Biggest assist Calipari gets is clean bill of health for Razorbacks this year

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Maybe nothing underscored Arkansas' problem areas during John Calipari's inaugural season as Head Hog in 2024-25 than a rash of injuries.

Especially on the frontline.

Former All SEC big man Jonas Aidoo, eventual 2025 NBA draft pick and combo forward Adou Thiero, and returning forward Trevon Brazile each missed multiple games last season.

Additionally, each was limited in several more games due to various individual ailments. Even 7-2 center Zvonimir Ivisic, who transferred to Illinois in the offseason, missed a game due to injury.

Topping the games-missed-due-to-injury charts was starting freshman guard Boogie Fland, who missed 15 games.

The Razorbacks finished 22-14 last season, including a disappointing 8-10 in what was a brutal SEC gauntlet.

Despite the injuries that piled up to conspire against the team's success, Arkansas did manage to go 8-5 in its last 13 league games before a 3-2 run in the postseason (1-1 in the SEC tournament and 2-1 in the NCAA tournament that equated to a Sweet Sixteen run).

The playable rotation had been whittled down to 6 or 7 players by the end of the regular season, and though his troops overcame that adversity to thrive in March, Calipari does not desire a repeat in '25-26.

Fast-forward to Wednesday when Calipari addressed the media inside the basketball performance center on campus, and he gave a promising team health status report.

Mostly.

"We're okay," Calipari said. "Nicked up. Some little things. Karim (Rtail, freshman small forward from Lebanon) will be out, but the rest of the guys, a little nicked up, here and there, but they'll be fine."

Calipari later disclosed one injury issue that has impacted the availability in fall practices for one of his two priority transfer big men.

"Malique Ewin, he was out for, like, four weeks with the shoulder, but he's been back," Calipari said. "He's good. He's a good player."

Ewin (6-10 junior forward-center, 230 pounds) transferred in the offseason from Florida State, where last season he averaged 14.2 points and 7.6 rebounds per game.

He and South Carolina transfer Nick Pringle (6-10 senior forward-center, 230 pounds) were plucked out of the spring transfer portal to join Brazile (6-10 senior forward-center, 230 pounds) to form a Razorbacks top-rotation frontcourt trio this season.

Pringle averaged 9.5 points and 6.3 rebounds per game at South Carolina last season.

Prior to that, he played at Alabama for two seasons, helping the Crimson Tide to the program's only NCAAT Final Four appearance in '23-24.

"The things he's doing out on the floor," Calipari said of Pringle. "So, we can play through him. I'm making him shoot balls, which makes him get in the gym and shoot more. You know, if you're going to have to take shots, you're going to want to get in there and practice. And he's been doing it. Great leadership. Talks, moves his feet. I mean, he's just better than I thought. You throw the ball at above the square, and he'll go get it. So some good stuff."

Brazile has had highs in lows in three campaigns at Arkansas. But in the final nine games last season, he averaged 11.3 points and 9.1 rebounds per outing while shooting 39% on three-pointers.

"TB's gotten way better, but you've also got to perform," Calipari said.

Arkansas will have four exhibition events (two scrimmages and two charity exhibition games) in October, with the first of those, Primetime at the Palace, set for Friday night, Oct. 3.

Calipari is thankful his team is healthy enough in October this time around to scrimmage in front of fans, something his team was unable to do last year.

"October 12 we're going to be at Hot Springs, but we can go at each other and do a scrimmage vs. what we had to do last year, which was a practice and some four-on-four, we didn't have enough guys," Calipari said.

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