John Calipari

John Calipari (born February 10, 1959)

Current position: Head men’s basketball coach
Current team: Kentucky Wildcats
Current conference: Southeastern Conference (SEC)
UMass record: 189-70 (.730) **
Memphis record: 214-68 (.759) **
Kentucky record: 387-113 (.774)
Overall record^: 790-251 (.759) **

Career Accomplishments:

Awards:

Coaching Career (head coach, unless noted):

2009-present Kentucky
2000-2009 Memphis
1999-2000 Philadelphia 76ers (asst)
1996-1999 New Jersey Nets
1988-1996 UMass
1985-1988 Pittsburgh (asst)
1982-1985 Kansas (asst)

John Calipari Facts

  • John Vincent Calipari
  • Born February 10, 1959
  • Hometown: Moon Township, Pennsylvania
  • Alma Mater: Clarion University (PA) (BS, 1982)
  • First coaching job was as an assistant at Kansas, first under Ted Owens then under Larry Brown
  • Spent three years as an assistant at Pittsburgh under head coaches Roy Chipman and Paul Evans
  • Head coach and EVP Basketball Ops for the New Jersey Nets for three seasons, compiling an overall record of 72-112 (.391)
    • Made the playoffs in 1998, but was fired during the 1998-99 season following a 3-17 start
  • Has had two separate Final Four appearances vacated by the NCAA – one at UMass in 1996 and one at Memphis is 2008
    • UMass star Marcus Camby was found to have accepted cash/gifts from an agent, eventually leading to the Minutemen’s 4-1 NCAA Tournament record (and Final Four appearance) being vacated by the NCAA
    • Memphis star Derrick Rose was later found to have been academically ineligible for the 2007-08 season after his SAT score had been voided; this resulted in the Tigers’ entire season being vacated, which included an overtime loss in the National Championship game to Kansas (Memphis’ 38-2 record is now officially 0-2)
  • Took over as head coach at Kentucky in 2009, winning 25+ games in eleven of his fourteen seasons in Lexington
  • From 2011-2012, served as the head coach of the Dominican Republic national basketball team
  • Along with his wife, Ellen, has two daughters and one son

John Calipari Coaching Tree

 

^ overall record includes head coaching positions at the NCAA Division I level only

** Listed accomplishments for this coach do not include wins or appearances later vacated by the NCAA