As the college basketball season neared its conclusion, UCLA tried to persuade John Calipari to leave Kentucky to become the Bruins’ next head coach. A new story in the L.A. Times details the discussions between the two parties.
Among them were a contract that would pay Calipari $45 million over six seasons, a $1.7-million pool for assistant coaches, eight new staff positions, private planes for the use of the team and its coaches, and a monthly catered meal for Calipari’s staff and players. Negotiations progressed to the point that Rebholz reached out to donors, seeking money to help cover all the new expenditures that Calipari’s hiring would entail, according to people familiar with Calipari’s requests.