Arkansas

John Calipari’s first impressions on Arkansas basketball freshmen in summer practices

Published

9 months ago

July 14, 2025

Press Room

John Calipari’s first impressions on Arkansas basketball freshmen in summer practices

Arkansas basketball coach John Calipari is working with four new freshmen recruits.
Point guard Darius Acuff shows promise but needs to improve defensively and play at a faster pace.
Shooting guard Meleek Thomas needs to improve his shot selection efficiency.
Isaiah Sealy needs to improve his anticipation and read the play before catching the ball.

FAYETTEVILLE — John Calipari is evolving with the changing ecosystem of college hoops, but the Arkansas basketball head coach can’t quit his reliance on ballyhooed first-year players.

The Razorbacks welcomed four freshmen to campus this summer. Darius Acuff and Meleek Thomas were five-star pillars, while Isaiah Sealy and Lebanon’s Karim Rtail joined as development pieces to round out the 2025 signing class.

Calipari invited the local media to attend an open practice last week. Rtail did not participate due to an ongoing back injury, but the other three freshmen all showed why they were so highly-regarded coming out of high school.

Here’s a look at what Calipari has seen from his first-year players through summer workouts.

Darius Acuff

The point guard from Detroit was the crown jewel of Calipari’s latest recruiting class. His feel for the game was evident in last week’s practice.

Acuff looked calm in the pick-and-roll and operated with patience, dragging defenders away from the basket before throwing perfect lobs to big men like Nick Pringle and Malique Ewin. Acuff can also lull on-ball defenders with hesitation moves before driving past them and getting to the basket.

But according to Calipari, Acuff must improve defensively and play with a faster pace. His methodical approach can slice defenses, but Arkansas wants to run with three capable point guards in Acuff, D.J. Wagner and Billy Richmond.

Wagner was singing Acuff’s praises in a recent press conference. The duo must be a better backcourt fit this year than Fland and Wagner were in Calipari’s first season at Arkansas.

“(Acuff) can do everything,” Wagner said. “He can shoot, he plays with great pace, he plays physical, so it’s fun to play with him and against him every day. I feel like he’s making me better. He’s making all of us better.”

Meleek Thomas

Thomas’ ability to make highly-contested and difficult jump shots wowed college coaches and recruiting experts, but Calipari wants to see better efficiency.

“I’m stopping every time (Thomas) tries to take one because he’s going 1 for 5 and we can’t win like that,” Calipari said. “The other shots, he makes, so just take those, but they like to do their thing. So we’re teaching.”

The head coach wants Thomas, a shooting guard, dribbling less during the summer practices while still staying involved with the offense. Calipari envisions him shooting floaters, coming off screens into mid-range jumpers and pulling up for 3-pointers in transition. At the open practice, Thomas initiated some offense in 3-on-3 and 4-on-4 drills.

Arkansas wants to rein Thomas in while still capitalizing on his gifted offensive game.

“(Thomas) is a bucket-getter,” Calipari said. “And I’ll tell you what else he is – he’s a gym rat, and he lives in the gym, so he’s going to be fine.”

Isaiah Sealy

All three freshmen are still adjusting to the speed of college basketball. Calipari pointed out a specific avenue where Sealy must improve.

“Isaiah doesn’t play until he catches, so he’s behind the action instead of, ‘I’m seeing, so when I catch it I read and I see what’s there in front of me,’” Calipari said. “He catches and then tries to read, but that’s typical of someone his age.”

But Sealy impressed with his reads during the open practice. He found open dunkers in the pick-and-roll and knew when to take it upon himself and drive to the basket. He also had one of the better looking 3-point shots on the roster.

The Springdale High School product was a four-star recruit who could quickly find a role with the Razorbacks.

Karim Rtail

Rtail has been dealing with an injured back and did not participate in the open practice. There is no timetable for his return, but Calipari expressed optimism he could accomplish the necessary conditioning to get on the practice floor when the Hogs begin practices in September.

Calipari provided a brief scouting report on the Lebanese forward from his limited action this summer.

“He is a perimeter three man,” he said. “Could he place him four? Yes, but he’s not that physical. Shoots it pretty good.”

Jackson Fuller covers Arkansas football, basketball and baseball for the Southwest Times Record, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at jfuller@gannett.com or follow him @jacksonfuller16 on X, formerly known as Twitter.

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Arkansas

Gymbacks Place Seventh at NCAA Championships, Four Earn All-America Honors

Published

5 hours ago

April 17, 2026

Press Room

Gymbacks Place Seventh at NCAA Championships, Four Earn All-America Honors

The No. 9 Gymbacks saw their season come to an end on Thursday night as they placed fourth in the NCAA Gymnastics Championships evening semifinal and seventh overall with a score of 196.9625.

