Chin Coleman says he learns something from John Calipari daily. (Chet White/UK Athletics Photo)
Kentucky was perhaps the best team in the nation part of last basketball season.
The Cats easily beat Kansas and North Carolina, the two teams that played in the national championship game. However, UK flamed out in a first-round NCAA Tournament loss to Saint Peter’s.
Assistants Orlando Antigua and Chin Coleman came from Illinois to join John Calipari’s staff last season. Antigua had coached at UK under Calipari before but this was a new experience for the outgoing Coleman.
“I am forever learning from coach Cal. “It was great for me for the first year,” Coleman said. “Obviously I have a long-term situation here. I learn every day from Coach Cal in terms of organization and how to deal with the most storied program (in the country).”
“I learn how to deal with high level problems and how to manufacture those problems and still remain sane and successful. Every aspect when I learn from him, I am learning from the best .”
“I am humbled, happy and thankful to have the opportunity to learn from him. He’s the best and hopefully I can take enough pages from his book and have a best seller.”
Coleman says it is impossible to know exactly what Kentucky basketball is like until you have been part of it. He says you have to “live it daily” to appreciate the full scope.
“Externally it is just all propaganda. Living it is different. It is the Cadillac of basketball,” Coleman said. “It has its ups and downs because everybody is so invested in it.”
“We take in stride and keep our players first and help them become better on and off the court as well as them having a great experience here.”
However, Coleman knows what the bottom line is with Kentucky basketball.
“We are judged by wins and losses. I get that,” he said. “But we want to make sure we give them (players) the experience of becoming better young men and adding value in their life on and off the court.”
“We want to win every game we play because that is what this program is about but we also want to make our players better young men, too.”
