John Calipari has found large and enthusiastic crowds to greet him and players at Louisville, London and Georgetown. (Larry Vaught Photo)
He just got back from recruiting trips to Spain and Serbia. He’s been to various locations in the U.S. recruiting and will be going again soon.
Yet it is easy to tell that Kentucky coach John Calipari genuinely is enjoying the five-city tour Kentucky basketball is doing in partnership with Kroger to raise revenue for western Kentucky tornado victims.
He’s done tours before but coming off COVID, the Shaedon Sharpe fiasco, not making the 2021 NCAA Tournament and the 2022 NCAA first-round upset, the one this week just seems more meaningful.
“It has been great to get out,” Calipari said. “Just the enthusiasm for basketball (from the fans). You kind of forget what this state is about.”
“There was not a whole lot of promotion (for the tour). For me, it’s a ball but also for the players and getting them to understand our fans are engaged. To get them to see how much they care for these kids is important.”
That’s why at stops at Louisville, London and Georgetown so far this week Calipari and those with him have stayed past the scheduled ending time to make sure every fan gets an autograph and/or pictures.
You’ve seen national player of the year Oscar Tshiebwe holding a baby and laughing with fans. Freshman Chris Livingston did the same thing. Cason Wallace couldn’t stop smiling around fans in Longton.
Calipari has also had the players visit a children’s hospital and assisted living center this week — part of his plan to “get them to understand to have a kind heart and do things where you do not expect anything” in return.
Calipari knows Kentucky basketball had engaging fans way before he arrived — he’s preparing to start his 14th season — and that UK fans are engaged not only when the team wins but also when it loses.
He insisted he never worried about fans not turning out for the tour stops after the 2021 and 2022 NCAA Tournaments . He knew fans would not only support tornado victims but also to sign a program in honor of former coach Joe B. Hall that he’ll carry during games this season.
“I think we will end up with 5,000 autographs. It is kind of neat,” Calipari said. “You lose a game, people get angry. We don’t just play games here. This is about winning championships. I bought into that when I took the job.”
“We have got the best fans. I don’t look down on anybody. This is who I am and what I am about… A lot of people are just so happy and so excited about basketball. They are our fans. It may be hard for them to get tickets to the games (in Rupp Arena) but they are fans.”
2 Responses
London got it half right. They had him in a police car. Should have put him in jail for impersonating a college basketball coach.
This tour was for a good cause, no doubt about that, but it also was to help Calipari weather his own personal storm after the disappointing ending to the 2021-22 season. Calipari says, "you kind of forget what this state is about." True, for many of us who follow UK sports, it’s football right now. It’s their turn in the lime light. Does this guy ever stop spinning. He seems to want the front and center all the time. Coach pipe down, and go win a national title for us. That will shut up the negative chatter around your program real quick. Go Cats!!!!