"John [Tyson] got mad at me": Arkansas HC John Calipari speaks on first time he turned down offer to coach the Razorbacks in 2007

John Calipari leaving Kentucky to sign with Arkansas stands as one of the biggest stories in college basketball this year. Interestingly, the Hall of Fame head coach has revealed that this isn't the first time he's been courted by the Razorbacks. As far back as 2007, billionaire and longtime friend John Tyson extended an offer for Calipari to coach at Arkansas.

According to Calipari, Tyson called him during his tenure at Memphis, where he was coaching future NBA MVP Derrick Rose. However, he turned the Arkansas business magnate down as he couldn't bring himself to leave his role with the Tigers (via 247Sports).

"There's a difference now than leaving a job back then. Back then, you had players who were there to play for you, to be with you, to help groom them to get ready for their future. And if you left, they were stuck there."

Calipari added:

"They couldn't leave; they had to play for whoever the coach was. John (Tyson) got mad at me. I said, I'm not leaving these kids."

Providing some background, transferring from one NCAA D1 school to another was not as simple as it is now. Unlike the current system, players can easily enter the transfer portal without losing eligibility. But back in 2007, they mostly stayed put, and John Calipari clearly saw immense potential in Rose and his teammates. That might've been the catalyst for him turning the first Arkansas offer down.

Either way, 17 years later, Calipari`s career at Kentucky was winding down, and he likely figured a change of scenery would help him find his mojo again. Despite hinting at a major rebuild for the Razorbacks, the Hall of Fame coach seemed satisfied and excited with his decision to leave Lexington after 15 years.

Who is John Tyson?

As previously mentioned, Tyson is a billionaire and a friend of Calipari`s. The former CEO of Tyson Foods is also a major donor for the Arkansas men's basketball team (via FOX Business). He and his family own a multi-billion-dollar enterprise in chicken, beef, and pork processing, with a market cap currently set at a massive $21.15 billion.

The exact origins of John Calipari and Tyson's relationship remain unclear, but the two have maintained a connection for a while and even go on golf trips together (via USA Today).