Orlando Antigua has been gone from UK since 2014. (Vicky Graff Photo)
It was over a month ago I saw a tweet from Big Blue Express after Kentucky’s 9-16 season ended suggesting there was a good chance former assistant coach Orlando Antigua could return to the UK staff next season.
Guess what? It seems like it could happen.
Speculation has picked up in the last week about Antigua’s return. He left Kentucky in 2014 to become head coach at South Florida and most recently has been an assistant at Illinois under Brad Underwood.
This has seemed like a move coach John Calipari should have been made sooner if he really is ready to do it now. Antigua was a successful recruiter — UK’s last Final Four appearance was in 2015 with players Antigua helped recruit — and fan favorite. He was someone Calipari relied on and trusted.
Of course, if Antigua is returning, someone has to go. It won’t be Jai Lucas, the former Texas assistant Calipari brought on board a year ago in part to help prepare for coping with the transfer portal that has turned into a monster with the number of players transferring. He’s also young and a terrific recruiter.
Calipari also added Bruiser Flint this year after Kenny Payne left for the NBA. Calipari and Flint are long-time friends and I can’t see Calipari letting him go.
That would leave Joel Justus and Tony Barbee. Both have been solid coaches at Kentucky and worked well with Calipari. But a 9-16 mark at UK means changes are needed. Remember head football coach Mark Stoops had to let offensive coordinator Eddie Gran and quarterback coach Darrin Hinshaw go after last season. He was friends with both but felt the program needed a change. Calipari faces the same dilemma but Barbee is rumored to be one of the top choices for the vacant head job at Central Michigan.
Maybe Calipari will just decide to bring in two new assistant coaches. One name floating around now is another Illinois assistant, Ron Coleman. He’s been with the Illini four years
And think about this — one of many guards in the transfer portal is Adam Miller. He started 31 games last season for one of the nation’s best teams and averaged 8.3 points and 2.8 rebounds per game while shooting 34 percent on 3-pointers as a freshman.
A lot to ponder but the speculation is certainly running rampant about UK basketball changes — and probably should be after the 9-16 mark last year.
