Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
New Hogs coach faces rebuilding job
FAYETTEVILLE — Because of the two Elite Eights and third Sweet Sixteen that Eric Musselman advanced the Razorbacks in three of his five Arkansas seasons, it’s fashionable to say the now University of Southern California coach left Razorbacks basketball better than he found it. Not necessarily true. Unencumbered by the then nonexistent transfer portal off an 18-16 second round NIT team, former Arkansas Coach Mike Anderson to Musselman’s 20-12 team in the covid shortened 2019-20 season bequeathed future NBA guards Isaiah Joe and Mason Jones, athletic senior forward become gamely undersized 6-5 senior center Adrio Bailey, later to star at Elite Eight Kansas State guard Desi Sills, experienced guard Jalen Harris, and the late Reggie Chaney, later excelling for the Houston Cougars.
With Razorbacks already hitting the transfer portal even before Musselman’s departure off a disappointing 16-17/6-12 season, the current roster shows zero players returning from last season since following guard Tramon Mark’s Sunday entering the transfer portal forward Trevon Brazile declared Monday for the NBA draft. Lone signed freshman Isaiah Elohim has requested his release.
Arkansas’ next coach, reported Sunday likely to be Kentucky’s John Calipari, faces a far more massive rebuilding job than Musselman did though a Muss strength was finding what fit from the portal plus recruiting one and done freshmen become NBA players Moses Moody, Nick Smith and Jordan Walsh.
DICEY SUBJECT
Writing Sunday with Monday’s Brazile insert a column for Tuesday in the midst of Athletic Director Hunter Yurachek’s search for a new basketball coach is a dicey proposition possibly to be resolved before this column appears if Calipari and Yurachek came to a Monday agreement.
Calipari, 65, is under contract with Kentucky through 2028-2029 at a salary of $8.5 million per season.
Musselman’s Arkansas salary was $4.2 million annually.
Calipari’s Naismith Hall of Fame career includes an 855-261 record in 32 seasons coaching the University of Massachusetts, University of Memphis and Kentucky to a combined six Final Fours and one national championship in his third season at Kentucky.
At Kentucky he is 410-122 with six regular-season SEC championships, six SEC Tournament championships, four Final Fours and one national championship. In addition to the 2012 championship. However his Kentucky relationships have grown testy with consecutive first round 2023 and 2024 NCAA Tournament upsets as the second seed vs. 15th-seeded St. Peters and as third seed to No. 14 seeded Oakland University.
Both Calipari and Kentucky could be ready for a fresh start hence the mutual interest between him and Arkansas.
Ironically, the late Eddie Sutton, Arkansas’ Naismith Hall of Fame coach from 1974-85 taking Arkansas to the 1978 Final Four, left the Razorbacks to coach Kentucky for four seasons before enhancing his Hall of Fame credentials coaching banner seasons at Oklahoma State including two Final Fours.
Calipari always made it a point to talk to Sutton, by then retired, ill and barely audible in a wheelchair, when Sutton attended Arkansas vs. Kentucky games at Walton Arena.