Report: John Calipari left Kentucky due to lack of support, Arkansas assets

When rumors swirled around social media that John Calipari is nearing a deal to become the next head coach at Arkansas, it came as a surprise to many given his recent interview with athletic director Mitch Barnhart.

The two seemingly made up — but that couldn’t have been further from the truth, according to reports. Calipari’s relationship with the Kentucky AD hadn’t been the same since 2022 and there were no signs that they were getting back together.

When Arkansas offered Calipari all of the NIL help in the world, something Calipari reportedly felt like he had to do all the heavy-lifting by himself. In Fayetteville, that would no longer be the case.

“Sources close to John Calipari say he had bad feelings about his situation at Kentucky, and that the lack of support had grown to the point where he didn’t feel like he could stay on because he didn’t feel wanted,” college basketball insider John Fanta wrote. “The assets Arkansas put in place convinced him to make this move.”

Giving Calipari a seemingly unlimited amount of NIL money to use as recruiting leverage — on top of being arguably the best recruiter in the world before money is involved — allows Arkansas to be a step ahead of other SEC and Big Ten programs competing in the same tax bracket.

Money doesn’t seem to be an issue for the Razorbacks, as Calipari ended up signing a five-year contract with the Razorbacks with a salary beginning at $7 million per season, running through 2029. That includes two rollover years for NCAA Tournament appearances that would extend the contract to 2031. Calipari also received a $1 million signing bonus, and has several other incentive-based bonuses throughout his deal.

If the backing of the athletic department and the boosters wasn’t enough — fans packed Bud Walton Arena on Wednesday evening to get a first glimpse of their new head coach in Razorback red. Arkansas rolled out the red carpet for Calipari upon his arrival and now it’s on him to deliver.

First thing’s first, Calipari has to find a roster. That shouldn’t be too hard for Calipari, as his reputation for churning blue-chip prospects into NBA talent precedes him. Whether his recruits from Kentucky follow him to Fayetteville, or he takes on a completely new group remains to be seen. If one thing is for sure — they’re expected to win early and often in 2024.