John Calipari Departs Kentucky After 15 Years, Saying The Program ‘Needs To Hear Another Voice’

LEXINGTON, Ky.: John Calipari is stepping down as Kentucky’s males’s basketball coach after 15 years, saying Tuesday on social media that the “program probably needs to hear another voice” amid experiences that he’s closing in on a take care of Arkansas to take over that Southeastern Conference program.

Calipari posted a video on X, previously often known as Twitter, through which he mentioned that after speaking together with his spouse, Ellen, he determined a change was wanted. He added, “We’ve loved it here, but we think it’s time for us to step away and step away completely from the program.”

Calipari leaves a Wildcats program he guided to the 2012 NCAA championship amongst 4 Final Four appearances. He went 410-123 in 15 seasons. The previous few seasons have been disappointing by Kentucky requirements, with a 1-3 mark in its final three NCAA Tournament journeys, together with first-round losses to No. 14 seed Oakland final month and No. 15 seed Saint Peter’s two years in the past, regardless of being a top-three seed each instances.

The most up-to-date loss set off speedy calls to fireside Calipari earlier than athletic director Mitch Barnhart acknowledged that Calipari would return subsequent season. Firing Calipari would’ve triggered a buyout of greater than $33 million beneath the phrases of a 10-year, so-called lifetime contract signed in 2019.

Barnhart mentioned Kentucky would work diligently to rent “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.”

___

AP faculty basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball

(This story has not been edited by News18 workers and is printed from a syndicated information company feed – Associated Press)