FOX Sports’ Aaron Torres believes Arkansas head basketball coach John Calipari has a “college hoops” Draymond Green on his Razorbacks roster: Kentucky transfer Adou Thiero, who had 23 points, six rebounds, and two assists.
“Said it last year and I'll say it again: Adou Thiero is college hoops Draymond Green. Can defend multiple positions. Makes all the little plays. And is turning into a star before our eyes. Know its only Pacific. But Arkansas - missing two key guys - looked much better tonight,” Torres tweeted.
While Thiero’s stat line was more Jaylen Brown than Draymond, there’s no denying the jack-of-all-trades abilities the Pittsburgh native possesses.
Calipari claimed that there weren’t 10 better players than Thiero that he’s aware of.
"Let me say… I probably shouldn’t say it but I will… if there are 10 better players in the country than Adou, I need you to show them to me," Calipari said (h/t HawgBeat). "Who are they? Like, he’s a unicorn physically, now. You don’t have guys like him that are good enough with the ball."
Hogs forward Zvonimir Ivisic called Thiero “special.”
"Adou, I don’t think there’s another player like Adou," Ivisic said. "He’s just special. The way he moves, the way he runs. His motor, his will, it’s just amazing."
One Kentucky analyst feels that Thiero and Ivisic being the Razorbacks’ best players, and not Johnell Davis, limits their ceiling.
“Much better offensive performance by Arkansas tonight. Put up 1.2 points per possession after essentially averaging 1.0 so far this year. Adou Thiero & Zvonimir Ivisic continue to do good things. However, until Johnell Davis emerges as the GUY, I'm not sure what the ceiling is,” KSR’s Brandon Ramsey tweeted.
If the Hogs are still not at full strength and playing this well, the SEC may have a problem on its hands in 2024-25.
