Aidoo commits to Hogs after 3 seasons with Vols

Arkansas and John Calipari have landed a commitment from a veteran SEC forward.

The Razorbacks on Monday evening gained a pledge from Tennessee transfer Jonas Aidoo, who visited Fayetteville over the weekend. He is the second transfer pickup of the spring for Calipari.

On3.com considered Aidoo the No. 4 available player in the transfer portal. The 6-11 and 240-pound forward reportedly chose Arkansas over Baylor and other top programs.

“If Calipari wants to continue to play spread out the way [Kentucky] had so much success offensively last year,” SEC Network analyst Dane Bradshaw told Natty State Sports, “I don’t think Aidoo is going to be a hinderance to that. I think they can have the best of all worlds.”

Aidoo put together his best season in 2023-24, averaging career highs in scoring (11.4), field goal percentage (51.5%), rebounds (7.3), blocks (1.8) and assists (1.0). He started all 36 games for the Volunteers, who made a run to the Elite Eight in March.

Aidoo averaged 2.1 points and 2.2 rebounds, and 5.1 points and 4.9 rebounds in his first two seasons at Tennessee, respectively. He was a second team All-SEC and All-Defensive Team selection this spring.

Aidoo, who recorded 8 double-doubles last season, finished with 23 points and 12 rebounds in the Vols’ win in Bud Walton Arena in February. He also had 24 points and 10 rebounds against Ole Miss in January, and 18 points, 14 rebounds and 3 blocks vs. Texas A&M in Knoxville, Tenn.

According to CBB Analytics, the forward made 66.9% of his 166 shots at the rim last season and was 16 of 36 (44.4%) on two-point attempts right of the lane.

KenPom data shows he ranked 72nd nationally in offensive rebound rate (12.4%) and 36th in block percentage (8.7%). Aidoo had 18 games with 3-plus offensive rebounds, and he blocked multiple shots 21 times.