FAYETTEVILLE — Twenty-eight years after Joe Kleine played for John Calipari in the NBA, the former All-Southwest Conference center at the Arkansas has been an SEC Network analyst working Calipari’s games in his first season as the Razorbacks’ coach.
Kleine played for New Jersey during the 1996-97 season when Calipari was the Nets’ coach.
In Arkansas’ last two games — victories at home over Pacific 91-72 and Arkansas-Little Rock 79-67 — Kleine provided color analysis. He also has watched some of the Razorbacks’ practices.
Calipari, 65, was 37 when he coached Kleine in the NBA.
“Cal’s like all of us.