After 15 seasons, four Final Fours and one NCAA championship, the John Calipari era at Kentucky appears to be over.
And not because Kentucky says so.
The biggest upset of 2024 March Madness may be Calipari’s impending decision to leave UK to become the new head coach at Southeastern Conference rival Arkansas, a job that became vacant last week when Eric Musselman left to become head coach at Southern California.
KLRT News, the Fox affiliate in Little Rock, reported multiple sources indicated there have been conversations between the two sides.
Calipari’s decision would be stunning because his long-term contract at Kentucky mandates he is owed more than $30 million, and because he’d already signed a second-ranked recruiting class featuring four top-30 prospects led by 6-9 center Jayden Quaintance, the No. 8 prospect in 2024.
However, Kentucky fans have been increasingly critical of Calipari and his performance over the past four seasons, with many in the vast complement of media that covers the team calling for his status to be re-evaluated.
Calipari entered the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2015, not long after that season’s Kentucky team entered the Final Four with an undefeated record but was unable to secure a second NCAA championship for the Wildcats.
MORE: Latest rumors as John Calipari enters 'serious talks' with Arkansas
John Calipari coaching record
Calipari has won 855 games as a Division I head coach at Massachusetts, Memphis and Kentucky. He made Final Four appearances at all three schools. Rick Pitino is the only other coach who has achieved that distinction.
| College | Games | Wins | Losses |
| Massachusetts | 264 | 193 | 71 |
| Memphis | 321 | 252 | 69 |
| Kentucky | 533 | 410 | 123 |
Calipari turned 65 in February, which makes his interest in beginning a new project at Arkansas all the more fascinating. He has been among the best-paid coaches in college basketball throughout his time at Kentucky.
It will be interesting to learn how much Arkansas paid to lure him away from UK. He is finalizing a five-year deal, according to ESPN's Pete Thamel.
John Calipari recruiting class
It is possible some of Calipari’s recruiting class would follow him to Fayetteville. In 2009, when he left Memphis for Kentucky, such elite prospects as point guard John Wall and center DeMarcus Cousins withdrew from commitments to play for the Tigers and wound up with the Wildcats.
Among the key players Calipari likely would want to follow him are wings Karter Knox and Billy Richmond, both ranked in the top 25 by 247 Sports, and point guard Boogie Fland.
Calipari was named The Sporting News Coach of the Decade in college basketball for the 2010s because of the program’s four Final Four appearances and three Elite Eight finishes, as well as the 2012 NCAA title.
The 2023-24 edition of Kentucky basketball finished 23-10 and earned a No. 3 seed in the NCAA Tournament but struggled on defense – the Wildcats were ranked No. 109 in efficiency at KenPom.com – and were upset in the first round by No. 14 seed Oakland. It was the second time in three seasons Kentucky exited the tournament in the first round as a major upset victim.
