McDonald's All-American Photo
Kentucky signee DJ Wagner certainly saw/heard the criticism that coach John Calipari took at times last season when the Kentucky basketball team struggled to the point that early in the Southeastern Conference season just making the NCAA Tournament was a legitimate concern.
However, the New Jersey high school senior had a terrific answer at the McDonald’s All-American Game in Houston Monday when asked what he thought of that criticism.
“I thought it just shows how good a coach he is to take that criticism and turn it around,” Wagner said. “Everybody is going to face adversity. To take that adversity and turn it around shows how good a coach he is.”
Wagner, one of the nation’s top five players in his recruiting class, and the No. 1 overall 2023 recruiting class could help make Calipari an even better coach next year after the Cats have gone three years with just one NCAA Tournament win.
“I feel like we are confident in each other,” Wagner said about his recruiting class. “Just keep working. We are all prepared, we are all confident in each other and feel we can rely on each other. We are all excited (about next year).”
Three of Wagner’s future UK teammates — Aaron Bradshaw, Justin Edwards and Reed Sheppard — were all in Houston for the McDonald’s All-American Game. The fifth signee, guard Rob Dillingham, was not eligible for selection because he played at Overtime Elite.
“Each player has great things about his game that we can all use and match,” Wagner said. “The main thing is we all want to win. That is our main goal, just winning as much as we can. We all like to win. We are all winners.”
11 Responses
Wagner will be the Calipari pet next year. He will hog the ball, take at least a third of the team’s shots, and won’t play defense. I fear another BJ Boston kind of season.
Wow, you really don’t get it all.
What exactly did Calipari turn around
This team finished in the second round in a weak region just as its early season performance suggested that it would
The turnaround is another Calipari fiction
It’s a good thing the players have more sense than some of the so-called fans. I am excited for next year. The arm chair coaches can stay miserable. The Cats are going to be really good. I know some people don’t want them to be, because they won’t have anything to cry about.
Right on Jim. These haters are a miserable bunch and an embarrassment for true fans.
The Calapari lovers will see our program totally destroyed by supporting this fraud.
That others may doubt Cal does not make them miserable.
Some folks lives may hinge upon the success of the Cats. Others not so much.
Cal has failed over the last 5 years. F A I L E D !
There is not softening this. There is no other way to see it.
Does that make me miserable. Not really. It just confirms what I’ve seen since 2016 and that is a downward trajectory for Cal because he refuses to update his coaching and style of play. He’s become John Chaney. A perfectly serviceable coach for a lower tier D1 school.
Life goes on. Eventually, Cal will leave, retire, whatever and Kentucky will rise again.
Does that make me miserable. Nah…not at all.
I said it after the loss to Wisconsin and I’ll say it again. Kentucky will not make another Final Four until AFTER Cal is gone. It was true then. It’s true now.
I still can’t believe that all of the University of Calipari fans are still hanging on to the fantasy.
People crack me up.
Cal is a Hall of Fame coach.
So were:
John Chaney
Eddie Sutton
Rick Majerus
Thad Matta
Norm Stewart
Gene Keady
Ben Howland
and
YES
BOB HUGGINS!
If, the big man + the two forwards return it should be just “roll the ball out there” sans coaching like the AD team. If not , as they say at NASA “ Houston, we have a problem”.
Man you haters are an embarrassment for the true fans.Why don’t you change your team or get an education.
Rick, why don’t you crawl up Calipari’s butt a little farther.