The Kentucky Wildcats suffered yet another disappointing fate in the NCAA Tournament this season as the team lost to Oakland, marking the fourth consecutive season that the team failed to make it past the first weekend of March Madness. But even despite the struggles, John Calipari will remain the head coach of the team.
On Tuesday evening, Kentucky Wildcats athletic director Mitch Barnhart announced that John Calipari would be returning next season as the head coach of the Kentucky men’s basketball program.
“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 said in a post on X, the social media website that was formerly known as Twitter.
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.
— Mitch Barnhart (@UKMitchBarnhart) March 27, 2024
This is obviously a pretty significant announcement, and it led to a lot of reactions on social media.
“As we normally do at the end of every season” is doing a lot of heavy lifting here 😂. https://t.co/YbJ3zZfMrn
— Trilly Donovan (@trillydonovan) March 27, 2024
You can feel the enthusiasm as you read this. https://t.co/knwKWoYWuv
— Kyle Tucker (@KyleTucker_ATH) March 27, 2024
No surprise here. Kentucky is handcuffed to Calipari by a terrible contract. https://t.co/rS5Ff9ayyL
— Pat Forde (@ByPatForde) March 27, 2024
Kentucky's boosters are just going to sit there and allow this to happen? https://t.co/Yuxk1dMeLY
— Matt Zemek (@MattZemek) March 27, 2024
The comments in this are something. I love being a Kentucky fan. Sometimes it’s down right embarrassing though. https://t.co/uG8N08fqz8
— Basketball Benny (@Kybballking) March 27, 2024
Believe this may be the last ride for both of them if this crashes and burns.
Really hope I eat a lot of crow this coming season. https://t.co/WlFORFWieg
— KG (No mid packs 🙏🏼) (@__NotKG) March 27, 2024
Kentucky has not been past the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament since the 2018-19 season when the team made a run to the Elite Eight.
We’ll have to see whether or not Calipari can find success with the team next season.
