Feeling the blues.
Kentucky saw an uneven campaign come to a close last Thursday, as the No. 3 seed Wildcats suffered a shocking defeat to No. 14 Oakland. The loss brought an abrupt end to a subpar campaign for the Wildcats, a side that flew too close to the sun, straddling between bubble seed and contenders for much of the campaign.
Kentucky hasn't made it out of the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament since 2019. For a blue-blood program like the Wildcats, that's a millennium.
Given the program's lack of success in recent years, a great many fans were left wondering if the 2024 postseason would be the end of the road for longtime coach John Calipari.
Calipari, 64, just completed his 15th season with the Wildcats. He's cemented his status as one of the game's greatest minds during his tenure in the Bluegrass State, even capturing a national championship. But time waits for no one, especially not a 64-year-old looking increasingly obsolete in an ever-changing basketball landscape.
Here's what you need to know as Kentucky heads into the offseason.
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Will Kentucky fire John Calipari?
Kentucky is not planning to part ways with Calipari, athletic director Mitch Barnhart confirmed Tuesday night on X, formerly Twitter.
"As we normally do at the end of every season, Coach Calipari and I have had conversations about the direction of our men's basketball program and I can confirm that he will return for his 16th season as our head coach," Barnhart wrote.
As we normally do at the end of every season, Coach Calipari and I have had conversations about the direction of our men’s basketball program and I can confirm that he will return for his 16th season as our head coach.
— Mitch Barnhart (@UKMitchBarnhart) March 27, 2024
Kentucky has two postseason wins — one in March Madness, one in the SEC tournament — since its run to the Elite Eight in 2019. For a program of UK's prominence, that's untenable. Or is it?
Even though the Wildcats have faltered in the postseason, Calipari has produced a steady stream of NBA-caliber guards (Devin Booker, Jamal Murray, Tyrese Maxey, and, soon, Reed Sheppard and Rob Dillingham).
Also, while Calipari has struggled mightily in recent years, he and the program are tethered to one another by way of a mammoth contract.
John Calipari contract buyout
Calipari inked a so-called "lifetime" contract in 2019, agreeing to a 10-year, $86 million deal.
His contract features an eye-popping buyout clause, too. He's due to receive 75% of the value remaining on his deal if he were to be sacked. That comes out to $33.375 million in money Kentucky would have to shell out if it wanted to part ways with its legendary coach.
John Calipari 'lifetime' contract
Calipari signed his 10-year, $86 million deal in 2019, at the age of 59. So the contract will likely be Calipari's last before retirement. As such, it's widely considered to be a "lifetime" contract.
Calipari is the second-highest-paid coach in college basketball, trailing only Kansas' Bill Self. If Kentucky was to hand Cal the pink slip, it would be tantamount to forking over $6.675 million per season to get rid of him. By comparison, the third-highest-paid coach in college ball is Michigan State's Tom Izzo. His salary? $6.2 million.
The Wildcats could let Calipari go, but given his price tag, it seems unlikely at present. That's not even considering the fact that Big Blue would have to seek out the services of another ostensibly expensive/big-name man to stalk its sidelines.
How much does John Calipari make a year?
Calipari's currently on a 10-year, $86 million contract. As such, he makes $8.6 million a year, the second-highest total in college basketball (behind only Self's $13 million a season).
How old is John Calipari?
Calipari is 65 years old, turning that age on Feb. 10. He's still some ways away from the true elder statesmen of the college game, as six coaches are on the other side of 70, including Miami's Jim Larranaga and St. John's Rick Pitino.
Still, he's no spring chicken, to say the least.
