John Calipari knew some were telling Daimion Collins to transfer but he stayed at UK. (Photo by Jeff Houchin)
The transfer portal has been good to Kentucky basketball and brought national player of the year Oscar Tshiebwe to coach John Calipari.
Two other starters last year — Sahvir Wheeler and Kellan Grady — were transfers. Wheeler and Tshiebwe will be starters again for the 2022-23 season.
Kentucky has also added Illinois State transfer Antonio Reeves for next year and could still add another transfer.
Calipari told former UK All-Americans Dan Issel and Mike Pratt on ESPN radio that everyone has to accept the transfer portal and took a not so subtle shot at players who have left UK via transfer.
“You cannot go crazy if a player leaves because we have teams losing 11 guys and so you lose a guy, it’s where all this is right now. There’s nothing wrong with LSU or Kentucky or whoever, they’ve lost guys. That’s where this is right now,” the UK coach said.
“I think we’ve had seven or eight guys transfer from us. Not one has been drafted (by the NBA). Now, they’ve gotten more minutes and more highlights and all that stuff but none of them have been drafted.”
Instead, he listed how players like Immanuel Quickley, Nick Richards and PJ Washington stayed at UK and ended up being drafted.
“Guys that stayed and fought and were talked to by other places to leave here. Daimion Collins, ‘You should leave and go here and go there.’ Those kids said, ‘No, I’m fighting. I know my path is through this program.’” Calipari said.
“But transfers will happen. Now you can make it, ‘What’s wrong?’ And that’s that negative stuff. The reality of it is it’s the life we’re living right now. The thing that I don’t like, first sign of trouble, I leave. That’s not good for kids.”
“You transfer to three different schools. How the heck are you going to get a college degree? Most of the kids in the portal were not enough to be in the NBA or they would be. Not good enough to be in the NBA. Who’s going to develop me and help add to my game?”
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Its funny how on the one hand he is living and dying with transfer players and on the other hand he is disparaging guys that enter the transfer portal by saying they are quitters and generally not good enough to be in the NBA. Which is it?
I think what he is saying if you were recruited by UK and made it but later choose to leave because you can’t hack it then you aren’t good enough anywhere. On the other hand the transfers coming in are making a vertical move to UK were they can be developed and try to make the NBA draft. Coming from Illinois State to UK is definitely an upgrade.
Are you just that dumb? Players who transfer out of top programs generally don’t elevate themselves to pro level caliber. Statistics shows it easily. If you can’t make it at UK. Odds are you won’t be a pro. Comprehension is not that hard.
This guy is a fraud, just like 90+% of politicians. He says what he thinks will sway people in his direction at the moment. Tomorrow he will say something entirely different.
He contradicts himself over and over again.
Exactly Sir, if he new how to coach and give these kids a chance to play when a starter is having a bad day maybe they would want to stay at Kentucky.it’s the same old story year after year.
“You cannot go crazy if a player leaves because we have teams losing 11 guys and so you lose a guy, it’s where all this is right now. There’s nothing wrong with LSU or Kentucky or whoever, they’ve lost guys. That’s where this is right now,” the UK coach said.
“I think we’ve had seven or eight guys transfer from us. Not one has been drafted (by the NBA). Now, they’ve gotten more minutes and more highlights and all that stuff but none of them have been drafted.”
He has to compare our team to LSU to make everyone feel better? Everyone left LSU because Wade was a crook! If they don’t get the death penalty, then there is no such thing. Why did Calipari stoop that low to come up with a team that would make us feel better about our team?
Then he comes back about being drafted. Calipari is nothing but a pimp for NBA wannabes. He has admittedly, lost games in an attempt to improve a pet’s draft stock. Give me a sober Billy Clyde over this flim flam man any day!
Everyone left LSU because Wade was fired. They like crooks down there. You should move there. Cal has never lost games to improve a players draft stock. How would that improve a players stock. That’s a stupid comment. You shouldn’t have quit school after the "fifth grade".
Jimmy please do not get personal in disagreements. Everyone can have their opinions
That’s fine Larry. whodat has gotten personal before. He has mentioned people were stupid for their opinion saying they shouldn’t have quit school after the fifth grade. That’s why I used it and put it in quotation marks. Don’t worry I won’t be back. People whine more on here than a conservative talk show.
That is your choice Jim, not mine. I do not see every comment but try to monitor personal attacks. Not just what I want here and see no reason for it when you disagree. So if that if your choice, fine. But others are entitled to opinions too
You mean like joy Behar or joy reid?
The name calling Jim is a no no, but you are right about the conservative thing. After all they should be use to this, because most of them DID vote for TRUMP.
