The Arkansas Razorbacks and head coach John Calipari’s signing of five-star recruits from the 2025 Class is already coming to fruition. Both Meleek Thomas and Darius Acuff look to have settled in well with the team.
Furthermore, the duo is also attracting new talent, with another five-star recruit from the Class of 2026, JJ Andrews, signing with the Razorbacks.
JJ Andrews mentions Thomas and Acuff after signing for John Calipari’s side
The 6-foot-5 shooting guard from Little Rock Christian Academy signed for the Razorbacks on Thursday. FOX16 Sports Director Courtney Mims shared an interview with Andrews after his signing event at LRCA.
“Being a Hog feels official now. It’s a great feeling. My dad welcomed me. He told me I’m officially a Hog. So it’s a great feeling hearing all the fans, all the support, and I’m definitely excited,” Andrews said.
He continued, “I’ve been talking to Meleek and just seeing what he and Darius are doing out there on the court, and that instills confidence in me as an upcoming freshman to go out there and do what it takes to win. Not only scoring but doing just whatever the coach needs me to do.”
As per ESPN, Andrews is the No. 12 player in his class. He averaged a double-double in his junior year, scoring 28.5 points, grabbing 10.1 rebounds, dishing out 3.3 assists, and blocking two shots, which led his school to the Class 5A state quarterfinals. Furthermore, he also won the 2024-25 Gatorade Arkansas Boys’ Basketball Player of the Year award.
He also led Bradley Beal Elite to the prestigious Nike EYBL championship and won the EYBL MVP honors.
Freshmen leading the scoring for Arkansas
Calipari’s side is 2-1 to start the new season, with their only loss coming against Michigan State. Both Acuff and Thomas are the leading scorers for the Razorbacks, with Acuff averaging 19.7 points in 31.7 minutes and Thomas recording 18.0 points per game in 30.0 minutes.
While it’s still early in the season, it’s always good to see the freshmen settling in quickly with the team and the system. The Razorbacks will now look to make it three wins in four games as they host Samford on Saturday.