Rick Barnes evaluates how John Calipari's move to Arkansas will impact the SEC

Rick Barnes and John Calipari had several top matchups against one another with one at Tennessee and the other at Kentucky in the SEC. That will now continue between the two in the same conference but with a different school involved after Coach Cal went to Arkansas this offseason.

Barnes spoke about Calipari leaving Lexington for Fayetteville while at the podium from SEC Media Days in Birmingham. He said that he didn’t discuss that eventual decision with him but that he’s glad for him in it considering where he now is.

“Well, he and I didn’t really talk about it before he actually made that move,” Barnes said. “He will make it even tougher than it’s ever been to play at Arkansas. I’m happy for him because I think he’s happy.”

Again, this continues a connection between Barnes and Calipari that now goes for almost a half century in college basketball.

“You know, we go back a long time,” Barnes recalled. “We started a relationship back in 1975, ’76 at a University of Pittsburgh camp that we both worked. He was going into his senior year. I just graduated from college. We’ve had a dear friendship since that time.”

Barnes has the slight edge in their all-time matchups against one another with a 13-12 record versus Calipari. That changed the record completely in the series history between the Volunteers and Wildcats with him being 11-10 against Kentucky, and, as such, Calipari, since coming to Knoxville.

As for Calipari now coaching the Razorbacks, Barnes doesn’t doubt that he’ll be successful there as well. From his resumé with the Minutemen to the Tigers and then the Wildcats, Calipari has won at all of his three previous jobs and will likely continue to do so at his fourth according to his friend.

“He’ll do great. I mean, wherever he’s gone, he’s built a winner. He’s one of the great coaches of all time,” said Barnes. “What he did at Kentucky was really unbelievable when you look back on it and his time there. What he did at Memphis, UMass? Everywhere he’s been, he’s a winner. He’ll continue to do that.”