Calipari Is Ready For His Razorbacks To Embrace The Grind Of Challenging Season

FAYETTEVILLE — For what felt like an entire season, there were fans, media and basketball analysts who wanted to focus on the limitations of each individual player in college last season.

Whether that was Darius Acuff's defense, Cam Boozer's verticality, A.J. Dybantsa's inconsistent three-point shooting or Mikel Brown's availability, it was all dissected to the point it felt like nobody actually wanted to enjoy the actual basketball games that were being played.

Last season provided fans generational talents across teh country that will likely not be seen for another 20-25 years, and it came and passed faster than expected. There is one freshman guard in America who has been under the microscope for over two years and it's Arkansas' Jordan Smith, Jr.

Arkansas Razorbacks coach John Calipari instructs his team during practice. | Nilsen Roman, Hogs On SI Images

The reigning Gatorade National Player of the Year among high schoolers across the country enters the college game with extremely high expectations, including national championship hopes from a rabid fanbase.

It wouldn't catch Calipari by surprise if anyone was doubting his consensus No. 1 overall class or Smith as an individual talent. That's the nature of sports and will be until the end of time.

Calipari was asked that exact question at SEC Media Days, and his response was about the one glaring weakness of his game, and NBA scouts immediately recognized during Arkansas' Pro Day earlier this month.

"Similar. Very similar [to other great freshman]," Calipari said of Smith. "He stuffs the stat sheet. He's been in the gym, he's taken 3,000 shots a day, maybe more, for his arc. He shot it a little flat. Now you're watching him, and all the scouts came in and said, 'We see the improvement, we see what he did.' They've been watching. He's that good. For a long time. He's been good."

Calipari's Intentional History With Talented Freshman

Calipari at least tried to do the whole transfer portal thing toward the end of his tenure at Kentucky and upon his arrival at Arkansas in April 2024. Athletes such as Oscar Tshiebwe, Jonas Aidoo, Nelly Davis, and Sahvir Wheeler were all notable standouts at their prior schools.

Now, he's switching back to his fastball which is coaching a predominantly young roster made up of highly skilled true freshmen. While he did bring in transfers such as Furman center Cooper Bowser and Georgia guard Jeremiah Wilkinson to join junior wing Billy Richmond III, the true focus blending in potential NBA first round draft picks with his elder statesmen.

Oftentimes, these incoming freshmen were the best on their squads in high school and on the grassroots scene. Going from being ball-dominant leaders to playing on a team that is talented at every position is a test that shows how good of a teammate they can be.

"I'm also happy when [scouts] come in and they see Miikka [Muurinen] and they watch him," Calipari said. "They watch him be coached. They watch him interact with his teammates. They see his attitude.

"They say, 'why is everybody saying X, Y, Z' when I just watched... They did the same thing to Darius Acuff. They did exactly the same thing. 'No one wants to play with him. He's the worst human being.' What, are you crazy? he was fun to coach. Miikka has been fun to coach."

Arkansas Razorbacks power forward Miikka Muurinen during practice. | Nilsen Roman, Hogs On SI Image

Calipari is known to put his players in uncomfortable spots. He wants them to get comfortable in their weaknesses to become better all-around players. That's the key to unlocking their potential as professional prospects because he knows what it takes to develop young men into greater pros.

"What Jordan is doing, these others (things), that's what makes me go," Calipari said. "To say, 'Look, together we got to prove these people wrong. You got things you got to do. They don't think you can do X, Y, Z.' Jordan I'm playing at point guard. They say, 'What?' Because I can. Like, I'm the coach. I can do whatever I want to do.

"I'm playing him at point guard because, for him and us, I want the players on my team to see him, whether it be on offense or defense, see him, then he drives the rest of this."

That's one of the lost art of college basketball is players not staying in a collegiate farm system long enough to be molded into better prospects before chasing professional opportunities. Smith has played a lot of on-ball roles during his prep career, but this will be the first time in his entire career when he is viewed as "the guy" who makes Arkansas go on both ends of the floor.

"I also need him up the court because if he is ahead of the pack, it's a two-on-two or one-on-one, he's scoring," Calipari continued. "He reminds a little bit of Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, even though Michael was a little bigger. If he was ahead, Michael was, you didn't throw to him, I subbed you, immediately come out.

"You just gave up two points, because he was going to score. It'll be the same with Jordan. If he's ahead, you throw it to him."

Smith Won't Be Alone Down Court

If there is one other freshman who can do it all along the perimeter it's going to be Little Rock native and Razorback legacy JaShawn "J.J." Andrews. The 6-foot-6, 235 pound wing can do it all on the floor due to his size and length that makes him incredibly tough to defend and even prepare for in the halfcourt because of his switchablility.

His speed and physicality in transition will force defenders to make business decisions in downhill opportunities ust to get out of the way between Andrews and the rim. He arrives to Arkansas as a 5-star prospect ranked inside the top five at his position.

Andrews had one of the most dominant individual seasons in Arkansas high school hoops history as a senior, averaging nearly 31 points, 17 rebounds, three assists, two steals and one block per game while drilling 61% of his field goal attempts.

"Like J.J [Andrews], he's gotten so much better in what he's been able to do," Calipari said. "He gives us one more of a Jordan, a Billy. Now you got two or three. You don't just have one or two. You got a couple guys."

What the Razorbacks need is a collection of players willing to develop beyond their comfort zones while figuring out how their individual strengths fit together. What Calipari has right now in the development of these three freshmen, who are going to be tested with a schedule that's as tough as any other team in the country.

Arkansas Razorbacks guard JJ Andrews goes through drills during practice ahead of the Baha Mar Summer League in The Bahamas. | Nilsen Roman - Hogs on SI

There's no time off to be taken, and this team will have to embrace that. That doesn't mean they'll avoid bumps along the way once they hit the freshman wall either, but they do get the chance to go up against the best in most of their games this season.

"I can just tell you there won't be a bad game," Calipari said. "You go on the road, it's going to be hard. You're playing at home, it's going to be hard. Bunch of good guys coach in this league and get it done. I'm looking forward to walking this group through this kind of grueling schedule. But we'll have fun."

For Calipari, the challenge for this year's team is turning a collection of highly regarded individuals into a team capable of winning together. And if that means exposing a few weaknesses along the way, so be it.

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