John Calipari loses lucky item in celebration of Kentucky women's championship

Following the Kentucky women’s team’s victory in the SEC championship game on Sunday, men’s head coach John Calipari tweeted out an APB in search of a missing watch.

The watch in question, a white gold Rolex, is Calipari’s “lucky watch,” according to the Wildcats skipper, and he’s offering an unspecified reward for its return. It’s likely worth up to $30,000 or more.

“I threw my arms in the air celebrating and my white gold Rolex popped off my wrist,” Calipari tweeted. “If you find it, I have a reward!”

Calipari also congratulated his counterpart, Kyra Elzy, for her team’s accomplishment in winning their first SEC tournament title since 1982.

“Absolutely amazing accomplishment and so much fun watching them today FIGHT and play as one!” Calipari added.

Congratulations to @UKCoachLZ and the entire @KentuckyWBB team! Absolutely amazing accomplishment and so much fun watching them today FIGHT and play as one!

Also, I threw my arms in the air celebrating and my white gold Rolex popped off my wrist. If you find it, I have a reward!

— John Calipari (@UKCoachCalipari) March 6, 2022

Calipari and his wife traveled from Lexington to Nashville to take in the title game. He’s coming off a big road win in Gainesville over the Gators. The Wildcats clinched the No. 3 seed for their SEC tournament which begins this week in Tampa Bay, Florida.

More on Kentucky’s upset win

No. 1 ranked South Carolina entered the game as a heavy favorite with their 29-1 record and with no losses since the turn of the calendar to 2022. However, Kentucky came into the championship game as one of the country’s hottest teams.

The Wildcats got their 10th consecutive win after a stretch where they lost eight of nine games in January and February. The Kentucky women’s basketball win streak was capped off by a four-game run through the SEC Tournament in four days. They knocked off three ranked opponents and lock up the conference’s automatic bid.

Dawn Staley’s South Carolina team remains on track for a 1-seed in the NCAA Tournament despite the loss but will now be forced to wait and see whether they land the No. 1 overall seed or not. Kentucky, meanwhile, gets the SEC automatic bid despite already appearing to land on the right side of the bracket. It remains to be seen whether this upset win raises their stock significantly for the selection committee.

On3’s James Fletcher contributed to this report.