Agreed, most of the idiots that sat things about cal are fans from other schools and the fans that say there UK fans but don’t know a thing about the game! Cal is the best thing to happen to KY since pitino….does he talk and say another, ya he does. But you try being the coach at UK, ohh that’s right you didn’t get out of the 5th grade . Go bbn and keep it up coach
A transfer to Ky is a step up; to leave Ky is a step down possibly—- Johnny Juzang a possible exception! The exposure and increasing your chances for the NBA will improve;otherwise, staying at the current school won’t necessarily guarantee playing at the pro level. Coach Cal calls it like he sees it!
Julie Andrews
He does do that most of the time Julie
The one transfer I don’t get,is Kevin brooks.cal has stuck with him through thick and thin.
I think UK will miss Keion more than some want to believe
No way topping and ware will take his place easily and coach has said him leaving wasn’t a loss, he never played any defense and was so inconsistent….most players that can’t do anything on off. But hit a pull up from the free throw line corner hustle and get back on D. Best thing in the world to me was seeing him leave and he knew his minutes were going to be cut in half and that would of looked horrible on him so he had to leave to keep his NBA dream alive bc he never made the jump like pj Washington or quickly….just 2 examples
I will just say if they can easily take his place why didn’t they last year?
Because our coach couldn’t see Toppin was better. Even after the St Peter’s loss he said he didn’t realize that Toppin was having a good game.
Hopkins forced our coach to play him more after the LSU game as well. Not!
Our coach has favorites.
I say we find out this season that Toppin is really good.
Well I hope so too
I think Calipari had a Conundrum last year with Brooks.
If he sat him and played Toppin over him, he tanks Keion’s NBA stock, and Keion is running out of time to get to his dream.
I think Cal has enough power, trust and persuasion with his players, that if he wants them to stay at UK, they will stay.
By letting Brooks go, Cal doesn’t have to choose between a player’s career and taking chances with what is best for the team. Cal gave him 3 years to step up and be consistent – I think he was more than fair with Brooks.
I hope Cal has his sights set even higher than Toppin with a surprise like Leonard Miller, or a Pete Nance type transfer.
But if not, if Toppin can stay focused on rim protection and scale his 3 pt shooting up, he will be a big help drawing defenses away from Oscar.
This whole college basketball thing has more drama than daytime soaps. I liked it back when our teams, and I mean all of them, not just Kentucky, played who the had, with heart and fundamentals. Hell players can’t even hit free throws anymore? Pelphery, Brassow, Mashburn, Chapman, Hardin, Masters, Farmer, Ford, Feldheus ( or however you spell it) Hansen, Delk, Sheppard, Anderson, Bogans, players. Loyalty.
Times have changed and nothing we can do
Times have changed but you don’t have to change with them, you can be a leader and that’s exactly what cal did when he drew the line w little guy from Baylor thought he good March into UK and demand something lmao $800,000= cal saying see ya haha now if Duke would have needed him they would of got the pocket book right out but that’s what they gotta do!!!
It seems more like players are being traded like in the NBA because of the transfer portal. I don’t understand Keion Brook’s transfer. He was starting and he was an integral part of our team. I’m not quite sure what to think of this whole transfer portal thing. I can see pros and cons of this, but it’s the same with the "one and done. I’s here so I guess we roll with it.
it is like free agency in pro sports
It seems more like players are being traded like in the NBA because of the transfer portal. I don’t understand Keion Brook’s transfer. He was starting and he was an integral part of our team. I’m not quite sure what to think of this whole transfer portal thing. I can see pros and cons of this, but it’s the same with the "one and done. It’s here so I guess we roll with it.
There goes Cal again…. Measuring our program by how many players get drafted. He needs to know we measure our coaches with how many championships they have…. Cal, percentage wise, fan base wise, your in 4th place at best. Can coaches get on the portal?
Was UK just winning titles before Cal? The program has 4 ancient titles and 1 a piece by 3 other coaches. Only two before Cal since 1985. UK act entitled as if the program has just been spitting out titles. If some of you took as much time to realize and learn the factual history of the program rather than nonsense then you may just learn something for once.
Some actual history:
History of missing tournaments:
No coach since 1948 has missed the NCAA tournament 2 seasons in a row.
Calipari has currently missed the tournament 2 seasons in a row.
(Excluding 89-91 probation years)
History of winning games:
No coach since 1927 has won less than 12 games in one season.
In 2020/2021, Calipari only won 9 games.
History of losing games:
No coach in the known history of UK has lost more than 14 games in one season.
In 2020/2021, Calipari lost 16 games.
History of getting fired or retired:
No coach in UK history has lost more than 14 games in a season and kept their job.
