Who to replace John Calipari at Kentucky? 5 names on my mind | Toppmeyer

Arkansas will handle what Mitch Barnhart failed to do.

The Razorbacks are getting John Calipari out of Kentucky, according to multiple reports.

Wow.

Until I saw confirmation from ESPN that Arkansas is finalizing a deal with Kentucky’s coach, I almost couldn’t believe it.

It makes sense, though, on a few levels. Although Barnhart, Kentucky’s athletic director, retained Calipari, the coach had lost the fan base and sat on a scalding-hot seat. A fresh start could do him good.

I view this development as a win-win-win.

For Arkansas, this is a big-time hire. Calipari’s best days are behind him, but he remains a dynamite recruiter. Talent will flow into Arkansas.

For Calipari, this is a clean slate with a fan base that isn’t sick of him, in what could be an exciting final chapter of his career.

For the Wildcats, this is a clean break from Calipari without having to pay the $33 million buyout he would’ve been owed if Barnhart had fired him after UK’s first-round NCAA Tournament loss to Oakland.

Now, don't screw this up, Kentucky.

Five names on my mind to replace Calipari:

Bruce Pearl (Auburn)

A big ego is useful in this job. Kentucky's coach must be comfortable in his skin, be immune to pressure, and operate with complete confidence. Who does that sound like? Bruce Pearl.

Pearl never has coached at a basketball-first school, but he’s taken two football schools (Tennessee and Auburn) to their deepest NCAA Tournament runs in program history.

Yes, Pearl and Auburn just lost to Yale in March Madness. Don’t be a victim of the moment. He took Auburn – yes, Auburn – to a Final Four, and he breathed enough energy into that program to transform Neville Arena into a rockin’ venue.

Give Pearl five years at Kentucky, and I think he’d win a national championship.

Kelvin Sampson (Houston)

If I ranked the nation’s best coaches right now, my list would look something like: Bill Self, Dan Hurley, and Sampson might be next.

Self isn’t leaving Kansas. I don’t think Hurley would bolt from UConn, either.

Sampson might at least listen to Kentucky’s overture. Sampson is 68. A national championship is all that’s missing from his résumé that includes two Final Fours. If he thinks Kentucky gives him a better shot to achieve that last feat, why not give it a go?

At Sampson’s age, this wouldn’t be a 10-year hire, but I think UK could enjoy a memorable five-year ride with him, if he wants to coach that long. A coach who can finish 15-3 in the Big 12 would be a beast in the SEC.

Sampson coached at Indiana, so he understands high demands. Sampson’s son, Kellen, is Houston's head-coach-in-waiting. Could Pops fast-track his son’s promotion and finish his career with a Kentucky crescendo?

Nate Oats (Alabama)

Oats’ buyout for leaving Alabama would be $18 million. That might have been cost prohibitive if UK had paid Calipari his whopper buyout. But, Calipari freeing Kentucky from his contract makes covering Oats’ buyout more realistic.

Calipari is the face of old-school college ball. Oats, armed with his analytics, a love of tempo and 3-pointers, and his embrace of the transfer portal, fronts the future.

The barrage of 3s might drive Wildcats fans bonkers, but he’s a consistent winner coming off his first Final Four. Maybe Oats' style is exactly what UK needs. I wonder how he’d stand up to UK's unrelenting pressures, though. Coaching Buffalo and Alabama isn't a match for Kentucky’s fish bowl.

Brad Underwood (Illinois)

Underwood has been dynamite for the Illini. His teams play an up-tempo, high-scoring style. A lack of NCAA Tournament success had been the lone blemish on his résumé, but he’s coming off an Elite Eight appearance.

Underwood, 60, proved himself at Illinois and Oklahoma State. He's an intense fella. He should be up to handling the heat at UK. He’s had success in the transfer portal, too. That would be a breath of fresh air for UK after Calipari’s hesitance to embrace transfers.

Billy Donovan (Chicago Bulls)

Last fall, I read this headline from a Chicago media outlet: How safe is Billy Donovan’s job with the Bulls? The Bulls have a losing record. Is Donovan's job security shaky enough that he'd consider pulling a Calipari, staying one step ahead of the posse, and restarting his clock?

The more relevant question: Could any job make him contemplate returning to college ball?

Forget Donovan’s middling NBA results. He’s the best SEC basketball hire in the past 30 years. He’d be an absolute home run. Maybe you came to this list thinking you'd see Rick Pitino’s name. While I don’t hate that idea, I prefer the idea of hiring the guy who was once Pitino’s young assistant at Kentucky.

Blake Toppmeyer is the USA TODAY Network's SEC Columnist. Email him at BToppmeyer@gannett.com and follow him on Twitter @btoppmeyer.

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