The Kentucky basketball program is now searching for a new head coach as John Calipari is headed to Arkansas. In a stunning turn of events, Calipari leaves the Wildcats and stays in the SEC. On Tuesday, Calipari delivered an emotional goodbye to the Wildcats with a lengthy video message.

“It's been a beautiful time for us. This is a dream job. It was my dream job…That is the bluest of blue. The last few weeks, we've come to realize that this program probably needs to hear another voice…The fans need to hear another voice. We've loved it here, but we think it's time for us to step away. And step away completely from the program…I love coaching…I loved every day walking in…It's been a dream. But 15 years, time for another voice, and you know I'm always going to be a fan.”

The longtime Kentucky coach spoke in great detail about his time in Lexington and his much fun he had during this year's run. But, as Calipari stated, it is time for a different voice for the program.

John Calipari leaves Kentucky after shaky ending 

Sam Upshaw Jr. / Courier Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK

Calipari is officially leaving Kentucky after being hired by the program in 2009, and now he will more than likely head for the Arkansas opening as the college basketball coaching carousel continues to spin.

Calipari's Kentucky career ends with a 410–122 overall record and 12 NCAA Tournament appearances. This includes a national title in 2012, two Final Four finishes, and a runner-up finish.

The Wildcats turned around a large number of players into NBA stars, including Anthony Davis and many others. But, the last few years have not gone well for Calipari and Kentucky. They haven't gotten past the second round of the NCAA Tournament since 2019, and they lost to 14-seed Oakland in the Round of 64 this year in another stunning upset.

The Wildcats lost in the first round in two of the final three years, something that is not the expectation for Kentucky basketball fans. Prior to coming to Kentucky, Calipari spent time at UMass and Memphis, most notably bringing the Tigers to a runner-up finish in 2008 before losing to Kansas.

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Where does Kentucky go from here? 

The Kentucky opening is arguably one of the best jobs in college basketball for a lot of reasons. All of Nate Oats, Jay Wright, and Mick Cronin have seen their names surface in rumors right away. However, both Wright and Oats stated their commitment to their current jobs, and Cronin made sure to give a bit unorthodox response amid the rumblings.

UConn coach Dan Hurley is another candidate for the job, at least according to some reports, but he made clear he has no desire to leave the Huskies after back-to-back national titles.

Baylor coach Scott Drew and Chicago Bulls coach Billy Donovan are other options for the job, so the Kentucky basketball program is set to aim big after Calipari's exit. All signs point to Calipari going to Arkansas as they are working on the final touches of a deal, and now the landscape of college basketball continues to shift.