Bob Stephens: Longtime Hogs' Columnist Looks Inside Calipari's Hiring

Razorback fans now have legitimate reason for hope bringing in coach that HAS won championships in SEC, March Madness

Arkansas Razorbacks coach John Calipari with his first appearance with the media after being hired. / Craven Whitlow-allHOGS Images

By Bob Stephens
Special to allHOGS

Numbers never tell the whole story in sports, especially not about a team or a coach. But here's an eye-popper, one that jumps off the screen.

In John Calipari's 15 seasons as Kentucky's basketball coach, he had 35 players drafted in the first round of the NBA draft. Arkansas’ had 15 go in the first round since the draft began 74 years ago.

That won’t surprise most knowledgeable fans, but the numbers are still startling. Question is, what’s that mean for Hog fans now that Coach Cal has set up shop in the Land of Opportunity?

In a word: hope. More hope than the hoops Hogs have had since Corliss Williamson ruled the paint. More hope than when Eric Musselman walked the sidelines, screaming at refs and making a couple of runs deep into March Madness. Those runs weren’t all expected, however.

Landing Coach Cal was the biggest splash the Hogs' brass could've managed. Other than Bill Self, Calipari was by far the biggest fish in the pond—and few figured either were in the running after the Muss Bus left town in a hurry after the coach wore out his welcome with boosters, fans and the administration. 

Rarely in the history of Razorback sports was the country's attention riveted on Northwest Arkansas like it was when Calipari was introduced as the newest Head Hog.

OK, maybe 55 years ago when President Nixon's chopper landed next to Razorback Stadium to witness No. 2 Arkansas hosting No. 1 Texas for the presumed football national championship was at least the equal.

But that was decades before the internet, social media, 24-hour coverage, and NIL money.

A day after the rumors began about John Tyson brokering a deal to get Cal a new address, I was wearing a pullover with a small red Razorback on it during a meeting. Afterward, a lady asked me what I thought about the Hogs’ new coach. She knew I followed Arkansas sports somewhat closely since moving to Colorado in 2003 after a 23-year career dedicated to writing the good, bad and ugly about the Hogs and their coaches.

"Could not have made a better choice," was my response. "He'll get great players, knows how to make them better in a single year, and couldn't be more motivated after leaving Kentucky. He'll electrify the Arkansas fan base and hopefully retire there with a title or two."

National pundits figured Cal coming to NWA was a bigger surprise than if Bill and Hillary had moved back into their old house on California Drive, a block from Bud Walton Arena. Like Bill did for the nation back in 1992, Cal brings hope wherever he goes. If you doubt it, here's some more numbers.

Cal had 16 players drafted in the top 10 while at Kentucky, more than one a season. The Hogs have had seven in their history, and just 44 chosen at all since the draft began when Harry Truman was president.

OK, I’m hearing some of you scream, “Enough with the numbers already!” But ponder one more: Cal had seven drafted in the top five in his 15 years at Kentucky. Arkansas' had one in its history, Sidney Moncrief at No. 5.

So, move over Super Sid because your honor as the most highly drafted Hog will end soon. Sidney graced one of the most iconic Sports Illustratedcovers in the 70-year history of the magazine and will always be the most fondly remembered of all Razorbacks along with Williamson, the Big Nasty who was Most Outstanding Player in the Final Four when Arkansas won its only hoops national title 30 years ago.

In case your memory faded or your internet is out, here’s a bit of Hogs hoops history: Of Arkansas' 15 first-round picks, Eddie Sutton coached five (Ron Brewer, Moncrief, Darrell Walker, Alvin Robertson and Joe Kleine), Nolan Richardson five (Todd Day, Lee Mayberry, Oliver Miller, Williamson and Joe Johnson), Musselman three (Moses Moody, Anthony Black and Nick Smith), Stan Heath one (Ronny Brewer) and Mike Anderson one (Bobby Portis)

Richardson led the Hogs to their lone national title in basketball and three Final Fours during a glorious seven-year run for the program and had two players picked in the top 10 of the NBA draft: Day (8th) and Johnson (10th).

Sutton made one Final Four with Arkansas while resurrecting the program before Nolan arrived and made it a must-see event in Northwest Arkansas. Sutton had four guys drafted in the top 10: Moncrief (5th), Kleine (6th), Brewer the Elder (7th) and Robertson (7th). Black was picked 6th overall last year.

Calipari has already stocked the UA roster with a bunch of five-star recruits and talented transfers, immediately ramping up expectations. Musselman always had us thinking he'd reach the Final Four or earn another Elite Eight. For me, Cal takes that up two notches. You can't think or hope any bigger than Cal does.

Maybe the initial excitement has waned a bit since Calipari moved to NWA, but it shouldn't. Momentum for the program will continue to build as Cal stocks the roster with his usual 5-star recruits. Say what you will about past recruiting violations at UMass and Memphis, the man is obviously among the best at convincing talented kids and their families to trust him with their basketball and financial future.

He's won at every college where he's drawn a paycheck. He had UMass ranked No. 1 way back in 1996 with national Player of the Year Marcus Camby, the top pick that year in the NBA draft. He had another overall top pick in Derrick Rose when he led Memphis to the championship game 12 years later, only to blow a 9-point lead in the last two minutes and lose in overtime to Self's Kansas crew.

Redemption in 2012 was a national title with Kentucky. But can he get another one?

Take this one to the bank, as they used to say: Cal will have the Hogs in the Sweet 16 or better next March, the Final Four by 2027 (wait, I meant 2026!) and will hang at least one national championship banner in the rafters at the Bud before delivering his Hall of Fame speech back in Massachusetts.

How’s that for hope?

Bob Stephens was an award-winning sportswriter and columnist in Northwest Arkansas from 1980 to 2003. He started as a senior for the 1975 Fayetteville Bulldogs’ state championship basketball team. He was drafted that summer in the 19th round by the St. Louis Cardinals but signed instead with Norm DeBriyn's Razorbacks, playing shortstop and third base. Bob then covered the Razorbacks in three Final Fours, three College World Series, six New Year’s Day bowl games, and saw them win more track national championships than he can remember. He lives in Colorado Springs with his wife, Pati, enjoying the magnificent view of snow-capped Pikes Peak from their large front window. Email him with thoughts, questions and suggestions at bob.razorbacks@gmail.com.

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