Calipari lost 16 games in 2020/2021 and 13 games in 2012/2013 and kept his job.
History of Sweet Sixtens:
If UK falls short of the sweet 16 next year, it will be the only time since 1939 to go 3 seasons in a row without reaching at least a sweet 16.
History of Elite Eights:
Since 1939, only 4 times has a UK coach fallen short of reaching an Elite Eight more than 2 seasons in a row.
If Calipari falls short of an elite eight next season, he will have missed the elite eight 3 seasons in a row (Calipari has already missed the Elite Eight 3 seasons in a row if you count the covid year).
History of Final Fours:
Since Rupp’s retirement, only Tubby Smith has failed to make a Final Four more than 5 seasons in a row.
Calipari has now missed the Final Four 6 seasons in a row (7 counting the Covid year).
If Calipari doesn’t make it to the Final Four next season, it will be 7 seasons without making a FF (8 counting the Covid year), matching or exceeding the 2nd longest stretch in UK history since the NCAA Tournament began. (Rupp had a stretch of 7 seasons without a FF, and Tubby had 9)
History of Final Fours and keeping your job:
No UK coach has failed to make the Final Four 8 seasons in a row without being retired or fired within 1 year.
History of making it to the Championship game, but falling short of NC:
It has been 7 seasons since Calipari has played in a championship game (8 if you count the covid year).
If Calipari falls short of the National Championship game next season (that is a tall order!), Coach Calipari and Tubby Smith will be the only coaches since 1941 to fall short of playing in the National Championship game more than 7 seasons in a row (Again, he has already surpassed that mark if you count the covid year). Tubby Smith was fired after missing the NC game 9 seasons in a row.
Summary:
Calipari has not been able to get UK farther than an Elite Eight since 2015.
It has been 7 seasons since a Final Four, and 10 seasons since a National Championship (counting the covid year – the covid year team fell apart at the end of the season with the point guard refusing to play – they were not going to win a championship).
No UK coach since Rupp’s final years has kept his job after 9 straight seasons without a championship. He has already outlived all of his modern predecessor’s failures.
Ky WAS the winningest program in history for a reason.
UK fans have more patience than they are given credit for, but it does eventually run out.
You don’t win a Championship if you can’t make it past an Elite Eight.
If John Calipari doesn’t reach a Final Four next season, history says he may be coaching his last team at UK.
I want Calipari to adjust, improve, and carry UK to a National Championship and many Final Fours for years to come. He was the right coach at the right time. Now, he needs to be find a way to be the evolved coach for the future.
Last Season, Oscar Tshiebwe fought like a warrior, every second of every game, for his family.
This year, I am concerned that John Calipari will be coaching every second for his job!
P.S. there is no such thing as an entitled fan; it is an oxymoron. They are the customer with all of the money that pays for the program that they support.
Lot of information/stats here to give everyone some basis for opinions.Thanks Morehorsepower4UKBB
Larry toppin is far better than brooks with twice the upside to improve
Hope you are right Evan. Just going be what we have seen and who Calipari chose to play
When you compare Toppin’s numbers per 100 possessions, it is hard to argue against him. With his percentages, it looks like he just needs to shoot more often.
Eddie, when will Calipari get the message,, he is the one hurting UK right now. He did his thing when it was working but his inability to sub players who may make a difference is what’s hurting UK. Players leaving, assistant coaches leaving.
He said if a player wasnt performing, he would not get mad because he has 3 players for each position? Then why didn’t he use them in the tournament this year and in years past the same thing, he can’t coach when it’s needed. Assist coaches and players see his inability and unwillingness to do the best for the team, rather than for individual players.
Bettye, we are just still hung over from the Pitino and Tubby years, when they utilized their bench. That is a very different coaching philosophy than Cal’s.
Without going back and checking the stats, it has always been my observation that Calipari goes with his best 6 or 7 players at the end of the season, in any tight game, and especially in the tournament, even when his teams are relatively loaded on the bench.
There is a line of thinking among some coaches (Hubert Davis this year is another example), that says I would rather have my 5 best players on the floor at all times than to share their minutes with my second best players. My tired best 5 can still beat your fresh second five.
I disagree with it, especially when you have capable players sitting on the bench (and I think Pitino and Smith disagreed too).
From personal experience I think fresh legs make more shots, Free throws and make better decisions, but there are teams where I can see Cal’s philosophy as working better, and that is probably why UNC went so far unexpectedly this year.
When Cal was at UMass and maybe, Memphis, that probably worked for him when he couldn’t recruit on a UK level.
You and I might just have to hope that Cal gets the 5 best players for his system every season and goes injury free, because I don’t think he is going to do anything different (especially if it means doing something the way Pitino did it!)