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Fresh Intel Confirms John Calipari, Kentucky News on Tuesday originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
After leading the Kentucky Wildcats program for 15 years, head coach John Calipari seemed to have overstayed his welcome in Lexington.
Despite leading the program to its first title since 1998 during the 2012 season, and frequently producing top NBA talent, fans grew tired of his lack of NCAA Tournament success in recent years. Although he had agreed to a lifetime contract with Kentucky in April of 2019, he ended up leaving the program to accept the same role at Arkansas before the 2024-25 season.
In his first year as the head coach of the Razorbacks, he led the program to the Sweet 16, and also took down Kentucky in SEC play. Something he will reportedly have a chance at doing again during the 2025-26 season, according to college basketball insider Jon Rothstein.
Arkansas Razorbacks head coach John Calipari.Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images
"Sources: Kentucky and Arkansas will play once during SEC play during the 2025-26 season and it will be in Fayetteville at Bud Walton Arena," wrote Rothstein.
Calipari will be taking on his former employer with a roster loaded with young talent. The Razorbacks brought in the No. 6 high school recruiting class, featuring two five-stars in Darius Acuff Jr. and Meleek Thomas.
Calipari also brought in a veteran presence in Karim Rtail, who played professionally in Lithuania for Neptūnas-Akvaservis of the NBL.
As for Mark Pope's Kentucky squad, it will feel like an entirely new roster with three high school recruits, a former overseas pro and six transfers headlined by former five-star recruit, Jayden Quaintance.
While these programs may have not been huge rivals in years past, it feels safe to assume that this will frequently be one of the premier college basketball matchups.
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 10, 2025, where it first appeared.
Continue reading...
After leading the Kentucky Wildcats program for 15 years, head coach John Calipari seemed to have overstayed his welcome in Lexington.
Despite leading the program to its first title since 1998 during the 2012 season, and frequently producing top NBA talent, fans grew tired of his lack of NCAA Tournament success in recent years. Although he had agreed to a lifetime contract with Kentucky in April of 2019, he ended up leaving the program to accept the same role at Arkansas before the 2024-25 season.
In his first year as the head coach of the Razorbacks, he led the program to the Sweet 16, and also took down Kentucky in SEC play. Something he will reportedly have a chance at doing again during the 2025-26 season, according to college basketball insider Jon Rothstein.
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Arkansas Razorbacks head coach John Calipari.Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images
"Sources: Kentucky and Arkansas will play once during SEC play during the 2025-26 season and it will be in Fayetteville at Bud Walton Arena," wrote Rothstein.
Calipari will be taking on his former employer with a roster loaded with young talent. The Razorbacks brought in the No. 6 high school recruiting class, featuring two five-stars in Darius Acuff Jr. and Meleek Thomas.
Calipari also brought in a veteran presence in Karim Rtail, who played professionally in Lithuania for Neptūnas-Akvaservis of the NBL.
As for Mark Pope's Kentucky squad, it will feel like an entirely new roster with three high school recruits, a former overseas pro and six transfers headlined by former five-star recruit, Jayden Quaintance.
While these programs may have not been huge rivals in years past, it feels safe to assume that this will frequently be one of the premier college basketball matchups.
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 10, 2025, where it first appeared.
Continue reading...