Arkansas finished behind No. 1 Oklahoma (198.300), No. 13 Minnesota (197.4625) and No. 4 UCLA (197.275) in its session, with the Sooners and Golden Gophers advancing to Saturday’s national championship. In the afternoon session, No. 3 Florida (197.7875) and No. 2 LSU (197.4375) advanced, while No. 6 Georgia placed sixth overall (197.2625) and No. 7 Stanford placed eighth (196.9375).

The Gymbacks’ team score of 196.9625 is the second highest in program history at NCAAs for Arkansas, and highest since 2009. The team got out to a strong start on floor, in which the Razorbacks scored 49.300, a new NCAA championships record for Arkansas on the event.

The day was highlighted by a great all-around performance by senior Morgan Price. She scored 39.4625, which was good for fifth in the session and tied for ninth overall, good for Second Team All-America honors. She also tied for eighth on vault (9.900) and fifth on bars (9.9125) to bring her All-America total to three, the most by a Gymback at a single nationals since Kennedy Hambrick in 2021.

Fifth year Leah Smith sent her Arkansas career out with a bang as she notched a pair of 9.900s on vault and bars, both of which tied for the session for All-America nods. Smith is now a three-time All-American with two on vault.

Freshman Allison Cucci had a fantastic first NCAA Championships with Arkansas’ highest individual score of the day, 9.9375 on vault. She tied for fourth in the session to earn First Team All-America honors and tied for sixth overall. Her score is the third highest ever by a Gymback on vault at NCAAs, and the best for Arkansas since 2014.

Sophomore Joscelyn Roberson closed out her second season with her first All-American honor on floor. She scored 9.9125 and placed eighth in the evening semifinal. Roberson has now earned two All-America nods in as many seasons at Arkansas.

Floor

After an uncharacteristic start from Hailey Klein on floor, Smith got the Gymbacks on track again in the two spot with a 9.8375. The Price duo of Morgan and Frankie earned matching 9.825 marks back-to-back, and Lauren Williams broke through for the first 9.900 of the night for Arkansas in the fifth spot. Roberson anchored the Gymbacks with a 9.9125, which brought the floor total to 49.300.

Vault

After a 9.7875 from Cami Weaver in the lead-off position, Smith stuck her Yurchenko full up second and earned a 9.900. The sticks were contagious as Cucci delivered one of her own midway through the lineup on her Yurchenko 1.5 for a 9.9375. Klein and Williams scored 9.8125 and 9.825, respectively. Morgan Price finished the rotation with a 9.900, and Arkansas posted 49.375 on vault.

Bars

Roberson led off with a 9.7875 for Arkansas, and the scores built from there with a 9.800 from Klein and a 9.900 for Smith to pace the Gymbacks halfway through the rotation. The freshman duo of Avalon Campbell and Cucci scored 9.800 and 9.775 next, which brought up Morgan Price to anchor. She put down her typical solid routine on the event and went 9.9125. The Gymbacks’ total on bars was 49.200.

Beam

Arkansas went to one of its best events of the season for the last rotation, beam. Priscilla Park kicked it off with a 9.8125, followed by a 9.7875 by Klein up second. Weaver and Cucci then scored 9.750 and 9.775. Morgan Price and Joscelyn Roberson both posted good scores of 9.825 and 9.8875, but neither were enough to move Arkansas into a spot to contend for a national finals berth.

More Information

Visit ArkansasRazorbacks.com for the latest information on all things Arkansas Gymnastics. You can also find the Razorbacks on social media by liking us on Facebook (Arkansas Razorback Gymnastics) and following us on Twitter and Instagram (@RazorbackGym).

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Arkansas

Arkansas Community Foundation commemorates 50 years with summit

Published

17 hours ago

April 16, 2026

Press Room

Arkansas Community Foundation commemorates 50 years with summit

KATV ABC 7 in Little Rock, Arkansas covers news, sports, weather and the local community in the city and the surrounding area, including Hot Springs, Conway, Pine Bluff, Jacksonville, Sherwood, Stuttgart, Benton, Bauxite, East End, Scott, Pinnacle, Maumelle, Gibson, Landmark and Hensley.

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Arkansas

Pulaski Tech’s Diamond Chef event brings big flavors and friendly competition

Published

1 day ago

April 16, 2026

Press Room

Pulaski Tech’s Diamond Chef event brings big flavors and friendly competition

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (KATV) — If you like great food and a little friendly competition, Diamond Chef Arkansas is about to serve up both at the University of Arkansas- Pulaski Technical College.

Diamond Chef Arkansas is a fundraiser for UA Pulaski Tech’s Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management Institute.

The event centers on a head-to-head cooking competition where students team up with local chef mentors to collaborate on dishes and practice together ahead of the big night.

Along with the competition, attendees can also sample tastings from local restaurants, giving people a chance to try a variety of foods while cheering on their favorite team.

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Among the chefs involved this year are Scott Rains, Alyssa Frisby, and Reis Bertram, including a team from Table 28.

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