John Calipari has made it clear that his attention is solely on Arkansas, not Kentucky, even as both teams advance in the NCAA Tournament. The former Wildcats coach, now leading the Razorbacks, dismissed any focus on his previous program during an interview on The Dan Patrick Show.
When asked if he was keeping up with Kentucky’s postseason success, Calipari responded bluntly: “No, not worried about them.” He went on to say that this season with Arkansas has been one of the most fulfilling of his career, despite his past accomplishments, including national championships and Final Four appearances. According to him, the challenges his current team has faced make this season particularly rewarding.
Calipari pointed out the difficulties Arkansas players have had to overcome, mentioning the pressures of NIL deals, social media scrutiny, and public expectations. He praised their resilience in handling these obstacles.
“These kids are carrying a heavy load because of NIL,” Calipari explained. “Social media, talk radio—it’s all something they have to navigate.”
As Kentucky prepares to take on Tennessee in the Sweet 16, Arkansas will face Texas Tech. The only way the two teams could meet in the tournament would be in the national championship game.
Calipari has built Arkansas into a contender this season by blending experienced transfer players with talented freshmen. Some of his former Kentucky players, such as DJ Wagner and Zvonimir Ivišić, followed him to Fayetteville and have played key roles in the Razorbacks’ deep tournament run.
