Coaches think Calipari is third most likely to be next to jump to NBA
Matt Norlander and Gary Parrish of CBSSports.com polled 110 college basketball coaches on a variety of topics in the game for their annual Candid Coaches series. In this particular edition, they asked those coaches which of their colleagues is most likely to be the next to jump to the NBA.
Kevin Ollie led the polling with 20 percent of the vote, followed by Bill Self at 17 percent. John Calipari wasn’t far behind, in a two-way tie with Jay Wright for third with 16 percent of the responses.
One coach said, “Calipari wants to do it. But he wants big money, total control and the chance to win big immediately. And I just don’t know if anybody in the NBA is ever going to be willing to give him that.”
Another said, “Calipari. I think he learned a lot from his first gig as an NBA coach. He is coaching and recruiting NBA talent and treating them like pros. He would be a players’ coach. The Xs and Os would concern me.”
Read more in “Candid Coaches: Which college coach will be the next to make the jump to the NBA?”
10 Comments for Coaches think Calipari is third most likely to be next to jump to NBA
Don’t think so!!
Obviously none of these coaches paid attention to Brad coming to UK this year.
More like WISHING he’d go.
I agree. Most of the coaches know they cannot compete with him so the easy and hopeful thing to do is just predict he goes to the NBA.
The multiannual wishful thinking rumors that Cal is going to the NBA.
How many of the other coaches and experts predicted Billy Donovan and Brad Stevens leaving to the NBA before Cal?
With Brad now on the team Coach Cal wife Ellen totally 100% says not happening.
I think that first comment is absolutely correct based on what we’ve heard in the media.
I also agree, it’s unlikely anyone would give him what he wants so he’ll probably be at UK for awhile.
I don’t think Brad stops Cal from leaving if he wants to leave.
I think the first comment is pretty ridiculous. Based on media reports, the Cavs were willing to do it just 2 years ago. The Kings aren’t ready to win now, but they are still willing to do it. If he really wanted to go he’d already be gone.
The Pistons gave Stan Van Gundy total control for God’s sakes. You think there isn’t an NBA team that wouldn’t do the same for Cal? That’s just silly talk.
I’d like to know how many successful college coaches jumped to the NBA, failed or were mediocre, went back to college were wildly successful (again?) and then tried the NBA one more time? There can’t be many on that list besides Pitino and Cal… and I just don’t see them going back to the NBA.
How many people in the U.S. can identify Seth Curry and how many of those can tell you who coached Golden State? The players are the stars in the NBA but elite coaches are the stars in college.
Does Cal staying as long as he has mean that the odds that he leaves is ever-increasing or ever decreasing?