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http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/11056 ... -presidentNBA coaching sources have told ESPN.com's Marc Stein that the Cleveland Cavaliers' recent pitch to Kentucky coach John Calipari was actually a 10-year offer worth nearly $80 million and included the role of coach and team president.
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/sources--k ... 04100.htmlUniversity of Kentucky coach John Calipari is finalizing plans for an unprecedented two-day campus scouting combine for NBA executives to evaluate his star-laden roster of professional prospects, league sources told Yahoo Sports.
Calipari has invited officials of the 30 NBA teams to send personnel to Lexington, Ky., on Oct. 11-12 to watch his players do everything from run full-court five-on-five and NBA-style pick-and-roll sets to individual skill work.
The event is a chance for Calipari to impress a throng of top high school recruits on campus visits and once again frame his program as college basketball's best NBA feeder system. Kentucky is expected to be a consensus preseason No. 1 in the polls.
After the combine, Calipari plans to shut out NBA executives and scouts from his practices for several weeks – perhaps even months – into the season, league sources told Yahoo Sports.
This way, Calipari can avoid the distractions that a constant parade of NBA scouts can present to so many talented young players in the practice gym.
NBA personnel aren't allowed to interact with college undergraduates, but Calipari can simply shape his workouts to be conducive to the NBA's needs.
As one executive laughed, "We're just there as B-roll for his recruiting videos."
Calipari and his staff have been in contact with NBA executives on the format of the two-day event. Kentucky is expected to run double sessions of practice and workouts on Oct. 12 before closing off access to NBA teams for the foreseeable future.
Kentucky is an NBA factory. This is their selling point, and this is just more evidence.CalStateTempe wrote:Why NBA isn't interacting with the kids and its consolidated to one day in preseason.
smart smart smart.
It isn't a lesser tiered schools fault that they can't do this.
That's what Jim Rosborough said Arizona was under Lute not 10 years ago.Spaceman Spiff wrote:Kentucky is an NBA factory. This is their selling point, and this is just more evidence.CalStateTempe wrote:Why NBA isn't interacting with the kids and its consolidated to one day in preseason.
smart smart smart.
It isn't a lesser tiered schools fault that they can't do this.
Yeah, I don't have an issue with it. I'd have one if Cal was always pumping sunshine about student athletes, etc. He's fairly straightforward about what the program is, though, and fairly straightforward about who he is too.CalStateTempe wrote:At least Cal is being transparent about what UK is.
I can respect that.
I'd rather be friends with an arrogant person who owns it, than a passive aggressive "nice-guy" appearing one. I kinda see the UK program and Cal through that same perspective.
The result is going to get vacated anyways, so it doesn't matter however you look at it.Olsondogg wrote:As if no NBA scouts get any UK exposure. Joke.
Who's hating on Cal? I just wanted to know if this means Kentucky is going to sub 5 guys at a time and how that will work with game flow and such.CalStateTempe wrote:I really don't get the Cal hate around here.
Cal should have been given a consulting fee for his AD work during the Miller hire. More efficacious compared to who we had in charge and his scatterbrained drive through New Mexico high county as a selling point for Tucson. At least LG didn't have a hankering for a good burger.
My post was directed at Odogg, wasn't intended to you Chi, I shouldn't have written the first sentence.Chicat wrote:Who's hating on Cal? I just wanted to know if this means Kentucky is going to sub 5 guys at a time and how that will work with game flow and such.CalStateTempe wrote:I really don't get the Cal hate around here.
Cal should have been given a consulting fee for his AD work during the Miller hire. More efficacious compared to who we had in charge and his scatterbrained drive through New Mexico high county as a selling point for Tucson. At least LG didn't have a hankering for a good burger.
CalStateTempe wrote:My post was directed at Odogg, wasn't intended to you Chi, I shouldn't have written the first sentence.Chicat wrote:Who's hating on Cal? I just wanted to know if this means Kentucky is going to sub 5 guys at a time and how that will work with game flow and such.CalStateTempe wrote:I really don't get the Cal hate around here.
Cal should have been given a consulting fee for his AD work during the Miller hire. More efficacious compared to who we had in charge and his scatterbrained drive through New Mexico high county as a selling point for Tucson. At least LG didn't have a hankering for a good burger.
