Report: Kentucky's DJ Wagner to Visit John Calipari, Arkansas amid Transfer Rumors
May 7, 2024
Kentucky transfer DJ Wagner plans to visit former Wildcats head coach John Calipari at Arkansas this weekend, per CBS Sports' Jon Rothstein.
Rothstein's report comes the day after former Kentucky forward Adou Thiero announced his plan to transfer to Arkansas, per On3's Joe Tipton.
Wagner averaged 9.9 points and 3.3 assists per game in 29 appearances, including 28 starts, during his freshman season at Kentucky.
He ranks as the No. 8 point guard and No. 37 overall player currently available in the transfer portal, according to 247Sports.
Despite being a regular in Kentucky's starting lineup throughout the season, Wagner's playing time decreased as he struggled with an ankle injury late in the campaign.
After averaging 12.0 points per game with two 20-point outings through the first 18 contests of the season, Wagner was sidelined for more than two weeks due to the nagging injury.
He returned and struggled through a shooting slump that saw him go 0-for-15 from deep over seven games.
Wagner ended the season having been held off the scoresheet entirely in Kentucky's season finale 80-76 loss to Oakland during the first round of the 2024 NCAA Tournament.
Calipari defended Wagner's performance while recovering from injury several times throughout the end of the season.
"D.J. being hurt and sitting out two and a half weeks really affected him. He's come back. He's better. He's back to where he was," Calipari said before the start of the NCAA tournament, per On3's Dan Morrison. "He was the Freshmen of the Week four times, and then he took two-and-a-half weeks off and it's taken him time."
Wagner could decide to join Arkansas and play a second season under Calipari, who coached his father, former NBA player Dajuan Wagner, at Memphis.
The Razorbacks aren't the only program Wagner is considering, however.
Wagner's first reported visit after entering the transfer portal was to see former Arkansas coach Eric Musselman at USC, per basketball insider Adam Zagoria.
So far Kentucky transfers are split on whether to follow Calipari. Thiero and forward Zvonimir Ivisic have committed to Arkansas, while Aaron Bradshaw and Joey Hart have departed for Ohio State and Ball State, respectively.
Calipari will now hope he can secure a third transfer in Wagner as he looks to almost entirely rebuild the Razorbacks' roster before his first season as Arkansas' head coach.