The Arkansas Razorbacks overhauled their men’s basketball program last offseason, replacing Eric Musselman with legendary coach John Calipari. Coming off a successful first season under Calipari, it appears the Razorbacks are planning to invest even more money into their basketball team next season.

Arkansas turned things around quickly under Calipari. A 16-17 team in Musselman’s final season, the Razorbacks went 22-14 this season. It earned them a spot in the NCAA Tournament, where Calipari’s team upset St John’s to reach the Sweet 16.

The season ended in a heartbreaking 85-83 overtime loss to Texas Tech in the Sweet Sixteen, but it still represented a real improvement for the school. There’s also a bright future to be excited about, with the Razorbacks having the fourth-best 2025 recruiting class in 247 Sports’ team rankings.

A 2025 recruiting class that includes five-star point guard Darius Acuff Jr – the No. 5 overall recruit in the country – and five-star combo guard Meleek Thomas, ranked 12th overall, doesn’t come cheap. Calipari will also be hitting the transfer portal while trying to keep players like Boogie Fland, Karter Knox and Billy Richmond with new NIL deals. All of this comes at a price, which is why the Razorbacks’ NIL wallet will be one of the biggest in college basketball next season.

According to On3.com‘s Pete Nakos, Arkansas is pushing a $10 million budget for its roster next season, which could be even more than Calipari’s former team, the Kentucky Wildcats, spends on its team. Part of the funding would come from revenue-sharing in the House vs NCAA settlement, with each SEC basketball program expected to be allocated between $2 to $4 million.

The funding will put plenty of pressure on Calipari’s recruiting ability this offseason, but the program is already headed in the right direction. With two five-star talents coming in and additional help on the way, Arkansas could have a shot at becoming an Elite Eight team next year.