Calipari salary set at $7M

Arkansas hired John Calipari as its men’s basketball coach, the school announced Wednesday.

The 65-year-old Calipari replaces Eric Musselman, who left Arkansas after five seasons to take over at Southern Cal.

“By all accounts, John Calipari is one of the premier coaches in college basketball,” Arkansas athletic director Hunter Yurachek said in a statement. “A national championship coach, a four-time national coach of the year and one of the nation’s top recruiters, Coach Cal has consistently demonstrated his ability to attract outstanding talent and build championship teams within the Southeastern Conference and position his programs among the best in the nation.”

The school said Calipari agreed to a five-year contract with a starting salary of $7 million.

The deal includes the potential for two rollover years and pay bonuses for appearances and advancement in the NCAA Tournament.

He was to be formally introduced by the school at a news conference Wednesday night.

Calipari announced his departure from Kentucky on Tuesday after 15 years and a 410-122 record. The Wildcats reached four Final Fours and won one national title during his tenure.

Calipari’s Wildcats won the national title in 2012, led by freshman Anthony Davis, and went to the Final Four three other times in his first six years at the school and was making $8.5 million a season in compensation.

As a collegiate head coach, Calipari has compiled an 813-260 record in 32 seasons with stops at Kentucky, Memphis and Massachusetts.

In total, he has made six trips to the Final Four and has 23 NCAA Tournament appearances.