By LARRY VAUGHT
John Calipari is going to his second straight Final Four at Kentucky and has been to the Elite Eight three straight times. Two of the last three years his team won the Southeastern Conference regular-season championship and twice the Cats won the SEC Tournament.
For those wondering about Calipari’s philosophy of recruiting top talent that will leave UK early for the NBA draft, that should be proof that Calipari’s way can work. However, the UK coach knows as the Wildcats get set for the Final Four again, the doubters won’t go away.
“There’s some opinions that will never change, and I’m not trying to change them. All I’m trying to do is coach these young people. I’m trying to do the best job I can for each of these kids and their families to make sure that we’re being fair and that we’re challenging them and that they’re getting all the help they need in the academic areas and the training areas,” Calipari said after Sunday’s win over Baylor. “And then at the end of the year, right now, you could tell it’s all about our team. At the end of the year, it’s going to be about each individual player and their family and what’s best for them.
“There’s some people that think I should convince these guys to stay in school when the numbers say they should leave. I just won’t do it. I won’t do it. I want to help these kids reach their dreams. I don’t like the rule. I don’t like one and done. I don’t think it’s good for college players, high school players, pro players. It’s not a good rule.
“How about this? It’s not my rule. But the only thing I can do is recruit the best players, the best students who go to class. We had a 3.0 grade point average this term. We have the highest APR in the SEC. But at the end of the year, Brandon Knight, a 4.0 student with 60 college credits, I had to tell him, you’re the seventh pick in the draft. He was a great student. He didn’t come to play basketball. He was a student, but he was reaching his dreams.
“I don’t know if people will be happy or sad. I’ll be honest with you: I really don’t care.”
9 Responses to Calipari to critics of his one-and-done players: “I really don’t care”
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You just keep on recruiting the quality kids you’ve been getting,Coach. Them that complain do so out of jelous envy and spite. Let em cry.
with ya ken…i fine seein coach bring in the one an dones…id rather see a davis than a cuzins at uk…but im not the coach.ill support cal whatever he does……………omg it would sting very bad if they lose this game…maybe even 92′ bad but i dont see it happening
To me, criticizing a coach who has publicly said on many occasions how much he hates the rule is ridiculous. Would these same critics say that a coach should tell their players not to shoot three pointers because he thinks all baskets should count the same? I would love to see these guys stay more than one year (and not just for their basketball ability–they all seem to be great guys), but is the alternative letting Coach K grab all the one and done guards (since he is probably going to lose his second freshman point guard to the NBA for the second year in a row)? Yet I don’t hear any criticism of Coach K or how he is ruining college athletics.
Karen, You will not hear anything negative about Coach Nose because he has had his nose up so many rear end that there are favors owed both ways that people can’t say anything. I know a Doctor in Jackson, Tn who is a Duke grad whose face turns bright red when you say Coach K name. He can’t stand the man. One day the truth about K will come out like it did about Wooden at UCLA and it most likely will get covered up some like Wooden has. I know about Poppa Sam because I lived in L.A. during that time.
It’s about the kids. These players came to play under Coach Cal because he helps them reach their dreams of playing in the NBA. Can you imagine how the coach would feel if he convinced a NBA bound player to stay another year and then the kid gets hurt and ruins his chances of ever playing in the NBA? Cal’s right. Either change the rule or leave him alone.
I have no problem with the one and dones. I do wish they would stay more then on year but when you are worth millions at 18 or 19 years old I don’t blame them for leaving. I don’t want them to risk their career with a season ending injury. I would rather see these boys, young men, playing at UK then playing against us. Who is better to hand these young men then Calipari? He mentors, guides, loves and coaches them from his heart. Sure he is getting something out of it, sure he is getting media attention but he is doing it all for the right reasons. I have never seen a coach who cares so much for his players. I sat in awe when he hugged DeMarcus, DeAndre when the came off the floor after playing. I was absolutely in tears when Anthony went down this year and Cal was the first one on the floor to see how he was, picked him up and hugged him. Cal teaches them kindness, empathy, caring for the less fortunate, caring for each other as brothers, and caring for themsleves as human beings. Cal is not in this just for his own paycheck, he is in this and does this because he can, he wants to and he truly loves his job and those boys, everyone one of those boys who have passed by him. The come to UK as boys, they become Wildcats and they leave men. What more could you ask for when the future of new generations are in your hands?
This is an personal choice that rightfuly belongs to these players . I too would like to have players stay at least two years however it’s not my decession to make and quite frankly none of my business . Players such as Miller are oh so valueable to Title runs . Coach Cal is the man for the coaching job at UK .
I’d rather see the rule changed like the baseball rule. To the pros out of high school, or three years in school before going pro, but like Cal said, this is the rules. Imagine what Cal could do with a bunch of guys for four or five years. The one and done is great for us now, but it will change if Cal wins two or three championships over the next three to five years. They will say it’s not fair that he is the best recruiter in the game and gives him an unfair advantage. I’d say they are already looking at it more than they did in the past for that very reason now. Think about it, year 1 elite 8, year two final 4, year 3? at least final 4 and more than likely champion. What he does works and no one else has done it, or is doing it.
Cal said after the win he wishes they would change the rule next week, wish that would happen too. Would love to see these young men back next year.