Calipari NBA talk
Frank Isola of the New York Daily News tweeted earlier today that the Knicks and Calipari are already working on the move:
Lot of NBA people believe John Calipari to the Knicks is already being set into motion. (Not sure how this impacts Rod Strickland)
— Frank Isola (@FisolaNYDN) April 4, 2012
Isola mentioned Cal’s link to Isiah Thomas, as well as Amar’e Stoudamire, Carmelo Anthony, and Larry Brown, who has a link to Mike Woodson.
Another NBA guy, Yahoo!’s Adrian Wojnarowski, believes New York is the prime spot for Calipari.
But with all these talks about leaving Kentucky, Coach Cal still stands by his claim that “he has the best job in basketball.” He told Mike Decourcy, “I’ve got more money than I’m ever going to spend, so I don’t have to make a decision based on finances.”
Cal also said he plans to attend NBA games this season, but only to see his former players, not because he’s interested in jumping to the league.
“I might even pop into New York,” he said.
I like his plan to check-in with Josh Harrellson, but with all these Knicks rumors, I’d rather see him catch Jorts in Cleveland on April 20th. You know, just to be safe.
Don’t leave us, Cal.
67 Comments for Calipari NBA talk
If we all just believe really hard that Calipari will stay, he will.
April 20th….safe. You ride mountain bikes?
I have dibs on his job if he leaves, already signed my coach in waiting papers
Rick has repeatedly said leaving UK for the pros was the worst mistake he ever made; Cal will not make the same mistake.
Not worried at all. I trust Cal.
Its not happening. Point blank period. No worries.
He isn’t leaving this year. And if Gtown and UCLA couldn’t get ahead while Cal was tied up winning a championship then they really had no chance, huh? Now that he is focused on recruiting again with an extra ring on his fingers, he can make his move on those players. I mean Howland hasn’t had anything to do for 4 weeks except recruit Shabazz. Faith in Cal.
If Coach Cal was going they’d be more buzz about it than whats coming from these yahoo’s.
Cal sure is recruiting hard for someone that’s leaving… #CalIsStaying
why doesn’t he cite all these “nba people” ?
not enough room on the tweet?
dont belive it. anything is possible but Why would you leave the greatest bb job in the world?
http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/7775024/john-calipari-says-not-interested-nba-coaching-job
All it says is that lots a NBA people believe this. Doesn’t mean a thing. Give me something substantial and I’ll get worried. But if we get all lathered up every time somebody says they believe he’s gone, then it will be a very long heartburn filled summer!
It’s bullsh*t. Read this article…
http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/7775024/john-calipari-says-not-interested-nba-coaching-job
Sounds like we’re getting some blowback for winning the championship. Stay focused on the new goal: An undefeated season.
Love Cal and his statements to calm #BBN. It’s honestly a yearly thing now, but we have no worries. As long as he’s getting every blue chip recruit and running college basketball like he is, he will not leave. I see retirement, before I see him jumping ship. More titles to come #BBN!
VAC8
“A lot” – what is ‘a lot’? 20? 8? 3?
“NBA people” – what exactly is an ‘NBA person’? A fan who knows no more than you or I?
“Believe” – many people ‘believe’ Elvis is still alive. Does this make it so?
“being set into motion” – meaning, NYK brass are considering perhaps making a phone call to see perhaps if Cal may perhaps be perchance interested?
That’s a lot of words for no information at all.
That being said, I wouldn’t be completely shocked if this happened. Maybe I’m too cynical?
The ESPN article should squash this rumor.
VAC8!
I got floor seats for the Hawks and Pistons Friday night if he wants to come see B. Knight.
http://blog.syracuse.com/orangebasketball/2012/04/nerlens_noel_kentuckys_title_m.html
Folks, this is as much of a springtime tradition in Kentucky as flowers blooming and the Easter bunny. Hell, they even used to spread rumors about Tubby going to the pros. In the unlikely event that Cal should decide to make the jump (extremely unlikely), worrying about it won’t change a thing, so let’s focus our energy on celebrating #8 and the monster recruiting class we have coming in.