I must be the only person on the planet who thinks this is a shitty idea.Coop Cat wrote:So Smart:
Cal has always been honest about the main goal of his program being to get kids to the NBA. That's why he's able to sell 5* recruits on coming in for one year. Even if they have to sit the bench, their time on the court is all about maximizing their exposure to NBA personnel. And this is just another way of doing that.biggles wrote:I must be the only person on the planet who thinks this is a shitty idea.Coop Cat wrote:So Smart:
From Arizona's media day interviews, I think Miller and every single player emphasized "chemistry" and how you have to work at it and it takes time. Yet what Calipari is doing at the exact same time of year is to remind all of his players "The ultimate goal here is the NBA. And hey, you guys are actually competing WITH each other. Now go get to it"
To me it sets the completely wrong tone (for his current team), at the wrong time of the season. I'm sure it looks great to recruits, but I'm not convinced it won't hurt this year's team.
The point is to get the whole NBA thing over with and out of the way before the season even starts. The players can be evaluated directly without having to showcase when winning is on the line, and without distracting practices and game preparations. The NBA drafts on potential, but that potential requires exposure. Unveil the potential now, and that way nobody needs the season for that. It's precisely the opposite of undermining chemistry. It's establishing a focused framework for chemistry to flourish. That way it's a publicity tool for continued recruiting and a shielding tool for winning now. It sends the message to current and future players that such depth of talent doesn't detract from anyone's NBA aspirations: Kentucky is a conduit to the NBA and still about being a winner in the moment.biggles wrote:I must be the only person on the planet who thinks this is a shitty idea.Coop Cat wrote:So Smart:
From Arizona's media day interviews, I think Miller and every single player emphasized "chemistry" and how you have to work at it and it takes time. Yet what Calipari is doing at the exact same time of year is to remind all of his players "The ultimate goal here is the NBA. And hey, you guys are actually competing WITH each other. Now go get to it"
To me it sets the completely wrong tone (for his current team), at the wrong time of the season. I'm sure it looks great to recruits, but I'm not convinced it won't hurt this year's team.
If it weren't self-serving, then why would Calipari do it? But the message it sends doesn't impinge on Arizona, which is also served by it. Kentucky and Arizona belong to the same top rung of the hierarchy, and both are programs known for preparing talent for the NBA. It's a buttressing of the recognition that "playing for a winner" v. "being the man" isn't the same question as "playing for a winner" v. "showcasing for the League." Going to a lesser program to pad your stats while playing with reduced exposure, fewer wins, and missing out on "One Shining Moment" doesn't streamline one's path toward the NBA. The idea really marshals the talent to deep rosters at Kentucky, Arizona, UNC, Kansas, and Duke. It's almost like a lift of the the leveling power of the salary cap that's supposed to benefit smaller markets in the NBA.Olsondogg wrote:Personally I think it is a self serving idea. "Hey look at UK, we have NBA scouts all coming to our combine".
Whatever, happens on a regular basis during practices in Tucson, as well as the games. But hey, if Cal wants to waive his flag about being the NBA factory that's fine. Stats don't lie...just look at the last quarter century and tell me who put the most in the NBA.
I get that that's the argument, but I don't see that working whatsoever. Let's say you're competing with another guy at your position, and he outplays you today. Are you really going to go "well, time to sacrifice myself for the team so he can get drafted higher?"Longhorned wrote: The point is to get the whole NBA thing over with and out of the way before the season even starts.
If a player is going to get beat out for playing time, he's going to lose those minutes regardless. And if he's bitter about riding pine and hurting team chemistry, he'll do that anyway. But this way, he'll get to have NBA scout exposure in spite of the lack of floor time and without interfering with game prep and player development.biggles wrote:I get that that's the argument, but I don't see that working whatsoever. Let's say you're competing with another guy at your position, and he outplays you today. Are you really going to go "well, time to sacrifice myself for the team so he can get drafted higher?"Longhorned wrote: The point is to get the whole NBA thing over with and out of the way before the season even starts.
Or are you going to have in the back of your mind the entire season "I know I'm better than this guy, I just need to get out there and show it." If you have that mentality, are you going to pass up a good shot to get that guy a great shot? Are you going to cover his ass on defense or hope he gets burned?
I 100% understand that with Calipari there is zero apology that his number one priority is to put kids in the NBA. I just don't think it's the BEST way to start off your season in a sport where teamwork makes such a big difference.
Chicat wrote:I’ve heard Cal pays $20k/mo per 5 star.
In the NCAA’s new enforcement system, this post is enough evidence to investigate Kentucky and severely sanction them.
Listened to it. It was spectacular!threenumberones wrote:Loss at home to Evansville
UK is for real this season, especially with their big man now eligible. But aside from Purdue, there aren’t any top 10 teams that look like locks for the FF (or even the E8).