“We haven’t talked”: John Calipari discloses Scott Drew never reached out to him regarding Kentucky job after his departure
Arkansas coach John Calipari said there was no communication between him and Baylor coach Scott Drew regarding the offer to replace the former as the Kentucky Wildcats coach.
After Calipari shocked the basketball world on April 10 by leaving Kentucky after a 15-year coaching career, Drew was touted as one of the top candidates to be his replacement. However, the 54-year-old head coach opted to stay with Baylor, leading to the hiring of Wildcat alumnus Mark Pope.
Calipari said this after his team's win over Lipscomb on Wednesday:
"He never called me on it. We haven’t talked. What Mark Pope’s doing, good for him. Good for him. It’s a program that deserves that. Scott has done unbelievable work at Baylor and probably got comfortable there. Why would I go into that hornets’ nest?"
Meanwhile, Drew announced in April that he opted to stay as head coach at Baylor. He joined the Bears in 2003 and led them to a championship in 2021.
Calipari was the head coach of the Wildcats from 2009 to 2024, leading them to four Final Four appearances and a 2012 NCAA National Championship. He was inducted to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2015.
Now in his fourth NCAA coaching stint, Calipari helms Arkansas, who failed to qualify for the 2024 March Madness after a 16-17 record and a second-round exit in the SEC tournament under former coach Eric Musselman.
Baylor versus Arkansas to headline the Saturday schedule at Dallas
The matchup between No. 8 Baylor and No. 16 Arkansas will take place on Saturday, 9:30 pm EST at the American Airlines Arena in Dallas, Texas, broadcasted on ESPNU.
The Razorbacks hope to build momentum from their first regular season win in a 76-60 game against Lipscomb on Wednesday at the Bud Walton Arena.
Calipari could not hide his excitement even before the game started. He said:
“I’m happy, I’m loving the team. I told them at the shootaround, I had goosebumps because I’m watching them get prepared for this game. Now, we’ve got a long way to go."
Meanwhile, the Bears hope to bounce back after suffering a 101-63 defeat against Gonzaga last Monday at the Spokane Arena.
The Razorbacks have a four-game homestand in its schedule, playing against Troy (Nov. 13), Pacific (Nov. 18), Little Rock (Nov. 22), and Maryland-Eastern Shore (Nov. 25).
The Bears will also host their next two games at the Foster Pavilion against Sam Houston (Nov. 12) and Tarleston State (Nov. 17) before facing St. John's Red Storm in the Bahamas Championship semifinals on Nov. 21.