He’s the country’s best recruiter, but put him on a level court with other NBA talent and he’ll fail.
#8 = VAC8
It’d really suck if he left and we didn’t get Bazz, Noel and Bennett, and we lost some of the commits.
But even if all that happened, as long as the championship sticks, he did what he promised and got us back to the mountaintop among the elites.
Personally, I think he’ll stay at least a couple more years, if not retire here.
The pieces are in place for these depature RUMORS: Accomplished goal of National Championship, ties to the Knicks job, assistant coaches possibly leaving for head coaching jobs, etc. HOWEVER, CAL CONSISTENTLY STATES HE IS COMING BACK, so unless I hear words from Cal’s mouth otherwise, I have no worries.
#21 Bobby Knight? Is that you?
I’m leaving for greener pastures and a deeper gene pool.
I run a very complicated NBA style offense of layups, three pointers, and having better athletes than the other team.
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ohn Calipari
Big Blue Nation, breathe. Relax. Enjoy the championship. I’m not going anywhere.
http://www.coachcal.com/13555/2012/04/dont-let-anyone-steal-our-joy/
from Calipari on facebook page…..move along now!
http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/7775024/john-calipari-says-not-interested-nba-coaching-job
Cal isn’t going anywhere, especially to work for perhaps the worst owner in pro sports.
Mark Liptak
#8 VAC8 still doesn’t erase the Christian Laettner shot.
I still do NOT see where Cal states “I AM NOT LEAVING”………..seems to be allowing a crack in the rumor door instead of slamming
it shut imo.
Big Blue Nation, breathe. Relax. Calm down. Enjoy the championship.
I just talked to Mike DeCourcy and Andy Katz and they asked me if I was going to jump to the NBA. What?! I We just won the championship a day and a half ago. The only three things I’m trying to decide on is when I’m going to go see a few recruits, how I’m going to get through all these voicemails and when do I get a chance to get some sleep.
But for those of you that need to hear it again, let me repeat what I told Andy and Mike: I’m not going anywhere. I have the best job in the country. Why would I leave after we’ve just won a national title? We’re trying to catch UCLA, folks. I’ve got more money than I’m ever going to need or my family can spend, so I don’t have to make a decision based on finances.
Let me assure you that you will see me at NBA games this summer … to watch our former players. I’m not going to give up my lifestyle based on a few rumors, and I will continue to go to NBA games to see my family, friends and former players. I’m even going to a game tonight.
But relax, Big Blue Nation. Sit back and enjoy this special time. We’ve waited 14 years for this, so let’s not let anyone ruin this for us. No one’s stealing my joy or my players’ joy. Don’t let them steal yours.
This is like the consternation before Pitino left. I didn’t get it then either. He has no connection with this state, so it’s about what job HE wants. He’ll stay if he wants to keep deciding who gets to be on his team and if he likes the idea of forging a hall of fame career as an NCAA coach. He’ll leave if he wants the big money and to prove he can succeed at the next level. It won’t be anything personal either way.
We are going to finish strong on with Bazz, Bennett, Amile Jeff, and Nerlens…
UofL fans are going to be on suicide watch.
now everyone STFU and let him do his JOB!!
This is when the haters and mentally unstable toolboxes really come out. We won the NCAA Championship. Lots of people are pissed off that this happened. It shut them up. They like to talk. About nothing. Ignore all of it. CATS! Lets win another one.
Just pay attention to Knicks win loss record!
1. If they continue to win and the players like Woodson, nothing to worry about.
2. If they make a run in the playoffs, nothing to worry about.
M. Jones should know before anyone because of his connection to Jorts
When talking college and professional sports, don’t trust anyone. IF THE KNICK JOB COMES OPEN HE’S GONE!
shhhhh quiet down now children.
http://www.coachcal.com/13555/2012/04/dont-let-anyone-steal-our-joy/
A lot of people BELIEVE in Santa Claus, The Easter Bunny, & Tooth Fairy.
