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Arkansas Razorbacks coach John Calipari has a solution to improve college basketball.
Since NIL has taken over college sports, players have the ability to earn money from their name, image and likeness. The NCAA allows college athletes to transfer and be immediately eligible for competition, regardless of how many times a player has transferred.
Between NIL and more flexible transfer rules, player movement is greater than ever as players are free to pursue more lucrative NIL deals after each season.
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Arkansas Razorbacks head coach John Calipari watches during NCAA West Regional Tournament practice at the Chase Center in San Francisco, California, on March 26, 2025. (Eakin Howard/Image Images)
Calipari, 66, discussed a possible solution that could help fix the problems caused by NIL and the transfer portal during an appearance on OutKick’s “Don’t @ Me with Dan Dakich.”
“You have five years to play and you can play all five. But if you get hurt twice, you’ll be lucky,” Calipari told Dakich.
Calipari’s solution allows two transfers. On the first transfer, you can play immediately at your new school, but if a player transferred a second time, he would have to sit out. Losing a season would be costly, since under Calipari’s proposal, players have a maximum of five seasons of play.
“If you want to transfer once, go ahead and transfer a second time and not participate, that will take one of your years off, but you can do it. And then you play at one school for three years and get your college degree,” Calipari said.
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Arkansas Razorbacks head coach John Calipari addresses the media at a press conference during NCAA West Regional Tournament practice at the Chase Center in San Francisco, California, on March 26, 2025. (Kyle Terada/Image Images)
“This is fair, it makes sense. Come on, why don’t we do this? We don’t need the government to tell us that, let’s do it.”
Calipari said if something like his proposal is not implemented in the next three to five years, the NCAA will disband.
“If it doesn’t, this whole thing will fall apart, there will be no NCAA, which I asked for about 10 years ago, 12 years ago, and I got the money right because they ran out of people to fuck with, they don’t have anyone else to fuck with,” Calipari said.
The four-time SEC Coach of the Year said the NCAA loses every lawsuit against them.
“Every lawsuit they’ve had, what happens to them? Every time they get sued, what?” -Calipari asked.
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Arkansas Razorbacks head coach John Calipari directs play on the court during the first half against the Texas Tech Red Raiders during a West Region semifinal of the 2025 NCAA Tournament at the Chase Center in San Francisco, California, on March 27, 2025. (Kyle Terada/Image Images)
“They lose,” Dakich responded.
“Why? Because (the NCAA) isn’t fair. The Supreme Court voted 9-0 against them, you know the last time the Supreme Court was together on something? It was like riding a bus in the ’60s.”
The Supreme Court ruled 9-0 in 2021 in NCAA v. Alston, ruling that NCAA rules limiting educational benefits for student-athletes violated federal antitrust laws. The ruling opened the door for NIL to enter college athletics.
Calipari is set to enter his second season at Arkansas and has coached college basketball for 33 seasons.
He began his head coaching career at UMass for seven seasons, then spent nine seasons at Memphis, 15 seasons at Kentucky and then left for Arkansas before the 2024-25 season.
Arkansas Razorbacks men’s basketball head coach John Calipari is introduced during a timeout in the first quarter against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville, Arkansas, on September 27, 2025. (Nelson Chenault/Image Images)
Calipari won the NCAA championship with Kentucky in 2011-12 and led six different teams to the Final Four.
Last season with Arkansas, Calipari went 22-14 and made the NCAA Tournament, but was eliminated in the Sweet 16.
Calipari’s full interview with Dakich will air on OutKick on Thursday.
