Calipari, Razorbacks Betting on Upside in Final Stages of Roster Building

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Razorbacks coach John Calipari is placing the finishing touches on next year's roster still in search of a big man and potentially even two.

One report suggested Arkansas was in the mix for one of the top European center Ilia Frolov, who has impressed scouts and coaches alike over the past few months.

The post shared by Paul Biancardi on Wednesday suggested the Razorbacks along with Penn State, North Carolina State, BYU and many others.

The 6-foot-11, 225 pound big man can stretch the floor extremely well and showed himself to be more than capable of playing against the best competition.

He averaged just over 23 minutes per game while scoring 14 points, seven rebounds, one assist, one steal for his Read Madrid U22 squad.

6'11", 225-pound Ilia Frolov is in the process of committing to play college basketball next year. He has been contacted by Penn State, NC State, Arkansas and many others.

I watched him live last year at Adidas EuroCamp and this past season on film with Real Madrid U22. League… pic.twitter.com/2jfVu4agxz
— Paul Biancardi (@PaulBiancardi) June 10, 2026

He does plenty of the small fundamental things well as a college prospect, shooting 36% from three, 85% from free throw line and displays a soft touch near the rim.

Calipari probably never intended to be this far along in the roster building process without enough depth at center.

The market for capable big men continues to rise seemingly every offseason, and has led Arkansas' staff to be more willing to bet on their evaluations of freshmen and talented overseas stars rather than break their budget to afford one of the top big men.

Notable centers Arkansas has missed on this offseason include Somto Cyril (Miami), Flory Bidunga (Louisville), and Donnie Freeman (St. John's) and 5-star center Obinna Ekezie Jr., who reclassified from the 2027 class.

At 225 pounds, Frolov has plenty room on his frame to add more mass in order to hold up against high level competition.

Arkansas Razorbacks coach John Calipari looks on against the Arizona Wildcats in the first half during a Sweet Sixteen game of the West Regional of the Men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at SAP Center. | Eakin Howard-Imagn Images

While the Razorbacks signed former 4-star big man Maper Maker last month as a member of its 2026 class, he will likely redshirt and take a similar path of development that Paulo Semedo went through last season.

Frolov has the potential to be a major enforcer in the paint with a 7-foot-2 wingspan and ability to withstand physicality in the paint.

Surprise Official Visitor

Monday night news of former UAB power forward signee Shah Hall's official visit to Arkansas caught many by surprise.

The 6-foot-11, 240 pound big man enjoyed a breakout campaign as a redshirt sophomore by starting 28 games while averaging nine points, eight rebounds, and two blocks per game.

He notched four double-doubles and scored a career-high 20 points and 14 rebounds against Wallace State.

The Razorbacks are in desperate need of a couple of more bodies in the post after being previously linked to Florida transfer center Micah Handlogten, who is expected to require an eligibility waiver from the NCAA to compete in 2026-27.

Razorbacks senior forward Malique Ewin entered the transfer portal following the season, but is expected to also need a waiver himself in order to return to the Razorbacks or transfer elsewhere.

As a senior, Ewin played in all 37 games with four starts and averaged over 10 points and six rebounds per game.

5-star guard Davion Thompson during a Team USA practice. | Team USA

Will Thompson Arrive Early?

With 2027 5-star point guard Davion Thompson's potential reclassification, Arkansas is in position to logically bring him aboard for next season.

The 6-foot-3 guard operates like a college freshman already as a three-level scorer, and understands how to attack through screens to either dish out an assist or even take it to the basket himself.

True freshman 5-star Jordan Smith can play multiple roles in the backcourt but is expected to be the primary ball handler for Arkansas next season.

If Thompson is allowed the opportunity to enroll at Arkansas a year early, he could take some minutes to spell Smith a breather or provide the Razorbacks another scoring option on the floor.

Current Razorbacks Roster

Jordan Smith, Jr. Guard, Freshman
JaShawn Andrews, Guard/Forward, Freshman
Abdou Toure, Guard/Forward, Freshman
Miikka Muurinen, Forward, Freshman
Maper Maker, Forward, Freshman
Paulo Semedo, Forward, Redshirt Freshman
Isiah Sealy, Forward, Sophomore
Billy Richmond III, Forward, Sophomore
Jeremiah Wilkinson, Guard, Junior
Cooper Bowser, Forward, Senior

Sign up to our free newsletter, and follow us on Facebook, X (Twitter) for the latest news.

Add us as a preferred source on Google