John Calipari’s Razorbacks land elite five-star Darius Acuff Jr., continuing impressive recruiting spree

John Calipari strikes again, gaining the commitment of five-star recruit Darius Acuff Jr. from the class of 2025. The star point guard announced his decision on a 247Sports YouTube broadcast, choosing the Arkansas Razorbacks over Dusty May's Michigan and Bill Self's Kansas.

Acuff Jr. currently plays for IMG Academy in Florida and is projected to be a top-5 player in next year’s talent pool. He is ranked No. 4 nationwide as per 247Sports.

This commitment marks an incredible feat for Calipari, who has been with the Razorbacks for less than four months. He has already built Arkansas into the No. 3 class in the 2024 recruitment cycle by bringing Boogie Fland, Billy Richmond and Karter Knox, alongside transfers Johnell Davis and D.J. Wagner.

Darius Acuff Jr. will add aggressiveness, speed and mental toughness to the Razorbacks next season. He is known for his confidence, ability to control the game and scoring versatility.

Does John Calipari have a shot at landing the top prospect from the 2025 class?

While Miami and Florida have emerged as possible contenders for Cameron Boozer, the top prospect in the 2025 class, John Calipari managed to make an impression on the power forward during his time at Kentucky.

Among the schools Cameron and his twin brother, point guard Cayden Boozer, have visited, Calipari's program was one of the few that stood out. Speaking to On3 in November of last year, Cameron said:

"Coach Cal does a great job of getting players from college to the NBA. A lot of his players have success in the NBA, too. He puts his best players in spots where they can perform. He’s a great coach, great coaching staff, and great school.”

Cayden was also keen on the coach after the visit:

“They’re a winning program. They always have been. Coach Calipari sends people to the league. He knows how to get people better and I like that about him.” [H/T On3]

One reason young guards pledge to play under John Calipari is his illustrious history of generating NBA-level guards. During his last 15 years in Kentucky, he developed 50 big-league-grade players like Anthony Davis, Devin Booker, Malik Monk and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

Additionally, more than 20 guards have made it to the NBA under his guidance, including Derrick Rose, John Wall and combo guards like Jamal Murray and Tyrese Maxey.

With Calipari now aiming to build a top team in Arkansas, there is still a possibility that he could be one of the frontrunners in landing the Boozer brothers.