Calipari's Draft Picks in chronological order, ranked

[LowCountryCat]

Calipari's draft picks in chronological order
Lots of people arguing Final Fours, record, tournament appearances, as a way to judge Calipari's performance. Why not judge him by his own standard?

2010
Wall 1, Cousins 5, Patterson 14, Bledsoe 18, Orton 29
2011
Kanter 3, Knight 8, Jorts 45, Liggins 53
2012
Davis 1, MKG 2, Terrence Jones 18, Teague 29, Lamb 42, Miller 46
2013
Noel 6, Goodwin 29
2014
Randle 7, Young 17
2015
Towns 1, WCS 6, Lyles 12, Booker 13, Andrew Harrison 44, Dakari 48
(here comes the dropoff)
2016
Jamal Murray 7, Skal 28, Ulis 34
2017
Fox 5, Monk 11, Bam 14
2018
Knox 9, SGA 11, Vanderbilt 41, Diallo 45
2019
PJ Washington 12, Herro 13, Keldon Johnson 29
2020
Maxey 21, Quickley 25, Richards 42
2021
(n/a)

That's TEN top 10 picks in the first 6 years, and only 5 in the last 6 years.

 

[Gromcat]

And the thing is, that drop off is going to get worse next year.

Having said that it doesn’t really matter anymore. Top players go all over and don’t commit to a coach because of his record with top picks. I hate it, but when they started going K’s way it showed the business behind the scenes is why decisions are made these days. If this was 1997, Zion plays nowhere but UK.

 

[LowCountryCat]

And the thing is, that drop off is going to get worse next year.

Having said that it doesn’t really matter anymore. Top players go all over and don’t commit to a coach because of his record with top picks. I hate it, but when they started going K’s way it showed the business behind the scenes is why decisions are made these days. If this was 1997, Zion plays nowhere but UK.

and it needs to be pointed out that this is a failure by Calipari's OWN standard.

 

[WildcatfaninOhio]

I can never get a good read on the general feelings of the fan base. Do we care about NBA draft results, or do we not?

 

[MdWIldcat55]

This is all fascinating information I don't recall ever seeing before. At least not in the past couple days in this exact format.

And it's more amazing given that absolutely nothing changed in the world of college basketball during the time period of 2009-2021 that determined whether or where Top Five picks decided to go to college -- not counting the rise of the G-League as a destination for players like Jalen Green and Daishen Nix, the trend of Top Picks like RJ Hampton and Emmanual Mudiay to play for pay overseas, and the trend of guys like Anthony Edwards and Cade Cunningham to play for second -tier programs where their entire season could be an audition for the NBA.

 

[kybassfan]

I can never get a good read on the general feelings of the fan base. Do we care about NBA draft results, or do we not?

LOL. The answer is that the answer isn’t relevant.

 

[Gromcat]

I can never get a good read on the general feelings of the fan base. Do we care about NBA draft results, or do we not?

Yes but then again no.

 

[Gromcat]

This is all fascinating information I don't recall ever seeing before.

And it's more amazing given that absolutely nothing changed in the world of college basketball during that time period that determined whether or where Top Five picks decided to go to college.

Part of being a modern goat recruiter is business and relationships. Cals demise here was brought about by his poor handling with Nike, and his jaded relationships with certain big partners.

I personally believe it’s his own fault to a large degree. Going to war with Nike because you believe you’re too big to fail (due to his track record with OAD’s) was stupid. Not securing the relationships with the agents was stupid. If we’re going to credit him with getting that ball rolling, we must also accept his business decisions thereafter led to his issues securing top 5 players.

 

[chroix]

Nice break down OP. It’s an interesting metric and as noted it’s Cals criteria.

 

[btownblue]

I can never get a good read on the general feelings of the fan base. Do we care about NBA draft results, or do we not?

If it makes Cal look bad then yes some do at that point

 

[STEVECAT]

That "drop off" still makes other coaches and programs look silly if we are judging by this criteria

 

[ArcadiaFan]

They dont hang banners in Rupp with NBA Draft picks by year. Impressive talent that's spent time in Lexington but considering the hype and how some have fared in the NBA, only one championship is pretty bad. Four Final Fours though are nice but I do think Cal should have 2-3 more titles by now.

 

[jrpross]

I can never get a good read on the general feelings of the fan base. Do we care about NBA draft results, or do we not?

No.

Unless we can blame Cal for it. Then yes.

 

[lacocat]

I think some of it is Duke catching up to Cal, as much as him dropping off.

Duke wasn't doing the one and done's, the first few years the way Cal was. They were doing it the "right way" with Coach K, then they fully embraced it. Plus he lost Antigua good recruiter.

