NC Game Storyline: Calipari to Lakers?
I apologize for not being able to embed the actual tweet on here (and maybe somebody can help me out), but Rex Chapman tweeted out just a little while ago:
@Rexchapman: Was messin' 'round on Sat nite re: Cal. But word is - win or lose 2nite - it's a #DoneDeal ...Cal 2 La-La-Land 2 coach Mamba's Lakers. #NoBS
Link to Chapman's Twitter Page: https://twitter.com/rexchapman
Take it for what it's worth.
Good. Get rid of him.
He already has experience in a professional basketball program. Only difference is the pay is higher at the Lakers.
Calipari is a slimebag, but his prolific buying of one and done talent leaves a huge gap in Columbus. When Cal leaves UK, Ohio State will have that one extra one and done guy they were missing the last couple of years.
With JohnnyB's success at producing NBA caliber talent, I think eyes are going to be looking a little farther north from now on.
None of those kids would have gone to OSU. None of them even took visits and only Randle was offered.
Offer lists, besides Kentucky:
Aaron Harrison: Arizona, Baylor, Kansas, Maryland, Memphis, Texas, UCLA, UNLV, Villanova
Andrew Harrison: Arizona, Baylor, Georgetown, Maryland, Memphis, SMU, Texas, UCLA, UNLV, Villanova
Julius Randle: Baylor, Duke, Florida, Kansas, Missouri, North Carolina, N.C. State, Ohio St., Oklahoma, Oklahoma St., SMU, TCU, Texas
Dakari Johnson: Kansas, Georgia, Central Florida
James Young: Arizona, Kansas, Louisville, Michigan St., Syracuse
Arizona and Kansas are the big winners if this happens. Maybe Louisville. Maybe Baylor and Texas get some better in-state recruits. But nobody's going to Ohio.
You have to wonder if this would do anything for the stacked recruiting classes that UK is expecting.
Oh god I hope so. Him getting out of college ball would be great for the game as a whole.
Was messin' 'round on Sat nite re: Cal. But word is - win or lose 2nite - it's a #DoneDeal ...Cal 2 La-La-Land 2 coach Mamba's Lakers. #NoBS
— Rex Chapman (@rexchapman) April 7, 2014
All of those Kentucky recruits for next year have to be kicking themselves.
might want to reconsider, amirite
My first thought ALWAYS with coaching changes is how would they help Michigan.
I've been following #DoneDeal for awhile. It's finally paying off!
The universe doesn't have that awesome a sense of humor.
Lakers are refuting Calipari to Lakers story put out by Rex Chapman before NCAA tip: GM Mitch Kupchak says "rumor is untrue"
— Chris Dufresne (@DufresneLATimes) April 8, 2014
Kobe didn't tell me yet.
With this in the works, who else is thinking:
2013-2014 Kentucky Wildcats - VACATED
Am I right?
I was going to post this - but I figured someone beat me to the punch. It's definitely the trend with this guy.
Why would the Lakers say that it's true. Remember Fielder to the Tigers never happening according to Dombroski.
When a team denies something we should just call it "GM speak."
but what part of "LAKERS" are you missing?
I mean, you're right, but it's the Lakers.
But it is a huge market and his ego will fit in well with the Laker fans.
Pretty sure the Lakers are going to have lots of space under the salary cap when the season's over.
Cal is already an NBA coach. He might as well make it official.
In all seriousness, I actually think he would make for a good NBA coach, unlike most college coaches.
NBA coaches generally need to be managers of people more than Xs and Os guys, and Cal is clearly good at getting guys to like him and play hard. So I don't think he would have a problem handling pro players due to the fact that he's already a player's coach. He doesn't have a grating style that would turn off a lot of NBA players a la Izzo.
If he can assemble a coaching staff to handle most of the game planning stuff, I think he'd do quite well.
Edit: Obviously, he was an NBA coach for the Nets in the late 90s and was fired, but he got a pretty raw deal, IMO. The Nets were a horrible franchise at that time, he had to deal with the lockout, and was basically only given 2 years, 1 of which he made the playoffs (which was an accomplishment for the inept Nets).
they're not winning games b/c calipari is a savant coach. they're winning games b/c they collectively have them most talented roster, by far.
Why does the NBA even want him? Isn't almost all of his success attributable to recruiting--a part of the job that literally does not exist in the NBA?
People think Kentucky is just how coach Cal has always been. He made UMass into a Final Four team I believe from nothing and he made Memphis into the powerhouse program they were through the mid-2000s. It wasn't always recruits.
It wasn't till he got to UK that his model went from one or two one-and-dones on his Memphis teams to literally entirely rosters of guys who all think they're going to be one-and-done
those years didn't happen.
Marcus Camby got paid in hookers and drugs, Derrick Rose got someone else to take his SAT, among other various non-confirmed things like some cars, sudden jobs for recruits, etc.
He definitely did well at those other two schools, but even if there was no foul play going on, a huge part of his success at those schools was simply getting superior talent. He recruiting Marcus Camby, Derrick Rose, Chris Douglas-Roberts, etc. Which, in college, is more than half of the battle. But in the NBA, where you can't simply out-talent other teams, you need other skills (Xs & Os; player development; roster/ego management, etc.). He very well might have those skills, but I don't think those are the things that make him a great college coach--it's mostly great recruiting.
I'm not sure I agree with you, but even if you're right, is Cal's college recruiting prowess in the NCAA going to translate to bringing NBA players to his team? I'm skeptical a coach has anywhere near the roster assembly role in the NBA that he does in the NCAA.
But if he chooses the right job, and it doesn't get any better than the Lakers. Players will come and Cal will be just fine. We can all say what we want about his ethics and way of doing business but the guy is a winner.
Unless they're going to give the Lakers three or four lottery picks every year, what he does now won't translate. He might get the best talent in LA but it won't be vastly superior to everyone he plays.
"He's a winner" is content-free. He's a winner for particular reasons, and the only one of those that might possibly be worth something in the NBA is player-management skills.
The reason he's up for a prestigious position is the same reason that he wins--he has the right friends.
And it's possible that it might actually translate to the NBA, because the friends that are so instrumental in delivering his recruiting classes also have a lot of influence on movements in the pros. And the context of Chapman's tweet is...
Chapman was seen with coaching agent and Calipari confidant William Wesley this weekend
It's not hard to figure out what Wes might be pitching the Lakers.
I live in KY and have heard enough about this guy that I would never want him coaching any team I root for.
He is a legit criminal. No lie.
Care to elaborate?