Kentucky coaching candidates to replace John Calipari: Ranking the Wildcats’ options

Kentucky now finds itself without a head basketball coach. There was a pocket of the fanbase (a rather large pocket) that hoped this would become the Wildcats’ reality following UK’s first-round loss at the hands of 14-seed Oakland last month, but few saw such a reality materializing the way it did.

Athletic director Mitch Barnhart made a public statement that Calipari was returning for his 16th season in Lexington. Then, because SMU joined the ACC, Calipari decided to leave on his own accord.

That’s obviously an oversimplification of what happened, but the chain of events is wild to consider. SMU hired USC coach Andy Enfield, who said he wouldn’t have taken the job if not for the ability to coach in the ACC. USC then responded by hiring Arkansas coach Eric Musselman. That led Arkansas first to Chris Beard — who said no. Then the Hogs looked to Jerome Tang — who also said no. Now, they land on a guy with a national championship ring who regularly churns out first-round NBA draft picks.

If Kentucky felt it was ready to move on from the Calipari Era, this truly could be a “best for all involved” kind of scenario. Calipari gets a fresh start at Arkansas, Arkansas gets a coach with a chip on his shoulder, and Kentucky gets to start anew without paying an obscene amount of money to do so.

The latter is incredibly important as Kentucky searches for its new coach. Had Barnhart chosen to fire Calipari without cause, UK would have owed him more than $30 million. Then it would have needed to pay a buyout and salary for Cal’s replacement. Sure, Kentucky won’t be getting anything from Arkansas, but it is much easier to sell boosters on paying for, say, Dan Hurley than it is to pay for Calipari and Hurley.

Calipari was a 4-time SEC Coach of the Year at Kentucky. He made the Final Four on 4 different occasions, won 6 regular-season SEC championships, won 6 SEC Tournament championships, made 12 of 14 NCAA Tournaments, and won the 2012 national championship. He signed 50 Composite 5-star recruits from 2009-23 and has produced 35 first-round NBA Draft picks. And the relationship grew stale at the end.

Expectations at Kentucky are perhaps as high as anywhere in the country. It’s not enough to win and make NCAA Tournaments leading the Wildcats; a coach has to consistently compete for Final Fours and national championships. The next coach has to embrace that scrutiny.

But Kentucky also offers a ceiling few others can match. It is an undeniable blue blood. The potential is limitless. And being in the SEC — the league best positioned to shape the future of college athletics — carries more advantages now than ever before.

Kentucky will have no shortage of options to replace Calipari. And no name will be too big. In the wake of Calipari’s departure, a dozen or so names have been bandied about as potential replacements. Here are the most common, ranked.

The guy you have to call knowing it’s likely a “No”: Dan Hurley, UConn Huskies HC

Hurley coaches in the national championship game against Purdue on Monday night. Barnhart should attempt to have him or his representative on the phone shortly after. Offer Hurley the bag that makes all other bags look disrespectful and make him say no. The UConn head coach is 40 minutes away from a second consecutive national championship and most every media outlet that has included his name on a list of possible candidates has done so with the same caveat — he won’t take the job, but Kentucky should at least ask. Which is true! On both fronts. Hurley is 140-58 at UConn, and he has led the Huskies to a 67-11 record in the last 2 seasons. He signed a new 6-year, $32.1 million contract extension last June. Should he leave, UConn would reportedly be owed around $7.5 million. That should not by any means be a deal-breaker for Kentucky. The primary roadblock would be convincing Hurley (a Northeast lifer) why he needs to leave what he has built at UConn — a perennial title contender — to start over at Kentucky.

