John Calipari Officially Announces Resignation, But His Exit From Kentucky Was One Big Troll Job On Way Out

In what can only be described as a circus-like exit, John Calipari has officially announced his resignation at Kentucky, in one of the worst kept secrets in college basketball. Now, his path to Arkansas can officially begin. 

If you're wondering why this has played out since Sunday, look no further than how events have transpired over the last few weeks in Lexington. While the college basketball universe sat and waited for this hire to become official, it was as if Calipari was sticking it to Kentucky and athletic director Mitch Barnhart one last time on his way out the door. 

By now i'm sure you've seen the video of Calipari walking down through his neighborhood with a dog in tow and pushing a stroller, almost as if this was some type of game being played by the now former Kentucky coach. Well, it was certainly not far from it. 

Multiple reports out of Lexington over the past 48 hours made it clear that John Calipari had not contacted his boss to let him know of his intentions to leave one of the most prominent jobs in the country. You can chalk this up to the head coach playing mind-games with the guy that really wanted him out after the season ended with a loss to Oakland. The relationship between the Kentucky athletic department and Calipari had finally come full-circle. 

John Calipari And Mitch Barnhart Did Not Part Amicably

After Mitch Barnhart decided to bring Calipari back for another season, mainly due to the massive $33 million buyout, folks had to know this relationship was coming to an end. But how it ended will be remembered the most, given that Calipari dragged his feet when finalizing his deal to become the Arkansas head coach. 

Honestly, this all should've been completed on Monday morning, even if it was just a signed MOU. But no, Calipari tried to call a team meeting at his house to explain to players that were still on campus why he was taking a new job. First off, Calipari was still a paid employee by the university, so if Mitch Barnhart decided that a meeting should be held inside the athletic building, that's where it would take place. 

But Calipari knew that he couldn't step foot in that building again, given everything that'd transpired over the past 48 hours leading up to the planned meeting. He also knew that he had breached his contract with the school by having conversations with Arkansas about the opening, as Calipari does not use an agent to handle his business. Those talks would usually save the head coach from taking the brunt of the heat from the fans if he had decided to stay at Kentucky, but without an agent, Mitch Barnhart knew who was negotiating the deal. 

So why didn't Kentucky just fire Calipari during this three-day ordeal? That's a legal battle that both sides surely did not want to get involved in. But the first time Calipari picked up the phone to speak with his buddy and Arkansas booster John Tyson it was over for him in Lexington. This isn't an ordinary situation, where a coach will decide to stay with a school after thinking it over for a day or so. 

No, this was a game of ‘chicken’, and Kentucky wasn't making the first move. If Calipari wanted to leave Lexington the right way, he'd have picked up the phone and called his boss to let him know the school was off the hook for the $33 million owed in a buyout to fire him. While this would've been the easy way, John Calipari decided to do one last troll job against the folks who really wanted him out after a rough few years in the Bluegrass state. 

John Calipari Officially Announces His Departure From Kentucky

In a video posted on Tuesday afternoon, John Calipari officially announced his resignation as the Kentucky head coach. He also mentioned there were a number of opportunities presented to him that his family is going over, aka Arkansas. 

"It’s been a dream, what we’ve been able to do. But 15 years? It’s time for another voice and you know I’m always going to be a fan. Thank you."

At almost the same time, Kentucky athletic director Mitch Barnhart released his own statement about the departure of John Calipari. 

"We’re appreciative of John Calipari leading our program for the last 15 years, adding to the legacy of championship success at Kentucky. We’re grateful to John for his many contributions to the University, and our state, both on and off the court," Barnhart said. "We are working diligently to hire a proven, highly dedicated coach who embraces the importance of this program to our fans and the state of Kentucky."

To be honest, this was always the right move, even though it wasn't handled right. There were reports that Calipari even met with UK administrators on Monday to see if this situation was salvageable, which ended up not being the case. 

This had to end, and Calipari made one last effort to stir up some trouble behind the scenes. He will do good things at Arkansas, but the way this was all handled will never be forgotten. 

Kentucky Already Working Its Own Back Channels For Calipari Replacement 

After word started to leak that Calipari was headed to Fayettville, Arkansas, there were feelers sent out to a few coaches across the country about the Kentucky opening. Even though he hadn't resigned yet as the Wildcats coach, Calipari held zero-power anymore in Lexington. As mentioned before, he reportedly already breached his contract by talking with Arkansas, so it was time to find his replacement. 

Alabama head coach Nate Oats would've been a tremendous hire for Kentucky, but it didn't take long for him to reaffirm his commitment to AD Greg Byrne and the folks in Tuscaloosa. 

"I am fully committed to this team and to this University," Oats wrote in a statement. "We have already accomplished some great things here, and there is nothing I want more than for The University of Alabama to win its first national championship in men’s basketball. Despite any rumors to the contrary, rest assured that I will continue that pursuit as your head coach."

UConn coach Dan Hurley discusses a call with an official in the national championship game Monday night at NRG Stadium in Houston. (Getty Images.)

Ok, so that's one coach who isn't making a move. The other popular candidate was Dan Hurley, who won his second straight national championship with UConn on Monday night. But any chances of him leaving for Lexington were put to bed during his postgame press conference when he told reporters he would not be entering the transfer portal. If folks wanted a better answer, Hurley told them to talk with his wife about that one. 

"Oh my God, Kentucky or anywhere that's going to take her further from New Jersey," Hurley told ESPN about his wife's thought process. "I mean, we just went to Rhode Island, which I had to drag her to, and then to Connecticut. I got her closer. And now further? I can't afford a divorce right now, too. I just started making money.". 

No matter what happens from here, Kentucky athletic director Mitch Barnhart has the resources to bring in the best coach that actually wants the job. The money is obviously there, and the friction is now headed to Arkansas. 

But make no mistake about this, Kentucky is partially to blame for this whole ordeal because of that massive contract they gave Calipari. I would've thought Jimbo Fisher was the perfect example of what could go wrong with such a massive deal.