Before the season, John Calipari emphasized that his approach is transformational, not transactional. NIL has long clashed with his belief in developing young talent rather than relying on seasoned veterans. After learning of No. 1 Purdue’s blowout loss to Iowa State, the Arkansas coach doubled down on his concerns, using the moment to underline how NIL pressures are reshaping expectations across college basketball.

“I mean, it’s crazy. Look, there are a lot of older gentlemen with beards playing basketball in college right now. There are. The one that’s crazy is the kid, the guy comes in, and he’s waving to his kids up in the seats, and you’re like, wait a minute, guy got two kids.” Calipari told the media.

While other top teams struggled, Calipari’s squad had little trouble handling Fresno State. The Bulldogs stayed within 10 at the half, but the Razorbacks pulled away for an 82-58 finish. Yet the win wasn’t the most talked-about moment. As Calipari reviewed results from around the country, he slipped in a subtle dig without naming anyone, hinting at broader issues he sees across college.

“He’s still playing college basketball. Crazy thing, he’s using NIL for his first wife’s alimony, and now he’s still playing college basketball. Are we nuts?” the coach added.

There is no public information regarding whether Calipari is talking about a specific player or just giving a hypothetical example. The point remains that the average age in college basketball has rapidly grown in the last few years. The NCAA granted all 2020-21 players an extra year, creating a wave of fifth‑, sixth‑, and even seventh‑year players who stayed on rosters well past the traditional four‑year window. The NIL boost offers players a lot more earnings, which is a greater incentive to stay.

The oldest player is currently the 29-year-old Ramel Bethea in Green Bay. However, he was in the military for five years before starting his college basketball career and is just in his second season in college basketball. Chad Baker Mazarra is an example that falls into the category Calipari is referring to. He is 25 years old and in his 5th program this season at USC.

“You’re also going to have a team like Fresno beat somebody because they got all grad students, seniors, and their average age is 25, and your average age is 19 or 20. It’s five years, and it’s not just physically, it’s mentally being through wars. So, until we fix the eligibility thing, this is what it is,” he further said. 

That’s a slight exaggeration of the current situation, though.

Fresno State’s average age is 21.8, according to Barttorvik. Across high-major programs, more than 25 teams come in at 22 or older. Calipari’s Arkansas team sits at 21.42, and there’s a reason for that. Early data show a small but clear positive correlation between older rosters and higher win percentages this season, giving further support to the point Calipari has been making.

Nevertheless, it’s also true that you can survive with younger teams. Look at Duke. They are the youngest team in the pack and among the best teams in the nation. Yes, you need a generational talent like Cameron Boozer. While it’s a higher bar than Calipari is used to, his talent ID and experience could still help him win in this day and age. And he could have found just the spark for some sustained success. 

John Calipari’s Arkansas Can Level Up As Karter Knox and D.J. Wagner Rise

John Calipari had largely depended on the trio of Meleek Thomas, Darius Acuff Jr, and Trevon Brazille for their scoring. However, everyone ran dry in that first half against Fresno State. They shot 46.4% overall but were 3 for 12 on 3-pointers. However, Fresno State was poor as well, which meant a 34-24 scoreline at halftime. It was Karter Knox and DJ Wagner getting into their groove that really put some distance in the second half. 

Knox made three 3-pointers in the first five minutes, Wagner made a long jumper and a 3-pointer during a 28-8 run that pushed the Razorbacks’ lead to 30 points. They were both struggling against top 10 opponents in No. 4 Duke and No. 6 Louisville, averaging just 7.5 points as a duo. Season-wide, they came into this game averaging only 8.0 points per game. In this game, they finished with 11 and 12 points, respectively. 

“I was so happy for DJ. Missed every shot to start the game. No, I’m not saying like every other shot. Every shot. But he kept shooting. He kept shooting. And I told him at halftime that it shows the battle you have with yourself. It ain’t a battle with me.” Calipari said after the game.

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This backing from John Calipari has given both some confidence, and with consistent scoring from this duo, this Arkansas offense looks much better. While Calipari’s complaints, present and past, regarding the changing basketball scenario are real to some extent, he can do little about it.