It still seems strange to say, but John Calipari won’t be on the sidelines for Kentucky next season.
In fact, he’ll be coaching against his former team twice next year at Arkansas, remaining in the SEC after coaching the Wildcats for over a decade.
Calipari’s move to Fayetteville took the college basketball world by surprise, and it apparently did the same for one of his former players.
In an interview with The Spun, Phoenix Suns star and former Kentucky Wildcat Devin Booker says the move shocked him.
“100 percent. I never thought I’d see the day. Some people asked me during the season as if they knew it was coming, but I just kept thinking that I couldn’t see him leaving Lexington,” Booker said.
“It’s strange, man. It’s something that I didn’t expect, but I hope it’s a great situation for him and his family. I saw Arkansas posted a picture of him on campus. It’s a different dynamic seeing him in red, but I wish the best for him.”
Booker also says that he thinks hiring Mark Pope was a good move because of his connection to the program.
“He seems like the right guy for the job, so fans should give him a chance,” Booker said about the new head coach.
“He has big shoes to fill, but maybe he’ll bring new energy to the program.”
Kentucky has won its last three games against Arkansas, a streak that Pope will hope to continue by defeating his predecessor in two games next season.
We’ll see what Pope can do – and what Calipari can do – next season. For now, everyone has a few more months to get used to seeing the longtime Kentucky head coach at a different school.