While there has been a great deal of speculation that the Kentucky Wildcats basketball program could move on from head coach John Calipari in the next few weeks, it looks like they have a major financial reason to hold on to him for at least one more season.
Although John Calipari failed miserably as a coach in the NBA, there is no denying he is one of the best college basketball has had over the last 30 years. Six trips to the Final Four, a 2012 National Championship with the Kentucky Wildcats, and an 855-263 career record are proof of that.
- Kentucky Wildcats men’s basketball record (2023-24): 23-10
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However, sooner or later even the best coaches lose the ability to remain elite at their profession, and that seems to be the case for the 65-year-old. On Thursday night, his team was on the wrong end of a first-round upset in the NCAA Tournament for a second straight year after they suffered a stunning loss to No. 14 seed Oakland.
The defeat has put a spotlight on John Calipari’s failings in recent years as the legendary Kentucky basketball men’s program has not advanced past the first weekend of March Madness since 2019, despite a consistent influx of elite prospects. This latest setback has created a huge amount of discussion that his tenure in Lexington could soon be at an end.
Kentucky Wildcats program has 33 million reasons to hold on to John Calipari for one more season
However, while moving on from Calipari would make sense on a competitive level, it seems the university has a good reason to hold on to him On Thursday night, On3Sports reporter Pete Nakos reminded college basketball fans that firing the Kentucky head coach would mean the school would have to fork over a whopping $33 million in a buyout.
- Kentucky Wildcats women’s basketball record (2023-24): 12-20
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With that said, if they wait a year, that number falls to $27 million. While that is still a huge check to hand out when you are talking about a school instead of a massive pro sports organization, a $5 million savings is notable.
Especially when John Calipari is a coach who still can produce a winner during the regular season and has only had one sub-.500 year in 12 seasons overseeing the Kentucky Wildcats basketball program.