Kentucky basketball was aware of Arkansas job offer to John Calipari | Report

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Editor’s note: This story has been updated with a reported rebuttal that Kentucky never received a counter offer. Dick Gabriel also clarified his comments to say Kentucky was aware of what Arkansas’ offer was to John Calipari.

Former Kentucky basketball coach John Calipari is reportedly set to be the next coach at Arkansas — but not without apparently checking back in with the Wildcats first.

Dick Gabriel, sideline reporter for UK Sports Network, reported Monday that Calipari gave Kentucky a chance to counteroffer the deal he received from Arkansas, to which Kentucky and athletic director Mitch Barnhart declined.

REQUIRED READING: What could Kentucky basketball roster look like without John Calipari in Lexington?

“Calipari, going into that meeting with Mitch Barnhart, didn’t have much leverage,” Gabriel reported on Kentucky Edition on Monday. “Mitch had the leverage. But now, when you’ve got somebody else in your corner who is a viable candidate for your services. I mean, if it was a junior college that came to hire him, no, but this is Arkansas. Powerful school with deep, deep pockets and all kinds of booster money out there. Tyson chicken and Wal-Mart. They come in and say, ‘We want you and we’ll do what it takes to get you.’ That’s leverage.

“Calipari, as I’m told, said, ‘Here’s what it’s going to take to keep me,’ and UK said, ‘I don’t think so.’ As I understand it now, if the deal (with Arkansas) isn’t done, it’s going to be done. You have a fanbase that is unhappy, an institution that is not satisfied with what’s been happening. You’ve got another school that would be happy to have him. When you factor in the fans, this might be a win-win-win if such a thing is possible. That all depends, of course, on who Kentucky hires if and when Calipari does leave.”

However, Gabriel’s reporting was later refuted by Tom Mars on X, formerly known as Twitter. Mars said he is representing Calipari as his lawyer. Mars said he received a text message…

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Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/john-calipari-gave-kentucky-basketball-185504150.html

Author : The Courier Journal

Publish date : 2024-04-09 18:55:04

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