Summer Practice Notebook: First look at Razorbacks with new roster

Freshmen First Impressions

After a semi-slow start to practice during halfcourt drills, 5-star freshman Meleek Thomas shifted into high gear the moment the team started going through live full-court work.

The rangy 6-foot-5 guard thrives in the open floor with the ball in his hands and showed why he has earned the reputation as a tough shot-maker with a number of high-difficulty finishes and jumpers off the bounce.

Calipari labeled Thomas as a "bucket getter" after practice and said he has challenged his young guard to be more efficient with his dribbles. A prime example was after a dazzling drive and turnaround jumper over Karter Knox, Calipari pointedly chimed in with "You better make that shot if you are going to take it after 12 dribbles."

Fellow McDonald's All-American newcomer Darius Acuff had a minor tweak early in practice that he played through from start to finish, but appeared to favor at times that impacted his aggressiveness.

Acuff looked smooth, comfortable and in control with the ball in his hands operating in ball-screen action where he knocked down a midrange jumper against drop coverage in the lane, burned a defender for going underneath the screen with a pull-up three and had several high level passes after paint touches.

While Thomas stood out and Acuff had his moments, a less-heralded freshman impressed in his own right in Springdale native Isaiah Sealy.

Highlighted by a step-through finish between two defenders, a baseline drive and lay-up past Knox and a consistent stroke from beyond the arc, Sealy looked more than capable with the ball in his hands and every bit like a rotation piece for the Razorbacks.

Calipari pointed out that Sealy "does some things that can't be taught," but the next step in his development will be to learn how to play more effectively without the ball in his hands to complement Arkansas' surrounding pieces.

Towering Transfer Tandem in Paint

Arkansas only made two transfer portal additions in the offseason, both of whom will man the center position in Florida State's Malique Ewin and former South Carolina and Alabama big man Nick Pringle.

Coming in, it was no secret Ewin was a gifted offensive big man, but his versatility really popped at practice on Wednesday.

Despite only have one three-point attempt in his career, Ewin looked plenty comfortable taking, and making, catch-and-shoot threes out of dribble-handoff action and in the corner. He also flashed point forward potential as a big man who can grab a defensive rebound and push it up the floor off the dribble.

It was enough for DJ Wagner to refer to Ewin as a "6-10 wing" after practice...

After getting challenged by Calipari to run the floor harder, Ewin responded by filling the lane in transition and getting rewarded with a lob dunk courtesty of Acuff.

Pringle is as physically imposing and tough as advertised. He was busy on the backboards, looked comfortable as a lob finisher and advanced as a pick-and-roll threat. He also impressed defensively with the ability to move laterally and keep his man in front even on a switch.

The coaching staff has challenged Pringle to get more comfortable offensively with his jumper and driving to the rim. He made a couple threes during drill work, but looked his best as a power driver from the elbow.

Returning Razorback Progress Report

After a strong finish to last season, Trevon Brazile stood out as the best player on the floor Wednesday. The addition of 10 pounds of muscle and an increasingly aggressive and confident mindset jumped off the page.

Brazile was not only making threes, but hunting them and shooting them with no hesitation. He appears to have also made significant progress as a driver, blowing by both Malique Ewin and Karter Knox on multiple occasions from the perimeter.

Defensively, he matched the physicality of Pringle and Ewin in the paint and did a plus job of defending Knox on the perimeter, even extending his pressure well beyond the three-point line at times.

Billy Richmond was next in line in the improved returner category, particulary when it comes to his jumper.

The sophomore guard knocked down multiple three-pointers that led to a "If you make that shot nobody can guard you" comment from Calipari, hit a tough turnaround baseline pull-up and dunked over the top of Brazile.

Turnovers are still a sore spot, but if Richmond's shot translates to the season, he is in line for a major jump.

It was a somewhat quiet, albeit productive, day at the office for Karter Knox and D.J. Wagner.

Knox, noticeably leaner, did not get many touches, but showed some of his patented drives and finishes through contact and found his three-point shot in full-court work later in the practice.

He was often matched up against Brazile — noteworthy if he will play the four at times this season — where he held up fine physically, but struggled with his length defensively.

Wagner went about business as usual, taking care of the basketball, getting after it defensively, and focusing on getting downhill and to the basket.

He was streaky on the day from three, although it is worth pointing out Calipari praised his shot-making during the post-practice press conference.

NOTABLE ABSENCES

Freshman wing Karim Rtail was present at practice, but did not dress out or participate as he is on the mend from what Calipari described as a back injury.

Recent commits Paulo Semedo and Elmir Dzafic were also absent from Wednesday's practice and have not yet arrived on campus.

It is worth noting the two international additions were made in mid-June and are going through the admissions and enrollment process.

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