Men's Basketball

Takeaways From John Calipari’s Offseason Interview

Published

4 years ago

April 23, 2022

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.”

“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

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.

Related Topics:Cason Wallace Chris Livingston CJ Frederick Damion Collins Keion Brooks Jr Lance Ware Oscar Tshiebwe Sahvir Wheeler Shaedon Sharpe

Men's Basketball

Practice Update: How Summer Workouts Are Going For Kentucky Basketball

Published

12 hours ago

June 18, 2026

Kai McClelland

Photo via UK Athletics

It’s the heat of the summer, with every member of Kentucky’s basketball roster on campus and gearing up for next season.

Although Kam Williams and Franck Kepnang have been sidelined as a precautionary measure, the rest of the team has been lifting weights, playing pickup and getting adjusted to each other’s game.

Justin McBride Turning Heads

6-foot-7 forward Justin McBride averaged 15.3 points per game in his junior season with JMU, so when Kentucky picked him up in the offseason, many members of the Big Blue Nation began to share his offensive highlights and build anticipation for his senior year.

McBride saw that and took accountability, with sources confirming with KY Insider that he showed up on campus nearly 15 pounds lighter. This is the healthiest he’s been in his career, and his deadly shooting will be welcomed by a newfound agility and quickness.

Zoom Diallo Taking Leadership Role

As any true point guard should do, Zoom Diallo has taken on the leadership role with a full head of steam, using his voice to rally the team early in the summer.

Sources confirmed that the 6-foot-6 guard from Washington certainly isn’t shy on the court and goes the extra mile, arriving to practices hours early to staying after for extra work.

New Team, New Intensity

The Kentucky staff is changing the tone of the offseason, with a source telling us that there’s been a physical shift during each practice and workout.

Notably, this gets guys familiar with what the college level is truly like, with Braydon Hawthorne and Mason Williams being two names mentioned as players they’re pressing the envelope on early.

Talented Youth

While there’s a fair share of experienced guys on this roster, two of the best players on this team are entering their sophomore seasons.

Alex Wilkins and Malachi Moreno have been showing off so far, sources confirmed, with Moreno being simply unbelievable down low and Wilkins showing that he’s not going to be passive with his decision making.

With Kepnang out for the summer as a precaution, the staff is excited to see him match Moreno’s intensity given his college experience. Wilkins has proved his dual-threat ability is real, allowing him to score from anywhere and make plays alongside Diallo.

BB Recruiting

Kentucky Basketball Receives Prediction to Land International Star Nikola Kusturica

Published

2 days ago

June 17, 2026

Tristan Pharis

Kentucky basketball has taken over as the favorite for Serbian star Nikola Kusturica, a projected lottery pick in 2028, with a prediction backing the Wildcats.

Just when many believed Kentucky’s roster was complete in terms of contributing players, Mark Pope might have an ace up his sleeve.

Last week, it was reported that Kentucky was among the frontrunners to land 6-foot-8 Serbian wing Nikola Kusturica. At the time, Gonzaga was thought to be the team to beat, having a more defined role to offer, compared to Kentucky, who has one remaining roster spot and a good amount of depth in wing positions.

Since then, things have shifted in a big way.

Gonzaga received a commitment from 18-year-old French guard Juwan Ekanga-Ehawa on Sunday. By Tuesday night, the Wildcats received a Crystal Ball prediction from 247Sports’ Travis Branham to land Kusturica, with a confidence level of 7 out of 10.

The 6-foot-8 wing currently plays for FC Barcelona in Spain’s Liga ACB and EuroLeague system. He just turned 17 years old and is reportedly seeking a two-year college opportunity before becoming draft-eligible in 2028, where he is already being projected as a lottery pick.

The on-court résumé speaks for itself. In the 2025 FIBA U16 EuroBasket, he averaged 20 points, 7.7 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 2.1 steals, and 1.6 blocks per game while leading Serbia to a championship and was named tournament MVP. He also helped Barcelona capture the Adidas NextGen Finals championship last month, posting 20 points and 10 rebounds in the title game against Real Madrid.

Next, Kusturica will represent Serbia in the FIBA U17 World Cup from June 27 to July 5, and a college decision could come before then.

Mark Pope is carrying a lot of momentum in recent weeks after retaining Malachi Moreno and adding Milan Momcilovic to this season’s roster, as well as landing the first top 10 prospect of his career in Ryan Hampton. If he can close on Kusturica, that would cap off the roster in a significant way and continue to change the narrative around his recruiting ability.

Men's Basketball

Kentucky’s Kam Williams and Franck Kepnang Sidelined For Summer as Precaution

Published

3 days ago

June 16, 2026

Kai McClelland

Photo via UK Athletics

Since players have arrived on campus and began facing off against each other, we’ve seen multiple pictures and videos of the team surface across social media.

From Milan Momcilovic sparking threes from deep, to Braydon Hawthorne showing us his playmaking abilities, members of the Big Blue Nation have been watching, reposting and expressing their animosity for the upcoming season.

However, the same questions have circled throughout the comments. Where is Kam Williams? Where is Franck Kepnang?

In the most calming way possible, KY Insider can confirm that Williams and Kepnang will both be out during summer workouts as a precautionary measure for previous injuries. KSR’s Jack Pilgrim had the news first, with Williams confirmed to be back in his boot.

Williams, who broke his foot in February, is eyeing an 100% recovery before he begins scrimmaging. His summer training has been minimal and the team is taking the most kindest form of rest so re-injury becomes less likely during the 2026-27 season.

Kepnang has had a long list of leg and knee injuries throughout his collegiate career thus far, causing him to miss the half of four seasons from 2020-21 through 2024-25. Hoping for a productive seventh year of college basketball and with a severe past, load management is the common and smart move given his situation.

Again, both are precautious actions and no new injuries have occurred.

Mark Pope and the rest of the team are having fun, the vibes are good and they will get Williams and Kepnang up to speed when the time is right.