Kentucky has made its decision on the head coaching position for the 2024-25 season, and it’s keeping the status quo.
Despite rumors that the school could buy out his contract, coach John Calipari will return to Kentucky next year, athletic director Mitch Barnhart confirmed on X on Tuesday night.
“As we normally do at the end of every season, Coach Calipari and I have had conversations about the direction of our men’s basketball program and I can confirm that he will return for his 16th season as our head coach,” Barnhart wrote in his post.
The decision comes on the heels of a disappointing first-round exit in March Madness after No. 3 seed Kentucky was upset by 14-seeded Oakland, 80-76.
The Courier-Journal reported that Calipari would have been owed nearly $35 million dollars if the school fired him without cause and bought out his contract.
That, however, will not be happening as the legendary coach will return and hope to lead Kentucky to a bounce-back season after its rough ending to 2023-24.
On Monday night on his season-ending radio show, Calipari spoke about how he wants to improve his Kentucky squad.
“We’ve just got to get the right transfer,” he said, per the Associated Press. “We’ve got to keep coaching these young kids. We’ve probably got to use the summer a little bit different because of where this has all gone. We’ve got to get more physicality, more time in the weight room. … But on top of that, we’ve got to first of all see who’s going to be here from this roster. And who won’t be here.”
Calipari has a 410-123 record since taking over Kentucky in 2009-10, winning the national title in 2012.
However, Kentucky is 1-4 in its last five games in the NCAA Tournament.