Scott Polacek@@ScottPolacekIncluded Columnist IVApril 11, 2024
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Let the John Calipari period at Arkansas start.
The Razorbacks’ brand-new males’s basketball head coach was presented to his brand-new school throughout a Wednesday interview, and he didn’t keep back. Significantly, he worried that he accepted the position to develop a group with “a dream and a burning desire to complete for champions.”
Arkansas Razorbacks Men’s Basketball @RazorbackMBB
Winning together. << a href="https://t.co/AVZaHikAms">> pic.twitter.com/AVZaHikAms
Calipari likewise stated he ended up being “delighted” considering constructing the program into a constant winner:
Arkansas Razorbacks Men’s Basketball @RazorbackMBB
Are you all set for it? << a href="https://t.co/zsHNbP5vSf">> pic.twitter.com/zsHNbP5vSf
Arkansas fans are definitely thrilled.
While Calipari’s period at Kentucky grew rather stagnant of late with sensational first-round NCAA competition losses to 15th-seeded Saint Peter’s in 2022 and 14th-seeded Oakland in 2024, he still has rather the history of winning.
He won a championship game, 6 SEC regular-season titles and 6 SEC competition champions while reaching 4 Final Fours throughout his time with the Wildcats. Prior to that, he won 7 Conference USA regular-season titles and 4 conference competition crowns at Memphis, in addition to 5 Atlantic 10 regular-season titles and 5 conference competition champions at UMass.
Calipari likewise reached a Final Four at UMass and Memphis, highlighting his capability to win at programs that aren’t on the very same level as Kentucky.
Arkansas isn’t on the exact same level as Kentucky traditionally, however Calipari stated it is still an elite task:
Will Whitson @will_whitson2
John Calipari:<< br><> < br>>”This program, you speak about a few of the very best tasks in the nation … this is among them.”
Brandon Marcello @bmarcello
John Calipari: “Kentucky is the bluest of heaven. There are just a couple of schools like that and I dislike to inform you, Arkansas is among them. It is.”
The Razorbacks position was open since Eric Musselman left for USC this offseason. While he didn’t win any SEC titles throughout his 5 seasons, he did direct the group to back-to-back Elite Eights in 2021 and 2022 and a Sweet 16 in 2023.
Arkansas has actually taken pleasure in some current success, however Calipari stated he still has lots of work to do before the focus moves to winning on the court.
“I got ta put a lineup together,” he stated. “You’re chuckling– it’s not amusing. I simply met the group. There were 3 guys therein, and they remained in the website. We got work to do.”
He will concentrate on culture as he is putting that lineup together:
ESPN Arkansas & & HitThatLine.com @HitThatLineAR
“If you’re not into basketball, you will not come here. This has to do with remaining in a location that is zeroed in on a culture that produces expert practices.” << br><> < br>>- Head Coach John Calipari on what he’s searching for in developing a lineup.