(Jeff Houchin Photo)
Maybe when he was holding his post-NBA Draft press conference Kentucky coach John Calipari already knew or sensed that Virginia Tech graduate transfer Kerry Blackshear was not coming to UK. Reports Wednesday said Blackshear was headed to Florida.
Whether he did or did not know, though, Calipari made it clear that Kentucky was “good” going into next season with the roster he already knew he had.
“We’re good one way or another. If we add, fine. If we don’t, I’m good,” Calipari said.
“You have stuff that happens last minute and things that are going, but our kids – I look at our group that we have and I’m really pleased with.”
He has grad transfer Nate Sestina to go along with junior Nick Richards and sophomore EJ Montgomery. He also has a standout group of perimeter players any coach in the country would like to have.
“I think our guard play is going to be good, too. But you’re going to have – look, the whole idea defensively is do you have shot blockers behind them? Do you have athletes that are guarding?” Calipari said.
“And all of a sudden now, this team should be a great defensive team. I may be wrong because it’s really early. I’ve been wrong before – 1978 – but I would guess that this team, people will talk about, ‘Man, are they good defensively.’ That’s what we should be.”