The new NBA bargaining agreement will eliminate the one and done's anyway so just a couple years of it left, so no one will ever put up draft numbers like Cal's first 5 years again.

 

[Sparky285]

This is all fascinating information I don't recall ever seeing before. At least not in the past couple days in this exact format.

And it's more amazing given that absolutely nothing changed in the world of college basketball during the time period of 2009-2021 that determined whether or where Top Five picks decided to go to college -- not counting the rise of the G-League as a destination for players like Jalen Green and Daishen Nix, the trend of Top Picks like RJ Hampton and Emmanual Mudiay to play for pay overseas, and the trend of guys like Anthony Edwards and Cade Cunningham to play for second -tier programs where their entire season could be an audition for the NBA.

OP just got spit roasted.

 

[Sparky285]

There are 350+ teams in college basketball, there’s only 1 number one pick every year. We have 3 of the last 12, that’s ridiculously good for us.

Coaching staff changes, basketball become more guard based and offensive, Skal shat up his back his one year at Kentucky as a #1 prospect, there’s open cheating allowed in college recruiting, the G-League is paying millions for recruits, the NBL is paying millions, UNC was gifted a title in 2017 that we could’ve won, we’ve been destroyed by injuries.

There’s a lot of reasons Cal isn’t having the other worldly success he had his first 6 years, almost none of them are things any coach in America could change.

 

[hotelblue]

This is all fascinating information I don't recall ever seeing before. At least not in the past couple days in this exact format.

And it's more amazing given that absolutely nothing changed in the world of college basketball during the time period of 2009-2021 that determined whether or where Top Five picks decided to go to college -- not counting the rise of the G-League as a destination for players like Jalen Green and Daishen Nix, the trend of Top Picks like RJ Hampton and Emmanual Mudiay to play for pay overseas, and the trend of guys like Anthony Edwards and Cade Cunningham to play for second -tier programs where their entire season could be an audition for the NBA.

nails.

 

[jameslee32]

Calipari's draft picks in chronological order
Lots of people arguing Final Fours, record, tournament appearances, as a way to judge Calipari's performance. Why not judge him by his own standard?

2010
Wall 1, Cousins 5, Patterson 14, Bledsoe 18, Orton 29
2011
Kanter 3, Knight 8, Jorts 45, Liggins 53
2012
Davis 1, MKG 2, Terrence Jones 18, Teague 29, Lamb 42, Miller 46
2013
Noel 6, Goodwin 29
2014
Randle 7, Young 17
2015
Towns 1, WCS 6, Lyles 12, Booker 13, Andrew Harrison 44, Dakari 48
(here comes the dropoff)
2016
Jamal Murray 7, Skal 28, Ulis 34
2017
Fox 5, Monk 11, Bam 14
2018
Knox 9, SGA 11, Vanderbilt 41, Diallo 45
2019
PJ Washington 12, Herro 13, Keldon Johnson 29
2020
Maxey 21, Quickley 25, Richards 42
2021
(n/a)

That's TEN top 10 picks in the first 6 years, and only 5 in the last 6 years.

You forgot 2 guys in the 2020 class, Boston and Clarke.

 

[rick64]

I have little to no interest in the NBA, even watching former UK players. Lost interest in the NBA years ago.

 

[St.PatterSoN-54-]

They dont hang banners in Rupp with NBA Draft picks by year.

You're right. Those are in the practice facility and in the Lodge. Recruits see them, and they matter.

 

[LowCountryCat]

They dont hang banners in Rupp with NBA Draft picks by year. Impressive talent that's spent time in Lexington but considering the hype and how some have fared in the NBA, only one championship is pretty bad. Four Final Fours though are nice but I do think Cal should have 2-3 more titles by now.

Cal has made it clear that his criteria for success is Draft Night.

 

[LowCountryCat]

OP just got spit roasted.

How so? Are there other coaches who had better draft results than Cal in the last 5 years? If so, why? Isn't Draft Night Cal's STATED goal and metric for success?

 

[LowCountryCat]

You forgot 2 guys in the 2020 class, Boston and Clarke.

Clarke got drafted?

 

[jameslee32]

Clarke got drafted?

Not likely sadly.

 

[UKrazycat2]

There are 350+ teams in college basketball, there’s only 1 number one pick every year. We have 3 of the last 12, that’s ridiculously good for us.

Coaching staff changes, basketball become more guard based and offensive, Skal shat up his back his one year at Kentucky as a #1 prospect, there’s open cheating allowed in college recruiting, the G-League is paying millions for recruits, the NBL is paying millions, UNC was gifted a title in 2017 that we could’ve won, we’ve been destroyed by injuries.

