Ahead of Saturday’s matchup between the Kentucky Wildcats and the Arkansas Razorbacks, the question everyone was asking was how Kentucky fans would greet former head coach John Calipari in his first return to Lexington since departing for an in-conference rival. And unfortunately for longtime ESPN broadcaster Dick Vitale, it was not the reaction he was hoping for.
In a post on X on Friday, Vitale made his pitch for Kentucky to welcome back Calipari with a chorus of cheers considering all he did for the program while he was there.
“Hope & pray that BBN expresses their warmth for the return of John Calipari as Mark Pope has with his praise of the 15-year era of Coach Calipari,” wrote Vitale in a post on X.
It was clear right away that this would not be how it went down… Before Calipari walked out onto the court, Arkansas guard D.J. Wagner, who joined Calipari in leaving Kentucky, joined his teammates for pregame warmups and was booed relentlessly by the Kentucky student section.
Former Cat DJ Wagner getting a heavy amount of boos from the student section as well walking out. I think we know what the student section is gonna be doing when Cal walks out… @LEX18News @BBNTonight pic.twitter.com/RPvyuI9Sn4
— Kinsey Lee (@kinseyleetv) February 2, 2025
This was a sign of things to come for Calipari.
The coach received an even louder chorus of boos as he took the court.
Coach Cal is booed by the Kentucky crowd in his return to Rupp Arena 😳
📺 ESPN pic.twitter.com/2V1G0hColn
— ESPN (@espn) February 2, 2025
This prompted Vitale to share his disappointment with the boos Calipari received in a post on social media.
“Disappointed by the reception after what Coach Cal did for 15 years,” wrote Vitale. “Oh well, I was wrong my gut felt BBN would have given him a warm reception.”
Disappointed by the reception after what @CoachCalArk did for 15 years- oh well I was wrong my gut felt BBN would have given him a warm reception . Oh @RazorbackMBB played a tough1st half & lead @KentuckyMBB
Source: On3 46-45 https://t.co/8ewObtjcaQ— Dick Vitale (@DickieV) February 2, 2025
Maybe Kentucky fans will look back fondly on Calipari’s time with the program as time passes. After all, Calipari led them a National Championship in 2012. But for the time being, the wound Calipari left by departing for an in-conference rival has clearly yet to heal.
Fortunately for Calipari, he would get the last laugh in his return. Despite coming into the game as 9.5-point underdogs and losing six of the last seven games, Arkansas would come away with an 89-79 victory thanks to 17 second-half points from D.J. Wagner.
