John Calipari Officially Steps Down As Kentucky Basketball Coach, Issues Statement, 'This Program Needs to Hear Another Voice'

It’s official. After 15 seasons as the Kentucky Men’s Basketball head coach, John Calipari has resigned from Kentucky as he prepares to accept the Arkansas job, per a statement on social media.

“Since our season ended, Ellen and I have spent a lot of time thinking about our time here at Kentucky,” Calipari began his statement. “What it means to us, the friends we’ve made on that court, regional championships, conference championships, Final Fours, the national title in 2012 — it’s been a beautiful time for us.”

“This is a dream job. It was my dream job. Anybody in our profession looks at the University of Kentucky and basketball and says, ‘That is the bluest of blue.’ The last few weeks we’ve come to realize that this program probably needs to hear another voice, that the university as a whole has to have another voice giving guidance about this program. The fans need to hear another voice.”

“We’ve loved it here, but we think it’s time for us to step away and step away completely from the program.”

Calipari did not mention Arkansas specifically but says he and his family are evaluating the “opportunities” that they have been presented with.

The past 15 seasons have been filled with historic highs and historic lows, but it was a time that Kentucky fans will remember for the rest of their lives.