History of John Calipari in Timeline
John Calipari is an American basketball coach, most recently at the University of Kentucky from 2009-2024, leading them to a national championship in 2012. Currently, he is the head coach at the University of Arkansas. He's a three-time Naismith College Coach of the Year and a 2015 inductee into the Basketball Hall of Fame. Calipari is known for his successful coaching career and impact on college basketball.
February 10, 1959: John Calipari Born
On February 10, 1959, John Calipari was born. He would later become a prominent American basketball coach.
1981: Played Point Guard at Clarion
In 1981, John Calipari played point guard at Clarion University of Pennsylvania.
1982: Assistant at University of Kansas
In 1982, John Calipari became an assistant at the University of Kansas under Ted Owens and Larry Brown.
1982: Played Point Guard at Clarion
In 1982, John Calipari played point guard at Clarion University of Pennsylvania, leading the team in assists and free throw percentage.
1985: Assistant Coach at Pittsburgh
In 1985, John Calipari became an assistant coach at the University of Pittsburgh under Roy Chipman and Paul Evans.
1985: Leaves Kansas Assistant Coach Position
In 1985, John Calipari left his position as assistant coach at the University of Kansas.
1988: Head Coach at UMass
From 1988, John Calipari was head coach at the University of Massachusetts.
1988: Assistant Coach at Pittsburgh & Head Coach at UMass
In 1988, John Calipari was assistant coach at the University of Pittsburgh under Roy Chipman and Paul Evans, from 1988 he was also named head coach at the University of Massachusetts.
1992: Technical Foul in Sweet 16 Matchup
During the Sweet 16 matchup with Kentucky in 1992, Calipari received a controversial technical foul.
1992: UMass Sweet 16 Appearance
In 1992, Calipari's Massachusetts team reached the NCAA Sweet 16.
1992: Dominant UMass program
In 1992, Calipari's UMass program became one of the most dominant in college basketball.
1992: Pat Forde praises 1992 UMass team
In 1992, ESPN.com writer Pat Forde praised the 1992 UMass team in his "Forde Minutes" column.
1992: Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year
In 1992, John Calipari was named Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year.
1993: Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year
In 1993, John Calipari was named Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year.
1993: UMass Defeats Defending NCAA Champion
In 1993, UMass defeated defending NCAA champion and preseason #1 North Carolina in the pre-season NIT.
February 13, 1994: Chaney threatens Calipari at post-game conference
On February 13, 1994, Temple University's coach John Chaney threatened to kill John Calipari at a post-game news conference, showcasing a heated moment in their careers.
1995: Dominant UMass program
In 1995, Calipari's final UMass season, the program had become one of the most dominant in college basketball.
1996: Dominant UMass program
By 1996, Calipari's final UMass season, the program had become one of the most dominant in college basketball.
1996: Led UMass to Final Four
In 1996, Calipari led UMass to the Final Four; the appearance was later vacated.
1996: Head Coach and Executive VP of New Jersey Nets
In 1996, John Calipari became head coach and Executive VP of basketball operations for the NBA's New Jersey Nets.
1996: Head Coach of New Jersey Nets
In 1996, John Calipari became the head coach of the NBA's New Jersey Nets.
1996: Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year
In 1996, John Calipari was named Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year. He was also named the Naismith, NABC, Basketball Times & Sporting News National Coach of the Year in 1996. He led UMass to its first-ever appearance in the Final Four, although this appearance was later vacated by the NCAA.
1996: Naismith College Coach of the Year
In 1996, John Calipari was named Naismith College Coach of the Year.
June 1997: Nets Major Draft-Day Trade
In June 1997, the Nets made a major draft-day trade acquiring Keith Van Horn, Lucious Harris and two other players.
1997: Profanity Incident and Fine
In 1997, while coaching the New Jersey Nets, Calipari used profanities towards a sports reporter and was fined $25,000 by the NBA.
1997: Nets Qualify for Playoffs
In 1997-98, the Nets had a bright spot winning 43 games and qualifying for the playoffs on the last day of the season.
1998: NBA Lockout and Team Struggles
In 1998, the NBA season was delayed by a lockout, and the Nets struggled, leading to player trades and Calipari's eventual firing.
1998: Lost to the Chicago Bulls
In the 1998 playoffs, the Nets were seeded eighth in the Eastern Conference and lost to the Chicago Bulls in three straight games.
1999: Leaves New Jersey Nets
In 1999, John Calipari left his position as head coach of the New Jersey Nets.
2000: Head Coach at Memphis
In 2000, John Calipari became the head coach at the University of Memphis.
2000: Assistant Coach for Philadelphia 76ers
In 2000, John Calipari was an assistant coach for the Philadelphia 76ers under coach Larry Brown.
2002: NIT Championship at Memphis
In 2002, John Calipari won the NIT Championship at Memphis.
2006: Conference USA Coach of the Year
In 2006, John Calipari was named Conference USA Coach of the Year.
2006: Memphis Earns No. 1 Seed
In 2006, Memphis earned a No. 1 seed in the NCAA men's basketball tournament.
2007: Record Season Vacated
In the 2007-2008 season, Calipari's Memphis team had a record number of wins; however, the victories were later vacated.
2007: Vacated Season
On May 28, 2010, John Calipari, Derrick Rose, and the University of Memphis reached a settlement with attorneys representing season ticket holders over the vacated 2007-08 season.
