John Calipari addresses future at Kentucky amid speculation

The biggest story in the bluegrass, if not one of the biggest in college basketball, over the past few days has been the job status of John Calipari. However, after a weekend of speculation following Kentucky’s exit from the NCAA Tournament, the Wildcats have an idea of what’s going on within the program.

Calipari made his first public comments since the 80-76 loss to Oakland on The John Calipari Show on Monday night. During the radio show, he made it known that he will be meeting with AD Mitch Barnhart tomorrow to discuss his future in Lexington.

“We do it every year. We haven’t but it’ll be done in the next couple days. Every year, we share thoughts with each other,” said Calipari. “I’m sure he’s hurting. I was on the plane back. He’s hurting like the rest of us. I look forward to hearing his thoughts, how we can be better.”

“My guess is we’ll meet, Mitch and I will meet tomorrow,” said Calipari.

Calipari’s seat was as hot as it had ever been over the past few days. Barnhart has been left with a decision to make with this proposed meeting likely to determine that outcome.

Now, with Calipari back in town, the pressure is on to turn things around, fast and at the best of his ability, ahead of what might now be one of his last opportunities at Kentucky. It’ll start with six commitments for next year’s team that make up the No. 2 class according to On3’s 2024 Industry Team Recruiting Rankings. From there, it will turn to what players will be back from this past season’s roster and who the Wildcats add in the transfer portal.

Calipari further explained that process as the next step and focus for Kentucky in the near future.

“Let me say this. Right now? I’ve got to turn my attention to this current team,” said Calipari. “I have individual meetings set up. My staff has been spending time with the guys because we’ve got to find out where are they right now? And where are they as they’re going to go through this process – who’s going through it and how we’re doing that. So we’ve got to live through that stuff right now, the immediate.”

“We got to, first of all, see who’s going to be here from this roster and who won’t be here. Some of that may go through the process of the combine and all that before they make their decision. That’s what makes it hard but it makes what Kentucky is and what this program is about”

This is going to be a controversial outcome either way for Kentucky based on where Big Blue Nation has split on the matter. Still, as of tonight, Calipari has spoken and explained what the next few days, and weeks assuming he stays on, will look like for him and the Wildcats.

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