Arkansas Razorbacks head coach John Calipari. Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

John Calipari, Arkansas get major recruiting win

By Andrew Kulha | Last updated May 15, 2025 8:51 PM ET

John Calipari won a national championship with Kentucky, and he knows how to recruit blue-blood players to play at a blue-blood school.

Arkansas has never had the type of basketball sway that Kentucky has enjoyed over the years, but Calipari is doing this best to change that. The Razorbacks' nice run in the NCAA Tournament was a good start.

Landing a top recruit like JJ Andrews is just as good, especially considering the context.

Andrews, a four-star small forward from Little Rock, Arkansas, committed to Calipari and the Razorbacks on Thursday.

Breaking: JJ Andrews, the No. 22 recruit in 2026 ESPN 100, has committed to Arkansas, per Paul Biancardi. pic.twitter.com/Sz7K6XcSTe
— SportsCenter NEXT (@SCNext) May 15, 2025

Simply put, this is massive for Arkansas.

First and foremost, it's an in-state recruiting win, which is vital for a growing program. Andrews is the consensus top hooper in the state, according to the 247Sports Composite.

Arkansas also won Andrews' commitment over some serious competition: mainly LSU and Missouri.

“I feel like Arkansas is ultimately a great fit for me,” he told Joe Tipton of On3. “They operate like professionals every day and I feel like I will be competing against the best of the best everyday in practice. I feel like we have a great chance to win a national championship.”

There's also a tie to Arkansas for the four-star. His father, Shawn Andrews, was an All-American offensive lineman for the Razorbacks, and he's part of the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame.

Andrews is ranked as the No. 15 small forward in the 2026 class and the No. 37 recruit overall.

He goes down as Calipari's first 2026 commitment.

Andrew Kulha

Andrew Kulha is probably the only sports writer you know who also doubles as a mortician. Spooky! @KulhaSports

More must-reads: