In what will be perhaps the most stunning development of the college basketball offseason, which just started, coach Johna Calipari is leaving the University of Kentucky after 15 seasons, per multiple reports. His next destination: Fellow SEC member Arkansas.
Calipari supposedly no longer felt as if he had a place with the Wildcats, given the lack of NCAA Tournament success over his last five years there. It's been that long since the traditional power has reached the Sweet Sixteen.
So now, he will be replacing Eric Musselman with the Razorbacks. Musselman took the job at USC, vacated by Andy Enfield, who left for SMU. So you can safely say that SMU got the ball rolling on Calipari leaving Kentucky.
"Razorbacks officials focused their head-coaching search on Calipari in recent days and intensified their pursuit over the weekend," The Athletic wrote, citing sources.
Calipari's deal with Arkansas is expected to be for five years finalized this week, per Pete Thamel of ESPN.
He coached the Wildcats to seven Elite Eights, four Final Fours, and the 2012 national title. This year, however, they were upset by little Oakland (Mich.) in the first round of the tournament. He is under contract with Kentucky through the 2028-29 season, but won't owe any money in a buyout scenario, per The Athletic.
"The school would have owed $33 million to Calipari if he'd been fired after this season. That became a hot topic in Lexington after a second first-round NCAA Tournament exit in three years," The Athletic wrote. "The Cats haven't reached the second weekend since 2019, haven't won an SEC title since 2020, and haven't made a Final Four since 2015."
Calipari first became a college head coach in 1988 at Massachusetts, where he stayed until 1996. He then took over at Memphis in 2000, coaching the Tigers to the national championship game — where they blew a 60-51 lead with 2:00 remaining in falling to Kansas.
Calipari also coached the then-New Jersey Nets from 1996-98, compiling a 72-112 record. He was fired after 20 games of the 1998-99 season, the Nets sporting a miserable 3-17 record.
"This sudden mutual interest between Calipari and a new suitor in the same Southeastern Conference suggests Calipari, a 65-year-old Hall of Famer, ultimately believes a fresh start might be better for everyone," The Athletic wrote.
