Arkansas might be about to land title-winning coach at discount

Though he would not be making nearly as much as he does at Kentucky, John Calipari would still be doing well for himself if he makes a reported move to Arkansas.

The stunning news broke on Sunday night that the longtime Kentucky head coach Calipari is finalizing a contract to leave the school to take the same position with the SEC rival Razorbacks. If the deal becomes official, Calipari will depart Kentucky after 15 seasons, having logged 410 wins, four Final Four berths and a national title in 2012 over that span.

Veteran college basketball writer Jeff Goodman reports that Calipari’s salary at Arkansas is likely to be in the range of $7.5-to-$8 million per season. Goodman adds that Calipari will also have access to an NIL package exceeding over $5 million per year.

Previous reports had stated that Calipari was getting a five-year deal from the Razorbacks, one which would carry a total value of about $38-to-$40 million.

Calipari was making roughly $8.6 million per season at Kentucky on the 10-year contract extension that he signed with the school in 2019. Kentucky would have been on the hook for a roughly $35 million buyout if they had fired Calipari without cause this offseason. But if Calipari is leaving to take a job elsewhere, the Wildcats would no longer owe a single penny there.

Just a couple of weeks ago, the massive buyout figure was cited as a primary reason behind why Calipari was (at that point) going to return as Kentucky’s coach in 2024-25. But now Calipari appears he has decided to take a little less money to get a fresh start as the two sides make a clean break.