Report: Kentucky Assistant K.T. Turner to Become Head Coach at UT Arlington

The Wildcats assistant will reportedly leave Lexington after just one season.

The Kentucky basketball coaching staff carousel keeps on turning. 

Late Monday night, it was reported that Kentucky assistant coach K.T. Turner is set to leave Lexington after just one season to become the next head coach at UT Arlington. Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports was the first to break the news: 

Sources: Kentucky's K.T. Turner is finalizing a deal to become the next head coach at UT Arlington. Official announcement expected soon. Deep Texas roots.

— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) March 13, 2023

Turner, who replaced Jai Lucas on the staff this offseason, joined Kentucky after just one season in Norman, Okla. with the Oklahoma Sooners staff, where he was an associate head coach under Porter Moser. 

Prior to that, Turner was the associate head coach at Texas from 2020-21. He was an assistant at SMU for seven seasons before that. He was also a part of the 2013 Wichita State staff that saw the Shockers reach the Final Four. 

If not obvious by his previous gigs and next destination, Turner has ties in the state of Texas, where he has recruited well in the past, though he is a Cincinnati native. 

"K.T. has done an excellent job of recruiting Texas, which has always been good to us, and has a terrific ability to connect with young people," UK coach John Calipari said after hiring Turner. "He is exactly the coach we were looking for and I'm thrilled to have him join our family."

Turner's probable departure leaves a space open for a new assistant coach, and many people have begun speculating who a replacement could be. 

Last Friday, Georgia Tech fired head coach Josh Pastner after seven seasons in Atlanta. Pastner was a member of John Calipari's staff at Memphis, and was with the program from 2009-2016. The timing could be right for a reunion between the two, if both parties were interested. 

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Everything Calipari said after the loss HERE.

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