The 2024-25 basketball season may be over for the Razorbacks, but the excitement is just beginning. Two talented Arkansas recruits will take center stage Tuesday in the McDonald's All-American game: Daruis Acuff and Meleek Thomas.
Arkansas basketball commits expect a national championship in 2025-26
On Monday, the future Hogs sat with the media to preview the All-American game, and both seemed very excited about the program's direction. A media member asked them about following Arkansas' NCAA Tournament run, which prompted a follow-up question, 'Do you think you can take them deeper next year?' Thomas answered quickly and confidently, "100 percent. I think we can win a national championship." Then Acuff responded without skipping a beat, "Facts."
The five-star prospects are buzzing with excitement to play for Arkansas and John Calipari as they get ready to showcase their talents to the nation. Thomas — the 10th-best player in his class and second-best shooting guard, according to 247Sports — said that Coach Cal's loyalty since the beginning of his recruitment was why he committed.
"I would say what made me want to commit to Arkansas was just the loyalty aspect of everything," said Thomas. "Cal has been recruiting me since eighth grade. He's never told a fib to me. Never told me something was going to happen, and it didn't happen, so when [Calipari was] so genuine on your behalf, then it's easy... to just give my full commitment to that School."
Acuff echoed the sentiment, saying, "Yeah, basically what [Thomas] said. Cal's been recruiting me since, you know, 10th grade... He never sugarcoated nothing with me, though. [Cal] told me what I need to work on."
And while the relationship he's built with Thomas and Acuff has been a massive difference maker, both understand the legacy Calipari's creating and want to be a part of that. "The great guards [Calipari] had... I want to continue that, for sure," Acuff said.
Acuff will come to the Hill as the No. 2 point guard, according to 247Sports composite rankings, and the No. 5 prospect overall.
The McDonald's All-American games start Tuesday night at 5:30 CT for the Women's game and 8:00 CT for the Men's. You can tune in on ESPN2 for the Women's and ESPN for the Men's.