Kentucky transfer guard DJ Wagner commits to Arkansas

Former Kentucky guard DJ Wagner has committed to Arkansas out of the NCAA transfer portal, according to a report from the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.

Wagner is a former five-star prospect, according to the On3 Industry Rankings.

His commitment is a significant development for the Razorbacks, who have benefited greatly since hiring coach John Calipari away from Kentucky earlier this offseason. Wagner is the third former Kentucky player to follow Calipari to Arkansas via the transfer portal.

In addition to Wagner, former Wildcats Zvonimir Ivisic and Adou Theiro have also joined the Razorbacks.

In his lone campaign with the Wildcats, DJ Wagner started in 28 of his 29 appearances. He averaged 9.9 points, 3.3 assists and 1.9 rebounds per game while shooting 40.5% from the field and 29.9% from beyond the arc.

Wagner scored a career-high 28 points in Kentucky’s 118-82 win over Marshall on Nov. 24. The 6-foot-4 standout was extremely efficient in the blowout, shooting 10-14 from the floor. For his efforts, Wagner was named an All-Southeastern Conference Freshman Team selection and was a three-time SEC Freshman of the Week honoree.

Wagner missed three games in early February due to injury, but came back strong, averaging 11 points in Kentucky’s final four games of the regular season. Wagner failed to score in Kentucky’s stunning loss against Oakland in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

Even when Wagner battled injury during the season, Calipari was supportive of the freshman.

“They’ve done great,” John Calipari said. “My job is to help them walk through this. And at the end of the day, is I just want them being their best, and when I’m with them every day, I know what that looks like. But when they’re playing against other guys, they know what it looks like, too.

“DJ 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. 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.”

DJ Wagner played high school basketball at Camden (NJ), where he was a five-star prospect. He was the No. 7 overall recruit in the 2023 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.

Wagner entered the transfer portal on April 15, a week after Calipari left Kentucky to take the reins at Arkansas. Every member of Wagner’s 2023 class at Kentucky either entered the transfer portal or declared for the 2024 NBA Draft after the season concluded.

On3’s Grant Grubbs also contributed to this report.