Why did John Calipari leave Kentucky? Explaining former coach’s decision to join Arkansas

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Kentucky basketball embarked on a new era in the 2024-25 season, moving from legendary coach John Calipari to Mark Pope, a former Wildcats player who was hired to replace Calipari after he was hired at Arkansas.

Calipari is now set to be the first Kentucky coach to face their old school at Rupp Arena after leaving for another job since Rick Pitino with Louisville in 2001.

The 65-year-old coach with six Final Four appearances in his career (including four at Kentucky) helped the Wildcats become one of the top NBA-producing programs in college basketball, with the Wildcats becoming a pipeline to the professional ranks. The Basketball Hall of Famer also won the 2012 NCAA Tournament national championship, finishing with a ridiculous 38-2 record on the season.

REQUIRED READING: John Calipari’s legacy in Lexington: Former UK basketball coach set for Rupp Arena return

Calipari didn’t end his Kentucky tenure on a high note, however, as the No. 3-seeded Wildcats were upset in the first round of the NCAA Tournament by Oakland, who won its first ever March Madness game in the matchup. The Wildcats didn’t fare much better in the two years prior, either, failing to make it past the first weekend in both the 2022 and 2023 NCAA tournaments (including a similarly demoralizing defeat to 15-seeded Saint Peter’s in 2022).

Calipari takes on his former program on Saturday when the Razorbacks travel to Lexington to face Kentucky.

“You get booed. I’ve done this so long,” Calipari told reporters of his impending return to Rupp Arena. “I tell you I got bazooka holes in my body. So, when you shoot arrows, it doesn’t even hit skin, it just goes through one of those bazooka holes.”

Here’s why Calipari left Kentucky for Arkansas after the 2023-24 season:

REQUIRED READING: Why is John Calipari leaving Kentucky? Wildcats basketball coach is reportedly headed to Arkansas

Why did John Calipari leave Kentucky?

Calipari’s relationship with Kentucky athletic director Mitch Barnhart reportedly deteriorated over…

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Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/why-did-john-calipari-leave-110347920.html

Author : The Courier Journal

Publish date : 2025-02-01 11:03:00

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