Report: Brad Calipari to join John Calipari on Arkansas staff
There’s a second Calipari expected to join the new Arkansas staff after news broke that longtime Kentucky head coach John Calipari is finalizing a deal to become the new Razorback head coach.
According to Arkansas reporter Trey Biddy, Calipari’s son Brad, who worked on the Vanderbilt staff last year and has previously been on the Kentucky staff, will join his father in Fayetteville. Here was that news, which Biddy tweeted out late Sunday evening:
“Expecting John Calipari’s son Brad Calipari to join the staff at Arkansas when this all gets finalized. Was director of on-court player development at Vandy.”
Brad Calipari also played several seasons at Kentucky as a walk-on before transferring to be a scholarship player at Detroit Mercy to finish out his career. Following the end of his own playing career, Calipari immediately joined the staff at Kentucky and eventually moved on to Vanderbilt.
However, Vanderbilt head coach Jerry Stackhouse was let go from the Commodores this offseason, leaving the second-generation Calipari in search of a new gig. Now, he’ll team back up with his father at a new endeavor.
Reported details on John Calipari contract
By On3’s Chandler Vessels
According to a report from Jeff Goodman, Calipari will receive around $7.5-8 million per season in Fayetteville. That is only slightly less than the $8.5 million per year he made as the Wildcats’ coach.
ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported earlier that Calipari signed a five-year contract with Arkansas. That would put the total value of the deal somewhere in the $37.5-40 million range.
Calipari is coming off a disappointing postseason in Lexington. Kentucky fell in its opening matchup against Texas A&M in the SEC Tournament. The team’s nightmare scenario only worsened when it lost to No. 14 seed Oakland in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
Rumors began to swirl after that loss that Kentucky could be ready to move on from Calipari. Although the team ultimately opted to bring him back for another season, many believed that had more to do with his $34 million buyout instead of its belief in him.
Now, per KSR’s Matt Jones, neither Kentucky nor Arkansas will have to pay the hall-of-fame head coach’s buyout fee, which was a major roadblock to Kentucky making a move they likely would have if the fee was zero.