Mastering Xs and Os is vital for any head coach, but just as important is the ability to inspire. When it comes to motivating players, there aren’t many – in any sport – better than Arkansas basketball coach John Calipari.
It’s well-documented how he turned the Razorbacks’ 2024-25 season around amid various injuries and an 0-5 conference start. Yet his talent for motivation isn’t limited to this program. He’s consistently inspired teams wherever he’s gone, and even the Hogs have occasionally found themselves on the receiving end of his inspirational antics.
One of the loudest moments in Bud Walton Arena’s nearly 32-year history was when Calipari got ejected for arguing a moving screen in Kentucky’s 2020 game against Arkansas.