SEC: Congratulations To Coach John Calipari

In everyone’s life, there are a number of memorable moments that make us who we are. For Kentucky’s head coach John Calipari, we’ve got to experience some of his moments through television and in person.

One of Calipari’s most memorable moments occurred when he had to give his Hall of Fame speech. When Calipari was being inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, he made sure that he gave credit to all of the people that helped him along the way. Calipari started off with the most important people in his life, his family. Calipari’s grandparents were Italian immigrants that came from Ellis Island in New York and learned how to speak English.

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Then he thanked his former coaches and what could be argued as his second most important people, all of the players that played for him during his time coaching.

In typical Calipari fashion, he made sure it was a spectacle, something big to marvel at. Instead of shouting out each player individually, he brought out players from his time coaching at the University of Massachusetts, Memphis, and Kentucky. The stage was filled with basketball talent from previous generations to the new age.

***Anytime Marcus Camby makes a cameo it’s a memorable moment.***

Then in typical Calipari fashion, he once again inspired some of his former players that they too could be on this stage giving their own Hall of Fame speech in the future. To some players like John Wall, Anthony Davis and DeMarcus Cousins, you could see their faces light up as they approached the stage and took a part of the celebratory moment.

People love to criticize Coach Calipari and call him a list of things that might not be necessarily true, like arrogant, brash or cocky. However when you listen to him speak he’s arguably one of the most humble coaches in college basketball.

"“I never grabbed a rebound,” he said. “I never scored a point. I never had an assist…As you can see, I have been blessed to have all those opportunities but the reason I stand here is more about the players I’ve coached” said Calipari."

Giving credit to all of the players that got him into the Hall of Fame was a prime example of his humility. Bringing them up on the stage to celebrate with him was the icing on the cake.

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When it comes to Kentucky basketball, people have a lot of mixed feelings. Either people love the Big Blue Nation because they appreciate what they’ve done for college basketball, or they seem to hate on Kentucky’s success because it looks like it always comes so easy to them.

For Calipari, the leader of Kentucky’s program, people have those same type of mixed feelings for his coaching style. People tend to say that he only wins because of the recruiting classes that he constantly brings in every year, then they judge him when he doesn’t always deliver with a national championship. They tend to say things like, “Oh he’s a great recruiter, but he’s not an Xs & Os coach.” As well as my favorite line, “Oh, he only wins because of the players that he has. Give anyone else that team and they could win too.”

The bottom line is many people can’t do what he does. Calipari brings in a group of future NBA players and for one season he gets them to play like a team. He lectures about sacrificing. He teaches about giving to others. He expresses values about being your brother’s keeper. He preaches the right values and morals that athletes need to hear.

The bottom line is though no matter what anyone says about him the numbers do not lie and his method works. The record that Calipari boasts is 593-176, which is good enough for an incredible 78 percent winning percentage. To make matters much sweeter, he’s also got a national championship under his belt. At Kentucky alone, Calipari’s record stands at 190-38, which is an 83 percent winning percentage.

Then you also add to the resume the list of NBA players that he’s produced which in itself is also insane, but you already know who resides on his list.

On a much deeper level, think about how many African-Americans from impoverished homes that he’s helped make into millionaires. Then think about the number of children that have gotten free scholarships to help advance their careers outside of athletics. Calipari in some ways is similar to his grandparents who came from Ellis Island to give his family a better life. Instead of moving from different countries, he’s helping advance minorities in higher social classes and sequentially they’ll do the same for their families.

On behalf of the Hoops Habit staff and myself included, we all want to say…

…congratulations.

D’Joumbarey A. Moreau covers basketball for @HoopsHabit. You can follow him on Twitter @DJoumbarey.

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