Shockwaves were sent through the entire college basketball landscape a night before the National Championship game. Several reports stated that Kentucky Head Coach John Calipari would be leaving the University to join the University of Arkansas on a five-year deal. More details about the deal’s specifics will be released either later this week.
This comes at a time when it seemed like the University and Coach Cal had grown tired of each other. In the last four games in the NCAA Tournament, the record for Cal is 1-3. Two years ago, his team missed the NCAA tournament and lost back-to-back to double-digit seed teams in the following two years. the writing was on the wall. The pressure of delivering year in and year out without making a Final Four in almost a decade is a lot, even for a legend like Coach Cal.
He agreed to a deal with the Arkansas Razorbacks, where his friend and chairman of Tyson Foods, John H Tyson, is one of the biggest financial supporters of the university. Tyson has assured Cal that he will be able to make more than the $8.5 million he was receiving annually at the University of Kentucky, including incentives.
It’s not a typical blue-blood school, and it shocked First Take’s Stephen A Smith this morning. He also mentioned that Cal has underachieved, so it’s understood why both sides decided to move on.
Arkansas’s coach, Eric Musselman, recently accepted a job at the University of Southern California. Arkansas had a down year this season; however, their two previous Elite Eight appearances will immediately put pressure on Cal to deliver and keep this fan base satisfied.
The University of Kentucky is unlike any job in the Country. It has already been reported after the National Championship game that UConn’s Head Coach Dan Hurley will be a top target for the Big Blue. However, many fans are questioning why Hurley would leave if he makes history tonight, winning back-to-back Championships at UConn—an achievement that has not been seen in 17 years since the University of Florida did it.
Chicago Bulls Coach Billy Donovan and Alabama Head Coach Nate Oats are two coaches who have been thrown out there as well. Ironically, Donovan was the coach of those two teams that won back-to-back Championships at Florida in the late 2000s.
Coach Cal was seen walking his dog down Richmond Avenue in Lexington, Kentucky, as if nothing happened. When he was asked about the last 24 hours, he declined to comment. However, the introductory press conference will be a very interesting one, to say the least.
John Calipari walking his dog along Richmond Rd this afternoon. Declines to give a comment to Kentucky fans.
John Calipari walking his dog along Richmond Rd this afternoon. Declines to give a comment to Kentucky fans.
"No, I don't, I'm walking my dog right now."@WKYT pic.twitter.com/J8yIndZmox
— Lee K. Howard ☀️ (@HowardWKYT) April 8, 2024
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