Razorback coach’s practices evolved over the past two decades and dads think he’s too easy now.
Arkansas coach John Calipari has been coaching for a long time. So long that going through a Calipari-led practice could be a dinner table conversation that spans more than two generations for some players on the 2024-25 roster.
“I have four players on this team that I coached their dads,” Calipari said on the Paul Finebaum Show at SEC Basketball Media Days. “That could mean that I’m an old fart, but the other thing is the trust.”
Calipari’s connections go so far back that Wagner’s grandfather even played under the new Razorback coach.
Although coach still has some similarities, the practices have evolved since Calipari first took over at UMass in 1988 36 years ago
They [the dads] don’t even think I’m hard enough,” Calipari said. “They’re like ‘Be like you are with us’. I said that was 25 years ago!”
Thiero, one of the four players who’s family has deeper ties than just a normal relationship between a recruit hears it from his dad, Almamy, all the time.
“My dad always tells me he can’t even watch our practices,” Thiero said. “He’s like, ‘He’s taking it easy on you guys.'”
The exhibiton against Kansas is now just 10 days away, Calipari looks to use the game as a measusing stick to see where his team is at.
“I want the fans to see where we are right now,” Calipari said. “Playing Kansas, they’re No. 1, Bill Self [Kansas coach] is one of the best coaches in the country will have his team ready.
Tipoff is scheduled for 8 p.m. Oct. 25 inside Bud Walton Arena and will be broadcast on SEC Network.