3 underdogs who committed to John Calipari's Arkansas in 2024 ft. Karter Knox
In nearly four months of his head coaching role at Arkansas, John Calipari has changed the program's landscape. Alongside a new coaching staff, the Razorbacks features a fresh lineup of players consisting of freshmen and transfer talents.
Here's a closer look at three underrated players with the potential to have a winning impact in the 2024-25 season.
3 underdogs at John Calipari's Arkansas in 2024
#3. Karter Knox
Karter Knox is a 6-foot-5 shooting guard with a respectable outside scoring touch. However, he likes to use his athleticism in transition to finish around the basket.
While this ability also gives him enough skills to be an isolation player, he can also score from the mid-post or become a good spot-up shooter, which will be his biggest asset to impact the scoring sheet this year.
With John Calipari, he can also be slowly pushed towards utilizing his athleticism and length to be a reliable perimeter defender, mostly in team situations.
#2. Boogie Fland
Boogie Fland comes to Arkansas with a repertoire of slippery ball handles and multiple tricks to score off the ball, including a great shooting touch. Moreover, He already has the skill set of guards who mounted big-league careers out of Calipari’s mentorship.
John Calipari would like to improve him on the defensive end and choose his shots wisely. Being a freshman, limited minutes will help him excel at least at one of those things.
#3. Zvonimir Ivisic
Zvonimir Ivisic is already a modern-day stretch-big with his 7-foot-2 frame and 37.5% 3-point shooting. He only played 15 games last season while logging in a little less than 12 minutes per game last season. However, he already has a pre-existing history with Calipari, being one of the four players who transferred to Arkansas from Kentucky.
This gives Ivisic an edge on what to expect from Calipari’s coaching, enabling him to focus a step further.
The coming season could see Ivisic increase the frequency of his long-range shots and master key areas on the floor behind his 57.7% field goal efficiency. Moreover, despite playing limited minutes, he averaged 1.3 blocks per game last season, which could be Arkansas’ reason enough to hand him more significant minutes in the 2024-25 season.
How do you think John Calipari and Co. will fare next season? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.