Calipari agrees to extension with UK

According to multiple reports, the University of Kentucky will formally announce tomorrow they have signed head basketball coach John Calipari to an eight-year extension beginning with the 2011-2012 season.

The extension will alter his bonus structure and increase his pay over the $31.65 million he was set to earn with his previous deal, extending his current contract through the 2018-2019 season.

Calipari’s immense success in leading the Wildcats to the NCAA Tournament the past two seasons and a combined overall record of 74-12–including a Final Four appearance this year– and the fact that he has sent a total of nine players to the NBA over this same time period made this extension an absolute necessity for Kentucky.

With an outstanding incoming recruiting class in 2011, the Wildcats again look to be one of the nation’s top teams, and having an extension in place for Calipari ensures the Kentucky administration that the coach’s mind will now be firmly centered on basketball and recruiting for future seasons, and not on any potential offers from other schools or for a second-chance at coaching in the NBA.

Although Kentucky lost three of their core players to the 2011 NBA Draft, DeAndre Liggins, Josh Harralson and Brandon Knight, outstanding sophomore forward Terrance Jones will look to lead a great cast of young stars for the Wildcats next season.

Incoming freshmen Michael Gilchrist, Anthony Davis, Marquis Teague and Kyle Wiltjer were each considered can’t miss, five-star prospects by the major recruiting services and should make an instant impact in Lexington, helping Kentucky to compete for yet another SEC and potentially National Championship.

John Calipari is far from perfect.

He’ll tell you as much.

He has nimbly toed the line of legality in recruiting battles and other situations involving players both current and former. He’s not any more perfect than any other coach in major college sports which has done the same in the name of competitive advantage.

He is, however, one of the best tactical basketball coaches in NCAA Division I and the reward he will receive for his service to the game, both at Memphis and Kentucky, is well deserved and reasonable given the market standards for today’s college basketball coaches.

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