When did John Calipari leave Memphis? Exploring the reason behind Kentucky head coach's midnight exit

John Calipari’s time at Memphis ranks among college basketball's most impactful coaching stints. On his watch, Memphis went from being a backwater program to making multiple Elite Eight and Sweet 16 appearances consecutively. With him in charge of the team from 2000 to 2009, the Tigers became an attractive destination for top basketball prospects from across the country.

However, nothing lasts forever. As all top coaches are destined to, the moment did arrive for Calipari to move from Memphis to a more robust program in the form of Kentucky. However, Calipari’s move from the Tigers to the Wildcats had quite a bit of drama around it.

When did John Calipari leave Memphis?

John Calipari left Memphis in the early hours of Tuesday, Mar. 31, 2009. Around 1 a.m., the Naismith Hall of Famer reportedly signed the contract that officially bound him to Kentucky. With that, he put an end to nine incredible years as Memphis basketball head coach. A new era in his coaching career began, but not without doing irreparable damage to his relationship with the Tigers fanbase.

For days before Calipari arrived at the decision to leave Memphis, his house had been surrounded by a host of reporters and fans. The reporters sought to hear from the horse's mouth about his decision to leave or stay. On the other hand, the fans were there in the hopes of convincing him to stay.

It hadn’t been a particularly easy period for the top coach. At the time, one of his players was under investigation for cheating on his SAT. The allegation would eventually cost Calipari and Memphis the team’s record for the entire 2007–2008 season. This, coupled with the irresistible pull of a prestigious program like Kentucky, was enough for Calipari to reach his decision.

The aftermath of Calipari’s exit saw the program lose some of its top recruits, including Xavier Henry and DeMarcus Cousins. Almost all of Calipari’s coaching staff also left with him. He was succeeded at Memphis by Josh Pastner, his close assistant, who signed as a witness to his deal with Kentucky.

Over the years, Calipari’s choice has come to be justified. He won the NCAA championship with the Wildcats in 2012, and in recognition of his worth, he was offered a lifetime contract in 2019. The contract included a clause that would make Calipari an ambassador for the program after his retirement.