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SPORTS Wednesday 10 april 2024

John Calipari departs Kentucky after 15 years, saying the program

‘needs to hear another voice’

By GARY B. GRAVES mention the Arkansas open-
AP Sports Writer ing he has been linked to
LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — John since multiple reports sur-
Calipari is stepping down as faced Sunday night about
Kentucky’s men’s basketball negotiations with the school.
coach after 15 years, saying The Hall of Famer simply said,
Tuesday that the “program “There have been opportuni-
probably needs to hear an- ties that have been present-
other voice” amid reports ed to us, so we’re discussing
that he’s closing in on a deal them as a family.”
with Arkansas to take over However, Calipari’s an-
that Southeastern Confer- nouncement certainly clears
ence program. the way for him to go the SEC
Calipari posted a video on rival with which he got very
X, formerly known as Twitter, familiar while coaching the
in which he said that after Wildcats.
talking with his wife, Ellen, The 65-year-old would re-
he decided a change was place Eric Musselman, who
needed. He added, “We’ve left over the weekend after
loved it here, but we think four seasons to become
it’s time for us to step away coach at Southern California.
and step away completely There was no immediate
from the program.” word on whether Arkansas
Calipari leaves a Wildcats University of Kentucky head coach John Calipari meets with reporters before attending his NCAA was close to hiring Calipari.
program he guided to the college men’s basketball team practice at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, Wednesday, March 20, A school spokesman told
2012 NCAA championship 2024. The Associated Press that
among four Final Four ap- Associated Press the Board of Trustees was
pearances. He went 410-123 despite being a top-three a 10-year, so-called lifetime preciative of John Calipari not scheduled to meet on
in 15 seasons. The past few seed both times. contract signed in 2019. leading our program for the Tuesday.
seasons have been disap- The most recent loss set off im- Barnhart said Kentucky would last 15 years, adding to the Calipari established a legacy
pointing by Kentucky stan- mediate calls to fire Calipari work diligently to hire “a legacy of championship in Lexington upon arriving in
dards, with a 1-3 mark in its before athletic director Mitch proven, highly dedicated success at Kentucky. We’re 2009 with an impressive pa-
last three NCAA Tournament Barnhart stated that Calipari coach who embraces the grateful to John for his many rade of stellar freshmen who
trips, including first-round loss- would return next season. importance of this program contributions to the University, came to be known as “one
es to No. 14 seed Oakland Firing Calipari would’ve trig- to our fans and the state of and our state, both on and and done” for playing one
last month and No. 15 seed gered a buyout of more than Kentucky.” off the court.” season before entering the
Saint Peter’s two years ago, $33 million under the terms of The AD added: “We’re ap- Calipari didn’t specifically NBA draft. q

Clark Effect: Ratings and attendance boost could be on way for WNBA

By DOUG FEINBERG also had its most-watched 2018. Throw Clark into the the coolest thing for me games against Indiana to
AP Basketball Writer Finals in 20 years that fea- mix and that number could on this journey. We started bigger arenas.
NEW YORK (AP) — The bas- tured Las Vegas and New grow exponentially. our season playing in front “I know her shoulders are
ketball world can’t get York. It was up 36% from “When you’re given an op- of 55,000 people in Kinnick heavy because of what
enough of Caitlin Clark and the previous season. The portunity, women’s sports Stadium, and now we’re she has to give to women’s
now that the college sea- league’s attendance rose just kind of thrives,” Clark ending it playing in front of basketball. I just want to
son is over, next up is the 16% it’s highest figure since said. “I think that’s been probably 15 million people say we’re thankful. We’re
WNBA draft. While there is or more on TV. It just contin- thankful that she chose
no drama about whether ues to get better and bet- to play basketball,” South
the Iowa guard will be the ter and better. That’s never Carolina coach Dawn Stal-
top pick, there is excite- going to stop.” ey said. “We’re thankful for
ment about her arrival. Clark has inspired count- the way she’s handled all of
With record ratings for less young boys and girls to it. Her next step is the WNBA
the NCAA championship want to watch and attend I do think she can be that
game and nearly every college basketball games. person that elevates us.”
other game she played this The WNBA hopes that car- She certainly will be an at-
season, Clark is joining the ries on to her career in In- tendance boost for the
WNBA at the right time. The diana, where she is the Fever, who were second-
league has its TV deal expir- expected No. 1 pick in the to-last in home atten-
ing at the end of next year draft Monday night. There’s dance averaging just over
and that could lead to a no reason to think it won’t 4,000 fans. The Fever play
massive new contract for as fans traveled across the in Gainbridge Fieldhouse,
the WNBA. country to see her play in which could hold 20,000
The WNBA just had its most- Iowa guard Caitlin Clark (22) shoots over South Carolina forward college as nearly every spectators. The team has
watched season in 21 years, Sania Feagin (20) during the second half of the Final Four road game Iowa played not released how many
averaging 462,000 view- college basketball championship game in the women’s NCAA was sold out the past two tickets they’ve sold since
ers per game across ABC, Tournament, Sunday, April 7, 2024, in Cleveland. seasons. Two WNBA teams they won the draft lottery
ESPN and CBS. The league Associated Press have already moved their to get the No. 1 pick.q