Greetings, HOB. I’m over at Memorial Coliseum today for the Cats’ annual basketball media day. We’ll have UK head coach John Calipari joining us at approx 1 ET to discuss his team entering the 2021-22 season. After that, we’ll have interviews with the players at approx 2 ET. I’ll post all the major news and notes in this thread. Stay tuned…
COACH CAL Q&A:
* Asked about how practice has been going so far, Calipari says he’s “having a ball” every time he walks in because he has a bunch of guys who want to be coached, who stay engaged, a lot of veterans who lead. He hasn’t had many teams with veterans on it, so he forgets how much that can change things. Reminds him a bit of the team that had Reid Travis and PJ Washington leading.
* On NIL… Cal says they’re off to a good start. They have the most deals on campus, according to him. (Recruiting pitch? Cough Cough) Hoping to give the players life skills for how to handle it. Educating them on how contracts work, taxes, etc., etc. He still thinks we need more action by national legislators to create balance from state to state. But also stresses they need flexibility on this because it’s so new.
* Cal says Cats have not had a bad practice yet. He’s had a couple of teams go thru a season without a bad practice. Those become the great teams. But this feels more like a normal UK squad.
* With competition being high, Cal says the key to getting PT is who defends better, rebounds better, takes care of the ball better.
* Asked about what he wants to see in the Blue-White Game later this week… Wants to see who responds with the lights on and the popcorn popping. He’s got an idea of who might emerge. Says they’ll have it figured out by the time they open the season.
* On going the transfer portal route… Cal says he recruits really good players, but they tend to leave right away, and this team needed some good players to fill the void. He made it sound like the options weren’t real good at the HS level, so they made bigger use of the transfer portal.
* Scouts gave good feedback on Oscar Tshiebwe at Pro Day, Cal said. They had no idea he could move that way. “He’s been flying.”
* CJ Fredrick can really shoot, Cal said. They just need to get him on the court. He hasn’t been out there a whole lot since rehabbing his injury.
* Cal was asked if he embraces “Swaggy Cal.” … He asks someone what that means, says he’s not aware of it. “Why don’t you tell my wife that?” But if you want to read too much into his demeanor, he’s confident and “swaggy” because he likes what he sees from this team.
* “We’re going to play different this year,” Cal says. Cats are doing different things with the spacing and the way they run their dribble-drive offense. “The best part of this is trying new things.” But he adds that he’s already scrapped a few things they tried that didn’t seem like it would work with this group.
* Asked about honoring Tubby Smith… Cal jokes that he told Tubby he’s going to be really ticked if Tubby’s ovation is louder than his own. Tubby got a kick out of that. Compared it to Joe B. Hall, wanting to make sure coach knows how much he’s loved here. Notes that, as time goes by, people gain more appreciation and respect for the job he did here.
* On the SEC… League has gotten so much better. “It’s going to be a dogfight.” Notes how big the investments that the league schools have made in basketball have done to change things. Now that forces UK to re-evaluate and invest even more in its program to remain the “gold standard.”
* On saying during the open practice that the Cats will be a “speed team” … Cal says it’s about building a mentality that you run first and foremost, but you’ve also got to be poised and see the court developing slow while you’re going fast.
* Asked about sorting out how to use so many guards on the roster… He’s trying to divide them into play starters and play finishers right now. Thinks it will ultimately come down to who is defending the best and rebounding the best if you’re one of those guys toward the back of the rotation who are trying to break through for more minutes. “I’ve got to figure some things out.” Thinks everyone will have their chance eventually. “Let me just say: we’ve got good guards. We really do.”
* Cal said he called Damion Collins into his office the other day and said “I need you to show me more. I don’t know what you’re about.” Made it sound like he’s not being assertive enough. Standing on the perimeter a lot, even though he’s not hitting many outside shots right now. Wants him diving to the rim and making things happen. “Yesterday, he was ridiculous (good).”
* Bryce Hopkins didn’t practice for 7-10 days, but oof, once he came back he’s moving up the ladder. Physical guy. Does a lot of good things.
* “A lot of moving parts” on this roster, Cal says.
* Asked about Kentucky Football doing so well, Cal says they’ve always co-existed well. Loves Stoops. Similar backgrounds, NE Ohio guy and W. PA guy. Says he thought the Cats had some tough breaks against No. 1 Georgia or it could have been a closer game. Notes that he saw the same thing coming from Coach Skinner’s volleyball program that he sees in Stoops’ football program. “It’s all downhill now.” The investment for all sports at UK has been impressive, he added.
* Asked about more guys entering the transfer portal mid-season and how he’ll deal with that… Cal says he always thought UK would be in good position to take advantage of the situation, but it could become tricky when it comes to HS players in the future. They’re going to see their scholarship opps dry up because schools will be holding scholarships for instant transfers.
* On the communication level in practice having older guys… Still have a few guys who don’t take it on themselves to speak up. Trying to force some guys to be more assertive.
* Cal noted that Dontaie Allen had an unbelievable day rebounding in a recent practice. Told him that, if he does that, he’s going to get more playing time. Cal says he can leave him on the court if he’s offering other things to go along with his shooting.
