Material from Associated Press was used in this report.

MHERST -- John Calipari is already saying ``we'' and ``our'' when referring to the New Jersey Nets. The coach is already comparing the players on the beleaguered NBA team to those who played for him the past eight seasons as he transformed the University of Massachusetts from a moribund program into a national power.

Standing 15 feet from his office, flashing a wide smile and brimming with enthusiasm, the 37-year-old Calipari said yesterday he is leaving to coach the Nets, adding that the franchise's offer was too good to refuse.

According to Calipari, the Nets will also name him head of basketball operations, and though he wouldn't specify terms, the deal reportedly is worth $15 million over five years.

The agreement caps two weeks of speculation, innuendo and rumors surrounding the courting of Calipari by the Nets and Philadelphia 76ers. While talk swirled that Calipari had met with both clubs, he either denied doing so or made himself unavailable for comment.

Romanced in recent years by NBA teams such as the Celtics, Warriors and Heat, he became an especially hot commodity this season after guiding the Minutemen to the No. 1 ranking for most of the year, a 35-2 record and their first Final Four appearance ever. But even as the conjecture about the NBA mounted and the fallout began to be felt from this week's allegations that star center Marcus Camby had accepted payments from agents in violation of NCAA rules, Calipari was decidedly noncommittal about his intentions. If anything, it appeared he would be returning to UMass, where he long has maintained he has been quite comfortable and could easily finish out his career.

But that all changed late Wednesday evening when Calipari received a call from his New Jersey-based attorney, Craig Fenech, with word on the deal, the final terms of which were still being worked out yesterday afternoon.

``Craig had been working, and I didn't think it was going to happen,'' said Calipari. ``Last night he called me and he said, `The deal is done. Here it is. This is what they've done.' And I said, `Come on.' And he said, `Nope.' And I said, `OK, I can deal with that.'

``And I called [UMass] late last night, because I had called and said it wasn't going to happen. So first I told them that we're not doing it. Then I said I am doing it. Then the thing came through, and I said, `Look, I'm doing it.' ''

His departure is sure to leave a huge void at UMass, where in 1988, Calipari took over a team that had posted 10 straight losing records and built it into a perennial power, compiling a 193-71 record with two NIT and five NCAA postseason appearances. The rise was capped by this year's run to the national semifinals, where UMass was eliminated by eventual champ Kentucky, coached by Calipari's mentor, Rick Pitino -- whose later decision not to accept an offer from the Nets cleared the way for Calipari.

Keeping pace with the Minutemen's success on court was their growing portfolio. In the last three or four years, since the program kicked into high gear, the athletic department has boosted revenues from donors, corporations and licensed product sales from near zero to more than $1.4 million.

Moreover, at a time when the state and school were financially strapped, UMass built the $51 million Mullins Center for basketball and hockey. Calipari was a primary factor in getting the facility, which the school had talked about (and had promised several coaches it would build) for at least 20 years.

That fact was not lost on UMass president William Bulger, who said in a statement yesterday acknowledging Calipari's departure, ``We want to take this opportunity to thank him for all that he has done to rebuild the basketball program at the University of Massachusetts and to enhance the visibility of the entire university. We feel fortunate to have had his talents for the past eight years.''

Speaking at the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, where UMass' four-year series with Connecticut was announced, athletic director Bob Marcum said, ``In most cases [he was kept abreast of Calipari's NBA dealings]. I have a great relationship with Coach Cal and vice versa. I don't have one negative thing to say about any of it and I will not have anything negative to say.''

While he has insisted that the right coaching situation and necessary control would be paramount in any move, Calipari acknowledged that money also was a major consideration.

``The reason I'm doing it is it's an unbelievable opportunity to build another championship organization,'' he said. ``I have total control of basketball operations. How many times can a guy like me get an opportunity like this?

``I'm not going to sit here and lie to you and say money didn't play a part in this. My family is very important to me. My family security is very important to me. I was poor growing up. So the money did play a part even though I was taken care of pretty well where I am.''

Before last season, Calipari reportedly received a 10-year, $5 million contract from UMass.

