Jon Calipari is stepping away from his role as head coach of the University of Kentucky.
The men’s basketball coach had spent the last 15 seasons at Kentucky and was expected to return despite another early exit from the NCAA’s March Madness tournament. Calipari is now expected to take over the men’s basketball coaching job at Arkansas, multiple outlets reported.
“The last few weeks, we have come to realize this program probably needs to hear another voice,” Calipari said in a video message on X formerly known as Twitter. “That the university as a whole has to have another voice giving guidance about this program. The fans need to hear another voice. We think it’s time for us to step away and step away completely from the program. There have been opportunities presented to us and we are discussing them as a family.”
Kentucky was seeded third in March Madness, but fell 80-76 to No. 14 seed Oakland in the first round. This latest loss in Pittsburgh came a year after the Wildcats were ousted in the second round, and two years after they were upset as a No. 2 seed by 15th-seeded Saint Peter’s in their NCAA opener.
The most recent loss set off immediate calls to fire Calipari before athletic director Mitch Barnhart stated that Calipari would return next season. Firing Calipari would’ve triggered a buyout of more than $33 million under the terms of a 10-year, so-called lifetime contract signed in 2019.
Calipari leaves Kentucky with a 410-122 record, a national championship and three other Final Four appearances (2011, 2014 and 2015). His teams have reached the tournament 12 times in all.
Barnhart said Kentucky would work diligently to hire “a proven, highly dedicated coach who embraces the importance of this program to our fans and the state of Kentucky.”
The AD added: “We’re appreciative of John Calipari leading our program for the last 15 years, adding to the legacy of championship success at Kentucky. We’re grateful to John for his many contributions to the University, and our state, both on and off the court.”
Former Arkansas head coach Eric Musselman left to take the vacant job at USC earlier this month.
— With files from the Associated Press
