JJ Andrews arrives at Arkansas with the kind of profile that would overwhelm most young players, but the Camden native sounds more interested in carving out his own path than leaning on the family name.
The 6-foot-6 wing is the son of Shawn Andrews, who was one of three freshmen to start on the Arkansas offensive line, and Janetta Heggins Andrews, a former Western Carolina basketball standout and Salisbury-Rowan Sports Hall of Fame member. His own name, Ja’Shawn, comes from his parents’ names blended together, but the story he wants to write belongs to him.
“ It was never no pressure from my mom or my dad,” Andrews said at SEC Media Days. “I feel like they left it up to me.
There was no pressure. They know that it's my journey, and you know, I want to continue my own legacy.
Even though my last name is Andrews, you know, my first name is JaShawn. I just want to carry on a legacy that people will remember not only about my dad but about me as well.
So, they left it up to me.”
Andrews is hardly arriving quietly. He’s another 5-star addition for John Calipari, and after leading Little Rock Christian Academy to consecutive 5A championships in his freshman and sophomore seasons, he wrapped up his senior year averaging 30.7 points, 16.9 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 2.3 steals while shooting 60.9 percent from the field. He also won back-to-back Gatorade Arkansas Boys Basketball Player of the Year honors in 2025 and 2026.
There’s plenty of anticipation around Arkansas this season, and Andrews says he can feel it too.
“Man, I'm anxious, nervous, feeling a lot of emotions,” Andrews said. “Nervous, but I feel more prepared than ever.
I feel like throughout the summer, throughout the Bahamas trip, throughout when school started, ever since we started practicing, I feel like we progressed every day. Also, my workouts have been going well.
And you know, I feel prepared, and all thanks to my teammates and coaches. They've put a lot of work in, and I feel like we're ready.”
That offseason work has already shown up in the Baha Mar Hoops Summer League, where the top-ranked recruiting class got a head start on building chemistry. Andrews made his presence known there, scoring 22 points in the first half against Calgary and throwing down one of the event’s biggest highlights. He also made his first six shots in that game.
He’s expected to fit into the rotation behind Cal transfer Jeremiah Wilkinson and Jordan Smith Jr., with coach Calipari likely using him as a 3-and-D piece and a defensive matchup weapon. Arkansas may have as many as 10 or 11 players available against Gonzaga, and Andrews appears poised to be part of that mix.
The pull of Arkansas has been there for him for years. In June, he told The Razorback Daily that watching his father play in Fayetteville shaped how he saw the program.
“Since I was young, it's always been an inspiring thing to see what my dad did as a Razorback,” Andrews said. “And then like, you know, just knowing what it means to be a Razorback to these fans and to the kids here, I mean, it's special. It's nothing like I've ever seen before, being a Razorback fan myself, and then now being able to participate in playing sports here, playing basketball, it means the world to me.”
Andrews said his commitment to pushing himself dates back to sixth grade, when AAU basketball started to become serious and his first offer changed everything.
“I really started working hard like my sixth-grade year. That's when I really put my mind to it whenever AAU started getting serious,” Andrews said.
“But like when I really realized that I could take it to another level was when I got my first offer. And I was playing at a team camp, and then I got my first offer and I was like, 'Okay, now it's time to lock in for real and get to it.'
And then from then on, my stock went through the roof.”
Now, the buzz around Andrews has reached NBA draft lottery territory, and the family flair is still there. When asked whether he might follow his father’s old Arkansas look and dye his hair red, Andrews laughed it off.
“Those days are gone,” Andrews said. “But hey, we might be able to get a little bit in the beard, maybe.
We'll see. We'll see.”
However it looks, Arkansas has a major talent on its hands - and Andrews is determined to make sure the name on the back of the jersey stands on its own.
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