Star freshman Boogie Fland has been ruled out for the foreseeable future and likely the remainder of the season. He played through a hand injury in their last two contests before Calipari ruled him out. He was one of the few bright spots on an Arkansas team that has majorly underperformed expectations under first-year legendary head coach John Calipari. Fland’s injury marks the second SEC superstar to be ruled out recently after Johni Broome‘s injury earlier this month.
Arkansas PG Boogie Fland will miss the remainder of the season with a hand injury.
Fland was Arkansas’ 2nd leading scorer at 15.1 PPG and led the team in assists with 5.7 APG.
Brutal loss for Coach John Calipari. pic.twitter.com/GEwh8UBmV6
— College Basketball Report (@CBKReport) January 22, 2025
Boogie Fland Injury Adds to Calipari’s First Season Failure
Fland’s Freshman Year
247sports.com had Fland as a four-star recruit and ranked him 22nd in his high school class. He was one of several premier freshmen that Calipari recruited to be part of his first Arkansas roster. The team had zero players when he was hired. Fland stepped into the role and became a superstar. Before Boogie Fland’s injury, he was second on the team in scoring, averaging 15.1 points per game, and led the team with 5.7 assists per game. He wasn’t in conversation to win SEC Player of the Year, but he was one of the most valuable players to his team. His combination of scoring and playmaking made him a valuable member of the Razorbacks, but he couldn’t lead them to victories.
Like many of Calipari’s recruits, Fland will likely find himself in the NBA draft over the summer. He won’t receive the same attention as players like Dylan Harper, Cooper Flagg, and Ace Bailey. However, he will draw attention because of his dynamic athleticism and knowledge of the game. He only averages 1.6 turnovers per game, which shows his willingness to protect the ball. The easiest baskets come from turnovers, so NBA teams value the ability to create buckets without turning the ball over. With Boogie Fland’s injury and draft chances, it appears that he has played his last game for the Razorbacks.
Calipari Can’t Find the Winning Formula
Even though he gained commits from star players Adou Thiero and Boogie Fland, Calipari has been unable to make his mark on Arkansas in his first season. Fland was one of the most dynamic guards in the best conference, but they sit at 11-7 overall and winless in the SEC through five games. The schedule doesn’t get any easier for the Razorbacks. Fland’s injury also ensures that their most dynamic player will be absent for the rest of those games. So far this season, they’ve only been able to win one important game: an 89-87 victory over Michigan in December. They’ve played higher-quality opponents to close scores, but they’ve also struggled to beat teams like Miami, who parted ways with Jim Larranaga during the middle of the season and sit at 4-14.
Calipari has continued to underwhelm in recent seasons. He departed Kentucky following a string of unsuccessful NCAA Tournament appearances. Even before Fland’s injury, Calipari struggled to use four and five-star recruits to win games. Calipari develops NBA stars at an elite level, but he continues to run away from what makes teams championship contenders: transfers. For example, Duke has two freshman stars: Cooper Flagg and Kon Knueppel. However, transfers like Sion James and Mason Gillis provide elite defense off the bench with above-average offensive skills. Until Calipari learns to use the transfer portal in this way, stars like Boogie Fland will continue to watch most of the tournament from home.
The Last Word on Boogie Fland’s Injury
Arkansas faces a tough road ahead without Fland, and it doesn’t appear like there is any silver lining. Arkansas hired Calipari to bring the success he had at Kentucky. However, he has done nothing but mirror his time with the Wildcats in a worse fashion. The Razorbacks desperately need to find answers if they hope to win in an elite SEC. Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like Calipari has any answers this season. Unless there is a miracle, Arkansas players and coaches will be watching the tournament from their couches, unless Calipari changes something, that will continue.
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