Kentucky set to sign the starting PG from Arkansas after the sensational ace deal was officially finalized
Kentucky’s starting point guard from this past season, D.J. Wagner, will follow head coach John Calipari to Arkansas, as Wagner committed to the Razorbacks on Sunday.
Wagner took transfer portal visits to both Arkansas and USC and has opted to reunite both Calipari and fellow 2023-24 Wildcats Adou Thiero and Zvonimir Ivisic in Fayetteville. He is ranked as the 38th best player in the transfer portal per 247sports’ rankings and as the fourth best combo guard in the portal.
Wagner was voted to the SEC All-Freshman Team by the league’s coaches at Kentucky this past season after averaging 9.9 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 3.3 assists in 25.8 minutes while starting 28 of 29 games for the Wildcats this season, shooting 40.5% from the floor, 29.2% from 3-point range, and 76.6% from the free throw line.
Kentucky’s starting point guard from this past season, D.J. Wagner, will follow head coach John Calipari to Arkansas, as Wagner committed to the Razorbacks on Sunday.
Wagner took transfer portal visits to both Arkansas and USC and has opted to reunite both Calipari and fellow 2023-24 Wildcats Adou Thiero and Zvonimir Ivisic in Fayetteville. He is ranked as the 38th best player in the transfer portal per 247sports’ rankings and as the fourth best combo guard in the portal.
Wagner was voted to the SEC All-Freshman Team by the league’s coaches at Kentucky this past season after averaging 9.9 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 3.3 assists in 25.8 minutes while starting 28 of 29 games for the Wildcats this season, shooting 40.5% from the floor, 29.2% from 3-point range, and 76.6% from the free throw line.
He was named SEC Freshman of the Week three times. Despite missing five games with a high-ankle sprain, Wagner recorded 13 double-digit scoring games, including 22 in an overtime win over St. Joe’s, a career-high 28 vs. Marshall, 18 at Texas A&M, 18 points and a career-high 10 assists vs. Georgia, and 19 points vs. Arkansas.
Coming out of Camden High School in New Jersey, Wagner was ranked as the No. 6 overall prospect in the 2023 class by the industry average 247Sports Composite and was once projected as a top 10 pick prior to the start of the 2023-24 season
He was a McDonald’s All-American selection. His father, Dajuan Wagner, was Calipari’s first one-and-done at Memphis in 2002.
Of Kentucky’s seven transfer portal departures Wagner is the sixth to find a new home as in addition to Thiero and Ivisic who will play at Arkansas, guard/forward Jordan Burks committed to Georgetown, forward Aaron Bradshaw committed to Ohio State and guard Joey Hart committed to Ball State. Only center Ugonna Onyenso remains uncommitted.
No scholarship players from Kentucky’s 2023-24 roster under Calipari will play for Mark Pope and the Wildcats next season, as Reed Sheppard, Rob Dillingham, and Justin Edwards all declared and will remain in the NBA Draft.
