Arkansas head basketball coach John Calipari isn’t respected like he used to be. After establishing a talent factory at Kentucky, producing 50 NBA draft picks during his 15 years in Lexington, the winds of change have blown in the wrong direction. For Calipari's sake at least.
In Fayetteville, he’s not feared. Based on the language anonymous SEC coaching peers used to describe Calipari’s place in the modern game, he isn’t respected much anymore either.
“They have a ton of individual talent,” one SEC coach told Jeff Goodman in a feature for Hoops HQ, per On3. “But none of their pieces fit. None of them.
“I don’t think Calipari and his staff can adapt.
“They all do the same thing. They don’t have anyone innovative, they are outdated in how they do things.
“There’s just no fear now when I see him on the other sideline. The game has changed and he is becoming archaic.”
That “archaic” line was used on On3’s graphic associated with the piece. That will almost certainly be used against Calipari on social media if the Razorbacks continue to struggle in SEC play. Arkansas is 0-5 in conference play and 11-7 overall.
Once a shoo-in tournament team from the national media's perspective, the Hogs are a bubble team at best right now if they can start winning ASAP.
FOX Sports’ Aaron Torres once pegged Arkansas as a potential championship contender in 2024-25 based on a preseason scrimmage against Kansas.
“Arkansas destroys No. 1 Kansas 85-69 in an exhibition,” Torres wrote. “Know its only an exhibition. Know Kansas was missing guys (as was Arkansas). And know we can't give John Calipari credit for anything.
“But... this Arkansas team really is capable of anything. SEC title. Final Four. More.”
An SEC title feels far-fetched. A Final Four is a pipe dream. More? Not a chance.
Calipari has lost the narrative in Fayetteville in the worst way. It’ll take a lot of winning to change it back.