Razorbacks' John Calipari has first offer in career to 10th-grader

The offer went out to in-state star and class of 2028 prospect Anthony Spratt, Jr. (a 6-6 wing), who as a 9th-grader (a.k.a. high school freshman) in 2024-25 helped lead the Benton Panthers to the 5A state title in March before suiting up for 15U Brad Beal Elite on the prestigious Nike E15 circuit in the spring and summer.

Calipari was courtside to watch and evaluate Spratt, 15, during a scholastic team camp in June in Kansas City, Mo., and shortly thereafter he commented to one of our sources that an offer to Spratt would be forthcoming and that it would be the earliest that he had ever extended an offer to a recruit.

Fast-forward to Monday when we were the first to report Spratt's official Arkansas offer from Calipari, and once again the focus quickly shifted to the unprecedented nature of the offer.

"The experience was crazy," Spratt said during our exclusive in-person interview on Saturday, March 16. "Me hearing him saying I'm the youngest he's ever offered was big, and just talking to him on the phone it felt like real business.

"He also told me I can't be the same person that I am today when I get to college, and that was a good quote that I'm always going to keep with me forever."

Spratt said he's planning to take an unofficial visit to Arkansas in the near future.

"Arkansas is one of the places I look to visit," Spratt said. "Also, I don't know what else I have set up, but I've been talking to a few coaches and we'll see where it is from here."

So far, Calipari is 2-for-2 since coming to Arkansas offering in-state talent. Springdale's Isaiah Sealy (committed and signed in November 2024, and a current freshman on the Hoop Hogs' '25-26 squad) and Little Rock Christian Academy's JaShawn "JJ" Andrews (5-star prospect who committed to the Hogs in May) were both offered scholarships by Calipari in July 2024.

The track record may seem favorable for Arkansas in its pursuit of Spratt, but given that he's still in the early stages of both development as a player and process as a recruit, it's too soon to name any program as a leader for his eventual services.

"It's too soon to know," he said. "You never know, because I might have offers rolling in. It's all about what I do in the coming years that I got, and see what offers that I end up with."

Courtside for one of Spratt's final games at Nike E15 Peach Jam in late July were Arkansas associate coach Chin Coleman, Duke coach Jon Scheyer, and Auburn coach Bruce Pearl.

Spratt averaged 17.6 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 2.0 assists while shooting 35% from 3 in four sessions of Nike E15 play spanning May through July. 

During Nike Peach Jam that culminated his grassroots basketball spring-and-summer season in late July, he elevated his three-point shooting efficiency to 45%.

Yet another source revealed an opinion he heard from one of the directors for the Team USA junior national program, Jon Showalter, that Spratt could be on a development trajectory that compares to current NBA all pro Jayson Tatum.

Once upon a time Showalter was also a top performer on Nike EYBL's Brad Beal Elite squad before starring at Duke in college.

"The most I like about my game is my three-point shooting and my finishing ability, and how my defense has improved over the years," Spratt said. "I'm learning different moves, getting stronger, finishing is getting easier for me now."

Spratt is set to take part in renowned CP3 Rising Stars camp that begins Thursday in North Carolina featuring the nation's top high school freshmen and sophomores.

"It's going to be a big camp," Spratt said. "Certain people got selected to go Thursday and Friday (Aug. 21-22). On Thursday, it's a workout in front of college coaches and NBA scouts.

"Then Friday, we're supposed to go on unofficial visits to like North Carolina, NC State (North Carolina State), and a few more schools."

Hogs Feed: