Arkansas basketball has found its next major 2028 recruiting target, and he’s already turning heads across the country.
Isaiah Hamilton is the name to know. The 6-foot-7, 200-pound small forward recently picked up an offer from John Calipari and the Hogs, per Connor Goodson of HawgSports.
He’s rated a consensus five-star prospect and sits at No. 2 overall in the 2028 cycle according to 247Sports, with a composite ranking of No. 6 and a score of 0.9983.
He’s also just getting started.
Hamilton grew up in the greater Toronto area and spent time at Crestwood Prep before making a significant move roughly a month ago, transferring to Montverde Academy in Florida.
Montverde is widely considered one of the top prep basketball programs in the United States, and it’s the kind of environment built to sharpen elite prospects heading into high-stakes recruitments.
His offer list already reflects that elite status.
Fifteen other programs have extended offers to Hamilton, a group that includes Alabama, Arizona State, Florida State, Georgia, Missouri, Oregon, Syracuse and Villanova. Arkansas is now in that mix too.
What Hamilton brings to the court
The numbers he’s putting up this summer make it easy to understand why so many programs are involved.
Running with Canada Elite on the UAA U16 circuit, Hamilton is averaging 23.3 points, 7.8 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 2.0 steals per game.
He’s shooting 45.2 percent from the field and connecting on 40.0 percent of his three-point attempts on ten tries per game with production that’s hard to ignore from a prospect who won’t sign until 2028.
This isn’t the first time Hamilton’s game has commanded that kind of attention either.
Last summer he suited up for Canada at the FIBA U16 AmeriCup and averaged 21.2 points, 6.2 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 3.0 steals per game.
He also made noise on the UAA U15 circuit with Canada Elite during that same stretch.
247Sports recruiting analyst Brandon Jenkins evaluated Hamilton in person during the live period and detailed what separates him from the pack.
Jenkins wrote that there wasn’t another player at the event capable of making the kinds of plays Hamilton was making on put-back dunks, an Eastbay in transition and lob finishes above the rim.
But Jenkins was equally struck by what Hamilton does when the highlight moments aren’t there, noting a strong handle, a reliable pull-up game and the kind of shiftiness that lets him break down defenders and get to any spot on the floor.
Jenkins added that Hamilton’s long-term projection is even more compelling because his feel for the game and overall skill set still have room to grow.
That combination of current production and future upside is exactly what programs are chasing at this stage of the 2028 cycle.
Razorbacks building the 2028 class early
Hamilton is the fourth prospect in the 2028 recruiting class to receive an offer from Calipari and Arkansas.
The Razorbacks have also offered Brady Pettigrew, a 6-3 combo guard from Bolingbrook, Illinois who checks in at No. 18 nationally; Liam Mitakaro, a 6-4 combo guard out of Scottsdale, Arizona ranked No. 28; and Anthony Spratt, a 6-5 small forward from Benton, Arkansas who sits at No. 36 overall.
Getting into Hamilton’s recruitment now gives the Hogs a chance to build something real before the process intensifies.
With two-plus years until signing day, relationships matter — and Calipari has made it clear the Razorbacks aren’t going to sit back and wait on prospects of this caliber.
