LEXINGTON, Ky. (UK Athletics) – UK Athletics has released the details of its contract with UK Coach John Calipari.
Calipari signed a new long-term contract Thursday with the school that will offer him the opportunity to end his career in Lexington.
The new deal, with total guaranteed compensation – which includes a base salary and media/endorsement payments – is valued at $86 million over the lifetime of the contract. With a base salary of $400,000 per season from the university, Calipari will make $8 million in total compensation over the next two seasons with increases starting in 2021-22 ($8.5 million per year for four seasons) and 2025-26 ($9 million per year for four seasons).
“I want to thank the university, Dr. Eli Capilouto, Mitch Barnhart and DeWayne Peevy for approaching me with the opportunity to finish my career at Kentucky,” Calipari said. “I’ve said from day one that this would be the gold standard and it has been for student-athletes and coaches. As I enter my 11th year, I’m reminded it took me 20 years to get an opportunity to like this. There is no other place I want to be. As I look forward, my mindset is what’s next and how can we be first at it for the young people that we coach.”
The only incentive included in Calipari’s new contract remains the performance of the men’s basketball team in the Academic Progress Rate, a metric created by the NCAA to measure academic eligibility, retention, and graduation. The bonus will remain unchanged at $50,000 from the previous contract for meeting the threshold of 975. The men’s basketball team has earned an NCAA award in five straight seasons for finishing among the top 10% of Division I men’s basketball schools.
Calipari’s new contract will no longer include a retention bonus. Beginning with the sixth contract year of the agreed upon terms, Calipari has the option to step down as the head coach and become special assistant to the athletics director/university representative. He would receive $950,000 in annual compensation for the position.
You can view the terms of Cal’s contract here.
