John Calipari builds his team with trust and the lure of the NBA

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Over the next few days. we are going to read articles and see stories on ESPN about John Calipari and his “one and done system’.  A lot of them will have a negative slant, but don’t be swayed by that and just ask yourself what a true team is.   Calipari sends a lot of players to the pros, but so does Coach K.  If Kentucky and Duke do battle in the NCAA Championship next Monday, you will also see a battle for the number one pick in the upcoming NBA Draft between Jahlil Okafor and Karl-Anthony Towns, both of whome are freshmen.  Over the past few years, Coach K has been sending his share of players to the NBA Draft, but you don’t hear about it as much because K does not openly embrace the system as John Calipari does.  And in the end, Calipari’s embracing of the “fast route to the NBA” has turned out to be an innovative way of team building as his Wildcats are the favorites to cut down the nets next Monday.

Despite having a team that made the NCAA Championship game last year, John Calipari had six players return to school.  Add that to the four incoming freshman who comprised the second best class in 2014 and you have the talent for a perfect season and a return trip to the Final Four.  It’s not as easy as it sounds however.  Critics everywhere decried the overabundance of talent and said that players would not be happy, and that mass defections may occur by way of transfers.

Most of that is because of John Calipari’s approach with this team.  He promises them nothing and tells them so from day number one in recruiting.  A lot of coaches will promise the world to a Karl-Anthony Towns and tell them the NBA nay be all theirs for the taking.  Calipari is not satisfied with just one or two five-star players.  And those players come to Kentucky knowing they will not have anything handed to them and the recruits like it. Consider this from current commit Isaiah Briscoe and top target Malik Newman.