There’s a lot of reasons Cal isn’t having the other worldly success he had his first 6 years, almost none of them are things any coach in America could change.

I'd give this 100 likes if I could.

 

[MasonCoBlue]

KJ was a steal at #29!

 

[cats#1again]

They dont hang banners in Rupp with NBA Draft picks by year. Impressive talent that's spent time in Lexington but considering the hype and how some have fared in the NBA, only one championship is pretty bad. Four Final Fours though are nice but I do think Cal should have 2-3 more titles by now.

These comments are what continue to show a novice level of sport knowledge.
You think cal should have 4 titles...
Show me any 9 or 10 tournament stretch by a coach that won 4 titles. Besides wooden and his cheating program it has never been done. So you are saying coach cal is the greatest coach of all time had he won 5 more games since he got here. 2011,2014,2015.

 

[cats#1again]

How so? Are there other coaches who had better draft results than Cal in the last 5 years? If so, why? Isn't Draft Night Cal's STATED goal and metric for success?

No. Sure isn't
It's never once been said except on here.
His goal is winning titles. Being the top dog. Meanwhile helping poor kids make money. Because he shows that he cares about his players becoming wealthy, some have made up a false statement along the way

 

[cats2010]

Calipari's draft picks in chronological order
Lots of people arguing Final Fours, record, tournament appearances, as a way to judge Calipari's performance. Why not judge him by his own standard?

2010
Wall 1, Cousins 5, Patterson 14, Bledsoe 18, Orton 29
2011
Kanter 3, Knight 8, Jorts 45, Liggins 53
2012
Davis 1, MKG 2, Terrence Jones 18, Teague 29, Lamb 42, Miller 46
2013
Noel 6, Goodwin 29
2014
Randle 7, Young 17
2015
Towns 1, WCS 6, Lyles 12, Booker 13, Andrew Harrison 44, Dakari 48
(here comes the dropoff)
2016
Jamal Murray 7, Skal 28, Ulis 34
2017
Fox 5, Monk 11, Bam 14
2018
Knox 9, SGA 11, Vanderbilt 41, Diallo 45
2019
PJ Washington 12, Herro 13, Keldon Johnson 29
2020
Maxey 21, Quickley 25, Richards 42
2021
(n/a)

That's TEN top 10 picks in the first 6 years, and only 5 in the last 6 years.

Only see 3 top 10 picks last 6 years
Murray, fox, and Knox.

 

[KyFaninNC]

Direct correlation in Cal’s draft picks and his success getting to a FF.

 

[KyFaninNC]

some have made up a false statement along the way

False statement? Cal has repeated this many times. Even said so in his book. Where do you get off making up these lies?

 

[Ukgold]

Too many picks and not enough titles. If cal doesn't win at least one more before he's done here will college basketball see him as an under achiever. Maybe its me and my expectations are too high but when I see this I become sad.

 

[Gromcat]

Too many picks and not enough titles. If cal doesn't win at least one more before he's done here will college basketball see him as an under achiever. Maybe its me and my expectations are too high but when I see this I become sad.

You’re not wrong. If Cal doesn’t hang a second banner it reduces him to the level of under achiever for sure. We don’t have to like it, it will be the biggest headline of his career. Even with two, many will still say it but a second ring does cement him in the halls of the greatest of all time.

 

[Gromcat]

No. Sure isn't
It's never once been said except on here.
His goal is winning titles. Being the top dog. Meanwhile helping poor kids make money. Because he shows that he cares about his players becoming wealthy, some have made up a false statement along the way

Cal doesn’t help poor kids make money. Not in the sense we’re using it.

He doesn’t have one player he’s coached at Kentucky who wouldn’t have gone on to make money at any program. I mean even if there was one, it’s not enough to use in this manner.

If he was taking a bunch of 2 stars and turning them into NBA picks sure, but he’s not. He’s taking, in most cases, the best of the best, allowing them an 8 month stop, and they leave to make millions.

It’s very disingenuous to use this over and over. I’ve never heard of another coach who constantly pushes that angle and it just feels wrong. There are a lot of poor / struggling kids in the world and Cal isn’t working miracles with those. It’s the part about Cal I like the least.

If you want to say you feel you’ve helped a few kids who didn’t have much, fine. But to basically use this nonsense as a substitute for a lack of success at the championship level and push it over and over, reeks of something shady.

 

[cats#1again]

False statement? Cal has repeated this many times. Even said so in his book. Where do you get off making up these lies?

