John Calipari is close to finalizing a five-year deal with Arkansas

According to multiple reports, John Calipari, a Hall of Fame men's college basketball coach, is finalizing a deal to depart from Kentucky for Arkansas. He has notably guided the Wildcats to seven Elite Eights, four Final Fours, and secured the 2012 national championship. ESPN was the first to break the news.

At 65 years old, Calipari boasts a record of 410 wins and 123 losses over 15 seasons in Lexington. Despite being under contract until the 2028-29 season, he will not owe a buyout to the program for his early departure. Notably, he would have been entitled to $33 million if terminated by the university.

The pivotal factor in finalizing the deal was Calipari's longstanding relationship with John H. Tyson, a billionaire and prominent Arkansas benefactor. Calipari is slated to step in for Eric Musselman, who departed for USC the previous week. Following Musselman's exit, Arkansas athletic director Hunter Yurachek pursued Chris Beard from Ole Miss and Jerome Tang from Kansas State.

However, both coaches opted to remain with their respective schools. Sources suggest that Arkansas offered Beard a salary in the region of $5 million per year.


At Kentucky, Calipari has faced heightened scrutiny, particularly as the Wildcats haven't advanced past the first weekend of the NCAA tournament since 2019, experiencing upsetting losses to 15th-seeded Saint Peter's and 14th-seeded Oakland in recent years. Following the defeat to Oakland, speculation swirled regarding Calipari's job security, prompting athletic director Mitch Barnhart to release a statement confirming Calipari's return as head coach for the next season. Notably, Kentucky would have owed Calipari over $33 million if they had terminated his contract, but no compensation is due if he takes on another coaching role.

Calipari, a prominent figure in college sports, has been associated with Kentucky since 2009. During his tenure, he guided the Wildcats to a national title in 2012 and made four Final Four appearances within his first six seasons at Lexington. While Kentucky reached the Elite Eight in 2017 and 2019, they have only secured one NCAA tournament victory since their last Elite Eight run.

Off the court, Calipari solidified the Wildcats as a dominant force in recruiting, consistently landing top-ranked recruiting classes. His coaching record at Kentucky stands at 410 wins and 123 losses.

Prior to his tenure at Kentucky, Calipari served as the head coach at Memphis for nine seasons, leading the Tigers to two Elite Eights and a national championship game appearance in 2008. He also steered UMass to the Final Four in 1996 before transitioning to the NBA, where he coached the New Jersey Nets for three seasons.

Source ESPN : Sources: John Calipari finalizing 5-year deal with Arkansas
Source NBC News : Hall of Fame basketball coach John Calipari is reportedly finalizing a deal to leave Kentucky for Arkansas
Source RealGM : Sources: John Calipari Finalizing Five-Year Deal With Arkansas