John Calipari hasn’t held an official position in the NBA since the turn of the century, but his fingerprints are all over the league as we know it. Coach Cal has only one NCAA title to his name, but in just nine seasons in Lexington, he’s turned the University of Kentucky into an assembly line for professional players—both in the NBA and in leagues across the globe. This week, we’re exploring Kentucky and Calipari’s impact on the basketball world and whether or not his one-and-done blueprint has staying power at both the college and pro levels. Welcome to the Kentucky Basketball Association.
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Kentucky Basketball Association
An exploration of John Calipari’s effect on basketball today
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March 17, 2018
Anthony Davis Is Your Big Bracket Nation Champion
One shining moment, it’s all on the line. One shining moment, there frozen in time.
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March 16, 2018
How a Louisville Fan Learned to Enjoy John Wall and Anthony Davis
John Calipari’s recruitment of one-and-done players has made it easier to forget the college careers of his biggest stars
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March 16, 2018
Big Bracket Nation: The Final
It’s Anthony Davis vs. DeMarcus Cousins in the grand finale of the single-elimination tournament to determine John Calipari’s most outstanding player
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March 15, 2018
How John Calipari Became College Basketball’s Best Recruiter
Across his three-decade career, the now Kentucky coach has upended norms and altered the structure of his sport. We asked the elite prospects who’ve joined him to explain his appeal.
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March 15, 2018
Big Bracket Nation: Final Four
The fourth round of the single-elimination tournament to determine John Calipari’s most outstanding player
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March 15, 2018
A Four-Star Recruit Will Decide Kentucky’s Fate in the NCAA Tournament
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander isn’t the elite supernova recruit you’d typically expect to be Coach Cal’s best player, but the freshman has shot up the draft boards, and he might not be done rising.
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March 14, 2018
Is One-and-Done Almost Done?
John Calipari’s major selling point is that he gets kids ready for the NBA, but what if the NBA takes that job?
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March 14, 2018
Big Bracket Nation: Elite Eight
The third round of the single-elimination tournament to determine John Calipari’s most outstanding player
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March 13, 2018
From Atop the College Basketball World to the Middle of Nowhere
While their former teammates start All-Star Games and take over playoff matchups, some former John Calipari products are clawing out careers in the G League and overseas
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March 13, 2018
Big Bracket Nation: Sweet 16
The second round of the single-elimination tournament to determine John Calipari’s most outstanding player
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March 12, 2018
Big Bracket Nation
John Calipari has produced some of the best basketball prospects in recent history. This is the single-elimination tournament to determine his most outstanding player.