Keeping It Heel
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UNC Recruiting: Where will c/o 2018 five-star prospect Zion Williamson go to college?

By Blake Cockrum

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA - JANUARY 6: Head coach Roy Williams of the North Carolina Tar Heels calls a play in the second half during a game against the Virginia Cavaliers at John Paul Jones Arena on January 6, 2018 in Charlottesville, Virginia. Virginia defeated North Carolina 61-49. (Photo by Ryan M. Kelly/Getty Images)
CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA - JANUARY 6: Head coach Roy Williams of the North Carolina Tar Heels calls a play in the second half during a game against the Virginia Cavaliers at John Paul Jones Arena on January 6, 2018 in Charlottesville, Virginia. Virginia defeated North Carolina 61-49. (Photo by Ryan M. Kelly/Getty Images) /
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LEXINGTON, KY – DECEMBER 16: John Calipari the head coach of the Kentucky Wildcats disagrees with an officals call in the game against the Virginia Tech Hokies at Rupp Arena on December 16, 2017 in Lexington, Kentucky. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
LEXINGTON, KY – DECEMBER 16: John Calipari the head coach of the Kentucky Wildcats disagrees with an officals call in the game against the Virginia Tech Hokies at Rupp Arena on December 16, 2017 in Lexington, Kentucky. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /

The case for Kentucky

John Calipari’s arrival in Lexington changed everything for the Kentucky Wildcats. Not only was Calipari able to return Kentucky to consistent national attention, but he was able to do it in a way that no other coach in the country was doing at the time.

His ability to adapt to the one-and-done rule, and then use it to his advantage, was revolutionary to the college game. Sure, the Fab Five was a big deal some 20 years ago, but even that wasn’t like what Calipari was doing with the Wildcats.

Year after year, Calipari essentially starts off with a new roster, jam-packed with freshman. Granted, these aren’t just any freshman. Calipari’s knack for nabbing some of high school basketball’s most talented youth each year gives him a nice advantage when throwing together a raw and inexperienced roster.

Most have gotten used to the Kentucky carousel that’s stemmed from the one-and-done rule, but they didn’t always like it. Some still don’t, but far less see Calipari as the face of the problem anymore.

Love him or hate him, he found a way to make it work. His four Final Fours since 2011 and his 2012 national championship trophy prove that. He’s also won nearly 75 percent of his games at Kentucky and finished no worse than tied-for-second in the SEC since 2009.

More importantly, though, the players that he consistently sends to the NBA, have tremendous success; more so than from many other program. As those players continue to not only perform, but shine, at the professional level, so too will Calipari in the eyes of young prospects.

And Kentucky players, particularly under Calipari, get a lot of attention from the moment they commit to the school to the final time that they put on the jersey and take the court as a collegiate. That’s not a bad thing for a player who’s looking to spend just one year in college before making his jump to the NBA.

Career record: 659-192 (.774)
Record at Kentucky: 253-54 (.824)

Noteworthy NBA players that played under Calipari:
John Wall, DeMarcus Cousins, Enes Kanter, Brandon Knight, Anthony Davis, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Nerlens Noel, Julius Randle, James Young, Karl-Anthony Towns, Willie Cauley-Stein, Trey Lyles, Devin Booker, Jamal Murray, Skal Labbisiere, De’Aaron Fox, Malik Monk, Bam Adebayo

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