Why Hate On Coach Cal?

Coach John Calipari is one of the move loved and hated coaches in America, and it’s easy to see why. Every year the Kentucky Wildcats don’t start over, they simply reload. Example, the 2012 National Championship team loaded with talents Anthony Davis, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, and Marquis Teague for freshman and Terrence Jones lost all of them to the NBA draft. No sweat. Kentucky added Julius Randle, the Harrison Twins, Dakari Johson, James Young, and Marcus Lee. coach cal2

As fate would have it, last year’s Kentucky team lost a number of starters to the NBA, but what Calipari and his staff did this summer is something never seen in college basketball. Tyler Ulis, Devon Booker, Karl Anthony-Townes, and Trey Lyles all five star ranked players signed to go to Lexington. Not to mention the Harrison twins, Dakari Johnson, Willie Cauley-Stein, Marcus Lee, and Alex Poythress all decided to stay back.

Calipari could create his all galaxy with all the ranked stars on this year’s roster. It’s unfair, and some truly feel this way. What is it about Coach Cal and Kentucky that draws players there every single year? The answer is simple: N-B-A.

That’s part of what rubs people the wrong way about Cal, is that he uses his schools as farm houses for top star talents to come for a year, then bounce. University of Memphis got the same heat when a young freshman named Derrick Rose decided to turn up all the way to the National Championship game. But imagine that, knowing every year you possibly have to bring in an entire new starting five, because your top three guys decided to pursue their dreams. You feel bad asking them to come back, especially if you know their family needs the money. But how do you sell education when kids see dollar signs?

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When you’re winning every season, it’s easy to land the top guys. Exclusive Nike gear and shoes, nationally televised games every week, Drake is showing up to your Midnight Madness, shooting airballs in layup lines. Who wouldn’t want to play there? But with great power comes great responsibility. Coach Cal is under a microscope at Kentucky, and best believe his every move that comes with recruiting is checked on. When you have the kind of talent to rotate a new five every ten minutes without losing any talent with your second group; you’re doing something right.

Right now Kentucky is ranked #1 in the country and the only undefeated team left in the country. A lot of people are saying they’ll go undefeated and win the National Championship. As Coach Cal always says, it’s not what you do in February that matters, it’s what you do in March. We’ll see how Kentucky handles the rest of the regular season before getting their likely 1 seed in the tournament.

And for those of you wondering about what’s going to happen next year, don’t trip. Kentucky again has the #1 ranked recruiting class, already getting letters of intent from three of the Top 50 recruits in the country. Rumor has it Kentucky may land another player in this year’s Top 10 ranking. Wouldn’t be surprised; that’s what Coach Cal does.

More recruits, more problems.