Kentucky Basketball: Has the BBN Learned the Calipari Way?

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John Calipari arrived in Lexington in 2009. At the time of his hire, the program wasn’t at a low point, but there was a general malaise around Kentucky basketball. Obviously, the team wasn’t great, but there was talent on hand as future NBA pros Patrick Patterson and Jodie Meeks can attest to. There was, however,

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a feeling that the program was close to going from mediocre to downright terrible. Thankfully, UK Athletics Director Mitch Barnhart pulled the trigger and invited Coach Cal to town.

As is well known, fans of the Kentucky Wildcats love their history. Whether it’s going back to the days of the Fiddlin Five or to when The Goose got loose, from the Unforgettables to the Untouchables, the Big Blue Nation appreciates its storied past. How would Coach Cal and his recruiting mesh with a fan base so accustomed to watching players grow and develop over 3-4 years, weaving themselves into the fabric of Kentucky basketball? Would bringing in one-and-done type players make Senior Day a thing of the past?

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It didn’t take John Calipari long to put a lot of fears to rest with his first UK team. When the 2009-10 season kicked off, the Wildcats had the #1 recruiting class in the country. And throughout that season, it was clear that “Kentucky” would become and remain the most talked about team in the nation. From the John Wall Dance to DeMarcus Cousins imploring the Mississippi State faithful to “call him,” that team demanded spotlight and delivered once there. True, that team finished 35-3 and won the SEC regular season and tournament championship, but a cold shooting night ended their season in the Elite Eight.

With the mass exodus of talent to the NBA (5 first round draft picks), Calipari showed that his plan was to restock and reload with another talented recruiting class. And with four Final four appearances, a national runner up finish and the 2012 NCAA title, it’s clear that there’s a method to Coach Cal’s madness. His detractors are of the mindset that all he does is roll the ball out and the Cats’ success is based solely on the talent. While it’s true that he’s had a ton of collegiate talent in Lexington, Coach Cal has shown his ability to get that talent all on the same page offensively and, perhaps more challenging, gotten them to play lock down defense.

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What the Big Blue Nation, hopefully, understands is that the team Calipari has in November is not the team that he will have in March and April. Every team, save the 2013 team (which is clearly an aberration) has shown marked improvement over the course of the season. The 2011 team was woeful on the road in end of game situations and made a great run to the Final Four. The 2014 team was left for dead, given an 8 seed in the tournament and finished their season in the NCAA Title game. Even the 2012 team made huge strides, particularly after the loss at Indiana. It’s clear that Cal is not only a great recruiter, but he’s a solid basketball coach as well.

One of my main concerns and I think the concerns of a lot of Big Blue fans would be how would the one-and-done players connect to the program. Would they just be passing through on the way to the NBA? Well, it’s clear that’s not the case. Whether it’s returning to campus or supporting the current Cats through social media, it’s clear there is a connection to both John Calipari and the University of Kentucky. Cal not only has welcomed recent Cats back, he’s opened the door to legendary players and welcomed them back to the program. Calipari has embraced the history while doing his best to add to it.

Through two games this season (with Duke on the horizon Tuesday in Chicago), the current edition of the Wildcats are just like their predecessors. There have been flashes of individual talent, but it’s going to take some time to get everyone on the same page. Offensively, it looks like Skal is the most comfortable, but once Tyler Ulis and the other guards get on track, the offense will take off. Defensively, this team doesn’t have that imposing inside presence that Kentucky has had over the past few seasons. It’s going to have to be a team effort to control the paint and grab rebounds. This team is a work in progress, but if recent history is an indicator, the Calipari Way will have this team primed for another deep tournament run come March.