For the second consecutive season as the Arkansas basketball head coach, John Calipari has demonstrated that he can coach at an elite level, taking the Razorbacks to the Sweet 16 each season and winning the Southeastern Conference (SEC) Tournament Championship last season, which, according to ESPN, was the Hogs' first such championship since 2000. Calipari's acquisition of forward Malique Ewin from the transfer portal, entering from Florida State University, was crucial to Arkansas's success last season, as he supplied much-needed size down low.
With Arkansas losing forward Trevon Brazile, who lacks additional college basketball eligibility, Karter Knox to the transfer portal, moving on to the Louisville Cardinals, Meleek Thomas to the 2026 NBA Draft, though retaining his eligibility to return to playing college basketball, and Darius Acuff Jr., who officially declared for the 2026 NBA Draft yesterday, the Razorbacks are losing most of their production from last season.
As always, Calipari has reloaded his team, with the Hogs set to add an outstanding incoming freshman and transfer classes for the upcoming season. However, as Arkansas' blowout 109-88 loss to the Arizona Wildcats revealed, the team will struggle to reach the Final Four and win a national championship without true, quality big men in its frontcourt.
Malique Ewin transfer portal announcement
Given that the Razorbacks cannot afford to lose size down low, they received news on Tuesday that was unfavorable: Malique Ewin decided to enter the transfer portal, as reported by Joe Tipton, national basketball reporter for On3 and Rivals.
Arkansas big man Malique Ewin is entering the @TransferPortal, he told @On3.
— Joe Tipton (@JoeTipton) April 21, 2026
The 6-10 senior averaged 9.8 PPG, 5.7 RPG, and 1.1 BPG this season. He will need a waiver to gain an additional year of eligibility.https://t.co/Ezf9rGCkX9 pic.twitter.com/BEeeZPywxZ
As Tipton disclosed, Ewin "will need a waiver to gain an additional year of eligibility." If the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) grants his waiver request, he could emerge as valuable asset for teams needing a quality player to their frontcourt. According to ESPN, last season, he averaged 9.8 points, 5.7 rebounds, 1.1 blocks, and1.0 assists per game, and shot 59.0% from the field and 73.9% from the charity stripe.
The previously mentioned numbers fail to capture how progressively more physical he became and how he was willing to do whatever his team needed to win, including playing with four stitches and wearing a protective mask. Ewin, therefore, is not afraid of contact and rising to the occasion in the most critical moments of the most competitive games. The Arkansas Razorbacks will miss such a valuable presence and production on the inside, which is their area of greatest vulnerability when facing elite competition.
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