According to a report, 4-star recruit Billy Richmond has chosen to commit to Arkansas following John Calipari’s departure from Kentucky.
Following his move from Kentucky to Arkansas, John Calipari has reportedly convinced a key recruit to switch allegiance from the Wildcats to the Razorbacks. According to Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium, forward Billy Richmond has opted to play for Arkansas after initially committing to Kentucky in December and subsequently withdrawing his commitment. Richmond, a 4-star recruit per 247Sports, is the fourth player to make the move from Kentucky to Arkansas since Calipari’s departure.
ESPN’s Jeff Borzello and Paul Biancardi reported that Calipari’s exit from Kentucky, and his replacement by Mark Pope, led to the de-commitment of five out of the six recruits who had committed to the Wildcats as part of the 2024 class. Richmond joins guard Boogie Fland and forward Karter Knox as former Kentucky commits who have joined Arkansas, along with forward Zvonimir Ivišić, who transferred from Kentucky to Arkansas after playing under Calipari last season.
Joe Tipton of On3.com previously reported Richmond’s commitment to Kentucky in December, highlighting his strong connection to Calipari. Richmond’s father, also named Billy Richmond, played for Calipari at the University of Memphis, influencing Richmond’s decision to choose Kentucky.
The addition of Richmond and other former Kentucky commits is significant for Calipari, especially considering the state of Arkansas’ roster when he first arrived. At his introductory press conference, Calipari emphasized the need to rebuild the team, indicating that there were no scholarship players remaining from the previous season’s roster. However, with Richmond and other former Kentucky commits on board, Calipari now has a solid foundation of talent to build upon as he shapes the roster for the upcoming season at Arkansas.
