There’s a seismic shift coming to college basketball next season. John Calipari leaving The Kentucky Wildcats after 15 seasons for Arkansas, of all teams, could really change the landscape of the sport.

After all, Cal is staying with the SEC and going to a program that will go toe-to-toe with Kentucky.

What’s now fascinating is hearing from former players who played for Calipari and Kentucky and which side they are most loyal to. When the head coach of a historic program like Kentucky leaves for another program, it can create division between the head coach and the program, regardless of how tied to the program the departing head coach is.

Players from this past season, Calipari’s final team in Lexington, had interesting responses regarding the two sides. Rob Dillingham recently told the Lexington Herald-Leader that he definitely would come back to Kentucky and for more reasons than Calipari, citing the fans, teachers, and Director of Athletics Mitch Barnhart.

“I’ll come back, for sure, to Kentucky,” Dillingham said. “Because, obviously, they protected me. And it wasn’t just (Calipari). It was the fans. It was the teachers. Everybody there. I love Mitch Barnhart, the athletics director. I love all of them. So I really liked the UK experience, because they helped me as a whole, and they treated me like family.”

Dillingham and Antonio Reeves hinted at supporting both sides between Calipari and the school. Reeves, in particular, said that he is going to cheer for Calipari at Arkansas while also continuing to support Kentucky.

“The fans at Kentucky — I definitely can’t leave them behind,” Reeves said. “So I definitely gotta go back and just show them love whenever I get a chance. And I came from Kentucky. So I can’t just leave that behind.”

Regardless of which side players take, there’s no denying the impact Calipari had on Kentucky in his 15 years as the head coach. Consider: Seven of the 24 selections to the NBA All-Star Game this NBA season played for Calipari at Kentucky.

“I love Coach Cal. I appreciate him for the opportunity,” Dillingham said. “And you see him — he’s put so many players in the NBA. He’s done a great thing at Kentucky.”

Reed Sheppard, who burst onto the scene in his lone season with Kentucky this past season, has been connected to the Kentucky program his whole life. His father, Jeff, was a roommate of new Kentucky head coach Mark Pope. Reed said he can’t wait to see what’s next for the program after talking with Mark Pope, but he also said that Calipari is the best coach in the world.

It’s clear Kentucky holds a special place in the hearts of the greatest players throughout Calipari’s 15 years as the head coach in Lexington. That’s regardless of who the head coach is. But from the most recent players, it’s clear Calipari, in particular, matters a great deal to them.

Either way, there’s no denying Calipari’s work he did in Lexington over 15 seasons with winning and impacting players as young men while creating many special memories.