LAWRENCE, Kan. — John Calipari’s Arkansas debut will come in a charity game against Kansas next month.
The schools announced that their men’s basketball teams would meet on Oct. 25 at Bud Walton Arena in Fayetteville, Arkansas. Proceeds from the game will be split between the Fore the Kids Foundation, based in Overland Park, Kansas, which promotes children’s mental health, and Arkansas Children’s Hospitals.
Calipari left Kentucky for Arkansas after 15 seasons, including four trips to the Final Four and the 2012 national title. He said at the time that the Wildcats’ program “needs to hear another voice,” and Calipari left for SEC rival Arkansas to replace Eric Musselman, who left for the same job at Southern California.
Calipari is also close to the Kansas program, having worked as an assistant under Ted Owens and Larry Brown in the 1980s.
“It’s great for our program to be able to play these high-profile charity games,” Calipari said in a statement. “Not only is it an entertaining and valuable resource for the teams and fans, but it also raises a lot of money for great causes.”
Arkansas will play another charity game against TCU on November 1 in Fort Worth, Texas.
Calipari has overhauled the Razorbacks since his arrival, signing Kentucky transfers DJ Wagner, Adou Thiero and Zvonimir Ivisic. He also brought back three high-profile recruits who originally signed with the Wildcats, Johnuel Fland, Karter Knox and Billy Richmond, and signed transfers Johnell Davis from FAU and Jonas Aidoo from Tennessee.
Jayhawks coach Bill Self has also turned a corner after a disappointing season and could be the number one prospect in the AP Top 25 preseason.
The Jayhawks themselves returned All-American center Hunter Dickinson, floor leader Dajuan Harris Jr. and versatile KJ Adams Jr., but added Wisconsin transfer AJ Storr, Zeke Mayo from South Dakota State and Rylan Griffen from Alabama to that core. The Jayhawks also acquired prep prospects Flory Bidunga and Rakease Passmore to help immediately.
The exhibition game against Arkansas comes a week after Kansas hosts its 40th annual Late Night in the Phog.
“We’re excited to be in Arkansas for an exhibition game and raise money for a great cause,” Self said. “This game gives us a good idea of where our team stands before the season starts.”
