John Calipari once dominated college basketball; however, his grip on the game has loosened. After half a season with Arkansas, once-loyal fans have seemingly turned against him as the Razorbacks struggle.
Meanwhile, Rick Pitino has revived St. John’s, highlighting the contrast between an aging coach losing ground and another reclaiming success. With Arkansas’ failures piling up, Calipari’s future looks uncertain.
John Calipari’s Decline and the Pressure to Adapt
Calipari led Kentucky to a national title in 2012 and consistently produced NBA talent. However, recent seasons exposed his inability to adapt. Arkansas fans who once celebrated his hire now question his effectiveness. The Razorbacks have failed to make a solid impression this season, and frustration has grown.
On an episode of the “Field of 68: After Dark” podcast, John Fanta and CJ Moore discussed how Pitino has rebuilt St. John’s while Calipari has struggled in Year 1 at Arkansas. Fanta highlighted St. John’s historical challenges, stating:
“They haven’t won a Big East regular season crown for as identifiable of a brand as they are with the Big East. They haven’t won the conference since 1992.”
As of February 2025, St. John’s held an 11-1 record in the Big East, its best start since 1984-85. Pitino transformed a struggling program, while Arkansas stagnated under Calipari. Moore addressed the decline bluntly:
“It happens earlier than 72; usually, the game passes them by. Look at what’s happening to John Calipari.”
He referenced coaching legends like Jim Boeheim and Roy Williams, who also saw the game outgrow them. Unlike Pitino, who has kept winning, Calipari has seemingly failed to adjust.
Still, there may be a glimmer of hope, as Calipari led the Razorbacks to an 89-79 upset victory over his former team, Kentucky, just this week.
John Calipari’s Legacy and Arkansas’ Future
The loss to Arkansas was devastating for Kentucky fans and a personal victory for Calipari. Despite Arkansas’ poor 12-8 record and 1-6 SEC standing, they left Rupp Arena with renewed hope.
Meanwhile, Kentucky’s momentum collapsed. Calipari, reflecting on his return, admitted:
“It’s hard to win in here. I looked up a couple times [at the scoreboard] and I thought we were losing because I kept looking at Kentucky instead of Arkansas. … It was 15 years here.”
15 years at Kentucky yielded a single championship and no Final Four appearances since 2015. Despite producing NBA talent, Kentucky had little to show for it. The Wildcats fell behind while Pitino and others adapted. Kentucky’s struggles forced Calipari to move to Arkansas, bringing his staff and (some of his) players with him.
Kentucky had embraced Calipari’s approach when it delivered wins, but the results declined. After the pandemic wiped out the 2020 tournament, his teams went 1-4 in the SEC tournament and 1-3 in the NCAA tournament. Early exits, combined with losses to lower-seeded teams like Saint Peter’s and Oakland, confirmed that the program was declining.
Calipari’s routine had worn thin, and the results had diminished. His program became more about producing NBA players than building a legacy. Calipari’s Kentucky era would not be remembered like Pitino’s Louisville tenure or Dean Smith’s career at North Carolina.
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But, now at Arkansas, Calipari faces the challenge of proving he can still coach at an elite level. And despite a victory once again at Rupp, the 2024-25 season has done little for fans to believe in him.
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