College basketball saw a major shake-up in April 2024 when longtime Kentucky coach John Calipari accepted the head job at Arkansas, ending a 15-year run that included a national title. His stunning decision instantly intensified the Arkansas–Kentucky rivalry and sparked talk of a new SEC power dynamic.
In his debut season, Calipari guided the Razorbacks, seeded No. 10, to a Sweet 16 appearance—the only double-digit seed to get that far. Freshman Karter Knox played a crucial role, posting 13.7 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks per game while shooting 68.6% across the team’s three tournament contests.
CBB Analyst: John Calipari’s Razorbacks Pose Serious Threat to Kentucky’s SEC Reign
Calipari’s move to Arkansas after 15 seasons at Kentucky has already reshaped the SEC landscape. With Calipari at the helm, Arkansas is drawing serious preseason attention, and college basketball analyst Rob Dauster believes the Razorbacks are poised to challenge Kentucky’s long-standing dominance.
“Knox is coming back to Arkansas, which is good news for Arkansas, which kind of looks like a preseason top 10ish, top 15ish kind of team on paper,” Dauster said during a conversation with Paul Merson.
Knox, who declared for the 2025 NBA Draft while retaining eligibility, ultimately opted to return to Fayetteville after participating in the NBA Draft Combine. On Monday, Knox announced his decision via Instagram, simply writing,
“I’m back.”
View this post on Instagram
His return significantly bolsters Arkansas’ title hopes. Calipari learned of Knox’s decision courtside during Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals.
“The competitiveness is off the charts. Makes me wish our season started tomorrow! And I got a call from Karter!!! What’s better than that!!!” Calipari posted on X, referencing his former players and the timely call from Knox.
Here watching the western conference finals game that has 4 former players and 2 former Arkansas players. The competitiveness is off the charts. Makes me wish our season started tomorrow!
And I got a call from Karter!!! What’s better than that!!! pic.twitter.com/ap0XZeewFE
— John Calipari (@CoachCalArk) May 27, 2025
Knox played his best basketball during March Madness, averaging 13.7 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks while shooting 68.6% over three games.
That was a marked improvement from his regular season numbers of 8.3 points on 46.2% shooting and 3.3 rebounds per game. His limited NBA draft stock—projected as a possible second-round pick—likely influenced his return.
Dauster emphasized Arkansas’ depth heading into next season.
“They’ve got what now like nine deep of talented guys,” he noted.
He listed a formidable rotation featuring guards Darius Acuff, D.J. Wagner, and Malik Thomas; wings Billy Richmond III, Knox, and Isaiah Elohim; and bigs Trevon Brazile, Nick Pringle, and Malik Dia.
“That to me is a team that can compete for an SEC championship,” Dauster asserted.
He was cautious about fit and chemistry, referencing Calipari’s struggles managing rotations last season.
“As we saw with Cal last year, he couldn’t figure that [ __ ] out early with who to play and how to play him,” Dauster said.
Still, he expressed hope for Arkansas’ success, adding, “I want you guys to be good because it’s fun when you are good… the Arkansas-Kentucky rivalry pays a lot of bills around here.”
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Calipari’s Razorbacks, with talent and storylines to match, are officially in the hunt.
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