The Five Best Quotes from the John Calipari Show

#5: Missing Shots is Contagious, and Cats need Confidence

It was no secret that Kentucky was one of the worst three-point shooting teams in America. At one point, the Wildcats ranked 326th out of 350 active Division 1 teams. However, recently, they cleaned up their act.

Of ups and downs, Cal said:

“It’s contagious. Missing is contagious. When you see everyone missing and you finally get your shot, what do you think? Yours is in? But when you see everyone making shots… Nate went basket, basket, basket, then it was like, ‘Okay, yes guys. It’s okay if you make one too.’ Then all of a sudden we’re making them five different ways. But I’ll be honest, we need to make five, six, seven, maybe eight threes a game. Because of how we play, we want to get to the free-throw line. You cannot get to the free-throw line shooting jump shots, you’re just not.”

On how to build confidence, Cal said:

“I come back to, you want to build your own confidence. Whatever is hard for you, focus on that. What’s hard for you is conditioning? Great! Come in here every day and only focus on that. Over and over, focus on that. You do that, and you’ll become more confident. Play through bumps and be physical? Great, focus on that every day. Shooting the ball? Great. You’ll build your own confidence. Immanuel has worked his way into becoming this level of player. Whenever we do any running, he’s first. He laps some of the field. The guys respect him. I bring him off the bench, but he’s a starter, and everybody knows it.”