John Calipari vs John Chaney: A statistical comparison 

Long ago, John Chaney and John Calipari had perhaps the fieriest exchange in basketball coaching history and both were exceptional at their jobs. Let's take a look at their accomplishments.

Over a career that spans 32 seasons and counting, Calipari has seen it all. Taking the top job in three college majors, UMass, Memphis and Kentucky, Calipari has compiled 849 wins so far. He is one of the NCAA's all-time winningest coaches at the Division I level, with 22 trips to the big dance, making the Final Four six times, winning it all in 2012.

John Calipari was enshrined as part of the 2015 Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Let's take a look at his awards:

John Calipari's awards

1. A-10 Coach of the Year (1992-93)
2. A-10 Coach of the Year (1993-94)
3. Basketball Times Coach of the Year (1995-96)
4. A-10 Coach of the Year (1995-96)
5. NABC Division I Coach of the Year (1995-96)
6. Naismith Coach of the Year (1995-96)
7. TSN Coach of the Year (1995-96)
8. CUSA Coach of the Year (2005-06)
9. CUSA Coach of the Year (2007-08)
10. Naismith Coach of the Year (2007-08)
11. Jim Phelan Award (2008-09)
12. CUSA Coach of the Year (2008-09)
13. NABC Division I Coach of the Year (2008-09)
14. Adolph Rupp Cup (2009-10)
15. SEC Coach of the Year (2009-10)
16. SEC Coach of the Year (2011-12)
17. Adolph Rupp Cup (2014-15)
18. AP Coach of the Year (2014-15)
19. Basketball Times Coach of the Year (2014-15)
20. SEC Coach of the Year (2014-15)
21. NABC Division I Coach of the Year (2014-15)
22. Naismith Coach of the Year (2014-15)
23. TSN Coach of the Year (2014-15)
24. SEC Coach of the Year (2019-20)

As for John Chaney, he amassed 741 victories in his legendary career, leading the Temple Owls to the NCAA tournament 17 times, and guided the 1987–88 Owls to a No. 1 college national ranking and five Elite Eight appearances. Recognizing his contributions, John Chaney was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2001. Here are his awards:

John Chaney's awards

1. A-10 Coach of the Year (1983-84)
2. A-10 Coach of the Year (1984-85)
3. A-10 Coach of the Year (1986-87)
4. USBWA Coach of the Year (1986-87)
5. AP Coach of the Year (1987-88)
6. CBS Coach of the Year (1987-88)
7. A-10 Coach of the Year (1987-88)
8. NABC Division I Coach of the Year (1987-88)
9. TSN Coach of the Year (1987-88)
10. United Press International Coach of the Year (1987-88)
11. USBWA Coach of the Year (1987-88)
12. A-10 Coach of the Year (1999-00)

​

John Chaney made an infamous threat to John Calipari

30 years ago, John Calipari and UMass edged out John Chaney's Temple, 56-55, in a battle between top-ranked Atlantic 10 teams in Amherst, Massachusetts. However, the moment that is still being talked about to this day was the heated altercation in the post-game press conference between John Calipari and John Chaney.

Temple coach John Chaney stormed UMass coach John Calipari’s press conference, berating him over an alleged encounter with officials.

"I’ll kill you! You remember that, when I see you, I’m going to kick your a**! I’ll kick your a**! Remember that. You’ve got a good team. You don’t need that kind of edge."

​

​

The source of Chaney's anger was reportedly a brief and non-malicious exchange between John Calipari and a game official. The incident, lasting less than a minute, triggered John Chaney, leading to his infamous threat to Calipari.

Fast forward three decades later, and this post-game press conference still resonates as one of the wildest in NCAA basketball history.

​

John Chaney received a one-game suspension due to the incident, but the two coaches eventually met and reconciled later.

Chaney's passing in 2021 at 89 marked the end of an era, leaving behind a legacy that transcends this infamous moment in NCAA history.

​