Coach John Calipari once tossed a custom Armani suit over a misspelled tag; now it’s a Kentucky basketball treasure

Like many college basketball coaches, John Calipari is always suited and booted for his games. However, one of his suits from his time with the Kentucky Wildcats will always be a part of the team's history.

It was a custom-made Armani suit, and Calipari asked for it to be thrown out because it had misspelled his name on the tag. Instead of 'Calipari,' the tag had 'Calapari.'

He spoke about this in an episode of Pawn Stars Do America last year.

"Yep, name is spelled wrong. That’s me," Calipari said. "I did wear it in a game. Didn’t wear it in the national championship in 2012 because that one is in the Hall of Fame, but this was in a bunch of big games. I may have worn it in the semifinal, the Final Four.”

Despite being asked to be destroyed, the suit is still in the possession of Jimmy Mahan, the owner of the Kentucky Roadshow Shop, where fans can see it.

John Calipari prepares for a fresh start in Arkansas

After fifteen years with the Wildcats, John Calipari left the program after continued early exits in March Madness. Now, with the Arkansas Razorbacks, the coach has a chance at a fresh start while leading a non-blue blood program.

In July, Calipari spoke about his progress with the team, going from no players on the roster when he joined in April to a full 15-man squad just two months later.

"It was only a few short months ago, I walked in with no team, no staff and no schedule and now we're talking about ... how do we get them to get together but think bigger," Calipari said (via ESPN).

"You think big but you work bigger. This is not being delusional. You're not dreaming dreams. This is about what you're trying to accomplish for yourself. I'm trying to get them to think like kings, because kings think different."

While the expectations for him at Arkansas are relatively low compared to those at Kentucky, Razorback fans still look forward to seeing their team in March Madness. Meanwhile, Calipari is also preparing for a return to the Rupp Arena as Arkansas is scheduled to take on Kentucky on Feb 1, 2025.

What are your predictions for John Calipari and his new team? Let us know in the comments section below.