Calipari, Sampson reunite in Newark after advice that shaped No. 14 Hogs

Man who convinced Arkansas coach to take job now faces surging Razorbacks with No. 8 Houston

Arkansas Razorbacks coach John Calipari during the first half against the Queens Royals at Bud Walton Arena. | Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images

NEWARK, N.J. — John Calipari has been in college basketball long enough to know that coaching against friends is a terrible hobby.

Yet he keeps doing it anyway, as if he’s running a loyalty program for free emotional discomfort.

So here comes another one of his pals, Houston’s Kelvin Sampson, waiting for him in Newark like an old acquaintance who helped you move houses and now expects you to return the favor.

And in this case, Sampson actually did help Calipari move — at least in the career sense.

Before Calipari became the man in charge at Arkansas, he sought out Sampson for advice on whether taking the Razorbacks job was worth the paperwork.

A few conversations later, Calipari was packing for Fayetteville and crediting Sampson as one of the reasons he listened.

Now they get to meet at Prudential Center, a venue located in the same region where the Sopranos once offered their own brand of peer consultation. Seems fitting.

Calipari and Sampson share the kind of friendship that makes scheduling games both easy and irritating. The Arkansas coach didn’t hide his feelings earlier this year.

“I don’t like coaching against friends,” Claipari said. “If we win, I’ll be excited and then I’ll see him and I’ll feel like crap. And he’ll be the same way.”

Nothing says competitive fire like mutual guilt.

Arkansas already checked off a long list of Calipari’s coaching acquaintances last season — Jim Larranaga, Greg Kampe, and the parade of SEC regulars — and this year included Tom Izzo with Michigan State. Saturday brings the highest-profile reunion yet, and naturally, it required a few logistical detours to pull off.

When Arkansas and Houston tip at 4:30 p.m. Central, it will be their first meeting since 2017. More importantly, it puts Calipari right back across from the friend who pushed him toward Fayetteville in the first place.

Why Sampson’s opinion mattered

Calipari has never been shy about admitting he leaned heavily on Sampson when deciding whether to trade Kentucky blue for Razorback red. They spoke about Arkansas athletics director Hunter Yurachek, who had previously been at Houston.

Sampson described everything Yurachek built there — the facilities, the support, the infrastructure that helped Houston soar — and Calipari took notice.

“[Sampson] and I are dear friends," Calipari said at his introductory press conference in April 2024. "What [Yurachek] did at Houston, the building, the practice facility, all of this stuff, that got me to where I needed to listen.”

Even his hesitation about leaving his players didn’t get much sympathy. Sampson gave him the basketball version of a reality check: They could leave whether he stayed or not.

Message delivered. Decision made.

So Calipari arrived at Arkansas. And once he settled in, he called Sampson again, this time asking if Houston wanted to play. Not surprisingly, Sampson said yes, because apparently neither man avoids situations that guarantee postgame guilt.

Then the fun began: trying to find a location.

Calipari and Sampson aimed for Madison Square Garden. Denied. They pivoted to Barclays Center. Also denied. Prudential Center won by process of elimination.

Sampson, diplomatic as always, praised the arena and the region.

“A lot of great teams, great players come out of that part of New Jersey,” Sampson said.

For two coaches who have been around the world together — at camps, meetings, and those old Five-Star gatherings — Newark is simply another stop on a long-running friendship tour.

No stranger to the big stage 🌎
Never Forget Tribute Classic. pic.twitter.com/sTV2SSAWQg

— Arkansas Razorbacks Men’s Basketball 🐗 (@RazorbackMBB) December 20, 2025

Respect, admiration and a few March expectations

Sampson has plenty of respect for Arkansas’ roster.

He said the Razorbacks “always are going to have major scoring threats on the floor,” which is the coaching way of saying they are a handful even before warm-ups. He hasn’t watched the whole SEC this season, but he didn’t hesitate to offer one opinion.

“I don’t think there’s anybody in the SEC any better than Arkansas this year,” Sampson said.

Hog fans will like hearing that.

Calipari would probably respond with something self-effacing and sentimental, then circle back to his usual claim that coaching against friends makes everyone miserable.

Expect him to repeat it after the game, because either outcome fits the script. He wins, Sampson loses. He loses, Sampson wins. Both feel guilty. Coaching camaraderie at its finest.

The coaches also share something deeper: sons on staff. Brad Calipari works with Arkansas. Kellen Sampson works at Houston.

Both coaches have said they want to stay in the profession to improve the game for their sons’ generation. Considering the visibility of their programs, that commitment comes with scrutiny.

Sampson summed up Calipari neatly.

“He wants what’s best for the game,” Sampson said. “I’ve always admired Cal because he’s done it his way and he’s been an unbelievable success everywhere he’s been.”

That’s the kind of endorsement only a longtime friend can give — right before trying to beat you.

And so Saturday becomes another chapter in a long-running relationship built on advice, shared experiences and the occasional painful match-up.

Newark just happens to be the setting this time.

Key takeaways

• Kelvin Sampson played a major role in Calipari’s decision to take the Arkansas job.
• Scheduling the Arkansas–Houston game included failed attempts at MSG and Barclays before landing in Newark.
• Both teams look capable of deep NCAA Tournament runs, even if the coaches dread beating each other.