Arkansas basketball's John Calipari gets real on non-friendship with Rick Pitino
Yesterday at 02:20 PM
As Arkansas basketball upset St John’s in the Round of 32, it sparked a rivalry with John Calipari and Rick Pitino. The two are not the biggest fans of each other.
After all, Calipari coached at Kentucky and Pitino at Louisville at the height of both programs. It was a gnarly in-state rivalry. It also presented much animosity and hatred towards both schools and fanbases.
While Arkansas basketball prepares for the Sweet 16, Calipari hopped on the Pat McAfee Show and cleared the air regarding his relationship with Pitino.
“This thing is so competitive, it's not like old school,” Calipari said. “When I was with Ted Owens at Kansas and Larry Brown, they would have dinner the night before with the opposing coach. They would have breakfast with the guy. Ours are peace brother, see ya. It's just different.”
Arkansas basketball’s John Calipari rivalry with Rick Pitino stems deep
The rivalry was one of the major talking points of both men’s respective coaching careers. Everywhere the two have gone, they have won.
Most notably, Calipari has one NCAA championship with Kentucky, as well as Pitino. Also, the latter won with Louisville during the 2012-13 season.
Although that season has their title stripped, it doesn’t take away from their dominance. Fast forward to the 2025 Second Round, and an old rivalry was hashed once again.
Both men spoke highly of one another but kept it simple. Calipari elaborated more on the state of their friendship.
“There's so much more, I don't want to say more at stake, but then Rick was at Louisville, I was at Kentucky, we weren't going to be friends,” Calipari said.” That game was like life and death in that state, and I tried to play it down.
But it was like death in that state. So I've always respected him and watched what he does and how he does it. Everywhere he's been, even where he was in Greece and he was at Iona he gets it going. He's at St. John's he gets it going, so you have to respect it.”
Respect doesn’t mean that he has to like it. Great coaches respect greatness, regardless if they like each other off of the court. Regardless, Arkansas basketball is one of seven SEC teams advancing to the Sweet 16.
On the flip side, Pitino will be watching the remainder of the tournament from home. It’s definitely gut-wrenching to lose to a rival. For Calipari though, even if he didn’t say it, it must’ve been a riveting feeling.
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