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As head coach John Calipari ushers in a new era at Arkansas, the team will have a fresh look for the 2024-25 season.
The Razorbacks revealed on Wednesday that the court at Bud Walton Arena has been refurbished to look brand new and will feature an updated center court logo:
Arkansas director of athletics Hunter Yurachek announced last week that the school was looking to raise an additional $500,000 to pair with a $500,000 donation before implementing the team’s famed “Slobbering Hog” logo. He announced on Wednesday that a late six-figure donation allowed the school to reach its goal, and the logo was added to the court to fulfill the promise.
After spending 15 seasons as Kentucky head coach and leading the team to the 2012 national championship, four Final Four appearances and six SEC tournament and regular-season titles, Calipari departed to take the helm at Arkansas following the 2023-24 campaign.
“This is a dream job. It was my dream job,” Calipari said upon leaving Kentucky, per ESPN’s Jeff Borzello. “Anybody in our profession looks at the University of Kentucky in basketball and said, that is the bluest of blue. The last few weeks, we’ve come to realize that this program probably needs to hear another voice. And the fans need to hear another voice. We’ve loved it here, but we think it’s time for us to step away. And step away completely from the program.”
Calipari, who is replacing Eric Musselman following his departure for USC, added three transfers from Kentucky, three recruits he originally signed while at Kentucky, and a pair of high-impact transfers to rebuild the Arkansas roster.
The Razorbacks will play a pair of charity exhibition games against Kansas and TCU on Oct. 25 and Nov. 1, respectively, before opening the 2024-25 season against Lipscomb on Nov. 6.