On the eve of his highly anticipated return to Rupp Arena, Arkansas coach John Calipari said he isn’t sure how Kentucky fans will treat him when the teams tip off at 9 p.m. ET on Saturday — nor is he concerned about it.
“The fans should be able to do what they want,” Calipari said in an interview with ESPN’s Jimmy Dykes. “If they want to boo. If they want to cheer. I’m not expecting an overwhelming [response] because I’m an opposing coach and I’m coming in here not to lose this game. And so I get it. It’s a big game for the fans. ‘We got to crush Cal and Arkansas and all that.’ I get it.
“My focus is going to be right on these lines, right there,” he added, motioning to the court in front of him. “And my focus is going to be on my kids. How do I keep them going?”
The reception Calipari receives in Kentucky has been a talking point ahead of the game, his first at Rupp since his surprising decision in April to join the Razorbacks after 15 seasons leading the Wildcats. His time in Lexington, Kentucky, included plenty of success — a national title in 2012, four Final Fours in his first six seasons and the Elite Eight in 2017 and 2019 — something not lost on him amid his return.
But he said it’s the bonds he made that stand out.
“When you spend 15 years of your life and you’re gathering people, gathering friends. … Gathering support for the program — goodwill support for the program. You don’t forget that,” he said. “My friends, most of them grew up here, so they’re Kentucky fans. They’re Kentucky fans tomorrow. I just hope they have red socks on. So you don’t lose that. You don’t erase it.
“I will cherish this 15 years. But it was time.”
Kentucky enters the game 15-5 and ranked 12th in the country under new coach Mark Pope. Calipari’s Razorbacks haven’t been as fortunate, with just one SEC win and a 12-8 record.
Calipari acknowledged the growing pains, noting he’s still trying to build culture at Arkansas and acknowledging he could have done some things differently. But he also said what he learned at Kentucky is helping him through the rough patches.
“You learn [at Kentucky] winning matters,” he told ESPN. “The fans are engaged. And I wasn’t fearful of it. And I would say the same now. Coaching this game, you gotta coach it fearless or you have no chance at winning.”
Winning Saturday will be hard, Calipari said — “You know why? Because they’re a good team and they’re well-coached” — but he acknowledged the emotions of the night could be difficult for him, too, especially right before tipoff.
“There will be a rush of emotions,” he said. “I hope I’m not looking into the seats because I have some friends [there] and then you get emotional. And I don’t want to get emotional. But this was 15 years of [wife] Ellen and I — she was like a mother to these kids. … 15 years of my life where you give everything. And not only basketball.”