New Arkansas coach John Calipari made his biggest recruiting splash yet on Tuesday by landing a commitment from former Florida Atlantic star Johnell Davis. The 2023-24 AAC co-Player of the Year will give the Razorbacks one of the nation’s top perimeter scorers in the season ahead as Calipari takes over following 15 seasons at Kentucky.
Davis ranks No. 1 in the CBS Sports Transfer Rankings after developing from a little-used freshman into a college basketball superstar during his four seasons with the Owls. The 6-foot-4 guard played an integral role in FAU’s run to the 2023 Final Four and returned to anchor the team last season.
With Davis as their leading scorer, the Owls finished 25-9 and went 14-4 in the AAC during their first season in the league. Davis averaged 18.2 points, 6.3 rebounds and 2.9 assists while shooting 41.4% from 3-point range. A multi-faceted scorer, Davis has also shot 51.5% or better from 2-point range in all four of his college seasons to date while proving to be an efficient and reliable offensive weapon.
Calipari has commitments from a trio of top-30 prospects from the Class of 2024 in Carter Knox, Billy Richmond and Boogie Fland. But Davis will serve as a sorely needed veteran presence in the backcourt for a roster that is still several commitments away from completion.
Arkansas’ other transfer commitments are from centers Jonas Aidoo (Tennessee) and Zvonimir Ivišić (Kentucky). The Razorbacks are not expected to return a single scholarship player from their 2023-24 roster.
