The 6-foot-8 forward/guard Adou Thiero committed to the Razorbacks on Monday, making him the most recent Wildcat to follow head coach John Calipari to Arkansas.
The rising junior made his choice after revealing to ESPN’s Jeff Borzello on April 19 that the return Kentucky, Pittsburgh, North Carolina, Indiana, and Calipari’s Razorbacks were among the teams on his final list of suitors.
He went on trips to Pittsburgh, Arkansas, and was seen in Lexington talking with Hubert Davis, the head coach of North Carolina, but he ultimately decided to stay with Calipari, who previously had coached his father, Almamy Thiero, at Memphis.
Thiero gained two inches and 22 pounds, making him the most physical player for the Wildcats this past season. As a freshman, he averaged just 2.3 points and 1.9 rebounds in his limited minutes played at Kentucky.
When healthy, he participated in 25 games, starting 19, and averaged 7.2 points, 5.0 rebounds, 1.1 blocks, and 1.1 assists per game. He missed eight games because of injuries. He became the Cats’ most dependable lob threat, shooting 31.8 percent from three and 49.2 percent from the field.
In the UK’s Champions Classic defeat to Kansas, Thiero recorded a double-double with 16 points and 13 rebounds; against Gonzaga, he scored 15 points and pulled down eight rebounds; and against Auburn, on the road, he scored 14 points and pulled down eight rebounds.
Although he still has two years to be eligible, most experts believe he will be selected in the first round of the 2025 NBA Draft.
After Calipari, the Pittsburgh native, who ranks as the 31st best player and the fifth top transfer portal prospect, follows Zvonimir Ivisic to Arkansas as the second former Wildcat. Additionally, Calipari signed Karter Knox, Billy Richmond, and Boogie Fland, three of his recruits from the class of 2024, who had previously chosen Kentucky.
Along with Ivisic (Arkansas), Joey Hart (Ball State), and Aaron Bradshaw (Ohio State), Thiero is the fourth of seven 2023–24 Wildcats to use the transfer site in search of a new home. Ugonna Onyenso, D.J. Wagner, and Jordan Burks are still undecided.
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