Arkansas' investment in the men's
basketball program will reportedly extend well beyond a contract for incoming coach John Calipari. ESPN's Pete Thamel and Jeff Borzello reported Sunday night the Razorbacks are finalizing a five-year deal with Calipari to seal his exit from Kentucky, and his salary is expected to be a little lower than the $8.5 million he earns annually with the Wildcats. While going from Kentucky to Arkansas is a step down in terms of prestige, On3's Pete Nakos reported that NIL "cannot be overlooked in Calipari's decision-making." "Having dollars to spend in the transfer portal and recruiting won't be a problem in Fayetteville," Nakos wrote. "A source told On3 on Sunday night that Calipari will have 'at least' $5 million annually in NIL funds to disperse. The same source estimated the budget will be in the $6 million ballpark." CBS Sports' Matt Norlander reported Sunday night the family of John Tyson, the founder of Tyson Foods, is not only close with Calipari but also "prepared to make a major commitment" to secure his arrival: The Tyson family (biggest Arkansas donor) is prepared to make a major commitment to bring Cal to Arkansas, sources said.Calipari is very close with the Tyson family and has been for years. The story is gaining volume because major boosters are optimistic this can happen. ESPN's Myron Medcalf noted Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones and the Walton family, which earned its wealth through Walmart, could also be notable boosters to Arkansas' NIL fund. Sure, the Razorbacks' only national championship was 30 years, but Eric Musselman took them to the Elite Eight of the NCAA tournament in 2021 and 2022. The school isn't wrong for thinking the right head coach with sufficient resources can get the men's basketball program back to the top of the sport again. Given the way the last few seasons have unfolded, it's worth asking whether Calipari is the guy. The Wildcats failed to advance past the second round in any of their last three March Madness trips despite continuing to attract blue-chip talent. It's possible that Calipari's best days are behind him and his Arkansas tenure is like the Jimbo Fisher era for
Texas A&M
Football. But there's no question he'll have the infrastructure around him necessary to achieve big things with the Razorbacks.