Kentucky gets swerved by its John Calipari replacement plan

It appears that Kentucky fans stalking Baylor head coach Scott Drew's flight path scared him away for good.

Drew has decided to stay put at Baylor despite being the top candidate to replace John Calipari, who signed a five-year deal with Arkansas to be their coach following Kentucky's first-round defeat to No. 14-ranked Oakland in the 2024 NCAA Tournament, per Pete Thamel and Jeff Borzello of ESPN.

Baylor HC Scott Drew turns down Kentucky 

Many felt that Drew's connection to Kentucky athletic director Mitch Barnhart, dating back to their time spent together in a bubble during the 2021 NCAA Tournament because of the COVID-19 pandemic, was enough to lure him into becoming the next face of Big Blue Nation. Alas, it was all for not, leaving arguably the most esteemed job in the nation still up for grabs. 

Drew has rebuilt Baylor from the ground up since becoming the head coach in 2003, turning them into a Big 12 powerhouse and leading them to a national title in 2021. He has a 446-244 record across 21 seasons, the most wins in program history, and is one of seven active men's coaches to win a championship. So, it is easy to see why Kentucky viewed him as their top choice to replace Calipari.

However, Drew and his family have reportedly "established deep roots in Central Texas, which loomed large in their decision to stay," Thamel and Borzello note in their report, adding that the three-time Big 12 Coach of the Year previously turned down an offer to assume the same position at Louisville last month.

After turning down two opportunities to take over two of the premier college basketball programs in the country, Drew has made it clear that he is committed to Baylor. But where does that leave Kentucky in their search for a new coach?

Potential candidates are dropping like flies. Former Villanova head coach Jay Wright, UConn's Dan Hurley, Alabama's Nate Oats, and Billy Donovan of the Chicago Bulls (who won two national championships at Florida before moving to the NBA) have all reportedly expressed allegiance to their current situations, leaving Kentucky with minimal options.

Thamel and Borzello list Auburn's Bruce Pearl, Illinois' Brad Underwood, Xavier's Sean Miller, Florida's Todd Golden, Iowa State's T.J. Otzelberger, and BYU's Mark Pope as the "next tier" of candidates the team could consider after Drew has elected to remain put at Baylor.