John Calipari has got the best coaching job in basketball, college or pro. There is no University, nor any NBA franchise, that can offer him more than he already has where he is. No way. When Coach Cal turned down the chance to lead the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA, some sports writers wondered how he could possibly turn away from such a grand opportunity.
Those familiar with the setups that top flight college coaches enjoy on various campuses around the country already knew why, and were not at all surprised when Calapari turned them down. The University of Kentucky is basketball Mecca. Their basketball coach enjoys such esteem there on campus, and in the community, that no NBA city can match. Not even for $60 million.
In fact, Calapari recently told reporters that he wouldn’t have taken the job even had he known that LeBron was on his way back to Cleveland. It was never an option. But Coach Cal does approve of the guy who ended up as the Cavs new head coach.
During a recent interview on Sirius XM NBA Radio, Calapari said, “David Blatt can really coach. He’s a better choice than me to coach that team. I coached against him. I’m not sitting here just saying it. I coached against him in FIBA basketball. I watched him coach Russia, the guy can coach, OK?
But Coach David Blatt? Sorry, but I had to look him up, and what I found astounded me. This guy has been around the block and around the world. He graduated from Princeton University and played briefly in the NBA before going abroad to play basketball. David Blatt has since become the most successful American basketball coach in European Basketball history.
Just for starters, check out his recent accomplishments. He coached the Eruoleague Championship team and was named Coach of the Year in 2014. In 2012 he won the Adriatic League Championship. Before that, the Italian League Championship in both 2003 & 2007. In 2005 he was the Russian Super League Coach of the Year. Heard enough?
Coach Cal summed it up, “Those players, all they want is respect. If they respect you as a coach they’re going to play like crazy, it’s not going to happen in a month, just like Miami. It’ll be similar to that but they got an outstanding coach, they got the best coach they could get for where they are and what they’re trying to do.”
