The University of Kentucky has offered John Calipari what is essentially a lifetime contract extension in response to a lucrative offer the coach has received from UCLA, The Athletic has learned.



UCLA offered Calipari a contract worth approximately $48 million over six years, according to a source with direct knowledge of the situation. The contacts between Calipari and UCLA have been more extensive than previously reported, but Calipari told UCLA last week he is not interested in leaving Kentucky.



Kentucky gave UCLA permission to speak with Calipari but did not take seriously the possibility that he would leave, partly because in the past UCLA has not committed nearly the same type of financial resources that Kentucky has for basketball. (Calipari is the highest-paid basketball coach in the country, making $9.2 million this year, according to the USA Today Sports database.) Once Kentucky learned how serious UCLA’s offer was, it offered Calipari, who turned 60...