PHOTO - Jeff Houchin
During Jai Lucas’ playing career at Texas he learned to appreciate everything about coach Rick Barnes. Now that Lucas is on John Calipari’s staff at Kentucky and will be competing against Barnes, now the head coach at Tennessee, at least twice annually that admiration has not changed.
“I’m excited because he’s done a great job at Tennessee. He is somebody that I still communicate with a lot,” Lucas, a one-time UK recruit for coach Tubby Smith, said.
“I talked to him about this whole process when I was deciding what I was going to do in coming to Kentucky (from the Texas staff) and stuff like that.”
Lucas has the type of loyalty to Barnes that many former UK players have to John Calipari. And UK fans certainly can see why based on the job Barnes has done at Tennessee since taking that job.
“He helped me tremendously here recently and he’s just somebody that I know I can always call and I know that he will always pick up the phone,” Lucas said.
“Playing against his teams, you know what they’re going to bring. I’m excited about that competition. A lot of people who are on staff were on the Texas staff with me. So that’s exciting to see them as well.”
