guess the two key players coming back to Kentucky

Kentucky coaching candidates:
Scott Drew, Dan Hurley both off list that incorporates Billy Donovan, Rick Pitino
The Wildcats will be able to choose from a quality pool of candidates to supplant Calipari

One of the beat occupations in college ball is open after John Calipari announced on social media on Tuesday that he is venturing absent from Kentucky after 15 seasons with the program. Calipari was authoritatively enlisted as the another coach at Arkansas on Wednesday less than 24 hours after the video was discharged.

Calipari’s takeoff comes fair weeks after UK athletic executive Mitch Barnhart met with him to affirm he would be returning for his 16th season with the program.

CBS Sports’ Matt Norlander detailed that Calipari clearing out Kentucky has been on the table since February. Norlander too detailed that Calipari secretly communicated “critical and genuine” intrigued within the Ohio State work, but the timing wasn’t right. The Buckeyes chosen to promote between times coach Jake Diebler after he made a difference turn around the program instantly after previous coach Chris Holtmann was terminated.

There ought to be a long list of high-major coaches that check most of the boxes Kentucky is trying to find with enlisting likely a tall need. Kentucky wrapped up with a top-five selecting lesson each cycle since 247Sports begun following group rankings in 2010. The Wildcats landed the No. 1 enlisting lesson in 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2020, and 2023 beneath Calipari’s observe.

The final time the program set out on a coaching look, UK poached Calipari from Memphis. Who will Kentucky choose on this time? It’s as well early to tell, but we’ve come up with a few potential candidates Kentucky ought to consider to supplant Calipari.

Billy Donovan, Chicago Bulls coach

The final coach to lead a team to back-to-back NCAA Competitions has been coaching within the NBA since taking the Oklahoma City Thunder work in 2015. Might this be the year Donovan returns to the college amusement? The Bulls are on track to miss the playoffs for the third time within the final four seasons beneath Donovan’s observe, and with the organization possibly at a junction between modifying and competing, this would be the idealize time to investigate his choices. Donovan begun his coaching career as an right hand at Kentucky in 1989 and spent five years with the program some time recently taking the work at Marshall. Donovan is 502-206 as a college head coach at Florida and Marshall.

Donovan said on Tuesday some time recently the Bulls confronted the Modern York Knicks that he had not been reached however in respects to the Kentucky job.

“I have not been reached by anyone, I haven’t talked to anyone,” Donovan told columnists some time recently the amusement. “My add up to commitment and center is here to this group and to this bunch.”

Sean Mill operator, Xavier coach

The previous Arizona coach is on his moment stretch as the head of the Xavier program. After investing time as an collaborator coach at Miami (Ohio), Pittsburgh, NC State, and Xavier, Mill operator was lifted to lead the Musketeers  in 2004. He went through five seasons in his to begin with spell at Xavier some time recently directing Arizona to three Tip top Eight appearances in his 12 a long time with the program. After the Wildcats terminated Mill operator in 2021, and he took a year off from coaching, Xavier contracted him once once more to lead the program. Mill operator is 465-184 as a coach.

Rick Pitino, St. John’s coach

Pitino has had numerous stops over his long coaching career. One of those stops was as the coach of Kentucky from 1989-97. After coaching two seasons within the NBA for the Modern York Knicks, Pitino acknowledged the Kentucky work and went 219-50 at the school, which included a national championship in 1996 and three Final Four appearances. Pitino features a 731-303 record as a college coach and is coming off his inaugural season driving St. John’s. Pitino is one of the awesome identities within the don that would offer assistance join together the Kentucky fan base.

Stamp Pope, BYU coach

Pope played at Kentucky from 1994-96 and was on Kentucky’s 1996 national championship group, playing a part at bringing domestic the program’s 6th national title. As a coach, Pope has seen a relentless rise since beginning his coaching career as an right hand coach at Georgia in 2010. After spells as an collaborator coach at Georgia, Wake Forest, and BYU, he landed the Utah Valley work in 2015. After investing four seasons within the WAC, Pope was contracted by BYU. Pope has guided BYU to two NCAA Competition appearances and wrapped up the 2023-24 season with a 23-11 record in its to begin with season as a part of the Enormous 12.

Out of contention

Scott Drew, Baylor coach

Drew would have been a logical choice for the Kentucky job because of his friendship with Barnhart, and because he’s a program builder. He inherited a Baylor program that was on the verge of the death penalty and built it into a national champion nearly two decades later. However, Matt Norlander reports that Drew turned down the job to remain with the Bears.

Dan Hurley, UConn coach

After winning a second consecutive national title Monday, Hurley scoffed at the notion of leaving UConn. “I don’t think that’s a concern,” he said at his postgame news conference. Hurley has built UConn into a juggernaut. He is one of the more chasmic coaches in the sport and has a track record of recruiting and developing talent. Hurley is 292-163 as a coach at Wagner, Rhode Island and UConn.

Nate Oats, Alabama coach

Since Oats took the job at Alabama five years ago, he’s elevated the program to new heights and would have been a logical candidate to replace Calipari. The Crimson Tide reached the Final Four for the first time in program history this season, less than a year after losing seven of their top nine scorers on a team that was the No. 1 overall seed in the 2023 NCAA Tournament. Due to the style of play his team’s play, Oats will remain one of the most attractive coaching names in the carousel even though he just signed a contract extension that was designed to keep him at UA until 2030. His buyout is $18 million, and while that is a massive number, it wouldn’t scare away Kentucky. However, Oats appears to be off the board after releasing a statement Monday night saying he’s committed to  Alabama.