Here’s who media members think Kentucky should target as the next coach

John Calipari is leaving for Arkansas, which means the Kentucky Wildcats are in the market for a new head coach.

We gave you our initial list of candidates.

Now, here’s a look at names being mentioned in the national media.

ESPN’s Jeff Borzello listed the following names as potential candidates for the opening.

• Dan Hurley, UConn Huskies
• Scott Drew, Baylor Bears
• Billy Donovan, Chicago Bulls
• Jay Wright
• Nate Oats, Alabama Crimson Tide
• Tommy Lloyd, Arizona Wildcats
• T.J. Otzelberger, Iowa State Cyclones
• Bruce Pearl, Auburn Tigers
• Sean Miller, Xavier Musketeers
• Mark Pope, BYU Cougars
• Rick Pitino, St. John’s Red Storm

The Athletic listed Donovan, Oats, Pitino, Pope, Miller, Pearl, Houston’s Kelvin Sampson, and Marquette’s Shaka Smart as candidates, then offered this on “And the hire Is...”

Donovan is the pie-in-the-sky option here, and if you’re making calls of that caliber, you have to at least contact Drew (and maybe even Dan Hurley, although the odds of him leaving Connecticut are basically zero). But Baylor just redid Drew’s contract — not to mention the program’s sparkling new arena, Foster Pavilion, which opened in January. In the case those fall through? Oats, who surpassed Calipari in the SEC hierarchy the last few seasons, would certainly pick up the phone, and would be as close to an ideal hire as Cats fans could hope for at this point in the coaching carousel.

And here’s what other media members think about who Kentucky should pursue.

Trilly Donovan allegedly posted this about Billy Donovan.

KSR’s Jack Pilgrim thinks Dan Hurley could listen to Kentucky’s offer.

For what it’s worth, Kyle Tucker had this on Hurley.

We’re just getting started.