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Arkansas

John Calipari not worried about Arkansas making it further than Kentucky in NCAA Tournament

IMG_6598by:Nick Kosko•about 13 hours•

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Matt Stone/Courier Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

John Calipari isn’t worried about getting further than Kentucky this season. The Arkansas head coach is solely focused on his own team, not his old one.

Both have made it to the Sweet 16 in 2025, with Arkansas taking on Texas Tech in their respective part of the bracket and Kentucky facing SEC foe Tennessee. In fact, the only way the two teams will see each other is if they face off in the national championship.

So until then, if the scenario arrives, Calipari is satisfied with what he and his players are doing right now. And the season rolls on.

“No, not worried about them,” Calipari said on The Dan Patrick Show. “This is what’s happened for us. This season has been the most rewarding season I’ve had. Seasons where we won more games and won national titles and Final Fours and Elite Eights. I’ve had all those but what this team has been through to survive it, it’s been as rewarding as any season.” 

Going through the grind of this kind of season has been rewarding for Calipari, as he mentioned. Being able to survive and advance makes the rest of the way the cherry on top

“It talks a lot about the character of these kids, how they were raised, that they could withstand the onslaught.” Calipari said. “Dan, these kids, all of them, have pianos on their backs because of NIL. ‘Well, they’re paid, they should do this,’ and they’re trying to live up to expectations. It’s a piano. You’re involved more than ever before. Why? And then social media. And you know what the worst is for the kids? Talk radio. I mean, all that stuff is out there that they got to deal with. Then the expectations are winning with pianos on their backs.”

Calipari used the transfer portal to help flip Arkansas’ roster right away, although he also proved freshmen can still win on the big stage. Boogie Fland was one of four additions from the high school recruiting trail, along with Karter Knox, Billy Richmond and Casmir Chavis. Knox and Richmond are also key contributors and played key roles in Saturday’s upset over St. John’s.

The Razorbacks also got five commitments out of the transfer portal, including former Florida Atlantic guard Johnell Davis and former Tennessee big man Jonas Aidoo. Three players – DJ Wagner, Adou Thiero and Zvonimir Ivisic – followed Calipari from Kentucky and continued to make an impact in Fayetteville.