John Calipari thought he had Jeremiah Wilkinson pegged the moment Arkansas landed the Georgia transfer out of the portal. The scoring was obvious.
The rest? That came into view only after the two got to Fayetteville.
The Razorbacks coach said he expected a polished offensive piece, especially after Wilkinson’s breakout sophomore season at Georgia, when he started 21 of 31 games and averaged more than 17 points, two rebounds, two assists and two steals. But once practice started, Calipari found something else he hadn’t fully accounted for: how hard Wilkinson digs in on defense.
“His ability to score, his athleticism. I really liked,” Calipari said of Wilkinson while in the transfer portal.
“What I didn't know about him is he can defend. First of all, he can pick up and bother the ball.
But playing against Jordan [Smith], he is like a middle linebacker, literally like a middle linebacker. He was going one on one and going right at Jeremiah.
Jeremiah chested him and held. It was like two guys.”
That edge showed up in little moments, the kind that tell a coach more than a stat line ever will. Calipari said Wilkinson’s reaction to losing a rep stood out immediately.
“If he scored, Jeremiah was mad,” Calipari continued. “If he blocked it and someone called a foul, he would go nuts.
'I blocked that, I didn't foul.' I did not know that.
You don't know about a player's competitive spirit and all the things he can do until you start coaching him.”
Arkansas needed scoring help after the departures of consensus All-American Darius Acuff and Meleek Thomas, and Wilkinson fit that need after a strong year with the Bulldogs. His production at Georgia came on efficient numbers: he hit 41% of his field goals, 36% from 3 and 79% at the free throw line, helping the Bulldogs become one of the more efficient offensive teams.
But this version of Wilkinson may not be asked to carry the same load he did last season. His usage rate was 30.4% a year ago, and with Jordan Smith arriving as the reigning Gatorade National Player of the Year and what Calipari views as one of the country’s top two-way guards, Wilkinson’s role figures to shrink some. That doesn’t make it any less important.
“Now, less is more,” Calipari said. “I don't need [Wilkinson] to overdribble.
Less is more. Score the ball.
If he doesn't shoot, I stop practice. Why didn't you shoot that?
How about you drive in there.
“He likes to throw bounce passes. We don't throw bounce passes.
I just told you we have three seven-footers, three 6'11". Billy's head is on the rim.
Abdou is too. Why would you throw a bounce pass?
"Because that's what I do." Now I got him throwing lobs.
He knows it. I tell him, you can do this.
The greatest kid. But I'm his third coach.
So I think he's been doing great.”
The scoring will matter. The defense may matter even more. On a roster that already has plenty of offense, Wilkinson’s competitiveness could be the trait that keeps him on the floor when the pressure ramps up.
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