Arkansas Razorbacks men’s basketball head coach John Calipari spoke at the Little Rock Rotary Club’s meeting Tuesday afternoon at the Clinton Presidential Library.
His hour-long talk with Rex Nelson of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette focused on his first year with the Razorbacks, his leadership philosophy throughout a storied career and his future outlook for college athletics.
When discussing the Razorbacks’ 0–5 start to conference play during the past season, Calipari recalled advice he received when he began coaching for the University of Massachusetts.
“You can have a bad deal with good people ’cause stuff happens, but you can never have a good deal with bad people,” he said. “Surround yourself with good people because things will go south, and good people will stick together.”
The three-time Naismith College Coach of the Year said that was exactly what happened after the tough start, and it allowed the Razorbacks to beat Calipari’s former team, Kentucky, and ultimately propelled Arkansas to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament.
‘Something in the water’
The conversation shifted to his impressions of the state, its pride and its successes.
“First of all, there’s something in the water when you have a Sam Walton, John Tyson, J.B. Hunt. You can go on and on — the Stephens family,” he said. “But the only way they can do what they’re doing is that they had to have unbelievable character, too.”
The son of a steel mill laborer and a school cafeteria worker, Calipari said he relates to much of the Razorbacks’ working-class fanbase.
“I grew up like the people I meet. So I can see that pride,” he said.
Several times during the discussion, Calipari underscored his commitment to player success on and off the court. With a series of “humble brags,” he highlighted that his players have made a combined $6 billion in the NBA, and that he had a record-setting six players drafted in the same year.
“Do right by the kids, and they will do right by you,” he said.
NIL vs. ‘pay to play’
Calipari took a few questions from the audience. One question from retired United States Army General Wesley Clark, prompted him to explain his issues with the current NIL and transfer portal rules and suggest changes.
“I was always for NIL … I thought kids should be able to sign autographs or sell their pictures. It was theirs,” he said. “Well this is not name, image and likeness. This is pay for play.”
He said if athletes are limited to one transfer without penalty, it would solve many of the issues surrounding NIL. He suggested the NCAA should give an extra year of eligibility to athletes who play all four years at a single program, as a way to incentivize loyalty.
“Here’s the issue. We have free agency every year, every player,” he said. “If we cure the transfer rule, 70% of our problems go away. We can deal with all the other stuff.”
Calipari also referenced the Protect the BALL Act, a House bill that would grant the NCAA immunity from a variety of lawsuits relating to its role in governing college athletics. He said that he talked to U.S. Rep. Steve Womack of Arkansas and some Democrats about ways to reform the current landscape of college sports.
The UA coach’s talk frequently took a lighter tone, as he joked with former Razorback basketball star Joe Kleine, who was sitting near the stage. Calipari said Kleine called him before he agreed to address the Rotary Club.
“[Kleine] said, ‘Do you believe in free speech?’ And I said, ‘Yes I do,’” Calipari said. Kleine replied, “Good, you’re gonna give one.”
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