"I'm walking my dog right now": Former Kentucky HC John Calipari drops hilarious response to question about Arkansas move
There have been multiple reports that John Calipari could be leaving the Kentucky Wildcats to accept the vacant head coaching position with the Arkansas Razorbacks. Pete Thamel of ESPN shared the news late Sunday night, tweeting:
"Sources: John Calipari is finalizing a five-year deal to become the next coach at Arkansas. The deal is expected to be completed in the next 24 hours."
Check out Pete Thamel's tweet below:
While nothing has been made official by either school, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer recently declined to comment on the rumors after being tracked down by reporters while walking his dog.
In a clip shared by Lee K. Howard of WKYT, Calipari was asked:
"Hey coach, you got anything you want to say to your fans or anything?"
The three-time Naismith College Coach of the Year responded:
"No, I don't. I'm walking my dog right now. No, I'm good. I'm good. Come on, Paul. Come on. My dog is walking me. Come on."
Check out John Calipari's interaction with reporters below:
While Calipari declined to comment on the reported move, reports have continued to spread that he will indeed leave the Wildcats after 15 seasons. Conflicting reports have also emerged, however, as the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer has yet to hand in his official resignation papers.
Who could replace John Calipari if he leaves the Kentucky Wildcats?
Amid rumors that John Calipari could be on his way out, the Kentucky Wildcats coaching vacancy will immediately become one of the most coveted in the nation. When asked who the program could target to replace their long-time head coach during a recent appearance on SportsCenter, Pete Thamel of ESPN said:
"There's one name that looms over all. That's Chicago Bulls coach Billy Donovan. He was obviously there under Rick Pitino as an assistant. He is the hail mary hire, he is the home run hire and he is who Kentucky is going to make say no. I bet Dan Hurley tonight after the title game will be asked about that and he probably ends up getting a pay raise out of the timing that this comes out. There's aspirational candidates like Jay Wright."
Check out Pete Thamel's comments on the Kentucky Wildcats' coaching search below:
Thamel added that college coaches such as Scott Drew, Nate Oats, T.J. Otzelberger and Bruce Pearl could all be candidates for the job. It is unclear which route the Wildcats will choose to take. However, their combination of deep pockets and historical success should ensure that they quickly find a viable replacement for Calipari.