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5-Star Karter Knox Commits to Arkansas, Follows John Calipari After Kentucky Decommit

Scott Polacek

John Calipari isn't the only one going from Kentucky to Arkansas.

Class of 2024 recruit Karter Knox elected to follow the coach to Arkansas on Monday after previously decommitting from Kentucky, per ESPN's Jonathan Givony.

"Throughout my whole recruiting process, Coach Cal always said he wants to make me a pro, and I trust that he will do that for me at Arkansas," Knox said. "I also have a great relationship with Coach Kenny Payne, so getting to play for two coaches I admire is a dream come true. I'm looking forward to getting there, getting to work and bringing a winning mentality to Fayetteville."

Knox is a 5-star prospect and the No. 22 overall player in the class of 2024, per 247Sports' composite rankings.

The small forward's connection to Calipari goes beyond his initial decision to join the Wildcats.

He is the younger brother of Kevin Knox, who played for Calipari at Kentucky before he was the No. 9 overall pick of the 2018 NBA draft. The new Arkansas coach already helped one member of the family reach the sport's highest level and will look to do the same with the younger brother.

Knox was yet another departure from Kentucky's once promising recruiting class.

Givony noted Jayden Quaintance, Boogie Fland, Billy Richmond and Somto Cyril all decommitted from the Wildcats and could follow Knox to Arkansas. The Razorbacks have no shortage of openings since all 13 of their scholarship players from the 2023-24 campaign either entered the NBA draft, entered the transfer portal or ran out of eligibility.

While that would be cause for concern for many, this is a different era of college basketball. With the transfer portal readily available and many of his recruits at Kentucky now looking for new schools, Calipari started his tenure with a fresh slate when it came to roster building.

He is known as one of the best recruiters in the sport, so it wouldn't be surprising if the Razorbacks end up with quite the impressive team during his first season.

Landing players like Knox, who is an excellent scorer and can extend his offensive game beyond the arc, is an ideal place to start as Calipari looks to build another SEC powerhouse following his headline-making departure from Kentucky.

   

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