Arkansas Razorbacks Pro Day:

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FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — With all 30 NBA teams lining the baseline inside the Marsha & Marty Martin Family Basketball Performance Center, Arkansas turned its annual Pro Day into a 90-minute clinic on pace, spacing, and decision-making under Head Coach John Calipari. The session mixed testing-style drills, shooting windows, and extended scrimmage segments (3-on-3, 4-on-4, and full 5-on-5) while Calipari coached live throughout, emphasizing two themes he repeated to the group:

“Fall back on your training…and remember, body language screams.”
 

“It’s not what you want to show, it’s what they want to see.”
 

• Carter Knox (So., wing, No. 11) – The returning sophomore who “tested the NBA waters” drew steady scout attention for his frame (6-5 with ~6-10 wingspan per broadcast), downhill attacks out of middle ball screens, and corner shooting. Calipari pushed Knox to vary his reads (“car crashes at the rim” for and-1 chances) and to expand the pull-up/mid-range counter. Knox popped during 5-on-5 with a pitch-ahead three and multiple strong drives after “twist” actions.
   
•  Darius Acuff Jr. . (Fr., guard, No. 5) – Labeled a potential one-and-done, Auff showed natural creation in pick-and-roll and an emerging willingness to distribute. Calipari praised his unselfishness and challenged him to “quit messing” and get below the free-throw line to force help, a sign the staff trusts his reads in tight spaces.
   
• DJ Wagner (Jr., guard) – The veteran guard’s leadership and command of two-guard actions stood out. Staff cited Wagner’s growth last season running the team; he was the cleanest PNR decision-maker in the building, toggling between hit-ahead passes and snaking to mid-paint.
   
•  Trevon Brazile (“TB”, F/C) – The explosive finisher delivered multiple lob highlights and corner threes. His length warped coverages in the “twist” series, and coaches repeatedly referenced his above-the-box pop.
   
• Nick Pringle (C, transfer) – Showed rim-running lanes, lob targets, and switch agility (“Nick can guard all these guards,” Calipari noted during a scout-facing teaching moment). His screening angles and sprint-to-screen urgency created clean “fist up/fist out” reads.
   
• Malik Thomas (Fr., G) – A shooter’s shooter who won Arkansas’ recent three-point contest. Coaches pressed him to eliminate 10-dribble possessions and trust the next action; he responded with quick pull-ups and clean catch-and-shoots.
   
• Billy Richmond (W/F) – Physical wing who screened with force, attacked gaps, and functioned as a short-roll decision hub when Arkansas lifted its bigs.
   
• Isaiah Sealy (Fr., No. 30) – Local product flashed poise with a baseline finish and timely cuts; staff expects him to fight into the rotation.
   

(Transfers Malik Euan and others were cited for adding length and maturity to a rotation Calipari still expects to be “one of the youngest in the SEC.”)

Pro concepts, taught loudly in real time. Calipari built the day around NBA-relevant actions and language:

• Middle PNR families: fist up, fist out, push, snake, highway (path off the screen); plus “twist” re-screens to flip the big’s angle and stress the drop defender.
   
• Advantage/Disadvantage reads: 3-on-0 to 3-on-3 progression where the ball-handler is chased and must throw on time to the second-side shooter or finish through contact.
   
• Short-roll playmaking: Bigs catching outside the lane to force rotations and kick.
   
• Spacing rules: Run wide lanes, pitch the ball ahead, and cut after the pass to avoid dead-man possessions. (“If you make the pass and stand, he only has one option—shoot.”)
   
• IQ in small areas: Calipari’s directive—“Can you play in small areas after beating a closeout?”—was a constant evaluation point.
   

Body language and buy-in. Calipari told players bluntly that scouts grade reactions to mistakes, communication, and teammate behaviors as much as makes and misses. The group’s energy and willingness to be coached drew on-air praise from long-time NBA coach/analyst Mike Fratello, who called the day “a great look at NBA pieces—transition pitch-ahead, movement plus ball movement, and pick-and-roll reads.”

• Drill → Game transfer: Actions drilled early (“twist,” “stack,” “horns zoom”) quickly surfaced in 5-on-5 for corner threes and lob dunks—exactly the translation scouts come to verify.
   
• Cutting wins possessions: Multiple sequences ended with the original passer getting the return because he cut hard—Calipari’s “basketball gods” speech hit home.
   
• Pace via passing: Arkansas ran fastest when wings advanced the ball early rather than bouncing into traffic.
   

1. NBA traffic in the gym is no accident. Relationships matter, and Calipari’s resume (43 first-rounders, four No. 1 picks) continues to pull full-league attendance.
    
2. Roster versatility. With downhill guards (Wagner/Auff), elastic wings (Knox/Richmond), and vertical bigs (Brazil/Pringle), Arkansas can play five-out spacing or rim-pressure lineups on demand.
    
3. Growth areas. Calipari said it plainly: “If you don’t have post presence, your team is a fraud.” Expect emphasis on low-post touches and continued work on efficient shot selection as conditioning climbs.
    

Pro Day is now in the rear-view; Arkansas pivots fully to preseason install and an SEC slate Calipari calls the best prep for March. History says when his teams win deep into March, multiple players hear their names on draft night. On Sunday’s showing, the 2025–26 Razorbacks have the athletic profile, scheme fluency, and buy-in to make both happen.