Grading John Calipari’s transfer to Arkansas for Razorbacks and Kentucky

John Calipari goes to the Arkansas Razorbacks, the Kentucky Wildcats are available in the market for a brand new males’s basketball head coach, and the faculty basketball world has been shaken to its core lower than 24 hours earlier than the nationwide championship recreation between UConn and Purdue.

The Calipari bombshell dropped on late Sunday night time with a number of reviews confirming the legendary head coach is certain for Arkansas. The Arkansas job got here open earlier this week when Eric Musselman accepted the highest job at USC. The USC job turned open when Andy Enfield went to SMU after the college fired Rob Lanier. The teaching carrousel is all the time spinning in faculty basketball, and that is essentially the most explosive cycle but with arguably essentially the most excessive profile job within the sport immediately turning into obtainable.

Calipari was beneath immense stress after Kentucky was upset within the first spherical of the 2024 NCAA match by No. 14 seed Oakland. Below Calipari’s watch, the Wildcats had not been out of the primary weekend of the match since 2019. Whereas this system was nonetheless excellent within the common season, there was a powerful push to fireplace Calipari after the Oakland loss throughout the Wildcats fanbase. As an alternative, Kentucky gave coach Cal a vote of confidence, however clearly he wasn’t going to have a protracted leash.

Now the 65-year-old Calipari goes to Arkansas in essentially the most gorgeous piece of school basketball teaching information in years. Kentucky is dropping a head coach that led them to 4 Ultimate 4 berths and a 2012 nationwide championship. There are such a lot of layers to this transfer. To begin to unpeel them, let’s grade it from each measurement.

Arkansas’ grade for John Calipari rent

Arkansas hoops was at risk of slipping into one other darkish interval after Musselman bolted for southern California. That received’t occur with Calipari in cost.

The Razorbacks have a proud custom that peaked with Nolan Richardson main this system to a few Ultimate 4 berths and one nationwide championship within the ‘90s. The making certain years had been tough earlier than Musselman got here alongside and powered the staff to 2 Elite Eight journeys and one Candy 16 look from 2021-2023. Arkansas had a down yr this season lacking the match, and Musselman bolted.

Arkansas tried to rent Chris Beard from Ole Miss and Jerome Tang from Kansas State, however struck out. It was some uninspiring choices, doubtlessly headlined by Chris Jans at Mississippi State. As an alternative, Arkansas is breaking the financial institution and swinging for the fences with Calipari. This program instantly turns into must-see TV.

Calipari is the best recruiter of his era. The record of future NBA stars who performed for him is everlasting, from Anthony Davis to Karl-Anthony Cities to Devin Booker to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to Tyrese Maxey. We might go on all day. Calipari had one other loaded class coming in at Kentucky, led by five-stars Boogie Fland and Jayden Quaintance. Will his 2024 class observe him to Arkansas? That is still to be seen, however the Razorbacks know they’re getting an elite recruiter both approach.

For all of Calipari’s faults as an in-game coach, there’s nobody higher at constructing a star-studded roster. Arkansas immediately turns into an exhilarating program. Whereas Calipari must get to work rebuilding the roster, there’s nobody higher at doing that than him.

It is a house run rent. Sure, his current early exits within the NCAA match had been extraordinarily irritating, however few coaches are higher at constructing a constant winner. The place Calipari goes, expertise has all the time adopted. Now will probably be coming to Fayetteville. Calipari received’t have too a few years left in teaching at 65 years previous, however he nonetheless has sufficient combat to get Arkansas to the highest of the SEC and past just a few extra occasions.

Grade: A

Grading Calipari’s exit for Kentucky

Is that this a catastrophe for Kentucky? It can in fact all rely on who they land. That’s one other article for one more day.

It actually felt like firing Calipari was the correct transfer for Kentucky after the loss to Oakland. The requirements at Kentucky are simply too excessive to lose to groups like No. 15 seed Saint Peter’s and to Oakland within the match. There was just one drawback: the $33 million buyout owed to Cal if he was fired. Arkansas solved that drawback for Kentucky by hiring him away.

Kentucky has gone via a tough stretch earlier than, however by no means for too lengthy. Calipari instantly reinvigorated this system within the wake of the failed Billy Gillispie period, however the stress for a deep match run was going to be unbearably heavy subsequent season. This looks like the right time for a divorce.

Kentucky can clearly do far worse than Calipari. The Wildcats might be a down yr subsequent season until they hit a house run with this rent. It received’t be straightforward. The truth is subsequent season was shaping as much as be an unenjoyable yr for Kentucky even with one other class of five-stars coming in. The timing is correct for everybody with this break up. We’ll know extra as soon as Kentucky hires his alternative.

Kentucky grade: B+