John Calipari reveals he would retire if coaching became 'strictly transactional'

As he enters his 36th year as a college head coach, John Calipari said he consistently gets one key question. When will he step away?

Throughout the offseason, Calipari pointed out issues in college basketball relating to NIL and the transfer portal. With that, he said if the sport becomes to “transactional,” he’d be willing to step away.

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Calipari told Gary Parrish he still puts an emphasis on being “transformational” in an era of player movement. Citing his track record of getting players to the NBA, he said a “transactional” environment wouldn’t suit him anymore.

“Someone will say, ‘Well, how long do you want to do this?’ I say, well, I want to help 25 more families,” Calipari said. “Let me help 25 more families. I’ll tell you what’ll get me to stop – if this becomes strictly transactional. Like, ‘I give you this and you do this for me.’ Then, I’m not doing it. I don’t need to do it. But if it’s still, I can have an impact – if you walk in my gym, you know, ‘Yep. He’s still being transformational. These kids are going to move in a direction that’s going to help them for the rest of their lives.’ Then, you keep going.

“But why would I fight something, like a kid that’s got money? ‘Well, I don’t need to listen to you. I’ve got so-and-so.’ … Or someone else is doing it, not me. Like, there’s a third party doing this and the kid’s more beholden … to that guy than me. Then, I’m out. I’m not going to do this. Transactional? Nope. I’m not doing it. Never been that. Transformational? Changing people’s lives and families? Because it’s not just the young man. The ripple effect going forward and out – which is his immediate family, and then his family, his family’s family.”

John Calipari: Transfer rules need to ‘get in check’

John Calipari has spoken multiple times this offseason about the state of college basketball along with the intersection of NIL and the transfer portal. He reiterated his focus on academics during the recruiting process with his goal of setting players up for success beyond graduation. That’s why he wants to see a one-time-only transfer rule, as well.

“What we’ve got to get in check is the transfer rules,” Calipari said. “I think kids should be able to transfer. I don’t have any issue with that. Once, without penalty. Whatever happened – a coach said something, he lied to you. Good, leave. You picked the wrong school. He picked the wrong guy. Leave. If a coach leaves and goes to another school, you should be able to leave because we can all say what we want. They went to the school because of the coach.

“Now, does that make you mad? You can be sad, mad, P’d on, P’d off. That’s a fact. That’s why they go to the school. So if he leaves and you want to leave – if you want to stay, stay. If you want to leave, leave. Other than that, sit out a year because … if they transfer to four different schools, why are they transferring four times?”