KEION BROOK JR.:
DAVION MINTZ:
COACH CAL Q&A:
* Asked about how practice has been going so far, Calipari says he’s “having a ball” every time he walks in because he has a bunch of guys who want to be coached, who stay engaged, a lot of veterans who lead. He hasn’t had many teams with veterans on it, so he forgets how much that can change things. Reminds him a bit of the team that had Reid Travis and PJ Washington leading.
* On NIL… Cal says they’re off to a good start. They have the most deals on campus, according to him. (Recruiting pitch? Cough Cough) Hoping to give the players life skills for how to handle it. Educating them on how contracts work, taxes, etc., etc. He still thinks we need more action by national legislators to create balance from state to state. But also stresses they need flexibility on this because it’s so new.
* Cal says Cats have not had a bad practice yet. He’s had a couple of teams go thru a season without a bad practice. Those become the great teams. But this feels more like a normal UK squad.
* With competition being high, Cal says the key to getting PT is who defends better, rebounds better, takes care of the ball better.
* Asked about what he wants to see in the Blue-White Game later this week… Wants to see who responds with the lights on and the popcorn popping. He’s got an idea of who might emerge. Says they’ll have it figured out by the time they open the season.
* On going the transfer portal route… Cal says he recruits really good players, but they tend to leave right away, and this team needed some good players to fill the void. He made it sound like the options weren’t real good at the HS level, so they made bigger use of the transfer portal.
* Scouts gave good feedback on Oscar Tshiebwe at Pro Day, Cal said. They had no idea he could move that way. “He’s been flying.”
* CJ Fredrick can really shoot, Cal said. They just need to get him on the court. He hasn’t been out there a whole lot since rehabbing his injury.
* Cal was asked if he embraces “Swaggy Cal.” … He asks someone what that means, says he’s not aware of it. “Why don’t you tell my wife that?” But if you want to read too much into his demeanor, he’s confident and “swaggy” because he likes what he sees from this team.
* “We’re going to play different this year,” Cal says. Cats are doing different things with the spacing and the way they run their dribble-drive offense. “The best part of this is trying new things.” But he adds that he’s already scrapped a few things they tried that didn’t seem like it would work with this group.
* Asked about honoring Tubby Smith… Cal jokes that he told Tubby he’s going to be really ticked if Tubby’s ovation is louder than his own. Tubby got a kick out of that. Compared it to Joe B. Hall, wanting to make sure coach knows how much he’s loved here. Notes that, as time goes by, people gain more appreciation and respect for the job he did here.
* On the SEC… League has gotten so much better. “It’s going to be a dogfight.” Notes how big the investments that the league schools have made in basketball have done to change things. Now that forces UK to re-evaluate and invest even more in its program to remain the “gold standard.”
* On saying during the open practice that the Cats will be a “speed team” … Cal says it’s about building a mentality that you run first and foremost, but you’ve also got to be poised and see the court developing slow while you’re going fast.
* Asked about sorting out how to use so many guards on the roster… He’s trying to divide them into play starters and play finishers right now. Thinks it will ultimately come down to who is defending the best and rebounding the best if you’re one of those guys toward the back of the rotation who are trying to break through for more minutes. “I’ve got to figure some things out.” Thinks everyone will have their chance eventually. “Let me just say: we’ve got good guards. We really do.”
* Cal said he called Damion Collins into his office the other day and said “I need you to show me more. I don’t know what you’re about.” Made it sound like he’s not being assertive enough. Standing on the perimeter a lot, even though he’s not hitting many outside shots right now. Wants him diving to the rim and making things happen. “Yesterday, he was ridiculous (good).”
* Bryce Hopkins didn’t practice for 7-10 days, but oof, once he came back he’s moving up the ladder. Physical guy. Does a lot of good things.
* “A lot of moving parts” on this roster, Cal says.
* Asked about Kentucky Football doing so well, Cal says they’ve always co-existed well. Loves Stoops. Similar backgrounds, NE Ohio guy and W. PA guy. Says he thought the Cats had some tough breaks against No. 1 Georgia or it could have been a closer game. Notes that he saw the same thing coming from Coach Skinner’s volleyball program that he sees in Stoops’ football program. “It’s all downhill now.” The investment for all sports at UK has been impressive, he added.
* Asked about more guys entering the transfer portal mid-season and how he’ll deal with that… Cal says he always thought UK would be in good position to take advantage of the situation, but it could become tricky when it comes to HS players in the future. They’re going to see their scholarship opps dry up because schools will be holding scholarships for instant transfers.
* On the communication level in practice having older guys… Still have a few guys who don’t take it on themselves to speak up. Trying to force some guys to be more assertive.
* Cal noted that Dontaie Allen had an unbelievable day rebounding in a recent practice. Told him that, if he does that, he’s going to get more playing time. Cal says he can leave him on the court if he’s offering other things to go along with his shooting.
KEION BROOK JR.:
DAVION MINTZ:
