Orlando Antigua, left, is glad he can get back on the road recruiting. (UK Athletics Photo)
Kentucky basketball coaches have wasted no time getting on the road to see recruits now that COVID protocols have been lifted to allow them to travel again. New Kentucky assistant coach Orlando Antigua is thrilled to be back out and knows he speaks for the whole staff.
“The recruiting part is great. We’re a people person, so getting the chance to have dinner, connect with families, connect with the kids, being able to communicate and share the vision that we have,” Antigua said.
“It’s one thing to do it on a Zoom, it’s another thing to do it and touch people and read body language and all of those things that you need. I’m a touchy-feely guy anyway so it’s always good to put my arm around a kid or the family, the dad, stuff like that, and you get that connection.
“So being able to have that, it’s been great.”
Antigua was on Calipari’s staff at UK before. He helped recruit players on the 2012 national championship team and the 2015 team that finished 38-1. He says nothing has changed about UK wanting the best student-athletes possible but they have to want to “take on the challenge” of being at Kentucky.
“Cal says it all the time it’s not for everyone, and it’s not,” Antigua said. “So we lay out that vision, we lay out the expectations, we lay out how hard it’s going to be.
“The kids that sign up to that are to be commended and we love them for that.”
