Connect with us

Men's Basketball

John Calipari Wishes He Would Have Left Kentucky in 2019, Is “Sad” To Leave

Published

on

According to close people around him, John Calipari admits he should have left Kentucky in 2019, leaving Lexington on top.
Pat McDonogh / Courier Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK

When John Calipari was first introduced at Kentucky he was given the advice from the late Joe B Hall, who coached Kentucky from 1972-1985. That advice, No UK coach should keep the job for more than 10 years.

Hall, who won the 1978 championship, Kentucky’s first in 20 years, coached the Wildcats for thirteen seasons. Despite his successes, he still suffered a large amount of criticism that eventually played into his departure.

Calipari suffered a similar fate. His tenure at Kentucky started with historic highs, going to four Final Fours in five seasons, and ended with historic lows, winning just one NCAA Tournament game in his last four seasons. But what if he had taken the UCLA job in 2019, following Kentucky’s Elite Eight loss to Auburn?

Advertisement

From 2009 to 2019, Calipari failed to make at least the Sweet 16 just twice. Advancing to the Elite Eight seven times. Four Final Fours. One National title. That would be one of the most successful runs in the modern era of college basketball. He would have left Lexington on top. According to those close to him, he admits he should have gone to UCLA, per The Athletic.

Then again, it is difficult to turn down a 10-year, $86 million contract, “lifetime” contract.

But that didn’t happen. In reality, Calipari failed to win one NCAA Tournament game with a National Player of the Year winner nor a National Freshman of the Year winner, and the lowest.

Yet, the lows since 2019 should define his time at Kentucky. The last few days have been a time to reflect over the last fifteen years. Think about how fun the John Wall/Demarcus Cousins year was. Beating Indiana and Louisville en route to the 2012 title. The miraculous 2014 title game run. A nearly undefeated season. Malik Monk scoring a freshman-record 47 points. Drake coming to Big Blue Madness. Tyler Herro’s last-minute three over Houston.

Advertisement

It’s been a fun ride. While Calipari understands it’s time for a “new voice” he is sad to leave Lexington.

“We loved our time there,” Calipari said. “We gave every ounce of everything we had to that job, that state, that school. I walk away sad, but no regrets. We left nothing on the table. There’s not a whole lot more we could’ve tried to do.”

Advertisement

Men's Basketball

Kentucky Basketball Receiving High Praise in Power Rankings, High as No. 2 According to One Analyst

Published

on

The Kentucky Wildcats are the early surprise of the college basketball season, receiving high praise after a big win over Duke.
Chet White | UK Athletics

It was different to see Kentucky ranked 23rd in the preseason AP Poll, their lowest since the 2008 season. However, a week and a half into the season, they are already climbing the rankings.

Jumping to No. 19 in the AP Poll and No. 18 in the Coaches poll this week, the Wildcats will take another good jump when the updated polls are released Monday, after defeating sixth-ranked Duke in the Champion’s Classic 77-72. They will likely fall in the 11-14 range.

That said, some analysts believe Kentucky is a top 10 team, including one from CBS that has them ranked as the SECOND best team in the country.

Advertisement

Let’s take a look.

CBS

2. Kentucky Wildcats (3-0)

It took all of three games for Mark Pope to capture a signature victory at Kentucky. UK outlasted No. 6 Duke on Tuesday in the Champions Classic, nailing 10 3s in the win and downing Duke despite a huge game from Blue Devils freshman phenom Cooper Flagg.

ESPN

8. Kentucky Wildcats (3-0)
Preseason ranking: 23

Advertisement

At halftime during the Champions Classic, it was fair to question whether Kentucky could consistently get points in a half-court setting against a strong opponent. Duke was keeping the Wildcats out of transition, and after an early barrage of 3s, the team’s attack had dried up. Then Mark Pope made some smart tweaks offensively, using Amari Williams and Brandon Garrison as playmakers in the middle of the floor, and Andrew Carr created matchup problems. The Wildcats answered a lot of questions with their second-half showing.


If the Wildcats are able to maintain this momentum and keep themselves high in the rankings, they will truly be one of the best stories of this college basketball season. A storied program, with a new coach and an entirely new roster.

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Men's Basketball

ESPN Anchor Discredits Kentucky After Win Over Duke, “They’ve Already Peaked”

Published

on

An ESPN anchor is discrediting Kentucky after their big win against Duke. "Where does Kentucky go from here? They’ve already peaked."
Chet White | UK Athletics

The Kentucky Wildcats are coming off of a statement win against Duke. However, many of the national stories shortly after the game were about Duke and Cooper Flagg. Now one SportsCenter Host, Shae Peppler, is even discrediting the Wildcats, suggesting they’ve already peaked.

“It’s only their third game of the season,” Peppler said. “You talk about how he [Pope] totally rebuilt this roster from scratch and did it in such a short time. Now where does Kentucky go from here? They’ve already peaked, it feels like.”

To his credit, former Duke guard Jay Williams took up for the Cats quickly after they defeated his alma mater the night before. “No, no, they’re not peaking. You have a team full of veterans that know how to play.”

Mark Pope said postgame that he will be keeping the team off of social media, to prevent them from getting too high or low. This is a perfect example of why.

Advertisement

In just a few weeks, the Wildcats will have another big test as they take on the fourth-ranked Gonzaga Bulldogs in Seattle. They will look to prove themselves right, and prove the doubters wrong, again.

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Men's Basketball

Mark Pope Showed Team Past Kentucky-Duke Games Before Champion’s Classic Win, Help Them Understand the Rivalry

Published

on

Kentucky basketball coach Mark Pope showed his players past Kentucky-Duke games to help them understand the rivalry and prepare for the Champion's Classic.
Dale Zanine | Imagn

The days of most college basketball players spending three to four seasons with one school are long gone. For years elite freshmen have entered the draft after one season, and now the most talented experienced players are jumping into the portal to spend a season or two at bigger schools.

It’s hard to fault players for these moves, looking to better themselves and their careers. However, it does make it difficult for them to understand what a program means to its fanbase, and the history behind them, such as long-standing rivalries.

Despite assembling a team of 13 new players, including nine transfers, Mark Pope is doing his best to make sure his players understand the deep traditions and storied history of Kentucky Basketball.

Advertisement

Prior to the Wildcats’ game against Duke in the Champions Classic, he had a video made to not only help them understand, but to feel the Kentucky-Duke rivalry.

“We started with a little bit of a hype video and just gave our guys context,” Pope said in a postgame radio interview with Matt Jones. “The beginning of the video is a bunch of Jack Givens highlights about his National Championship against Duke. Then, of course, in the Spectrum with Christian Laettner. Then the Comeback Cats national championship in ’98. It just gave our guys a sense of the context they were walking into in this game. Our guys were very, very aware of what this means.”

From the reactions and celebration after the game, you can tell the players got the message and felt the accomplishment of giving Big Blue Nation that win.

“It’s special. This is special for Kentucky.”

Advertisement

Continue Reading

Trending