Brazile’s offseason growth fuels Razorbacks' hopes under Calipari

The simple way us old-timers say it is Brazile may have finally grown up. Gone was the ever-changing hair (at least it was for this practice) and he just had the air of a leader.

After transferring from Missouri in 2022, he showed NBA potential before an ACL tear abruptly halted his sophomore campaign. A long recovery led to another year where he was slowed by knee soreness and inconsistency.

The closing weeks of the 2024-25 season saw Brazile start looking like he might finally be back where fans (and probably coaches) wanted him to be.

His double-double in a road win at Vanderbilt and a 12-rebound NCAA Tournament effort against Kansas ignited Arkansas’ Sweet 16 run, all while the roster was whittled by injuries to a mere seven-man rotation that somehow managed to get even smaller.

Razorbacks coach John Calipari, in his second year, is seeing the change.

“He’s not even the same guy,” Calipari told reporters. “You can tell he’s happy.”

A blend of discipline and freedom with Calipari's demanding defensive intensity, but still allowing stars to play through mistakes may have finally clicked with Brazile.

 “He’s even taken on a little bit more of a leadership role by being more vocal with his teammates,” strength coach Dave Richardson told Ethan Westernman with WholeHogSports. “They look at him as a guy that's been through four offseasons. He's a super senior, or whatever they call them now. He’s just in a really good place mentally and emotionally.”

Brazile stood out more just the way he was walking around. It's hard to describe in words, but he looked every bit the part of a guy who's been on campus longer than some professors.

Zimmerman, who watched Brazile labor through previous offseasons, saw the difference immediately.

“He has a great energy about him," Zimmerman said in a video posted to social media. “He has a great attitude. He has been outstanding. He looks like the Trevon Brazile that we saw in March, not the one we saw in November and December.”

The change is coming when the Hogs really need it. The program’s Sweet 16 appearance brought optimism, but Calipari is keenly aware of the challenges ahead.

He’s publicly committed to building a culture that blends his trademark fast-paced, defense-oriented style with the Razorbacks’ traditions, a balancing act requiring buy-in from veterans like Brazile.

Off the court, Calipari’s arrival has brought changes in everything from practice intensity to off-season conditioning.

“He believes in creating an open dialogue between players and coaches, focusing on their strengths and weaknesses, and helping them reach their full potential,” according to a profile of Calipari’s coaching style at HoopCoach.

For Brazile, that means more freedom to showcase his expanded offensive skillset and a chance to anchor the team’s interior defense.

The Razorbacks will need every ounce of a more mature player that's been around awhile. The 2025-26 roster includes returnees DJ Wagner and Billy Richmond.

Wagner, a dynamic point guard, and Richmond, a versatile wing, give Arkansas a veteran core rarely seen in today’s college basketball landscape. Calipari said the team will “play through both its guards and its bigs, something that is hard to take away.”

Brazile’s NBA upside is still there. Scouts have always been intrigued by his length, shooting touch, and defensive versatility.

The key is that consistency.

“If he’s the guy I’m seeing, you’re talking about someone that, if we have one or two like that, then this thing is on,” Calipari said Wednesday. “He’s that good. Now you’ve got to find out the other couple that can make differences in the game.”

That's what Razorback fans have been looking to see. Don't expect to see it again soon, though. We probably won't get to see them until September unless we bump into them around town.

Hogs Feed: