Kentucky advertisement confirms Calipari to return as coach

• Myron Medcalf, ESPN Personnel WriterMar 26, 2024, 11:36 PM ET

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  • Covers college basketball
  • Joined ESPN.com in 2011
  • Graduate of Minnesota State University, Mankato

In spite of another early exit from the NCAA tournament, Kentucky men’s basketball coach John Calipari will return for his 16th season in 2024-25, according to athletic director Mitch Barnhart.Calipari’s future appeared cloudy following the Wildcats ‘first-round loss to Oakland, a 14-seed, in the NCAA tournament last week. It was the latest upset on the program’s résumé; 2 years earlier, Kentucky was a 2-seed when it lost to 15-seed Saint Peter’s in the opening round of the 2022 competition.”As we typically do at the end of every season, Coach Calipari and I have actually had conversations about the instructions of our men’s basketball program and I can verify that he will return for his 16th season as our head coach,”Barnhart composed Tuesday on X, previously Twitter.As we normally do at the end of every season, Coach Calipari and I have actually had discussions about the direction of our males’s basketball program and

I can validate that he will return for his 16th season as our head coach.– Mitch Barnhart(@UKMitchBarnhart)March 27, 2024 Calipari, speaking Monday on his season-ending radio program, stated he understood that the standard at Kentucky– the winningest program in men’s college basketball history and an eight-time nationwide champion– is to cut down the webs in the last game of the year, and acknowledged that his group had actually disappointed that objective.”I talked again about the standard … that I believe in, that I believe we can do,” Calipari said.” But that requirement of nationwide titles has actually been here from Coach [Adolph]

Rupp on, and the only thing I’m stating to all our fans is you know I’m going to work– work in our state, work on this program, this university. … That’s my commitment. I’m not altering, 24/7, let’s go– whether it’s recruiting, all the stuff that we need to do.” Calipari has one nationwide title( 2012 )and his newest Last Four appearance was in 2015. The previous couple of years had been rough for the Wildcats’devoted fans, as Kentucky completed 9-16 in 2020-21

, the program’s worst record in 100 years, and suffered early postseason exits in 2022 and 2023. Editor’s Picks 2 Associated But the introduction of Reed Sheppard and Rob Dillingham, predicted top-10 choices in the NBA draft, and the return of veteran Antonio Reeves recommended this season could be various for the Wildcats. Then, Oakland

reserve Jack Gohlke struck 10 3-pointers in an 80-76 upset win over Kentucky, a result that prompted buzz about Calipari’s future.It appears clear to all that Calipari– who would have been owed a$33 million buyout if the school chosen to fire him now– will deal with intense pressure to make a deep run in the NCAA tournament next season and rebuild a team that completed 111th in adjusted defensive efficiency, per KenPom.Kentucky’s 2024 recruiting class consists of three of the top 25 prospects in ESPN’s rankings, including four-star hire Karter Knox and a pair of luxury talents in Jayden Quaintance and Johnuel Fland.Calipari has faced criticism for relying too heavily on youth when most teams are growing older through the transfer portal. However he said Monday on his radio show that he will continue to recruit freshman skill and balance his team with veterans from the website.” This is like using a coat: It never goes away,”Calipari stated.

“But I love it. This is what I want. This is what I desired. This is why I never ever left. This is it. And now it’s let’s come together and let’s do something. Let’s do something unique. We’ve done it. Let’s do it once again.”