Although the Arkansas Razorbacks had their season end at the hands of the Texas Tech Red Raiders in overtime in the Sweet 16, they still had a magical run.
That is thanks in large part to head coach John Calipari.
Stephen A. Smith Compares John Calipari to Nolan Richardson
Despite Calipari and the Razorbacks losing on Thursday night, First Take personality Stephen A. Smith still made it a point to give Calipari his flowers.
“He’s gonna be able to recruit better than anybody ever has there outside of Mr. 40 Minutes of Hell himself, the late great Nolan Richardson. God rest his soul.” – Stephen A. Smith pic.twitter.com/xSFWn9zC99
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) March 28, 2025
“He’s gonna be able to recruit better than anybody ever has there OUTSIDE of Mr. 40 Minutes of Hell himself, the late great Nolan Richardson.”
Smith would later apologize for mistakenly saying that Richardson had passed away. But while speaking on Calipari, he was very high on the job that he did in his first season at Arkansas.
The Razorbacks made just their second Sweet 16 appearance in the last three decades, thanks to the incredible job done by Calipari, who has a real chance to take this team to new heights.
Why John Calipari Can Win at Arkansas
As Smith noted, Calipari has demonstrated his strong ability to recruit and develop players throughout his career.
Much like Nolan Richardson did while he was at Arkansas, Calipari, in just one season, has turned the team into a powerhouse.
Time will tell if Calipari can match what Richardson did in his coaching tenure down in Fayetteville. Of course, in his 17 seasons at the school, Richardson would go on to take the school to 13 NCAA Tournaments, three Final Fours, and a national championship in 1993-1994.
That is what Calipari is trying to match. The 66-year-old can certainly put his team in a position for greatness because of what they accomplished this year.
KEEP READING: John Calipari Expresses Disappointment in Freshmen Missing Scholarships Due to Transfer Portal
They won 22 games, beat Kansas and St. John’s in the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament, and made fans believe that greater days are ahead for the program. While certain players might be headed to the next level, that might be just fine.
Recruits and transfers will flock to Fayetteville in search of playing time and a chance to win a national title with Calipari.
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