Kentucky woke up Monday morning to stunning reports of John Calipari leaving to become the new men’s basketball head coach at Arkansas. His departure would leave the Wildcats program at a major crossroads.
For all of Calipari’s success at Lexington, Kentucky won its last national championship in 2012. Doron Lamb played for that team alongside Anthony Davis and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist.
Lamb doesn’t appear to have high hopes for Kentucky’s outlook without Calipari. The former guard delivered a solemn prediction on Monday.
“I will be the last team in UK history to win now,” he wrote on his Instagram Stories page.
Calipari led Kentucky to four Final Four appearances and three additional Elite Eight trips. However, this year’s March Madness run ended with a first-round loss to No. 14 Oakland.
The Wildcats, who fell to No. 15 Saint Peter’s in 2021, have one NCAA tournament win in the last five years. Calipari’s future at Kentucky briefly seemed uncertain, but Mitch Barnhart committed to the head coach following their annual end-of-season meeting.
Kentucky must rebuild its program to enjoy the past heights reached during Lamb’s time at the university. However, it feels premature to write off Kentucky before the school can even hire a replacement.
Kentucky basketball has a rich history long before Calipari’s arrival. The SEC school should attract intriguing candidates eager to lead the Wildcats to their ninth national title.