Class of 2026 four-star forward the top player in Arkansas, has officially committed to the Arkansas Razorbacks. The 6-6, 220-pound Little Rock native announced his decision afternoon at a ceremony at Little Rock Christian Academy. He chose Arkansas over Missouri and LSU, his final three schools.
Andrews, the son of former Arkansas offensive line legend and two-time NFL Pro Bowler Shawn Andrews, is a Razorback legacy. Currently, he’s ranked as the No. 42 overall player and No. 16 small forward nationally for the 2026 class. In the 247Sports composite rankings, he ranks slightly higher at No. 37 overall and No. 15 at small forward. He remains the highest-rated player in Arkansas with a composite rating of 0.9851.
Missouri head coach Dennis Gates and his staff made Andrews a top priority early in his recruitment and were reportedly a close second in his decision. Arkansas assistant coaches Chin Coleman and Ronnie Brewer played key roles in Andrews’ recruitment as well.
From the start, Andrews made it clear that his choice would be based more on fit and personal connection than just following in his father’s footsteps as an Arkansas legend.
“I know how great [John Calipari] is at developing players and getting them to the next level,” Andrews said. “It is cool for him to recruit me and come to my games to check me out. I talk to Chin Coleman and Ronnie Brewer. I feel I can learn a lot there and fit in with their style of play. I just want to get to know them better. A lot of people try to get my ideas on them because my dad played football there but my decision will be about fit for me.”
This past summer at the Nike EYBL Peach Jam, he led Brad Beal Elite to the 16U championship. During that seven-game title run, Andrews averaged 19.3 points, 5.6 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.1 steals while knocking down 65.8% of his shots from the field, 31.3% from three and 76.2% from the charity stripe.
A little over a week ago, 247Sports recruiting analyst Eric Bossi was at the Nike EYBL Mesa event out in Arizona and had the chance to check out Andrews, who is once again leading Brad Beal Elite this summer. In the first three games of the Mesa event, Andrews made his presence felt as he averaged 19.7 points on 71.9% shooting from the field and 50% from three to go along with 4.3 rebounds.
“Chalk up another strong weekend for Brad Beal Elite wing JJ Andrews,” Bossi wrote. “Just a few weeks ago at USA Basketball we were impressed by the growth of his game and once again he looked to have made real strides. A powerful and athletic 6-foot-6 wing, Andrews is becoming a better jump shooter and the biggest reason we can tell is smart shot selection. He’s figuring out when to be a bully and when to rely on skill and it’s paying big dividends for the No. 42 ranked junior.”
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