Yesterday he dispelled rumors that he went to Chicago, site of the NBA predraft camp, to meet with NBA officials. ``I did not meet with any teams in Chicago,'' he said.

Then he gave the highlights of his Chicagoland stay in chronological order. ``I was in [San Antonio Spurs coach] Bob Hill's room,'' he said. ``I was in the gym watching Donta [Bright, UMass forward]. I ate dinner with Donta. [Globe columnist] Bob Ryan cornered me in my room one night, and I went and watched the Chicago Bulls play. I ate at Houston's [Wednesday night], and I came back here this morning. I met with no teams. I didn't meet with the Nets, and I didn't meet with Philadelphia. I was out there for Donta.''

There may not have been any direct contact in Chicago. But in East Rutherford, N.J., yesterday, where it was announced that a news conference introducing the new coach would be held today, Nets owner Michael Rowe said he held initial talks with Calipari Friday night in Providence.

On Sunday, according to Rowe, Fenech told him that his client was interested in the job, and after two days of further talks, negotiations broke off late Tuesday.

``What they wanted and what we wanted in terms of language and dollars, we just couldn't get close enough,'' Rowe said.

Rowe said he telephoned Fenech Wednesday around 4 p.m. to see if there was any movement. Fenech said no and Rowe scheduled interviews with other candidates for yesterday.

But three hours later, Rowe said Fenech called him back expressing renewed interest, and a deal was struck by 11:30.

But earlier Wednesday, Rowe maintained that Calipari had not been considered for the job.

``I would take a lie detector test and I'm sure he would, too,'' Rowe told The Record of Hackensack, N.J., for yesterday's editions.

Calipari said he felt the Nets were a better situation for him than the Sixers. ``Philadelphia was a whole different ballgame, a whole different animal,'' he said. ``The best thing for me, without a doubt, is to go to the New Jersey Nets, build a championship organization, get people juiced up and revved up, get players excited about playing and having fun, playing and wanting to play at a high level, improve the talent on the team and try to make a run at things.''

Calipari dispelled notions that the timing had anything to do with either Camby's decision to forgo his senior year and enter the NBA draft or the agent controversy.

``The three reasons I did not leave: One, because I didn't think this team wasn't going to be as good. I think this team is going to be terrific, and I think [associate coach] Bruiser Flint will do a terrific job if he's named head coach.

``The second reason is because Marcus left. That had nothing to do with my leaving. If this job was offered the way it is, which is head of operations and basketball coach, I would have sat Marcus down and said, `Marcus, we've got to talk. I love you to death but this is an opportunity that may never come my way again.'

``And the third reason I did not leave was because of what happened with Marcus and the agent. That had nothing to do with it. This thing was talked about before that situation even came up. It almost got me to say I'm not leaving until I looked into it more, and I think everything's going to be fine.''

Calipari said he met with the team yesterday, ``and they were disappointed but they said, `Coach you have to do this.' Carmelo [Travieso, a senior guard] said, `Coach, this is our senior year and this is happening, and we're used to you.' '' And I said, `Well, I think everything's going to work out, and if the program does the right thing, which I imagine it will, Bruiser is going to be the head coach and everything's going to move and people will forget about me in about four months.' ''

The coach said the Nets are similar to the program he inherited at UMass -- plagued by losing (three playoff appearances in 10 years), low in morale and attendance. ``The Nets, right now, what I like about them, they're a good group of guys and they play hard and they rebound,'' he said.

``You think about my teams. They all play defense. They rebound and they play hard. Now [the Nets] don't shoot very well. Sounds like my teams, too. But the challenge for the organization is we've got to become, perceptionwise, a championship organization in how we treat the players.

``It's got to be a player-friendly environment. A fan-friendly environment where people want to come. And the second part is that we've got to improve our talent over the next three years and then see where it goes.

``When I first got [to UMass], they said it was a graveyard for coaches. They said the administration was very soft. They said it was apathy with fans and not great fan support. Well, that kind of sounds familiar to what I'm doing now.''

Calipari called his new job his biggest challenge yet. ``And it's not easy. The first year is just setting the tone,'' he said. ``But I think the tone is set because they play hard and rebound.''

Now the question is whether UMass will after losing its basketball savior.