The NCAA world was shocked to its core this morning when longtime Kentucky men’s basketball coach John Calipari called it quits with the program. Calipari has been with the Wildcats’ program since 2009, and won a national title with the team in 2012.
He also secured the Naismith College Coach of the Year award in 1996, 2008, and 2015. His overall record of 410-122 is one of the best in NCAA history, and he helped bring notoriety to Kentucky for more than two decades. However, he has left to become the new head coach of Arkansas.
Arkansas had a job opening after former head coach Eric Musselman left the Razorbacks for the same position with USC. Arkansas might have been scrambling to find a new coach, and they ended up with one of college basketball’s winningest coaches of all-time.
With Calipari gone, Kentucky will need a replacement. Some big names have emerged as potential candidates already.
ESPN shared a list of potential replacements, and it’s stacked with great talent. First on the list is Billy Donovan.
Donovan has deep ties to Kentucky, as he served as assistant head coach for the program from 1989-94. There he would eventually rise to associate head coach and had his hand in coaching the team during their Final Four run in 1993 and helped to build the championship 1996 team.
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Donovan has an overall record of 154-160 with the Bulls in his four seasons with the team and could be on his way out. Should he leave, it would make perfect sense for him to return to Kentucky.
Bruce Pearl is next on the list. Like Calipari he has an unimpeachable record with Auburn. Since taking over in 2014, Pearl has amassed a 214-119 record, five NCAA Tournament appearances, one Final Four, and a conference tournament win. He would be a huge get for Kentucky assuming he wants to hop leave the Tigers’ program.
Another established NCAA coach on the list is Nate Oats from Alabama. Oats has an overall 117-54 record with the school, three NCAA Tournament appearances, and a Final Four appearance. Despite only having taken over in 2019, he could leave the Crimson Tide.
The final big name is Sean Miller of Xavier. Miller coached Xavier from 2004-09, left to coach Arizona from 2009-21, then returned to Xavier in 2022. He helped coach the team back to the NCAA Tournament last season. His overall record for Xavier is 163-75, which includes five NCAA Tournament appearances.
All four listed coaches have a wealth of knowledge and impressive resumes that Kentucky is likely to pay close attention to. Time will tell if the program calls one of the four, or surprises everyone with another qualified candidate. Either way, it will be tough replacing Calipari.
Uncommon Knowledge
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.