Photo - Jeff Houchin Photography
Kentucky basketball has had a lot of off-season change with players opting for the NBA draft, freshmen arriving, transfers coming to Lexington and even assistant coaching staff reshuffling. However, Kentucky coach John Calipari says not to think everything has changed.
“Here’s the one thing that hasn’t changed: I’m at Kentucky! I’m the head coach of Kentucky! Oh, yeah,” Calipari said.
“And let me say this: Whoever the next coach here is will say the same thing. Stuff is going to change. This is going to happen. How about all those kids leave? How about you’re watching these playoffs and you’re like, ‘That kid wasn’t the best kid in the class and he was already a pro before he got there. I watched him at the beginning of the year.'”
Calipari was referring to ex-UK players now starring in the NBA like Jamal Murray, Bam Adebayo, Tyler Herro and Devin Booker.
“I don’t know if they have bubble trouble. I don’t know what they got, but they’re playing really well. And those are our guys. And that’s not going to change,” he said.
Translation: No matter what, the talent is going to continue to be at Kentucky.
“What we do for kids and the opportunities, not everybody wants it, not everybody wants to go through this. And what I’m saying is the glare is on you. There’s no place to hide. You’re going to have other great teammates. You’re going to be coached and loved by me and have a relationship the rest of your life with me,” Calipari said.
“But it’s hard here. It’s Kentucky. You can’t hide. Things that you could do at other schools, can’t do. You’re not going to be told you’re the only guy and I’m going to do everything through you. You’re not going to be told that here because there’s seven, eight other guys.
“But here’s what I do know: Change happens and the Kentucky program has kind of stayed where it is.”
