John Calipari announced on social media that he is leaving Kentucky after 15 seasons with the program. Less than 24 hours later, he was officially hired as the next coach at Arkansas. This departure comes after a meeting with UK athletic director Mitch Barnhart, where it was confirmed that Calipari would be returning for his 16th season with the program. Reports suggest that Calipari had expressed interest in the Ohio State job, but the timing wasn’t right. Kentucky will now have to find a replacement for Calipari, a task that has historically yielded successful results for the program.
Several potential candidates have been mentioned as replacements for Calipari, including Billy Donovan, the current coach of the Chicago Bulls. Donovan began his coaching career as an assistant at Kentucky in 1989 and has had a successful run in college coaching. Another candidate is Sean Miller, the current coach of Xavier, who has a solid track record in college basketball. Rick Pitino, the coach of St. John’s, has also been mentioned as a potential replacement.
Mark Pope, the current coach of BYU and a former player on Kentucky’s championship team, is another candidate to consider. However, some coaches like Scott Drew of Baylor, Dan Hurley of UConn, and Nate Oats of Alabama are currently off the board as they have either turned down the job or expressed their commitment to their current programs.
As the search for a new coach at Kentucky continues, recruiting will likely remain a top priority for the program. Kentucky has a history of landing top recruiting classes, and the next coach will be tasked with continuing that tradition. Ultimately, the decision on who will replace Calipari at Kentucky remains uncertain, but there are several qualified candidates to consider.