No. 1: Nate Oats, Alabama Crimson Tide HC

Oats is a no-brainer for this job. Proven winner in the SEC? Check. Final Four appearance in the last 5 years? Check. Capable of adaptation? Check. Oats is at the forefront of college basketball’s evolution, playing a style of basketball that is not only appealing but effective. Alabama just gave UConn its first test of the NCAA Tournament. A year after leading the Crimson Tide to a No. 1 overall seed in the tourney, Oats replaced nearly an entire rotation not by recruiting stars but players who fit exactly what he needed. Oats’ team understands exactly what it needs to do and executes. To imagine his style of play with the talent that would be available to him at Kentucky is to imagine national championships. Multiple national championships. Alabama had 8 Sweet 16 appearances and no Final Fours before Oats. The Tide have made the Sweet 16 3 times in Oats’ 5 years and made the Final Four. Before Oats arrived at Buffalo, the Bulls had 3 conference championships, 1 conference tournament title, 1 NCAA Tournament appearance, and no tourney victories. During Oats’ 4 years with the program, Buffalo won 2 MAC titles and 3 MAC Tournament titles, made 3 NCAA Tournaments, and won 2 tournament games. This works. Oats and Alabama recently agreed to a contract extension that runs through 2030 and makes him 1 of the 5 highest-paid coaches in the sport. It also includes an $18 million buyout. Some might say that’s too big a number. In this era, no number is “too big” for an SEC school.

No. 2: Scott Drew, Baylor Bears HC

According to The Athletic, Drew is believed to be Barnhart’s top choice to replace Calipari. He’d come to Lexington with a championship pedigree, having led the Baylor Bears to the 2021 national championship. Drew is an accomplished recruiter, has won at least 20 games in 15 of his last 17 seasons with the Bears, and has won 2 Big 12 regular-season championships in the last 4 years. He also led Baylor to an NIT championship in 2013. The work Drew has done in turning a Baylor program that was on the brink of ruin into a consistent machine is worthy of praise on its own. How much would Kentucky have to pony up to poach the longtime Baylor coach, though? Drew recently drew interest from Louisville but shot down any speculation about a departure, saying “Baylor is my home” during an appearance on Baylor’s flagship radio station. With a new $200-plus million arena, Baylor has shown Drew plenty of investment in his program as well. Five coaches have won a national championship at Kentucky, but none of those guys did so before getting to Kentucky. This would be a potentially terrifying partnership from the rest of the SEC’s perspective.

No. 3: Billy Donovan — Chicago Bulls HC (NBA)

Donovan, who turns 59 at the end of May, is close to wrapping up his ninth NBA season. But the Bulls are in contention for a play-in spot, which would keep the season running through at least April 16. The Bulls haven’t won a playoff series under Donovan, and they’re on pace for a third losing season in 4 years under Donovan’s watch. Is the former national champion ready to return to college? Maybe not, but if Chicago decided to move on at the end of the season, it’s worth wondering whether Donovan would entertain what would almost certainly be an attractive offer from Kentucky. Donovan was a Kentucky assistant under Rick Pitino and coached Florida to consecutive national titles. He has been a dream candidate of Kentucky fans ever since and for good reason. Chicago’s problems are bigger than Donovan and a “failure” there won’t necessarily be a Donovan failure. He was a consistent winner with a roster that changed often and drastically in Oklahoma City. The college game has changed significantly since Donovan was there last, but his ability to coach is unquestionable.

No. 4: Bruce Pearl, Auburn Tigers HC

Does Barnhart want the baggage that would come with hiring Pearl? That’s a potential obstacle in this hiring. But if Kentucky is getting beyond the first 4 names on this list, there’s a concession to be made somewhere with each of the names that follow. Pearl, a 3-time SEC Coach of the Year, has led Auburn to 2 SEC regular-season titles, 2 SEC Tournament titles, and a Final Four appearance in the last 7 years. Unlike some of the other names on this list, there would be no question about his ability to hold up in one of the most scrutinized jobs in all of American sports. The personality factor here is a major pro in Pearl’s favor. But wouldn’t he feel a bit like Calipari-lite? The issue with Calipari wasn’t recruiting or regular-season performance; it was always about the NCAA Tournament. Auburn lost in the first round this season to a 13-seed. The Tigers were blown out of the second round by Houston last year, lost to a 10-seed in the second round the year prior, missed the tourney in 2020-21, and only have 1 other tourney win under Pearl if you remove the Final Four run. Pearl’s name has been mentioned by several outlets but this wouldn’t exactly feel like a slam-dunk hire.

