Was John Calipari saving face with his recent tweets?
By Paul Jordan
Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
Kentucky Wildcats Basketball fans have learned to embrace the period from the end of the season to June or so as the crazy season. Every year, there are going to be wild NBA rumors, player announcements as to NBA decisions, and usually a good bit of last-minute recruiting to shore up next years class. In regards to the first, we all know that John Calipari will be linked to every open NBA job and this year was no example. This year, John Calipari went out of his way to calm those NBA rumors but unfortunately, the media is going to try to put their negative spin on it.
On May 1, Calipari sent this tweet out presumably to calm the fears of the Big Blue Nation that he may be considering another job.
Before it starts, I'm totally committed to helping this group of young men reach their dreams. I wouldn't & couldn't leave this group!
— John Calipari (@UKCoachCalipari) May 1, 2014
However, that was not the intent of his tweet per some pundits. Apparently, it was an attempt to save face by Calipari because the Lakers were not interested in him anyway.
"John Calipari has no shot to get the job, just as he didn’t when Rex Chapman tweeted that Calipari was on his way to Laker-land with a “done deal” as Kentucky hit the court for the NCAA championship game against UConn. Calipari knows the Lakers have zero interest in him and that’s why he tweeted on Friday that he is not leaving the Wildcats.As successful as he’s been running “the NBA’s 31st team,” Calipari is not even the hottest college coach these days when it comes to NBA openings. Iowa State’s Fred Hoiberg is going to be contacted for several coaching vacancies, besides the Lakers’."
This is just the standard Calipari bashing article that John Calipari gets nowadays. No sources to confirm that the Lakers are not interested or any reason to explain that statement. Just this guys opinion. And that’s fine. Everyone is allowed an opinion, but don’t expect credibility when you can not even get the basic facts right.
As you can see from the tweet, Calipari tweeted on Thursday, May 1, not on Friday. And where was John Calipari Friday? Instead of waiting anxiously by the phone for that call from the Lakers that he knew he had no chance in, John Calipari was doing this.
Recovering from hip replacement surgery.
And even if Calipari had NBA designs, this summer probably would not be able to pursue it. I’m no doctor, but if you have a hip replacement surgery, you may not be able to fly for up the three months. And I really don’t see Cal embarking on a cross-country trip in a Winnebago to talk to the Lakers brass. Or any team.
And far as the timing of his tweet, Calipari knew he was going to be recovering for a few days and that these Lakers rumors were going to hit. So he sent the tweet as the pre-emptive strike. And for about 90% of the fans and media, that was enough and there was nothing else to read into.
But like I said, it’s the crazy season.