Kentucky unlikely to move on from John Calipari, per report
All eyes are on Kentucky at the moment as their fanbase and college basketball awaits word on the future of John Calipari. With a focus on the next 24 to 48 hours to start this week, though, it appears that the decision is trending in a certain direction.
CBS Sports’ Matt Norlander provided his update on the timeline on Twitter on Monday evening. Based on a source of his, a meeting will take place between Calipari and AD Mitch Barnhart on Tuesday. That meeting will center around what the program will look like moving forward rather than a firing of Calipari from his position as head coach.
“Here’s the latest out of Kentucky, per a source: Calipari — who is set to appear on his local radio show in 30 mins — and AD Mitch Barnhart have not yet met but will meet tomorrow,” wrote Norlander. “Intent of the meeting will be to focus on significant program improvements, not necessarily separation.”
In an additional tweet, Norlander added that Calipari’s buyout and relationship with Barnhart have made this a tricky process. Still, in the end, it is presently tracking toward Barnhart planning to retain Calipari and Calipari expecting to be back in Lexington for next season.
“At this stage UK firing Cal ($33 million to pay him, remember) seems extremely unlikely but source emphasized the importance of discussions between Barnhart + Calipari to be productive and positive,” Norlander wrote. “My read: I don’t think Barnhart wants to fire Cal; I think Cal expects to stay.”
Frustration has peaked at Kentucky over the past few days following the team’s season-ending loss in the NCAA Tournament to Oakland. It capped off a five-year stretch where the the Wildcats have posted a record of 105-52 (.669). The haven’t won a conference title in that span and have not advanced past the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament.
While that’s anything but the standard at the school, moving on from Calipari isn’t plain and simple either. It would require a significant sum for him in the form of his buyout and then a coaching search that would essentially need them to hire one of the best names in the sport. All of that would need to happen swiftly too with the transfer portal open and a new staff needing to come in to maintain recruitments.
It’s a difficult call for Barnhart to have to make considering what Calipari has been for them before compared to what he presently is as their coach. It’s also one that will lead to plenty of passionate opinions either way considering the thoughts of the fanbase at the moment.
However, as of now, it seems as though the plan is one that keeps Calipari for at least another year for a season that will have ton of pressure upon it in regards to the expectations of the fans and, in all likelihood, Barnhart himself as the head of the athletic department.