Oklahoma State also have consistent contact with Andrews. He's ranked 24th nationally, the No. 4 shooting guard, and tops in Arkansas, according to 247sports composite rankings.

Andrews led Little Rock Christian to consecutive state titles, averaging 21 points and 10 rebounds last season. The 6-foot-6, 220-pounder is smooth and strong at both ends of the court, runs the floor well, can score from 3-point land and handles well enough to get a mid-range jumper or to finish convincingly at the rim.

Andrews told Davis he plans to announce his commitment sometime in the coming summer. Always hard to say what impresses players most but I've got a gut feeling Calipari will be pleased with Andrews' decision. By then, he also hopes to have turned around the Hogs' current season.

HOGS FEED:

• Higginbottom's heroics cap maiden conference win for Hogs

• No production from big men puts pressure on Hogs' guards

• Total team talent still matters more with playoff expansion

• Offense optional for Calipari's Razorbacks in SEC

• Calipari in uncharted waters after Hogs' 0-2 start in SEC

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