Arkansas transfer Nick Pringle has quickly forced John Calipari to rethink his early impressions. The 6-foot-10 forward, who brings extensive SEC experience, transferred in as a graduate student and has already emerged as an important piece for the Razorbacks. At 23, Pringle adds size and maturity to a roster filled with new players. Calipari acknowledged Pringle’s rapid rise and his initial misplaced assessment of the transfer.
Calipari Owns Up on Nick Pringle Assessment, Talks Arkansas Practice Plans
John Calipari admitted he misjudged Nick Pringle after seeing the graduate transfer work through Arkansas’ early practices.
“Wow. I mean, Nick Pringle, first of all, he’s better than I thought. I hadn’t seen him do some of the stuff he was doing,” Calipari said when asked about the team’s preparations for Primetime at the Palace.
The coach added, “We can play through him. I’m making him shoot balls, which makes him get in the gym and shoot more.”
Pringle, 23, arrives in Fayetteville with a resume that includes multiple SEC stops and postseason experience. The Seabrook, South Carolina, native started his career at Wofford during the COVID-19-shortened 2020-21 season before moving on to Alabama.
In two years with the Crimson Tide, he earned a place in the rotation and contributed to one of the program’s most successful stretches. In 2023, Alabama earned the first No. 1 overall seed in NCAA Tournament history.
A year later, Pringle helped the Tide reach the Final Four, highlighted by a standout performance in the Elite Eight against Clemson, when he scored 16 points and collected 11 rebounds.
During the 2022-23 campaign, Pringle averaged 6.8 points and 5.1 rebounds while making 16 starts for Alabama. He followed that with a move to South Carolina, where he became a regular starter.
With the Gamecocks in 2024-25, he put up 9.5 points and 6.3 rebounds per game across 32 starts. South Carolina struggled, finishing 12-20 overall and 2-17 in league play, but Pringle was a consistent bright spot. One of the team’s two SEC wins came in a 72-53 victory over Arkansas, when Pringle posted 18 points and nine rebounds.
Calipari, now in his second year leading the Razorbacks, said the transition into the new season has felt smoother compared to last year.
“Less anxiety. We’re like, ‘Okay, we have an idea of what we want to do,’” he said.
He credited the coaching staff and players for carrying over a sense of continuity from the five returning contributors, while the newcomers, including Pringle, added depth and competition.
Arkansas is looking to build on last season’s Sweet 16 appearance, and Pringle is expected to be a central part of that push. With his size, maturity, and SEC-tested background, he gives the Razorbacks a proven option in the frontcourt as they aim to challenge in the 2025-26 campaign.