The only people the Knicks are important to are Knicks fans – The Knicks have been a train wreck for years, and the Knicks are going to continue to be a train wreck as long as they have their current owner. No coach could fix the Knicks no matter if it was Cal, Larry Brown or Phil Jackson. Cal not stupid, he just made $6.1 Million this year, he gets another $1 Million bonus plus his salary if he stays next year. UK & Alum will find the money to give Cal whatever he wants. As Pitino proved, leaving UK for an NBA job is a backwards move.
Evan Daniel says Nerlens to Georgetown.
Isola got some attention. I had never heard of him before this post, and I’m pretty sure many others around the country hadn’t either.
I honestly can’t imagine why anybody would ever want to coach in the NBA. 6 of like the last 7 or 8 coaches of the year were fired. The players have all of the control, the owners always support the superstars before the coaches, you deal with nothing but overinflated egos. You don’t actually have to do anything but sit on the sidelines and hope the team wins so you don’t get fired (which might be the only plus side to the job).
At Kentucky, Cal gets to help young kids achieve their dreams, in the NBA his job would just be to stay out of their way. What satisfaction is there in that?
Knicks currently hold the 8th playoff spot in the East, lets hope they climb and make a run. Lets go Knicks! Lets go Knicks!
Haters are hating. Useless articles about Coach cal when the information is invalid.
The things Cal says make you wonder if the stress and pressure of the job has worn him out. If he did decide to leave I suspect that would be the main reason. Now he didn’t help matters by agreeing to coach the DR national team last summer, instead of getting himself some rest.
Adrian Wojo also said cal was going to the Bulls 2 years ago. Said it was a done deal
#38 Floyd The Barber) Is there a difference between “I am not leaving” and “I am not going anywhere”? Do you need to hear those exact words? He clearly says he is staying at UK and to stop worrying about it. Says its all rumors. If he leaves, then he was lying the same as Pitino was when he was here. If he stays, then he was telling the truth.
Did Cal say these things before or after the championship? That’s the key.
#40 – my thoughts EXACTLY.
We need to realize as UK fans that what it takes to be truly successful here is very similar to the microscope of an NBA team. If we have a great coach these rumors (or facts if he does leave) will happen. We need to relax. If he leaves it is nothing personal. It is because he wants to prove himself at the next level and we shouldn’t hold that against him if he wants that. Most of us look for that same opportunity in our jobs as well.
If he stays great, enjoy it. But no matter what Big Blue Nation will roll on. Enjoy this Championship!
He said them today. Read the article he wrote. He says it is a day and a half after winning the title as he sits there writing this.
34, thank you for posting that!!!
#8 VAC8 still doesn’t erase the Christian Laettner shot.
———————-
The 98 team coming from 18 down in the final ten minutes to beat Duke sure did though. Honestly, who in the h-ll dwells on a game from twenty years ago?
Stevie: Christian Laettner probably cause he never had a great career in the NBA, he is a loser. And WHY no one talks about the 1998 team erasing that bad feeling is beyond me. I am sick of Duke every time I see a UPS commercial. Makes me wanna gag. although I think they did us a little favor….UK wins and Duke is out the first game, hmmmmmmmmmm….Thanks UPS
17. That’s what fans of schools that have 1/4th (you can do math, right?) the amount of titles UK does say.
New York Daily Times + Frank Isola = who gives a sh*t!
After seeing Cal’s emotional and passionate fist pump at the banner ceremony, I’d say he isn’t going anywhere
You guys sound just like we did.
40- agreed, it only becomes personal if he then leaves tail-between-legs to coach our in-state rival. I believe Coach Cal right now and hope he stays, but always know that his moving to the next (though not necessarily better) level is always an option.
Cal has a chance to do something no other collage coach can do. Catch UCLA. 8+3=11.