FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - Arkansas true freshman center Caleb Ourigou won't start his college career with much glamour as some of his fellow new teammates.
But he does bring potential that could potentially make him a difference maker in the post come SEC play. Don't think for a second that Razorbacks coach John Calipari was desparate to find a big man either as Ourigou was looking at several schools such as Kentucky, BYU, UConn, North Carolina State, Virginia, Michigan, Alabama, Tennessee, Auburn and many others were looking to sign him.
He brings plenty of length to the floor at 6-foot-11 and a 7-foot-3 wingspan with the natural ability to work around the rim on both ends of the floor. His all-around offensive game could be tightened a bit, but he has no fear of going inside to battle in the pain and rarely commits turnovers.
While Ourigou was a known commodity on the recruiting trail, it wasn't until his performance at the NBPA Top-100 combine when he began to turn heads. He averaged 10 points, and eight rebounds per game while connecting on 74% of his shot attempts from two-point range and a steady 63% from the free throw line.
Ourigou followed that up with an exceptional stretch of play for his NY Renaissance squad on the EYBL 17U Circuit, averaging 11 points, nine rebounds and two blocks while making over 60% from the field across 15 games.
He took the Rens to a quarterfinal finish at the Peach Jam, and was rewarded during EYBL play as an All-Defensive team performer in Session III.
For an Arkansas team that's spent the last two seasons looking for strong rebounders to go along with elite rim protection, Ourigou provides the kind of physicality, soft hands and strength needed to become a quality big man in the SEC.
Less than two weeks following his pledge and signing with the Razorbacks, Ourigou went on to have an exceptional showing in his first college action at the Baha Mar Summer League, averaging eight points, eight rebounds and one block across all four games the Bahamas.
His play during the exhibition series showed Arkansas coaches enough that he could potentially flourish into the next enforcer under the basket for Calipari.
He arrived on campus around 240 pounds, but is now listed at 250 pounds and the coaching staff couldn't be more pleased with his development.
Although it's hard not to watch his game and believe his smooth offensive skillset and defensive versatility won't translate to the college level almost immediately.
"My big guys right now are 223 [pounds] and 216 [pounds]," Calipari said during media availability on Sept. 30. "He's 245, 247. So he gives us the big. And there may be a game he's going to be that guy."
Ourigou, along with fellow reclassified true freshman guard Davion Thompson , will be going up against high-major competition for the first time when Gonzaga comes to town for an exhibition at Bud Walton Arena on Oct. 24 at 3 p.m. CT.
The Razorbacks' big men will likely have their hands full down low going up against big man Massamba Diop, who at least considered the Razorbacks out of the transfer portal during the offseason.
"My guess is we'll be so nervous, maybe even for both of them,that we'll look awful," Calipari said."But you'll say, 'they play really hard. They don't look very good right now, but man, do they play hard.' That's what we're trying to get to.The thing that's hard to teach a competitive spirit, it's hard. You either have that or you don't.We have a competitive spirit."
EDITOR'S NOTE: This is the second of a multi-part series that features each Arkansas Razorback basketball player, and what they bring to the floor.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/arkansas as Who Is Caleb Ourigou? Arkansas' Next True Big Man Under John Calipari .
