In a heartfelt appeal ahead of John Calipari’s return to Rupp Arena as Arkansas’ head coach, former Kentucky coach Rick Pitino urged Wildcats fans to honor Calipari’s legacy with a standing ovation. Pitino, who led Kentucky to a national championship in 1996, shared his own experience of returning to Rupp Arena as Louisville’s coach, describing it as the toughest day of his coaching career due to the cold reception he received .
“I want you all to show the great class that you have,” Pitino said in a video message. “Twenty-three thousand-plus people giving him a huge standing ovation. Show him what respect and admiration is all about. I know you have the class, I’ve always believed in you.” He acknowledged that while he and Calipari aren’t close friends, he respects him and emphasized Calipari’s contributions to the program, including bringing top talent to Lexington and winning a national championship .
Despite Pitino’s plea, when Calipari returned to Rupp Arena, he was met with boos from the Kentucky fans. Calipari, who led the Wildcats for 15 seasons, achieving a 410-123 record and a national title in 2012, responded to Pitino’s gesture by saying, “That’s nice of him to do. Look, those fans are so engaged, like these fans. Those fans travel. If you’re doing well, they’re crazy. If you’re doing poorly, they’re just as engaged. I was there 15 years. I love the fans there. They’re engaged” .
The game concluded with Calipari’s Arkansas Razorbacks defeating Kentucky, adding another layer to the complex relationship between Calipari and the Wildcats’ fanbase .
