Arkansas is starting to make real noise with one of the best guards in the 2027 class.
John Calipari is still deep in the grind of building out that recruiting cycle, and according to Rivals, the Razorbacks are picking up steam with 5-star guard King Gibson. The competition is heavy - UConn, Louisville and Alabama are all in the mix - but Arkansas has a familiar selling point working in its favor: Calipari’s history of turning elite backcourt talent into NBA players.
That pitch carries weight. Calipari has produced 65 total draft picks, putting him nine behind Duke legend Mike Krzyzewski’s 74, and his 30 NBA Draft lottery selections are the most ever.
Gibson, a combo guard from SPIRE Academy in Geneva, Ohio, checks in at 6-foot-4, 185 pounds and has a long list of high-major offers. UConn, Louisiville, Maryland, LSU, Alabama, Auburn, Georgia, Florida State, Houston, Indiana, Kentucky, Syracuse, Texas A&M, VIrginia Tech and others are all involved.
247Sports has Gibson ranked No. 5 overall in the 2027 class, No. 1 among combo guards and the top player in Ohio.
Calipari got a live look at Gibson in Memphis during the Nike EYBL event, and the evaluation matched the reputation. Gibson showed the kind of scoring punch and athletic pop that makes him such a coveted target.
He backed that up in the Midsouth, where he averaged 17 points, three assists and three rebounds per game for Team United while shooting 55% from the field, 60% from three and 71% at the free throw line.
What stands out with Gibson is the variety in his game. He can work with or without the ball, score at all three levels and punish defenses from deep with a quick catch-and-shoot release. He’s smooth getting downhill, comfortable in the midrange and not just a jump-shot specialist.
There are still edges to his game, too. At times he can get a little rushed in transition and nearly lose control, even though he generally plays under control.
His passing is solid for a combo guard, with enough floor vision to manipulate defenders and find easy assists. He doesn’t have the extraordinary leaping ability of some 2026 prospects, but he still brings plenty of bounce in space.
Arkansas already has one commitment in the 2027 class in 5-star point guard Davion Thompson, which puts the Razorbacks at No. 8 nationally in the 247Sports Team Recruiting Rankings.
There’s also the wrinkle that Thompson is rumored to be considering a reclassification to 2026, which means Calipari still has plenty of work to do in shaping that future roster.
And the 2027 board is loaded. Beckham Black is the No. 1 overall prospect, Demarcus Henry sits at No. 3 nationally, Lewis Uvwo is No. 7, and Gibson is right in the thick of that elite group. For Arkansas, the message is clear: as long as Calipari is chasing high-end talent with NBA upside, the Razorbacks will keep showing up in these battles.
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