Arkansas officially announces hiring of John Calipari as head coach

For as fast as the reports came out about John Calipari and Arkansas on Sunday, the next stretch of time was oddly quiet in regards to that story. However, as of today, the Razorbacks have now made it official in regards to their next head coach.

Athletic director Hunter Yurachek posted the news on social media Wednesday morning.

Arkansas has formally announced Calipari as their 14th head coach in program history. He will take over in the place of Eric Musselman with him now leaving Kentucky after 15 seasons.

Calipari arrives in Fayetteville with a Hall of Fame resumé in college at UMass, Memphis, and Kentucky as well as experience in the pros, specifically with the New Jersey Nets.

For all that he has done in his career, his decade and a half in the bluegrass was the most notable time on the sidelines. On the court, the Wildcats went 410-123 (.769) overall with a dozen conference titles, a dozen selections in the NCAA Tournament, and four Final Fours with one national championship.

Then, off the court, though, he has been equally successful with eight No. 1 recruiting classes with only two outside the top-two and just one outside the top-three. That has led to a record number of selections in the NBA Draft with former alumni of his littered across teams in the association.

For where Arkansas’ coaching search started, a hire of someone of Calipari’s caliber is about as good as you can do in college basketball. Now, with it finally signed, sealed, and delivered for the ‘Hogs, he will now lead his fourth program into their, as well as his, next era.