Thursday, June 11, 2026

Kentucky’s Trophy Case Under John Calipari Is Nearly Empty

  • Saint Peter’s upset over Kentucky was just the 10th time in NCAA men’s tournament history that a 15-seed knocked off a No. 2.
  • Calipari has produced seven NBA All-Stars with a combined $842.1 million in career earnings.
Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports/Design: Alex Brooks

Kentucky’s John Calipari ($8.6M) is the second-highest-paid coach in college basketball behind Kansas’ Bill Self ($10.2M).

On Thursday, he was out-coached by Saint Peter’s Shaheen Holloway — who for reference brought in $266,344 in 2019.

The 85-79 overtime upset was just the 10th time in NCAA men’s tournament history that a 15-seed knocked off a No. 2 — and represents another disappointing March Madness exit for Calipari.

The 63-year-old has been to just four Final Fours and won a single title (2012) in 13 seasons helming the consistently talented Wildcats.

  • Calipari has coached 32 first-round NBA draft picks, including John Wall, Anthony Davis, and Devin Booker — all of whom were one-and-dones.
  • He’s produced seven NBA All-Stars with a combined $842.1 million in career earnings.
  • This year’s Kentucky roster features three players projected to be drafted: Shaedon Sharpe, TyTy Washington, and Oscar Tshiebwe.

Sharpe — the No. 1 recruit in the 2022 class — reclassified to 2021 and is actually eligible for this year’s draft despite never playing a minute for Kentucky, taking the one-and-done concept to a whole new level.

Meanwhile, the Peacocks, who have four upperclassmen in their starting five, will continue to try to survive and advance against Murray State (-8.5*) on Saturday.

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Sign up for
The Memo Newsletter

Get the biggest stories and best analysis on the business of sports delivered to your inbox twice every weekday and twice on weekends.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Texas Tech Boycott Could Cost Non-Conference Opponents Millions

Oregon State would have to pay Texas Tech $1 million to cancel its matchup.

Sorsby Ruling Could Become Flashpoint for College Sports Bill

It’s unclear if the bill would prevent Sorsby from suing for eligibility.
NCAA golf chaampionships

NCAA Golf Hosts Ready to Bid on Championship Extension

The North Course at Omni La Costa in Carlsbad has hosted for three years.

Big Ten, SEC Schools Call for Texas Tech Boycott After Sorsby Ruling

Georgia and Nebraska have already decided to boycott Texas Tech.

Featured Today

Ai sports slop

How Sports Became Ground Zero for AI Slop

The category is the perfect breeding ground for AI content churn.
FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - FIFA World Cup - UEFA Qualifiers - Group A - Germany v Luxembourg - Rhein-Neckar-Arena, Sinsheim, Germany - October 10, 2025 Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann
June 4, 2026

‘Weird Corners of the World’: How to Find a World Cup Coach

National associations look for a winning record—and also hope for serendipity.
June 3, 2026

The Elite High Schools Hosting World Cup Teams

Spain, Morocco, Croatia, and Switzerland chose schools as their tournament base camps.
Frances Cabral-Delaney
May 29, 2026

How Arsenal Fandom Went ‘Manic’

“People do not become Arsenal fans because it’s easy,” says Zohran Mamdani.
Nov 20, 2025; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Vegas Golden Knights head coach Bruce Cassidy watches play against the Utah Mammoth during the third period at Delta Center.

Former Golden Knights Coach Cassidy: ‘I Want to Go to Work’

The former Stanley Cup winner says the current restriction is “upsetting.”
Sponsored

Volpe Brings Style to the Bronx

With the New York Yankees & Anthony Volpe, Charles Tyrwhitt is bringing its decades-long playbook to one of sports’ biggest stages.
May 22, 2026

Close’s New UCLA Contract Has Discounted WNBA Buyout Clause

Close has been the UCLA women’s basketball head coach since 2011.
Sponsored

World Cup Betting Preview: Big Kickoff in USA, Canada, and Mexico

A look at the key betting storylines with BetMGM heading into the tournament, including favorites, dark horses, and top scorer odds.
Sponsored

How Thrivent and Athletes for Hope Are Leading With Purpose

Meet those making a difference as Thrivent and Athletes for Hope spotlight community impact.
April 14, 2026

Javier Mascherano Leaves Messi, Miami in Shock Departure

Mascherano won the MLS Cup in his first season last year.
Feb 24, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; New York Giants coach John Harbaugh speaks at the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center.
March 30, 2026

Amid Team Ownership in Flux, Harbaugh Aims for Normalcy

The newly hired head coach eyes a Bears-type turnaround.
March 5, 2026

Mark DeRosa Is Still Baseball’s Swiss Army Knife

DeRosa is the sport’s utility player both on the field and off.