The Arkansas Razorbacks stunned the college basketball world on Sunday night by reportedly hiring John Calipari to take over as their new head coach. While an official announcement is expected later this week, new details have emerged on the cost of the move.
Arkansas was in desperate need of a good coach to maintain the stability of its basketball program after Eric Musselman left for the USC Trojans. When Ole Miss coach Chris Beard and Kansas State coach Jerome Tang turned down the Razorbacks’ offers, the program swung for the fences.
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After Calipari’s Wildcats were eliminated by Oakland University in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, the marquee coach was theorized to be on the hot seat. However, the university would’ve owed him $33 million if they wanted to fire him. However, he could leave on his own without paying a buyout.
- John Calipari coaching record: 855-263 (.765) in the regular season
That’s exactly what Calipari did, reportedly agreeing to a multi-year contract to replace Musselman as the new Razorbacks coach. Arkansas is signing him to a five-year deal and details of the contract suggest this could be a program-changing moment for the school.
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John Calipari contract details at Arkansas
The University of Arkansas will be spending more money on its basketball program than it ever has before in a move that signals the school’s intention to become one of the best teams in the SEC. Of course, all of this comes at a cost.
According to Connor Goodson of 247 Sports, the five-year contract is expected to range from $7.5 million to $8 million per season. The average annual salary will likely climb each year, helping Calipari keep pace with rising salaries in college basketball.
- John Calipari salary: $7.5-plus million in 2024-’25, $8 million AAV over five years
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Importantly, according to Pete Thamel of ESPN, Calipari’s contract will also include incentives that would increase the total value of the contract if they are hit. While the current contract’s AAV is less than his annual salary at Kentucky ($8.5 million), the incentives could push it closer to $9 million if goals are reached.
Just as important for Calipari, there are also stipulations in the deal requiring Arkansas to devote far more resources to Name, Image and Likeness. Veteran college basketball reporter Jeff Goodman tweeted that the Razorbacks “assured” Calipari an NIL package that will rival the best teams in college basketball and could be around $5 million.
- Arkansas Razorbacks NIL money: $5 million (reported)
It represents a historic financial commitment for the Razorbacks and Calipari’s departure from Kentucky will have massive ramifications around the sport this offseason. The Wildcats’ coaching search will likely result in them landing a top coach from another program, which will lead that school to poach a coach from elsewhere. College basketball’s coaching carousel is underway and it will be one of the biggest in recent memory.
