Arkansas basketball 's chances of winning a national title in 2027 will be determined over the few days
The men's transfer portal opened on April 7 and runs through April 21. John Calipari is in the market for impact players who can lift the Razorbacks past the Sweet 16, where each of Calipari's first two seasons in Fayetteville came to a close.
Last offseason, Arkansas brought in Malique Ewin and Nick Pringle . Otherwise, the Hogs relied on incoming freshmen and a core group of returnees. The Hogs will be more active in this year's transfer portal.
Here are the latest updates on who is coming and going for Arkansas basketball.
Wilkinson averaged 17.4 points while shooting 41% overall and 35.7% on 3-pointers as a sophomore. The 6-foot-1 guard scored 30 points in the Bulldogs' blowout loss to Saint Louis at the NCAA Tournament. There's a chance Meleek Thomas could return, but Wilkinson's addition signals the Hogs are preparing for a world without the fringe first-round pick. Wilkinson will stretch the opposing defense and be relied upon for late-game scoring.
The 6-foot-11 big is a versatile frontcourt player who is comfortable with the ball in his hands as both a driver and passer. Bowser averaged 13.8 points and 5.9 rebounds while shooting 76.6% from the floor. He also posted 1.8 assists, 1.2 blocks and 0.6 steals per game. When he gets to the rim, Bowser typically scores as an extremely efficient two-point scorer. However, he provides no threat from 3-point range. It will be a step up in physicality for Bowser making the move from the SoCon to the SEC.
In his one season with the Razorbacks , Ewin averaged 9.8 points and 5.7 rebounds while shooting 59% from the field. He was the first reserve off the bench in most games, backing up center Nick Pringle. He transferred in from Florida State and still needs a waiver to be eligible for the 2026-27 season, but Ewin won't play for Arkansas if he does get that waiver.
Karuletwa played in 13 games across two seasons with the Razorbacks. He was originally brought in as a developmental piece during John Calipari's first recruiting cycle, but he will head elsewhere to finish his collegiate career and try to earn more playing time away from the Razorbacks.
Knox missed the last month of the season after undergoing meniscus surgery. His sophomore campaign didn't live up to expectations as Knox averaged 8.1 points and 4.5 rebounds, taking a back seat on offense to two freshmen. He now becomes the second recruit from Calipari's first high school class at Arkansas, joining Boogie Fland , to transfer away from the Razorbacks.
Rtail never played for the Razorbacks after sustaining a back injury during the preseason. The 6-foot-7 wing from Lebanon played professionally in his home country before coming to Arkansas. It's an intriguing 'what-if?' to wonder what Rtail's role might have been as a healthy freshman with the Razorbacks.
Dzafic played in seven games during his one-and-only year with the Hogs. He scored three points at the free-throw line, grabbed one rebound and recorded one block. He was signed as a project center from Europe who will go elsewhere to develop as a college athlete.
Wagner was in a similar position to Karter Knox. He has family ties to Calipari but took a step back this past season and will now go elsewhere for his final college season. He averaged 7.4 points and 2.4 assists while primarily coming off the bench this season.
The Hogs need a reset in the frontcourt.
Nick Pringle and Trevon Brazile are out of eligibility, while Malique Ewin would need a waiver from the NCAA to participate in another season. Even if Ewin can return, Arkansas needs at least two big men this offseason with zero frontcourt recruits coming to Fayetteville out of high school.
There are already intriguing names in the transfer portal. Georgia's Somto Cyril , Kansas ' Flory Bidunga , Louisville's Sananda Fru , Georgia Tech 's Mouhamed Sylla and Oregon 's Kwame Evans Jr. are all names to watch.
For now, Arkansas looks set in its backcourt and on the wing, but that could change if there are any more departures. D.J. Wagner and Billy Richmond III will be key retention pieces to complement an elite class of incoming freshmen.
Jackson Fuller covers Arkansas football, basketball and baseball for the Southwest Times Record, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at jfuller@usatodayco.com or follow him @jacksonfuller16 on X, formerly known as Twitter.
This article originally appeared on Fort Smith Times Record: Arkansas basketball transfer portal news, developments today
