John Calipari and Arkansas add Russian center Ilia Frolov to elite recruiting haul

John Calipari has always been able to recruit. And yes, the scales have been evened a bit due to rival programs being able to outbid Calipari on the recruiting trail, but he's still amongst the best of the best in this NIL era.

Calipari's brand speaks for itself, but he's doing a good job of building up the Arkansas Razorbacks right alongside it.

In two seasons at Arkansas, he's gone 50-23 and last season the Razorbacks won the SEC Tournament.

Now in full offseason mode, he's putting together an elite 2026 recruiting class. 

To that point, Arkansas just added an international commitment from big man Ilia Frolov. He's a 6-foot-11, 225-pound center from Russia with a ton of potential.

Frolov took an official visit to Arkansas earlier this week, and that really sold him on Calipari and the Razorbacks.

“It was an amazing visit. Coach Calipari and the staff made me feel welcomed and comfortable. Coach Cal can teach me a lot about the game, and I will do whatever it takes to help him win," he said.