John Calipari breaks silence, issues farewell to Kentucky
After 15 seasons as the head men's basketball coach at Kentucky, John Calipari has issued a farewell to the Wildcats and he is reportedly set to become the next head coach for Arkansas.
"Since our season ended, Ellen and I have spent a lot of time thinking about our time here at Kentucky, what it means to us, the friends we've made," Calipari said. "On that court, regional championships, conference championships, final fours, the national title in 2012. It's been a beautiful time for us.
"This is a dream job. It was my dream job. Anybody in our profession looks at the University of Kentucky in basketball and says 'That is the bluest of blue.' The last few weeks, we've come to realize that this program probably needs to hear another voice. That the university as a whole has to have another voice giving guidance about this program that they hear. And the fans need to hear another voice."
News broke late Sunday evening that Calipari is expected to become the 14th head coach in Arkansas men's basketball history, and the numbers regarding his salary and NIL package are pretty impressive.
While drama has been at an all-time high with fans wondering when an official announcement will come, and some media members playing up the drama, Calipari silenced it. Kentucky Athletics Director Mitch Barnhart also addressed Calipari's departure in a tweet.
"We're appreciative of John Calipari leading our program for the last 15 years, adding to the legacy of championship success at Kentucky," Barnhart said. "We're grateful to John for his many contributions to the University, and our state, both on and off the court."
It's safe to say that Calipari enjoyed his 15 seasons in Lexington, which resulted in 32 NCAA Tournament wins, four Final Four appearances, seven Elite Eight births and eight Sweet 16 showings — all of which are more than any other school in that time period.
"We've loved it here, but we think it's time for us to step away and step away completely from the program," Calipari said. "There have been opportunities that have been presented to us, so we're discussing them as a family. I love coaching. I love coaching young people. This years team, I loved everyday walking in. They've invigorated me. I love the chase for championships. I love bringing the kids together. It's what I do. It's who I am."
Calipari gave a heartfelt thank you to all of those who have helped him and been part of his journey with arguably the most storied program in college basketball history.
"Those memories that we were able to do together is what this is all about," Calipari said. "Again, it’s been a dream. What we’ve been able to do, 15 years, it’s time for another voice. And you know I’m always going to be a fan. Thank you.”
No official announcement has been made by Calipari or Arkansas regarding his reported hiring. A source told HawgBeat that there is an event scheduled for 6 p.m. CT Wednesday at Bud Walton Arena in Fayetteville.