Arkansas basketball’s future continues to shine brightly as Razorback signees JJ Andrews and Abdou Toure were each named to a pair of prestigious national watch lists. The duo is among 25 players selected to the 2026 Jersey Mike’s Naismith Trophy Boys’ High School Player of the Year Midseason Team and the MaxPreps National Player of the Year Watch List, further solidifying Arkansas’ elite recruiting momentum under head coach John Calipari.
JJ Andrews: Arkansas’ Homegrown Star
Andrews, a standout at Little Rock Christian Academy, is widely regarded as one of the nation’s premier prospects. ESPN and 247Sports both rank him as the 11th-best high school player in the country, and he is the consensus No. 1 prospect in the state of Arkansas. For John Calipari, keeping the top in-state talent home is a massive win, owning your recruiting footprint and never letting elite, easy-access talent leave the state.
Despite missing several games due to injury, Andrews has posted dominant numbers this season, averaging 34.0 points, 16.8 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 2.1 steals per game. His impact on both ends of the floor has been undeniable. A preseason third-team MaxPreps All-American, Andrews is no stranger to accolades. Last season, he was named both the Gatorade Arkansas Boys Basketball Player of the Year and the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette All-Arkansas Preps Boys Player of the Year.
Abdou Toure: A National Force from Connecticut
Toure, who plays at Notre Dame High School in West Haven, Connecticut, has also earned national attention. Recruiting services rank him between the 30th and 36th best player in the country, and his recent performance at a prospect camp showcase only elevated his profile.
This season, Toure is averaging 28.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 2.8 steals per game, while showcasing remarkable efficiency, shooting 79.5 percent from the field and 51.6 percent from three-point range. A two-time Connecticut MaxPreps Player of the Year, Toure was also named the 2025 Gatorade Connecticut Boys Basketball Player of the Year, cementing his status as one of the Northeast’s most dominant players.
John Calipari’s Blueprint Continues
Both Andrews and Toure are elite talents set to join the Razorbacks in 2026, and their commitments further highlight Calipari’s commitment to developing young stars. While many programs have leaned heavily into the transfer portal and NIL-driven roster construction, Calipari has taken a different approach, one he has publicly defended by criticizing current transfer portal rules and NIL excesses. Seeing these two young recruits get the national recognition they deserve must feel reassuring in Coach Cal's eyes in the way he views things.
As college basketball trends older, Calipari continues to prioritize youth, development, and system-based coaching. His belief in coaching up elite prospects rather than patchworking rosters through constant transfers has long been a defining feature of his success. Calipari wants players who are talented, coachable, and willing to be pushed, and Andrews and Toure fit that mold perfectly.
With freshman guards Darius Acuff Jr. and Meleek Thomas potentially following the well-worn path of one-and-done stars this season, Andrews and Toure appear to be next in line. Even if Acuff and Thomas return, Calipari is always planning ahead. The 2026 class represents his next wave of high-upside projects, players capable of becoming stars under intense coaching and long-term development.
Arkansas fans can feel confident that the Razorbacks’ pipeline of elite talent remains strong. Andrews and Toure aren’t just future contributors, they’re the next standard-bearers for a program that continues to bet on youth, development, and championship-level potential. This is the Coach Calipari experience that's worked for him in his long lasting career, can't teach an old dog new tricks but if it's working why change now.