John Calipari has at all times been a fantastic recruiter. He is aware of that a lot, and he is aware of that it is his capacity to be the high-profile CEO of a school basketball program that makes him beneficial.
Coach Cal has by no means been accused of being the most effective Xs and Os man on the market, however whether or not it is at Massachusetts, Memphis, Kentucky or now Arkansas, Calipari is aware of the place his bread is buttered.
“In the event you’ve traditionally adopted me, recruiting has been high-quality,” Calipari just lately mentioned (h/t On3). “Whether or not it’s transfers, whether or not it’s freshmen — recruiting is recruiting. Are you able to add worth to a younger man and his household? Are you able to assist him get the place he’s attempting to go?”
For faculty basketball coaches, getting a participant the place he needs to go usually means making him a beautiful candidate for the NBA, and Calipari was nice at that — particularly at Kentucky.
It is a bit extra complicated now within the NIL period, although, the place highschool gamers could make 1000’s, if not hundreds of thousands, of {dollars} earlier than even stepping onto the faculty hardwood.
Regardless of all the cash being thrown round, it would not sound like Calipari is fearful about Arkansas maintaining with the Joneses.
The Razorbacks undoubtedly haven’t got the struggle chest that Kentucky does, however that is not the main focus of recruiting, per Calipari.
“Do you make it about him? Do you might have a historical past? Do they do their homework? Have you ever ready younger individuals like him? Or, is it solely about NIL? Then, you don’t include us,” the coach defined.
For what it is value, Calipari has already rebuilt Arkansas in his picture with a number of former Kentucky gamers becoming a member of him in Fayetteville, together with junior Adou Thiero and sophomores Zvonimir Ivisic and DJ Wagner.
“We’re in good condition proper now. I’m juiced about it,” Calipari mentioned.