Related: Hurley and his Huskies take on Purdue in the national championship Monday night. Want to bet on the game? Find out all you need to know about the top Kentucky sports betting apps and how you can earn a first-deposit bonus. 

No. 5: Tommy Lloyd, Arizona Wildcats HC

The longtime Gonzaga assistant has accomplished quite a bit in his first 3 seasons as the Arizona head coach. Arizona swept the Pac-12 titles in Year 1, won the conference tournament again in Year 2, and then won another regular-season title this season. Lloyd’s 3 Arizona teams have ranked seventh, 10th, and 11th in adjusted offensive efficiency and he has earned top-2 seeds each year. But with a third consecutive disappointment in the NCAA Tournament, there are questions about his style. And rightfully so. Arizona lost as a 1-seed in the Sweet 16 in his first year, lost to a 15-seed in the first round last year, and then lost to 6-seed Clemson in the Sweet 16 this year. Each time, the talent on hand warranted a deeper run. With a buyout north of $12 million, Kentucky would have to be convinced Lloyd is simply a young coach (he’s 49) finding his way and there are bright, bright days ahead. That could certainly be the case! But Arizona is a bit like Kentucky in that the bottom line is tournament success. Lloyd has yet to find the right ingredients. After the way Calipari’s tenure ended, Barnhart would be playing it risky by gambling, and Lloyd feels like a gamble at this point.

No. 6: Mark Pope, BYU Cougars HC

Pope, 51, would certainly be a gamble. He’d be a reach for Kentucky in terms of his readiness for the job, but the potential for something special is there. Pope was part of Rick Pitino’s 1995-96 national championship-winning Kentucky team, so that’s a major plus in his corner. BYU finished this season 18th nationally in KenPom with the 14th-ranked offense in the country; it’s a wonderful scheme. Pope has 2 NCAA Tournament appearances in 5 years and a 110-52 record, but he also doesn’t yet have a win in the tourney and there are major questions about his readiness for such a massive job. With BYU’s private status, it’s unclear what Pope’s buyout situation looks like.

No. 7: T.J. Otzelberger, Iowa State Cyclones HC

Otzelberger, 46, is a rising star in college basketball. In 3 years at South Dakota State, he won 2 regular-season conference titles, 2 conference tournament championships, and made the NCAA Tournament twice. In 3 seasons at Iowa State, he has 3 NCAA Tournament appearances and led the Cyclones to a Big 12 Tournament championship this season. Iowa State upset 3-seed Wisconsin in the tourney in Year 1 under Otzelberger, and it made the Sweet 16 this season. His Iowa State teams play rugged defense — No. 1 in adjusted defensive efficiency this season, No. 8 last year, No. 5 the year prior — and his South Dakota State teams ranked top-75 in offensive efficiency in each of his 3 years there. This would be a smart hire from a basketball standpoint, but it wouldn’t exactly be a splash hire and there are questions about fit. Plus, with a reported buyout north of $17 million, a non-splashy hire could have Otzelberger starting on shaky ground with the fanbase.

No. 8: Rick Pitino, St. John’s Red Storm HC

Twelve conference championships, 7 Final Fours, 2 national championships, and a whole lot of drama. Pitino coached Kentucky from 1989-97 and, following a 20-13 year at St. John’s, might be open to a return if Barnhart came calling. There’s just not much reason for Barnhart to call unless he swings and misses on everyone else.

Derek Peterson

Derek Peterson does a bit of everything, not unlike Taysom Hill. He has covered Oklahoma, Nebraska, the Pac-12, and now delivers CFB-wide content.