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Takeaways From John Calipari’s Offseason Interview

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Photos by Chet White | UK Athletics

On Friday, John Calipari talked to the media for just the second time since the upset loss to Saint Peter’s, this team with Mike Pratt and Dan Issel on ESPN 680.

Let’s take a look at what he had to say.

Oscar Tshiebwe

Oscar Tshiebwe announced his return to Kentucky on Wednesday, making him the first National Player of the Year to return to college since Tyler Hansborough in 2008. Calipari talked about Tshiebwe’s decision-making process and just how close he was to leaving.

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Calipari noted that Tshiebwe had prayed and asked God, “Why did I win every award and did all that I did and not be a lottery pick?”, with God answering, ” you have unfinished business”.

Now, with that said, “there were people in his ear trying to get him to leave until the very end, up until he sat in that chair [on SportsCenter]”. At one point, Tshiebwe even recorded two videos for both a return and a departure to the NBA.

With Tshiebwe assured to be on the next season’s roster, Calipari said “you have a building block with Oscar” and that he feels “really good” about the way the next season’s roster is shaping up.

Oscar returns with two goals in mind, to win an NCAA championship and be a lottery pick.

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Sahvir Wheeler and the Rest of the Current Roster

“He had a hell of a year until he got injured. Then he gained some weight and didn’t play as well, BUT, he is still that guy,” said Calipari about his SEC assist leading guard, Sahvir Wheeler.

Calipari noted that Wheeler is “the difference” and will work to get him steady and to keep improving.

As for the rest of the current roster, “with Sahvir, CJ, Cason, Chris, Damion, Lance, and Oscar. WOW,” Calipari said.

One notable exclusion from that list is Keion Brooks, who has put his name into the NBA Draft while retaining his college eligibility. If Brooks were to return, he would become just the second out-of-state player to stay four years in the Calipari era.

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Finding Players “That Fit”

Since taking the position at Kentucky, Calipari has always said, “Kentucky isn’t for everybody.” He has proved that, being very selective in the players they go after, from high school and the transfer portal.

When asked about finding guys that fit the Kentucky culture, Calipari said “What these kids are hearing [from other schools] is, ‘you’re coming here to score 25 a game’, ‘you’re going to play every minute’, ‘I’m starting you from day one’, ‘you don’t worry, we will build around you’. You come here, and it is all of us together… so that’s not what they hear [from Kentucky].”

Calipari when on to specifically talk about finding guys from the transfer portal, saying, “It can’t be ‘I,m just worried about what happens for me’. It’s gotta be like Kellan, It’s gotta be like Oscar… They fit what we’re about”

Shaedon Sharpe

“I don’t want to start a relationship on a lie,” Calipari said when talking about recruiting and not promising anything to players. Calipari has never called out a player or those surrounding them, but this quote seemed to correlate to the Shaedon Sharpe situation.

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When asked about Sharpe, Cal noted that he is still consulting with him and his family, “He was in class today. Nothing has changed in the last two months in how we go about this. I’m talking to his mother and father, and we’re talking once a week. THEY will play a part in this.”

When Calipari said “they”, he was seemingly referring to Sharpe and his family having a say in the decision, making it seem like Dwayne Washington, Sharpe’s advisor, wants to control the situation.

After his camp saying for months that he would play next season, what changed? “What changed is, he was coming back, that was the plan. But all of a sudden some circumstances change and maybe he can be picked in those early, early picks, maybe he can’t,” Calipari said.

Despite all the controversy, Calipari iterated this is not done, “He signed up for classes, both summer and fall. He put his stuff from his room in the basement of the lodge, Kids that are coming back put they’re stuff down there. We don’t know… He may do this, but it’s not done.”

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“Shaedon knows I want to coach him. Shaedon knows that Oscar is coming back. Don’t let all the negative stuff affect your decision”, Calipari also said.

Acknowledging Fan Frustration

Calipari acknowledged the fan frustration from losing to Saint Peter’s and the Sharpe situation saying, “We have unbelievably strong fanbase that’s everywhere in this country, but when things don’t go right, sometimes they get mad.”

Specifically on the Saint Peter’s game, “Did I grieve? Did I take it hard? What?1? I have never had a team do that in my career… But I’m done with it. It’s next.”

