Jay Wright confirms ‘firm no’ on Kentucky job during national championship broadcast

Alabama coach Nate Oats isn’t the only one taken his name out of consideration for the Kentucky job.

On Monday, prior to the start of the NCAA men’s tournament between UConn and Purdue, Turner Sports analyst and former Villanova coach Jay Wright gave a “firm no” when asked about coming out of the broadcast booth to return the sideline.

“And it always was but he took it into this this new generation and did an incredible job,” he said of John Calipari. “That guy that replaces him is going to be in a really difficult position to cover all the areas of college basketball. He’s a college basketball genius. What he did and recruiting and bringing in all those pros and all those guys that come back to Kentucky makes that program as strong as ever. Whoever comes in is coming into a super strong program.”

After Wright’s break down, Seth Davis asked whether that was a “firm no.”

“Yes, yes,” Wright said. “Told ya, I’m Kenny’s coach.”

Calipari has been in negotiations to potentially leave and take the men’s basketball coaching job at Arkansas, multiple outlets have reported since late Sunday. Arkansas officials have been in discussions with Calipari about the opening, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reported, citing anonymous sources.

ESPN, also citing anonymous sources, reported that Calipari is finalizing a five-year deal. The 65-year-old Hall of Fame coach has spent the last 15 seasons at Kentucky. Athletic director Mitch Barnhart recently said Calipari would return despite calls for his firing following the Wildcats’ third consecutive early exit from the NCAA Tournament.