After days of speculation, John Calipari and Arkansas made it official. The former Kentucky coach was named the head coach of the Arkansas Razorbacks men’s basketball team. View the contract details below.
John Calipari Contract Details With Arkansas Revealed
National Championship program.
National Championship coach.
Match made in Hog Heaven. pic.twitter.com/wkSKHOJ5HS
— Arkansas Razorbacks Men’s Basketball 🐗 (@RazorbackMBB) April 10, 2024
Calipari signed a five-year contract with a starting salary of $7 million per season. The deal includes a $1 million signing bonus and $500,000 retention bonuses for each year of the contract.
Calipari’s contract includes performance-based incentives for making the NCAA Tournament and advancing to the later rounds. Two automatic rollover years for NCAA Tournament appearances would push Calipari’s deal to 2031.
Overall, the deal is a five-year, $38.5 million contract. With incentives and bonuses, the deal could become a seven-year contract worth nearly $60 million (via The Athletic).
The Atheltic reported Calipari will have an NIL fund worth “at least $5-$7 million.”
“As I visited with Coach Calipari during this process, he acknowledged the tremendous opportunity we have at the University of Arkansas to attract and retain top players and compete for championships,” Arkansas athletic director Hunter Yurachek said in a press release. “He understands the deep passion of the Razorback Nation and has experienced the tremendous home court advantage of Bud Walton Arena. I have no doubt that under Coach Calipari’s leadership and with the collective support of all those who love the Hogs, Razorback Basketball will continue to maintain its national prominence within college basketball.”
All in the familia 🐗
See you soon Fay pic.twitter.com/61N80m67hs
— Arkansas Razorbacks Men’s Basketball 🐗 (@RazorbackMBB) April 10, 2024
John Calipari Takes Over For Eric Musselman
Ready for the next chapter of a legendary career.
— Arkansas Razorbacks Men’s Basketball 🐗 (@RazorbackMBB) April 10, 2024
Calipari takes over for Eric Musselman, who departed from Arkansas this offseason to become the head coach at USC. In five seasons with the Razorbacks, Musselman went 111–59 (.653), reaching the Elite Eight in back-to-back seasons in 2021 and 2022.
Calipari departs Kentucky after 15 seasons with the Wildcats. Hired in 2009, Calipari went 410-123 at Kentucky, winning the 2012 National Championship. Kentucky went to the Final Four in four of Calipari’s first six seasons.
However, Calipari has won just one NCAA Tournament game since 2019.
Calipari will look to bring Arkansas back to the Final Four for the first time since 1995, one year after the Razorbacks won the national championship.
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