Former five-star recruit D.J. Wagner will reportedly transfer from the University of Kentucky and join John Calipari at the University of Arkansas in the fall. Wagner is the sixth player to join Calipari in Fayetteville, joining Zvonimir Ivisic, Adou Thiero, Boogie Fland, Karter Knox and Billy Richmond. Calipari has also enlisted the help of Florida Atlantic transfer Johnell Davis and Tennessee transfer Jonas Aidoo as he begins his run at Arkansas. With a new collection of talent in Fayetteville, ESPN projects Arkansas will “enter the 2024-25 season ranked in the top 15 nationally.”
Wagner arrived in Lexington, Kentucky as a five-star recruit. In 29 games, he shot 40.2% from the field and 29.2% from beyond the arc as he averaged 9.9 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game. The Kentucky Wildcats finished second in the SEC with a record of 23-10 and Wagner earned SEC Freshman of the Week honors three times. However, their season ended in disappointment as they lost in the quarterfinals of the 2024 SEC Men’s Basketball Tournament and the first round of the 2024 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament.
