“Are you proud that you send so many players to the NBA?” Sipping on a coffee at a local Dunkin Donuts, John Calipari pondered the question. Over the last decade Calipari-coached teams have become a pipeline to the next level, first in Memphis and now at Kentucky. Consider: As of opening night, 19 players in the NBA were from Kentucky, most from any school, the majority of which came from the teams Calipari has coached the last three seasons.
“I do take pride in it,” Calipari said. “I'm not embarrassed about trying to help kids reach dreams. My mother used to tell me, ‘Dream big dreams. Don't be afraid to see yourself outside your surroundings.' Here, I am in a position to break generational cycles in families. This Kentucky effect is real. From draft positions to shoe contracts to branding yourself, all those things happen here. You wonder if you are in the business of basketball or you are in the business of helping families.”
Walter Cornett, of Glendale, Kentucky, is the owner and operator of Walter's Wildcat World. He founded WildcatWorld.com in 1998 making it one of the oldest Kentucky basketball fan sites in operation today.