Calipari understands the frustration and takes it, “I get it and I know when people are mad they say stuff. That’s fine. Part of the tax you pay to be the Kentucky coach is that

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With that said, Calipari doesn’t want that frustration to hinder the program going forward, saying “let’s not hurt recruiting.”

Calipari ended the interview talking about the team’s visit to Dawson Springs, and talked about wanting to be remembered for more than basketball. “I’m hoping when my time has gone people can look back and not just be about all the winning and all the Final Fours and hopefully more than one national title and all the other stuff that they say more than that, that program helped everybody within the Commonwealth,” Calipari said.

Listen to the entirety of the interview on most podcast platforms or by using the link below.

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Men's Basketball

Brandon Garrison Takes On A Leadership Role Heading Into Next Season

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Brandon Garrison and Kentucky head coach Mark Pope
Eddie Justice | UK Athletics

Brandon Garrison had his ups and downs during the 2024-25 season, at times making plays above his experience level on the court, and other times, causing unfortunate turnovers and making Big Blue Nation yell “pass the ball” when he attempted to show off his handles.

However, since the offseason has began, we’ve seen the backup big man from last year’s squad take major jumps in not only his skill set, but in his mentality and leadership as well.

“BG” announced that he was coming back to Kentucky on April 12 for the 2025-26 season, and since then, has been the talk of the town to be the starting center for Mark Pope’s second-year team.

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Last season, Garrison played behind Amari Williams, coming off of the bench and averaging 5.9 points per game and 3.9 rebounds per game in just 17.3 minutes a night. 

Having played a year already in Pope’s system, Garrison may get a nod for the starting role over one of the transfer pickups, especially since Pope and the coaching staff have been publicly vocal about his development. With young players such as Jayden Quaintance and Malachi Moreno coming in behind Garrison, you can guarantee he will play a major role in their development.

In an offseason press conference, Pope said that Garrison has already taken on more of a mentorship role heading into next season.

“He’ll be the first to tell you that Amari Williams was a life-changing mentor for him,” Pope said. “He’s excited to help some other guys come along.”

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Pope added on that Garrison went out of his way to have breakfast and talk to four of the incoming transfers, on their official visits, about Kentucky and the way the staff does things.

“Brandon Garrison showed me some signs in the last month, and certainly this summer, where he is just, like he is growing up, man,” Pope said in an interview with KSR on May 22. “It’s so cool to see, it’s the best thing to see as a coach. He’s talking about what he wants to be. It’s no longer kind of what he is and who he is and how he acts, but it’s what he wants to become.”

As the season inches closer, we’ll learn more about Garrison’s impact on the court and if he’ll be the day one starter, but regardless, off the court, you can bet he has some wisdom to pass down.

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Former Wildcats Headline Thunder-Pacers NBA Finals Matchup

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Cason Wallace and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Kevin Jairaj | IMAGN

The NBA Finals tip off with familiar faces on both sides in the first-ever series between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Indiana Pacers.

For the first time since 2012, when the Thunder were led by Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City is in the NBA Finals. The franchise has the opportunity to earn its first title in Oklahoma City since the team’s rebrand and relocation in 2008.

As for the Pacers, it’s the franchise’s first NBA Finals appearance since 2000. Indiana is seeking its first championship in team history. 

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Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Oklahoma City’s superstar and crowning 2024-25 league MVP has continued his season-long dominance into the postseason. Averaging 31.4 points, 5.7 rebounds, 6.9 assists and 1.6 steals per game.

Gilgeous-Alexander impressed as the Thunder beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 4-1, as he led all but one game of the series in scoring. 

After an underwhelming performance in Game 3, Gilgeous-Alexander responded with a near triple-double performance, posting 40 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds. Oklahoma City defeated the Timberwolves narrowly, 128-126.

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The Thunder blew out Minnesota in Games 4 and 5 thanks to back-to-back massive performances by Gilgeous-Alexander, who scored 34 and 40 points, respectively. Clinching his first bid to the NBA Finals. 

At midcourt after their Game 5 victory, OKC hoisted the Western Conference Trophy in front of their home crowd. Gilgeous-Alexander walked off with the Earvin ‘Magic’ Johnson Trophy for his Western Conference Finals heroics.

