The initial rumors about Billy Donovan going to Kentucky proved terribly wrong, but the rumors about John Calipari did not. After taking a night to sleep on Kentucky’s gargantuan offer, Coach Cal has accepted the head coaching position at Kentucky.
The coach sent a text message to ESPN.com’s Andy Katz on Tuesday evening saying, “I am accepting the UK job! Go Big Blue, coach Cal.”
A source told Katz that Calipari will receive an eight-year, $35 million deal. He gets a $2.5 million signing bonus and $3 million per year for the first four years. In years five, six, seven and eight, Calipari will get an additional $1.5 million per year, so for the last four years of the contract his salary would be $4.5 million. Incentives push the deal up a few more million to get to the $35 million mark.
The contract is the richest in college basketball.
As I’ve said, I think this is a great move for Kentucky all things considered. And now that he has accepted the job and obviously is looking forward to the challenge, it is a great move for John Calipari.
Don’t have a lot of time right now, but here are some relevant links, including my thoughts on this issue over the past week:
- Calipari a good choice for Kentucky, but there are legitimate reasons for caution – MSF
- Calipari bio and initial thoughts on why he would or would not go – MSF
- Xavier Henry and Demarcus Cousins back in play – ESPN.com
- Will the green send Calipari to the Bluegrass state? – WSJ.com
About Jerod Morris
I am very pleased with this hire and hope for good things to come for the Big Blue Nation! Wish something like this could have happened 2 years ago. The future looks very bright to me, and with all the players available now I cannot imagine what team Kentucky will actually put on the floor next year, hoping Patterson and Meeks are on it! GO BIG BLUE!
@catcounsel, thanks for the visit and comment.
As a Bloomington-raised Hoosier, I have to honestly say that I do not hope for good things from this hire for Kentucky; but all biases aside, I think it’s a great move for UK. Certainly, hope will be fresh when next season begins and that is a far cry from where things would have been if Gillispie had still been at the helm.