Connect with us

Men's Basketball

Built for Kentucky: ESPN’s Rece Davis Says John Calipari and Rick Pitino Are the Only Ones Fit for the Job

Published

2 years ago

on

Over the course of this season, many analysts, fans, etc. have speculated on the future of Kentucky basketball and its relationship with head coach, John Calipari. One of those being ESPN’s College Gameday anchor, Rece Davis.

Calipari has not met expectations in the last two seasons, and when things looked bleak in mid-January of this season, some fans voiced their displeasure with trends such as “Fire Cal” and “Cal to Texas” in reference to Texas’ head coach vacancy. At certain points in the year, the idea that coach Cal would leave seemed plausible.

On ESPN’s College Gameday podcast with Pete Thamel, Davis claimed that he believes Calipari will stay at Kentucky due to his strong incoming recruiting class and that “anyone would be foolish to go otherwise.”

Advertisement

“There are 2 people on the planet built for that job, and their names are John Calipari and Rick Pitino,” Davis explains. “They’re built for that job. I think he has a really good recruiting class coming in, I think he’s adaptable and I think he’ll make changes. I think he should choose to stay and I don’t think Kentucky should entertain the notion of making a change, though I know the fan base is mad. But they’re always mad if they don’t hang a banner, that’s the way it goes.”

Some truth in Davis’ words as Kentucky fans always expect to win. That is what it means to be the “gold standard” as coach Cal has claimed so many times.

However, Davis did go on to say that to “put a validating stamp” on everything that Calipari has done at Kentucky, he needs to bring home at least one more championship. Davis adds that not having the number of elite players that coach Cal is accustomed to is part of the issue.

Additionally, Davis made a point to criticize Kentucky fans for their behavior during the Kansas game. He stated that fans went from cheering for Wildcats to “chanting vile, vulgar things” toward Kansas players as soon as something went wrong. Specifically towards Kansas freshman, Gradey Dick.

Advertisement

He notes that Kentucky fans have high expectations and can be emotional, as passionate fans should be. However, he feels that the fans should keep their emotions in check and not push coach Cal out the door. “This guy is one of the best coaches in the history of the game.” Although Davis does agree that “he needs to do better.”

The podcast can be listened to below.

Advertisement
Related Topics:
Advertisement

Men's Basketball

Former Louisville Player “Pissed Off” at Rick Pitino’s Return to Kentucky, Suggests He Is a Liar

Published

4 days ago

on

October 17, 2024

By

Former Louisville player Luke Hancock was "pissed off" about his former coach Rick Pitino returning to Kentucky, and suggests he is a liar.
IMAGN

If a Kentucky fan had been told on January 1st that Rick Pitino would return to Rupp Arena for Mark Pope’s first Big Blue Madness as the Wildcats’ head coach, they would have given you quite a look. Yet, it happened, and it even caught Louisville fans off guard.

“I want to come back to Camelot one more time,” Pitino said teary-eyed with a Kentucky blue pullover on. This was quite the opposite act of what he did the last time he was in Rupp Arena, which was flipping off the Wildcat fans as the head coach at Louisville in 2015.

Already angering Louisville fans with his return to their rival, Pitino was asked if he sees himself returning to Louisville in a similar fashion one day, to which he responded, “Probably not”.

Advertisement

“I love that place, and I love the fans at Louisville, but I’ve never been invited back to Louisville. They fired me quite abruptly and not nicely, but I harbor nothing against the fans and certainly nothing against my players. I love them dearly. But I’ve never been invited back, not one time.”

Former Louisville captain Luke Hancock refutes this, saying he has invited Pitino back himself.

“I’ll tell you what pissed me off,” Hancock said. “The fact that coach went out there and acted like he hadn’t invited back. That’s the line I don’t like. Of course, you’ve been invited back… For him to go out of his way to say that, that’s simply not true.”

It likely is the case that Hancock invited Pitino back to Louisville, but being invited back by a player and an administration is different. Again Pitino left Kentucky on his own will to go to the Boston Celtics, whereas he was fired from Louisville.

Advertisement

Now that he is back in the good graces of Big Blue Nation, and given the turmoil in his relationship with the UofL administration, it’s difficult to envision Pitino returning to Louisville for a reunion.

Continue Reading

BB Recruiting

Malachi Moreno Helping Kentucky Recruit Top 2025 Point Guard

Published

5 days ago

on

October 16, 2024

By

Five-star Kentucky commit Malachi Moreno is helping the Wildcats recruit one of the top point guards of the 2025 class Acaden Lewis.
UK Athletics

This past weekend was a big moment for Kentucky basketball, as the first Big Blue Madness of the Mark Pope era took place. In years past, the event has hosted multiple five-star recruits and this year was no different.

While the guest list was smaller due to USA Basketball junior mini camp, the Wildcats had two top recruits in attendance, 2026 five-star Anthony Thompson and 2024 four-star combo guard Acaden Lewis.

The latter is one of Kentucky’s biggest recruiting priorities in the 2025 class and was also on campus for an official visit as he prepares to make his college decision in early November. To help was five-star commit, Malachi Moreno.

Advertisement

While Moreno couldn’t make it to Big Blue Madness, he was able to meet with Lewis during his visit on Thursday and even took part in his photo shoot, as the pair posed together in Kentucky uniforms in Rupp Arena.

It helps to have a five-star commit just down the road to help recruit. Could we see the pair play together next season at Kentucky? Things are trending in that direction, but time will tell.

Also published on A Sea of Blue.

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Men's Basketball

Rick Pitino Takes Shot at Louisville Following Return to Kentucky

Published

5 days ago

on

October 16, 2024

By

Rick Pitino returned to Rupp Arena for Kentucky's Big Blue Madness, and took a shot at his former school Louisville.
© Clare Grant/Courier Journal

Time heals all wounds.

In 2015, Rick Pitino walked out of Rupp Arena with his middle finger up at the fans, as the head coach of the Louisville Cardinals. On Friday, he returned for the first time since, and as he emerged from the tunnel wearing Kentucky blue, holding the 1996 championship trophy, Big Blue Nation cheered for him for the first time in over two decades.

Clearly holding back tears, Pitino sat the trophy down on a mantle alongside seven others, and was welcomed with a warm embrace from his former player and now head coach, Mark Pope.

Advertisement

“I am so happy to be back,” Pitino opened. “Before I pack it in, in coaching, I want to come back to Camelot one more time. This is one of the best nights I’ve had in a long time.”

On Friday, at an event that had become stale and repetitive of late, was a moment that will be remembered in Kentucky basketball history. To close this historical night, Kentucky Insider asked Pitino if he ever thought he would be wearing Kentucky blue again.

“Yeah, I thought so. Once I left Louisville, I said I’ll sleep in Kentucky blue.”

Pitino is one of Kentucky’s own again. Wow, how time has changed.

Advertisement

Continue Reading

Trending