Cason Wallace

Second-year pro Wallace is the Thunder’s ultimate plug-and-play contributor. Although Wallace isn’t a stat-stuffing machine like Gilgeous-Alexander, his defensive prowess stands out.

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In five games, the Kentucky product averaged 25.8 minutes per game off the bench. Wallace was often assigned to guard Wolves superstar Anthony Edwards. 

The 6-foot-4 guard averaged five points, 3.6 assists, 2.4 rebounds, and nearly a block and steal per game. 

Known for his hustle, Wallace excels at imposing himself on defense despite commonly matching up with larger opponents. His ability to disrupt the Timberwolves’ offense created offensive opportunities, which coincided with his pass-first mentality on offense.

Wallace could be found stealing from 7-foot-1 Frenchman Rudy Gobert in the post and nailing 3-pointers on the other end.

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In Game 5, Wallace scored only five points but had two rebounds, three assists and two blocks. Helping OKC seal a commanding 124-94 victory to punch their ticket to the NBA Finals.

Isaiah Jackson

The tallest former Wildcat out of the bunch, Jackson stands at 6-foot-9 as a physical off-the-bench presence for Indiana.

Unfortunately, the big man won’t be available to play in the NBA Finals. In the fifth game of the season, Jackson suffered a season-ending Achilles tear on Nov. 1 in a matchup against the New Orleans Pelicans. 

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This season Jackson made six appearances for the Pacers, including a start against the Boston Celtics early in the season. Posting seven points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game.

Despite the injury, the four-year Pacer would still receive a ring if Indiana wins for his short-lived contribution this season.

Game 1 of the NBA Finals tips-off on Thursday, June 5, at 8:30 p.m. ET.

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The 2025-26 Cats Consensus: It’s Time for Banner Number Nine

Every new and returning Wildcat shares the same dream: bringing a championship trophy to Lexington once more.

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Mark Pope in a crowd of fans at Big Blue Madness
Tyler Ruth | UK Athletics

“We are here to win banners.”

While just about everything Mark Pope said at his introductory press conference went viral in one way or another, that aforementioned declaration stood out amongst his crowd of quotes like no other to a fanbase more than a decade removed from a national championship.

To the big blue nation, Coach Pope’s words last spring were a much needed battle cry. Now, as he’s set to enter his second year at the helm, Pope has made sure the team he assembled for the 2025-26 season shares the same hunger.

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It begins on a basic level, with players across the board throwing the number “9” around on social media in posts, replies, and commitments. Much like the Kentucky faithful, the newest roster to roll through Lexington isn’t afraid to make reference to the top task at hand.

For (likely) starting point guard Jaland Lowe, it’s an opportunity he “can’t miss.” “See y’all soon #BBN,” he said in a post on X, announcing his return to the collegiate level. Lowe chose a junior season at Kentucky over a chance to be chosen in the NBA Draft. Otega Oweh, the now-projected SEC player of the year, would follow suit shortly thereafter.

The Ultimate Goal

Andrija Jelavic, a primary member of the incoming unit, as well as the team’s lone international player, dubbed the title chase as “the ultimate goal” in his interview with KY Insider. “We all [the team] agree that the ultimate goal is the same and that is to bring a championship to Kentucky, to the state and the fans,” he said.

To Jelavic, it goes further than hunger. It’s a responsibility.

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And that responsibility is what sets Kentucky apart from other programs. As awkward as the conversation around John Calipari can get, when push comes to shove, much of the dissatisfaction growing within the fanbase as his tenure came to a close was rooted in the coach’s apparent disinterest in winning another championship.

Year after year went by; top-ranked roster after top ranked roster. After a while, it seemed that Kentucky was more often mentioned in the first round of the NBA Draft than it was in the NCAA Tournament. The problem persisted, the tension festered and, ultimately, the two sides split… and it all goes back to that elusive ninth title.

Name on the Front of the Jersey

Mark Pope has said before that he wants to bring in guys who are playing for the name on the front of their jersey. It just so happens that there are enough of those like-minded athletes across the nation to build one of the consensus best teams in college basketball, all of whom are in full pursuit of a new blue banner in the rafters of Rupp.

With a mindset like that shared across the board and talent like the 2025-26 team has at hand, it’s only a matter of time before that dream becomes a reality once more. For the first time in more than a decade, the entire Big Blue Nation is on the same page – and that includes the guys who can actually make it happen.

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