No he hasn't. Not in the context you are taking it.
What he has said, and meant, is that he wants to be the winningest coach of all time. Pass UCLA and win numerous titles. If he ever insinuated that players being drafted were his top priority it is only because "if we have great players that are drafted we're gonna be a great team, we all win)
I've never made up a lie one.
Calling you out for not being able to understand what someone is actually meaning isn't a lie.
Until a year or so ago I was under the impression that all of our fans knew what the man meant when he spoke. Then came last season and now some on here want to act as if he cares nothing about winning at UK lol


I have a question for you!!
You take some phrase from a book and get a totally different meaning from what was meant by it. Fine. But how do you explain all the times throughout the years where he has said winning is the most important? Hanging banners in Rupp? Do you just disregard those statements to fit your agenda?

 

[Gromcat]

No he hasn't. Not in the context you are taking it.
What he has said, and meant, is that he wants to be the winningest coach of all time. Pass UCLA and win numerous titles. If he ever insinuated that players being drafted were his top priority it is only because "if we have great players that are drafted we're gonna be a great team, we all win)
I've never made up a lie one.
Calling you out for not being able to understand what someone is actually meaning isn't a lie.
Until a year or so ago I was under the impression that all of our fans knew what the man meant when he spoke. Then came last season and now some on here want to act as if he cares nothing about winning at UK lol


I have a question for you!!
You take some phrase from a book and get a totally different meaning from what was meant by it. Fine. But how do you explain all the times throughout the years where he has said winning is the most important? Hanging banners in Rupp? Do you just disregard those statements to fit your agenda?

Quick question.

When did Cal say this is “about hanging banners in Rupp” and just leave it at that? When did he say this is about “winning” and just leave it at that?

 

[cats#1again]

Cal doesn’t help poor kids make money. Not in the sense we’re using it.

He doesn’t have one player he’s coached at Kentucky who wouldn’t have gone on to make money at any program.

If he was taking a bunch of 2 stars and turning them into NBA picks sure, but he’s not. He’s taking, in most cases, the best of the best, allowing them an 8 month stop, and they leave to make millions.

It’s very disingenuous to use this over and over. I’ve never heard of another coach who constantly pushes that angle and it just feels wrong. There are a lot of poor / struggling kids in the world and Cal isn’t working miracles with those. It’s the part about Cal I like the least.

If you want to say you feel you’ve helped a few kids who didn’t have much, fine. But to basically use this nonsense as a substitute for a lack of success at the championship level and push it over and over, reeks of something shady.

You're so far off it's not funny..
Tyler Herro would probably still be at Wisconsin had he not came here.
What about the cliff Alexander's of the world who didn't come here and were considered a top 3 pick in the draft out of highschool?
Sure wall ,davis, cousins type guys would have been drafted most places
IQ, Herro, WCS, type guys would have never sniffed the league

 

[cats#1again]

Quick question.

When did Cal say this is “about hanging banners in Rupp” and just leave it at that? When did he say this is about “winning” and just leave it at that?

That's all he's ever said. His introductory speach the day he was hired was the first.
Hell he even brought it up on his call in show this past season. How laughable it is that some think he doesn't care about winning.

 

[cats#1again]

Cal doesn’t help poor kids make money. Not in the sense we’re using it.

He doesn’t have one player he’s coached at Kentucky who wouldn’t have gone on to make money at any program. I mean even if there was one, it’s not enough to use in this manner.

If he was taking a bunch of 2 stars and turning them into NBA picks sure, but he’s not. He’s taking, in most cases, the best of the best, allowing them an 8 month stop, and they leave to make millions.

It’s very disingenuous to use this over and over. I’ve never heard of another coach who constantly pushes that angle and it just feels wrong. There are a lot of poor / struggling kids in the world and Cal isn’t working miracles with those. It’s the part about Cal I like the least.

If you want to say you feel you’ve helped a few kids who didn’t have much, fine. But to basically use this nonsense as a substitute for a lack of success at the championship level and push it over and over, reeks of something shady.

A substitute for winning?
He's the winningest freaking coach since he took the job lol
The world you live in is video game esque I guess. Where you win a title every season. Lol

Winning meaning tournament success. The only thing that matters

 

[uky8unc5]

There are 350+ teams in college basketball, there’s only 1 number one pick every year. We have 3 of the last 12, that’s ridiculously good for us.

Coaching staff changes, basketball become more guard based and offensive, Skal shat up his back his one year at Kentucky as a #1 prospect, there’s open cheating allowed in college recruiting, the G-League is paying millions for recruits, the NBL is paying millions, UNC was gifted a title in 2017 that we could’ve won, we’ve been destroyed by injuries.

There’s a lot of reasons Cal isn’t having the other worldly success he had his first 6 years, almost none of them are things any coach in America could change.

Sparky, the Cal Lynch Mob ignores posts like this.
Way too much logic and common sense.