John Calipari slams Duke's recruiting tactics after losing out on Zion Williamson

It's an unfair world...

Bless his heart.

He's getting beat by K at his own game.

I actually think it works out better for Cal to have a roster like he has this year. As per usual, he has a team full of freshmen. This group is good right now, but not great. Odds are that at least some of them stick around for another year. For once, his lineup next year might be similar to the one he has this year. Look for UK to be a top five team all of next season.

Cal should worry less about Duke edging him in recruiting and more about winning more national championships. If he doesn't get at least one or two more chips, he'll always be known as the slickster who recruited like no other and yet couldn't win chips with all those great players. Personally, I hope that's the legacy that sticks. Unfortunately if he wins a few more, he'll be able to shed that. Time will tell.

Problem with the Kentucky will be better next year with returning Sophomores argument is that they will probably still lose almost all of their top players.

NBAdraft.net updated their 2018 Mock Draft 3 days ago, and still had 4 Kentucky players - Knox, Shai, Vanderbilt and Diallo - going in the top 16.

He looks petty. K never held such a press comnference or made public statements like that when Cal was getting them.

(01-24-2018 02:21 PM)Tony85 Wrote:  He looks petty. K never held such press comments or made public statements like that when Cal was getting them.

He said he didn't like the one and done rule and opening complained when his players left early.

One year a while ago a player left after early and K was openly frustrated and upset...I think the player was McRoberts.

But one thing is certain he still advocates that players should be able to go straight to the NBA...So he is consistent. He would prefer that none of the stars play in college and he gets to coach on a level playing field talent wise.

K was not able to compete with the talent deficiencies he was seeing so he decided to join the game. Winning is the ultimate goal I guess.

(01-24-2018 02:42 PM)macgar32 Wrote:  

(01-24-2018 02:21 PM)Tony85 Wrote:  He looks petty. K never held such press comments or made public statements like that when Cal was getting them.

He said he didn't like the one and done rule and opening complained when his players left early.

One year a while ago a player left after early and K was openly frustrated and upset...I think the player was McRoberts.

But one thing is certain he still advocates that players should be able to go straight to the NBA...So he is consistent. He would prefer that none of the stars play in college and he gets to coach on a level playing field talent wise.

K was not able to compete with the talent deficiencies he was seeing so he decided to join the game. Winning is the ultimate goal I guess.

Totally agree. That's exactly the way I see it too. But why would Cal show his hand (of frustration with Duke) and not just adjust his tactics?

There is also the major point of having a real chance at winning a championship at Duke. Yes, KY will get you into the pros, but so will Duke. If Cal was winning championships at KY as well as getting players into the NBA he would have a much better leg to stand on in his recruiting pitch. Why take one or the other when you can have both...

https://www.seccountry.com/kentucky/espn...resurgence

I see I'm not alone in my assessment

(01-24-2018 05:34 PM)Tony85 Wrote:  https://www.seccountry.com/kentucky/espn...resurgence

I see I'm not alone in my assessment

Without overwhelming talent he is exposed as a so so bench coach. His success relies on out talenting the other teams.

(01-24-2018 05:26 PM)memtigbb Wrote:  There is also the major point of having a real chance at winning a championship at Duke. Yes, KY will get you into the pros, but so will Duke. If Cal was winning championships at KY as well as getting players into the NBA he would have a much better leg to stand on in his recruiting pitch. Why take one or the other when you can have both...

You make a great point. And if Duke isn't using that in their pitch, they should be.

Duke > Kentucky

Stef Curry played at Davidson.

(01-24-2018 09:49 PM)ncrdbl1 Wrote:  

(01-24-2018 05:34 PM)Tony85 Wrote:  https://www.seccountry.com/kentucky/espn...resurgence

I see I'm not alone in my assessment

Without overwhelming talent he is exposed as a so so bench coach. His success relies on out talenting the other teams.

So did John Wooten's and Pat Summit's. That is the game of college hoops.

(01-24-2018 09:49 PM)ncrdbl1 Wrote:  Without overwhelming talent he is exposed as a so so bench coach. His success relies on out talenting the other teams.

I think most fans would take Cal back in a heartbeat.

Folks who knock his actual coaching skills often forget how his teams play ferocious defense year after year...a reliable sign of some serious coaching happening in practices and games, FWIW IMHO.

(01-28-2018 03:51 PM)Claw Wrote:  

(01-24-2018 09:49 PM)ncrdbl1 Wrote:  

(01-24-2018 05:34 PM)Tony85 Wrote:  https://www.seccountry.com/kentucky/espn...resurgence

I see I'm not alone in my assessment

Without overwhelming talent he is exposed as a so so bench coach. His success relies on out talenting the other teams.

So did John Wooten's and Pat Summit's. That is the game of college hoops.

John Wooten? Who is that? John WOODEN won ten championships. Summit won eight.

Unless Calipari wins at least one or two more titles, he'll forever be known as the slickster coach who recruited like no other but couldn't translate John Wall, Boogie Cousins, Derrick Rose, Karl Anthony Towns, Eric Bledsoe, De'Aaron Fox, Tyreke Evans, etc. into national championships.

Of course, he still has time to win more championships. We'll see.

(01-30-2018 02:42 PM)GermantownTiger Wrote:  

(01-24-2018 09:49 PM)ncrdbl1 Wrote:  Without overwhelming talent he is exposed as a so so bench coach. His success relies on out talenting the other teams.

I think most fans would take Cal back in a heartbeat.

No thanks. But, to each his own.

(01-27-2018 11:00 AM)dcg141 Wrote:  Stef Curry played at Davidson.

Is that why people can't spell his name?

(01-30-2018 02:42 PM)GermantownTiger Wrote:  

(01-24-2018 09:49 PM)ncrdbl1 Wrote:  Without overwhelming talent he is exposed as a so so bench coach. His success relies on out talenting the other teams.

I think most fans would take Cal back in a heartbeat.

Folks who knock his actual coaching skills often forget how his teams play ferocious defense year after year...a reliable sign of some serious coaching happening in practices and games, FWIW IMHO.

folks that knock his coaching skills are ignorant or jealous. Cal is a far better than average coach and is very good at developing players and teams -- he does seem to make a few bad calls during games which come back to bite him