Calipari: ‘I’ve got a bounce in my walk’ at Arkansas

A lot has transpired in the month John Calipari has served as Arkansas’ men’s basketball coach.

Officially introduced to a lively crowd in Bud Walton Arena on April 10, Calipari notably said at his first press conference that he “met with the team [and] there is no team.”

Since, seven players — four from the NCAA transfer portal and three from the high school class of 2024 — have been added to a roster that previously featured zero scholarship athletes.

Calipari’s current transfer portal haul of Zvonimir Ivisic (Kentucky), Adou Thiero (Kentucky), Johnell Davis (Florida Atlantic) and Jonas Aidoo (Tennessee) is ranked No. 1 in the country, according to 247 Sports. The site considers the prep group of Boogie Fland, Billy Richmond and Karter Knox as the nation’s sixth best.

On the May 2 episode of the Ways to Win podcast, Calipari said he has been “terrific” since taking over the Razorbacks.

“You know, I took over a program and [Eric Musselman had] done a good job here,” Calipari said, “but when there’s a flip over and you’ve got no players, you’ve got no schedule, you’ve got no staff…it is invigorating for me.

“I’ve got a bounce in my walk.”

More from Natty State Sports: Calipari dishes on unique plan for roster building

Calipari admitted the job, to this point, has been a challenge, and adversity is going to hit. But his aim is to help the state, make the fan base feel good about Arkansas basketball again and create hope.

“It’s what I am and who I’ve been, and I try to authentically be that guy,” he added. “And really, for my players, I want to out-care every other coach in the country. I want to out-care them.

“And if I do the right thing, these kids will come together like my other teams and we’ll compete for national titles.”

Calipari mentioned, too, that he keeps, on a tablet, a log of calls he’s made and meetings he’s had. Mentally, he wants to know what is being accomplished.

“You’ll feel sometimes that you’re not [getting things done],” he said. “But when you write [things] down, you look and say, ‘Man, I did all that today.’ And I love 15-hour days, 16-hour days. Now, again, being focused on this program and putting a roster together, putting a schedule together, getting your staff right, getting your office right, I mean, I’ve got no letter opener. I’ve got no scissors. I’ve got a pen.

“But that’s OK. We’re going to get organized with all that stuff after we get the roster set.”

Calipari has also announced staff hirings with the Razorbacks. Kenny Payne and Chin Coleman have both been named associate head coach, and Chuck Martin was brought aboard as an assistant coach.

He mentioned on a more-recent episode of Ways to Win that former Kentucky guard Tyler Ulis will follow him to Arkansas as well. Ulis joined the Wildcats’ staff as a student assistant coach during the 2022-23 season.