Sources: Calipari settling deal with Arkansas

• Pete

  Thamel Jeff Borzello

  Close Jeff Borzello ESPN Staff Author Basketball recruiting insider.

• Joined ESPN in 2014.
• Graduate of University of Delaware.Apr 7, 2024, 11:12 PM

ET John Calipari is finalizing a five-year deal to become the next men’s basketball coach at Arkansas, sources informed ESPN on Sunday night, a smash hit move that will shake up the SEC and college basketball landscape.Calipari’s contract is anticipated to have an overall base salary of slightly less than the$8.5 million he’s making at Kentucky, sources informed ESPN. However, the deal is expected to be incentive-laden with the ability to pass that number.The contract is anticipated to be completed in the next 24 hours.Editor’s Picks

1 Associated The essential relationship to assist the offer come together was Calipari’s long-standing ties to John H. Tyson, a billionaire who is a long time Arkansas benefactor.Calipari is set to change Eric Musselman, who left for USC recently. After his departure, Arkansas athletic director Hunter Yurachek pursued Ole Miss ‘Chris Beard and Kansas State’s Jerome Tang, although both coaches went back to their respective schools. Arkansas is believed to have actually offered Beard in the community of $5 million each year, sources said.Calipari has actually been under more pressure at Kentucky than at any other time throughout his period, as the Wildcats have not been out of the very first weekend of the NCAA tournament considering that 2019 and suffered upset losses to 15-seed Saint Peter’s and 14-seed Oakland in current years.Following the first-round defeat to Oakland, there was enough speculation about Calipari’s task status that athletic director Mitch Barnhart launched a statement validating Calipari would return as the Wildcats’head coach next season.Kentucky would have owed Calipari more than$33 million if it were to fire him, however the school isn’t owed any money if another program works with him.John Calipari At Kentucky – 15 seasons as head coach – 410-123 W-L (.769); 4th-most wins &

4th-best record of any D-I group
in last 15 seaons – 4 Last 4 appearances; won 2012 nationwide title – 6 SEC regular-season
titles & 6 SEC competition titles – 35 1st-round picks in NBA
draft (2nd-most by head coach at 1 school in typical draft era; tracks just Coach K at Duke)– ESPN Stats & Info One of the greatest names in college sports, Calipari has actually been at Kentucky since 2009. He led the Wildcats to the

national title in 2012 and went to 4 Last Fours in his very first six seasons in Lexington. Kentucky then went to the Elite 8 in 2017 and 2019 but has won simply one NCAA tournament game because that last go to the regional final.Off the court, Calipari developed the Wildcats as a recruiting powerhouse, consistently landing top-ranked recruiting classes.In 15 seasons with the Wildcats, Calipari is 410-123. Before taking control of for Billy Gillispie at Kentucky in 2009, Calipari was the head coach at Memphis for nine seasons. He led the Tigers to 2 Elite Eights and reached the championship game in 2008, where they lost to Kansas in overtime.Calipari likewise led UMass to the Last 4 in 1996 before leaving for the NBA and coaching the New Jersey Nets for 3 seasons.