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The Kentucky basketball program is suddenly searching for a head coach. Late Sunday night, news broke that John Calipari was heading to take the job with the Arkansas Razorbacks. It was a surprising move on all accounts, and Kentucky players have already begun entering the transfer portal. A list of candidates emerged, including former Villanova coach Jay Wright.
However, right before the National Championship Game between Purdue and UConn, Wright gave a strong stance while discussing the parameters of a job such as Kentucky.
Seth Davis asked Wright if it was a “firm no” to the Kentucky rumors, and Weight said simply, “Yes, yes. Told ya, I’m Kenny’s coach.”
Jay Wright with some strong words about the Kentucky HC Vacancy
Finished with a strong “No” to whether he’d be interested in the job pic.twitter.com/bZzgUZ1f9t
— Big Blue Nation #BBN (@Big_BlueNation_) April 9, 2024
Wright spoke in great detail about the difficulty of this Kentucky basketball head coaching job with Calipari leaving.
“What John Calipari has done in Kentucky, it’s not just the recruiting, the Final Fours, it’s getting guys to the NBA, taking care of their families. It’s their big blue Midnight Madness, having Drake come in, having the top recruits in the country every single year. That program is known worldwide…And it always was but he took it into this this new generation and did an incredible job,” Wright said. “That guy that replaces him is going to be in a really difficult position to cover all the areas of college basketball.”
But, despite the strong support from Jay Wright, it sure doesn't sound like he is going there.
Jay Wright's name popping up isn't anything new
Jay Wright will always be a candidate for high-profile jobs, especially with his Hall of Fame resume. Wright began his head coaching career at Hofstra and was there for seven years before coming to Villanova in 2001. Wright was then at Villanova all the way until 2022. He finished with an astonishing record of 520–197, including the following accolades:
- 16 NCAA Tournament appearances
- 3 Sweet 16 finishes
- 1 Elite Eight finish
- 2 Final Four finishes
- 2 National Championships
Wright's final March Madness run ended in a Final Four loss to Kansas, and the Jayhawks went on to win the whole tournament. So, his name will always be linked to big jobs such as Kentucky, although Wright made it clear he isn't going to Lexington.
Nate Oats is also out at Kentucky
Shortly after Wright's comments were made on national television, Alabama head coach Nate Oats penned a message on X stating his commitment to the Crimson Tide. Oats just had a Final Four trip before losing to UConn, but his massive buyout was always going to be a tough thing for Kentucky to deal with.
Nonetheless, Oats is taking himself out of the reported running and is staying in Tuscaloosa. So, where does Kentucky go now?
Some other names include Scott Drew and Brad Underwood, but Jay Wright and Nate Oats are not going to be going to the Wildcats, barring a surprising change of heart.
