"My guys have made six billion dollars in the NBA": Arkansas HC John Calipari drops mic in bold flex

Arkansas coach John Calipari made a bold declaration on Thursday's episode of "The Pat McAfee Show," claiming his former players earned a combined $6 billion in the NBA.

Calipari was asked by former Miami Heat forward and Florida alum Udonis Haslem about how he adjusted to the current recruitment trend where NIL dominates the college basketball landscape.

The national champion coach boasted that all his players made that kind of amount while playing in the NBA.

"Can I throw a humble brag out there? My guys have made 6 billion dollars in the NBA," Calipari said. (Timestamp: 6:47)

During his coaching saga in Memphis and Kentucky, Calipari brought in the likes of Derrick Rose, Anthony Davis, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, DeMarcus Cousins, Karl-Anthony Towns, Devin Booker, Julius Randle and John Wall, developing them into future NBA stars.

Rose and Gilgeous-Alexander won NBA Most Valuable Player awards while Davis, Wall, Towns, Randle, Booker and Cousins earned multi-million dollar deals in the NBA.

The Razorbacks coach was trying to explain his mindset on players who want to transfer teams or try out for the NBA. He claims he belongs to the group of coaches who are willing to pay, but cautions the players not to get overwhelmed with the NIL money.

"So when I say that if you're willing to take an extra $800,000 to go and you're telling me you want to be a pro have at it, I don't begrudge anybody," he said. (Timestamp: 7:00)

Calipari isn't in favor of players who transfer to more than two teams. He blamed his fellow coaches for being unable to give the student-athlete the proper playing environment, causing them to transfer season after season.

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Arkansas brings in a competitive roster for the 2025-26 season

Arkansas will bring in a competitive roster for the 2025-26 season despite losing a ton of players due to eligibility and the transfer portal.

The second year of John Calipari's coaching tenure with the Razorbacks remains exciting, with six players returning for this season, including DJ Wagner, Billy Richmond, Karter Knox, Trevon Brazile and walk-on Jaden Karuletwa.

The program has brought in five freshmen and two transfers to strengthen its chances for the SEC regular season title. The freshmen class includes five-star recruits Darius Acuff and Meleek Thomas and highly-rated first-year players Isaiah Sealy, Karim Rtail and Amere Brown.

The Razorbacks also secured the commitments of transfer forwards Malique Ewin and Nick Pringle. The duo is expected to bring the experience and frontcourt savvy that the team needs to compete in a tough conference.

The team may have lost key players Boogie Fland, Zvonimir Ivisic, Johnell Davis and Jonas Aidoo, but the returnees and the recruits are expected to bolster Arkansas in the 2025-26 college basketball season.