OT: Kentucky's John Calipari is headed to Arkansas; Dan Hurley turned down $12.5m/yr offer from Kentucky

[___Rand___]

Huge bomb just dropped in college basketball. John Calipari the recruiting wizard of 15 years at U of Kentucky many of whose players have become NBA stars whose salary in excess of $8m per annum is exceeded only by 2 coaches in the NBA is leaving one of the biggest college basketball programs for the backwaters of Arkansas.

Just astounding.

https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/39898367/what-means-kentucky-john-calipari-moving-arkansas-new-head-coach-whos-next

[dhsilv2]

While as a UK fan, I'm not thrilled with the last couple of years. I'd always hoped he'd retire at Kentucky. He's been a great value add as a figure in the community on top of his coaching.

[JujitsuFlip]

The split was necessary.

2024: lose in the first round to a 14 seed.
2023: lose in the second round.
2022: lose in the first round to a 15 seed.
2021: miss the tournament.

Once the NiL became a thing, Cal's advantage of recruiting went out the window.

[Frank Dux]

The split was necessary.

2024: lose in the first round to a 14 seed.
2023: lose in the second round.
2022: lose in the first round to a 15 seed.
2021: miss the tournament.

Once the NiL became a thing, Cal's advantage of recruiting went out the window.

Your last sentence hits the nail on the head.

[KembaWalker]

Yea now that the money is on the table instead of under the table he doesn’t really serve a purpose

[azcatz11]

Obviously their first call is Jay Wright. They can offer him a crazy amount of money. I'm thinking maybe $15M a year.

[Saints14]

Is Arkansas a basketball school?

[firedavidkahn]

Is Arkansas a basketball school?

They are about to become one.

Say whatever you want about Calipari but that guy will vastly raise the floor of any team he coaches (over the long haul). Doesn't matter if it's all because of money or whatever, hiring him will get results.

A+ move by Arkansas and it shows that they are taking their basketball program seriously. It might not work out but these are the types of moves you have to make if you want to play with the big boys

[Duke4life831]

Obviously their first call is Jay Wright. They can offer him a crazy amount of money. I'm thinking maybe $15M a year.

Wright, Hurely, Donovan, or Drew have to be the replacement if youre UK.

[JujitsuFlip]

I will say, thanks for the 2012 championship. AD willed that team to the top.

The other team that was neat even though they fell short was the 38-1 squad. KAT, Booker, WCS, Lyles, Harrison twins, and then some lesser known guys like Poythress, Ulis, and Dakari Johnson.

Good 15 season run but it was time.

[Duke4life831]

The OAD system has run its course in college with the transfer portal coming into play. Cal may get a random deep March run every once in awhile, those random years where he gets a freak talent. But outside of that, he wasnt going to get consistent results anymore. And at UK that was already starting to wear the fanbase very thin.

I think at Arkansas his results will go hand in hand with expectations. Smart move for him to leave UK. UK needs to make a huge splash replacement.

[azcatz11]

Obviously their first call is Jay Wright. They can offer him a crazy amount of money. I'm thinking maybe $15M a year.

Wright, Hurely, Donovan, or Drew have to be the replacement if youre UK.

I think everyone is on the table with the potential bag UK can throw. People are saying Hurley + Donovan wouldn't be interested...but money talks and UK can throw such an insane amount they may take it.

They are going to want a splash hire.

[TimDunkin]

Is Arkansas a basketball school?

They are about to become one.

Say whatever you want about Calipari but that guy will vastly raise the floor of any team he coaches (over the long haul). Doesn't matter if it's all because of money or whatever, hiring him will get results.

A+ move by Arkansas and it shows that they are taking their basketball program seriously. It might not work out but these are the types of moves you have to make if you want to play with the big boys

Arkansas is a basketball school and produces a decent amount of NBA talent given the population size. The fanbase got re-energized under Eric Musselman and his 2 Elite Eights + 1 Sweet Sixteen in the last four years. It's not the same expectations of Kentucky (however unrealistic those are in the current college basketball environment) but there will be pressure to get past the first weekend of the tournament.

[Saints14]

Is Arkansas a basketball school?

They are about to become one.

Say whatever you want about Calipari but that guy will vastly raise the floor of any team he coaches (over the long haul). Doesn't matter if it's all because of money or whatever, hiring him will get results.

A+ move by Arkansas and it shows that they are taking their basketball program seriously. It might not work out but these are the types of moves you have to make if you want to play with the big boys

Arkansas is a basketball school and produces a decent amount of NBA talent given the population size. The fanbase got re-energized under Eric Musselman and his 2 Elite Eights + 1 Sweet Sixteen in the last four years. It's not the same expectations of Kentucky (however unrealistic those are in the current college basketball environment) but there will be pressure to get past the first weekend of the tournament.

Yeah throughout the tournament I've been thinking about which schools I'd classify as basketball schools vs football schools if I had to pick, Arkansas was on the border but in my eyes this move pushes them to basketball school status.

I know in the SEC every school except for UK is really a football school, so I'm adjusting them a bit...but their bball program is more historically successful than their football program

[SweaterBae]

Is Arkansas a basketball school?

Corliss Williamson isn't walking through that door.

[Curmudgeon]

So who will replace Calipari at Kentucky?

[Snakebites]

Anyone else remember Calipari’s NBA stint?

[Duke4life831]

Obviously their first call is Jay Wright. They can offer him a crazy amount of money. I'm thinking maybe $15M a year.

Wright, Hurely, Donovan, or Drew have to be the replacement if youre UK.

I think everyone is on the table with the potential bag UK can throw. People are saying Hurley + Donovan wouldn't be interested...but money talks and UK can throw such an insane amount they may take it.

They are going to want a splash hire.

Ya I think everyone is available. UK is a true blueblood and theyre going to throw a ton of money at whoever. Kansas, Duke, UK, and UNC (sorry UCLA, just been too irrelevant for too long) are just on a different tier in college basketball. You can have all the success in the world at any other school, if one of those schools come calling and offering you a big bag, youre going to listen. Because winning at those schools is just different than any other school.

[xxSnEaKyPxx]

As someone that likes to see Kentucky fail, this bums me out.

Amazing “recruiter” but a truly terrible excuse for a coach.

[God Squad]

He's been overrated as a coach for several years now. One can even argue he's been an underachiver.