January 21, 2008: Tigers Reach No. 1 Ranking
On January 21, 2008, Calipari led the Memphis Tigers to the No. 1 ranking in the AP Poll for only the second time in school history.
2008: Led Memphis to Final Four
In 2008, Calipari led Memphis to the Final Four; the appearance was later vacated.
2008: Loss to Kansas in National Championship
In 2008, Calipari's Memphis Tigers advanced to the national championship game but lost to the Kansas Jayhawks. Their entire season record was later vacated by the NCAA.
2008: Memphis Final Four Vacated
In 2008, Calipari's Memphis team made it to the NCAA Championship Game, but the appearance was later vacated by the NCAA.
2008: Conference USA Coach of the Year and Naismith College Coach of the Year
In 2008, John Calipari was named Conference USA Coach of the Year and Naismith College Coach of the Year.
2008: Naismith College Coach of the Year
In 2008, John Calipari was named Naismith College Coach of the Year.
March 30, 2009: Agrees to Coach at Kentucky
On March 30, 2009, it was reported that John Calipari would agree to be the head coach at the University of Kentucky.
March 31, 2009: John Calipari signs contract with Kentucky
On March 31, 2009, John Calipari signed an 8-year contract worth $34.65 million, plus incentives, with the University of Kentucky.
April 1, 2009: John Calipari introduced as Kentucky coach
On April 1, 2009, Mitch Barnhart, the University of Kentucky Director of Athletics, formally introduced John Calipari as the new Wildcats coach, marking a significant career milestone.
December 21, 2009: Kentucky Wildcats achieve 2,000th victory
On December 21, 2009, John Calipari led the Kentucky Wildcats to their 12th win of the season, marking the program's 2,000th victory, a significant milestone.
2009: Head Coach at Kentucky
In 2009, John Calipari became the head coach at the University of Kentucky.
2009: Conference USA Coach of the Year
In 2009, John Calipari was named Conference USA Coach of the Year and Sports Illustrated College Basketball Coach of the Year.
May 28, 2010: Settlement Over Vacated Season
On May 28, 2010, John Calipari, Derrick Rose, and the University of Memphis reached a settlement with attorneys representing season ticket holders over the vacated 2007-08 season.
2010: Pat Forde praises 1992 UMass team
In 2010, ESPN.com writer Pat Forde praised the 1992 UMass team in his "Forde Minutes" column.
2011: Coached Kentucky to Final Four
In 2011, Calipari coached Kentucky to the Final Four.
2011: Kentucky Wildcats NCAA Record
In 2011-2012, the Kentucky Wildcats set a new NCAA Division I Men's Basketball record for most victories in a season.
2011: Head Coach of Dominican Republic National Team
In the summer of 2011, John Calipari became the head coach of the Dominican Republic national team.
2012: Kentucky Wildcats NCAA Record
In 2011-2012, the Kentucky Wildcats set a new NCAA Division I Men's Basketball record for most victories in a season.
2012: Coached Kentucky to Final Four
In 2012, Calipari coached Kentucky to the Final Four.
2012: Kentucky Wins NCAA National Championship
In 2012, John Calipari led the University of Kentucky to its eighth NCAA National Championship.
2012: Won NCAA Championship at Kentucky
In 2012, John Calipari won the NCAA Championship at Kentucky.
2012: Head Coach of Dominican Republic National Team
In the summer of 2012, John Calipari was head coach of the Dominican Republic national team.
2014: Coached Kentucky to Final Four
In 2014, Calipari coached Kentucky to the Final Four.
September 11, 2015: Calipari inducted into Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
On September 11, 2015, John Calipari was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, recognizing his significant contributions to the sport.
2015: Coached Kentucky to Final Four
In 2015, Calipari coached Kentucky to the Final Four.
2015: Inducted into Basketball Hall of Fame
In 2015, John Calipari was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame.
2017: Head Coach of US Under-19 Team
In July 2017, John Calipari became the head coach of the United States men's national under-19 basketball team.
April 2019: Calipari agrees to lifetime contract with Kentucky
In April 2019, John Calipari agreed to a "lifetime" contract with the University of Kentucky, featuring a 10-year extension and an ambassadorship upon retirement, solidifying his long-term commitment.
July 9, 2020: Calipari supports Kentucky mask mandate
On July 9, 2020, John Calipari publicly supported the Kentucky statewide mask mandate due to the COVID-19 pandemic, emphasizing the importance of taking precautions.
September 21, 2021: Clarion University Court Renamed in Calipari's Honor
On September 21, 2021, the main basketball court at Clarion University's Tippin Gymnasium was officially renamed the John V. Calipari Court, recognizing his contributions and legacy.
2023: End of Season at Kentucky
John Calipari coached at the University of Kentucky until the end of the 2023-2024 season.
April 9, 2024: Calipari announces departure from Kentucky
On April 9, 2024, John Calipari announced his departure from the University of Kentucky, leaving his future plans uncertain.
April 10, 2024: Calipari named head coach at Arkansas
On April 10, 2024, John Calipari was named the head coach at Arkansas, signing a 5-year deal worth $7 million per season, marking a new chapter in his career.
December 2024: Ranks 9th in NCAA Division I Coaching Wins
As of December 2024, John Calipari ranks 9th on the NCAA Division I all-time winningest coaches list, with 865 official wins.
2024: End of Season at Kentucky
John Calipari coached at the University of Kentucky until the end of the 2023-2024 season.
