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After over a day of deliberation, John Calipari is headed to Kentucky.

The coach sent a text message to ESPN.com's Andy Katz on Tuesday evening saying, "I am accepting the UK job! Go Big Blue, coach Cal."

A source told Katz that Calipari will receive an eight-year, $35 million deal. He gets a $2.5 million signing bonus and $3 million per year for the first four years. In Years 5, 6, 7 and 8, Calipari will get an additional $1.5 million per year, so for the last four years of the contract his salary would be $4.5 million. Incentives push the deal up a few more million to get to the $35 million mark.

The contract is the richest in college basketball.

"Why did he wait so long?" said former Calipari assistant Bruiser Flint, the head coach at Drexel. "He said he didn't have to take the job. He's 50 years old. He felt good at Memphis. It was a good place for him. But at the end of the day, it's Kentucky."

The move was first reported by the Memphis Commercial Appeal and confirmed by ESPN's Dick Vitale.
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=4031573

Not surprised, but I have to say, it would have been cool to see him stay. It will be sad to see the whole recruiting class leave Memphis, as some are suggesting.

"Over a day of deliberation!!!" I love it! Only in America.

Fearless prediction: Kentucky will win ZERO national titles under Calipari, and he won't last 5 years.

Time for Memphis to lose a conference game. Too bad he didn't have the balls to stay and help Memphis build a strong tradition.

he has won at umass and memphis. I would love to see what he could do at a Kentucky.

He said as of the second he signed with UK he could no longer called those that signed with Memphis....makes me wonder how many phone calls he made leading up to the signing of the contract.


I see a Memphis coming back down to the CUSA field very very quickly...maybe not his year, but next year.

clenz wrote:He said as of the second he signed with UK he could no longer called those that signed with Memphis....makes me wonder how many phone calls he made leading up to the signing of the contract.


I see a Memphis coming back down to the CUSA field very very quickly...maybe not his year, but next year.

Well UTEP and Tulsa were already on the rise, so with Calipari out I think you are right and next year they will lose a few games, but the year after that it will be a different place in Memphis.