New Kentucky Coach Fond Of Calipari, Acknowledges Intense Rivalry
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Throughout the past month things have been pretty heated between the Razorbacks' and Kentucky Wildcats' fanbases. Outsiders would consider things said between rivals as verbal assault, especially on X. Sometimes maybe taken too far.
For new Kentucky coach, Mark Pope, his feelings toward Arkansas and John Calipari are much different. An overflow of gratefulness from Pope in regard to Calipari’s 15-year tenure in Lexington is a totally different vibe. He shared his thoughts with Jon Rothstein on College Hoops Today podcast this past Monday.
“I’ll forever be grateful to Coach Cal,” said Pope. “I’ll be grateful for what he did at my alma mater at the University of Kentucky. There’s no reason for my heart not to be full of gratitude to him,” Pope said. “He’s also one of the greatest coaches to ever coach in college basketball.”
Although Kentucky won just a single national championship with some of the best talent each season, the Wildcats' perception nationally has never been stronger. The program has sent 138 players to the NBA with Calipari preparing 47 of them, 38 of those first round selections.
As mentioned earlier, things are likely to be chippy between fanbases. Calipari did take a few of his players that were poised to be on Kentucky's roster next season with him to Arkansas. Not a single member of the Wildcats 2023-2024 team will return next season with only one player pledged to the Wildcats following through on his commitment.
Arkansas is in the same boat with no scholarship players returning from Eric Musselman's final team. Calipari currently has Arkansas perched in the No. 1 spot in the 247sports transfer portal ranking. A little Kentucky flavor is included with former players Zvonimir Ivisic and Adou Thiero committing so far. The Razorbacks have also signed three of Wildcats' six members of its original 2024 high school recruiting class in Karter Knox, Billy Richmond, Jr. and Boogie Fland. That will fan the flame of hate coming from Lexington a little bit stronger.
Luckily, for those watching at home around the world, plus those avidly paying attention in Arkansas and Kentucky, this rivalry is set to be one of the most intense in college basketball. That in its own right is good for the sport.
“For him to be in [the SEC] is great for basketball," said Pope. "It’s going to be great for Arkansas fans and certainly great for Big Blue Nation. It’s going to be a battle. It is going to have some things become super personal. It’s one thing competing against somebody that you don’t know. It’s another thing competing against your brother. If you’ve done that in the backyard, it usually gets ugly because you love each other so much. I anticipate there’ll be some of that flavor in this with Coach Cal, for sure.”
The world of college basketball will receive one taste of the budding rivalry in the coming 2024-25 season. The SEC announced next years schedule with Arkansas set for a road game in Lexington. However, the date and time is to be determined.
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JACOB DAVIS