UK Assistant KT Turner named Head Coach at UT Arlington

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Published: Mar. 17, 2023 at 2:58 PM EDT

ARLINGTON, Texas (WYMT) - John Calipari once again has an opening on his basketball staff.

Kentucky men’s basketball assistant coach KT Turner was named Head Coach of the men’s basketball program at the University of Texas at Arlington, then tenth head man in the Mavericks’ program history, according to a university news release.

Turner was in his first year as an assistant on Calipari’s staff, after spending a year at Oklahoma in 2021-22 and Texas in 2020-21.

Turner will not have an introductory news conference until Kentucky’s season concludes.

“I’m thrilled for KT and his family to make this next step. His best days as a coach are ahead of him because he has the dedication and passion to develop young people in this game,” Calipari said. “His ties to Texas make him the perfect fit to lead UT Arlington and make his mark on that program.”

“I expect to win, and I expect to do so quickly,” Turner said in an introductory statement. “We’re going to take a progressive and aggressive approach to everything we do...”

Kentucky is a no. 6 seed in the NCAA Tournament’s East Region and is scheduled to play no. 11 seed Providence Friday evening at 7:10 p.m. on WYMT.