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This is the second part in a series designed to examine high-profile college basketball programs that are in need of a bailout. The first part of this series looked at the Arizona Wildcats.
For a team that didn't even make this year's NCAA tournament, the Kentucky Wildcats received as much, if not more, coverage during and after the tournament than the recently crowned national champion North Carolina Tar Heels.
That's what happens when you're Kentucky and you hire John Calipari as the new men’s basketball coach.
In 1998, Kentucky, under first-year head coach Tubby Smith, ascended to the top of the college basketball world by winning their seventh national championship.
But the problem for many in the Bluegrass State is the Wildcats haven’t been back.
Since the last banner-hanging ceremony, Kentucky has advanced to five Sweet 16s and three Elite Eights.
They’ve captured four regular season SEC titles, along with four SEC Tournament championships.
In that time frame, eight Kentucky players—Kelenna Azubuike, Keith Bogans, Joe Crawford, Chuck Hayes, Jamaal Magloire, Randolph Morris, Tayshaun Prince, and Rajon Rondo—have all cashed NBA paychecks.
Current players Jodie Meeks and Patrick Patterson have both declared for this year’s NBA Draft. To date, neither player has hired an agent; therefore, both are eligible to return to school.
Certainly, most programs in the country would be thrilled to have Kentucky’s résumé of the past 11 years.
Most programs aren’t Kentucky, though.
During Smith’s nine seasons as coach, Kentucky was always good, but rarely great.
When Smith appeared to have the makings of a great team, they faltered.
After winning the SEC regular season and tournament championships and earning a No. 2 seed in the 2000-01 tournament, the Wildcats lost in the round of 16.
Two years later, Kentucky again won the SEC regular season and tournament titles and earned a No. 1 seed. But they bowed out in the Elite Eight.
The next season, the Wildcats once again were a No. 1 seed; however, they were upended in the second round of the tournament.
Smith departed Lexington after the 2006-07 season, which led to Billy Gillispie’s hiring.
Under Gillispie, Kentucky made the NCAA tournament as a mere No. 11 seed his first year and missed the tournament altogether in his second, and last, season.
That was the first time Kentucky failed to make the NCAA tournament since 1991, when the school was on probation.
So, what’s in the bailout package for the ‘Cats?
Kentucky is synonymous with college basketball excellence. A program with the Wildcats’ pedigree needs a head coach with just as much panache.
Athletic director Mitch Barnhart certainly found his man in Calipari.
Calipari would be comfortable shaking hands and kissing babies whether he’s coaching in Rupp Arena or running for Mayor of Lexington. At Kentucky, the head coach needs to be part coach, part politician, and part schmoozer.
The last big name head coach of the Wildcats was Rick Pitino. Calipari brings as much flair with almost as impressive a résumé as the former Kentucky, and current Louisville, coach.
In college basketball, no matter how well the head man can "X" and "O", if a coach can’t recruit worth a lick, he’s not long for his job.
Exhale Wildcat fans, because if there is one thing Calipari was put on this Earth to do, it is recruit.
A scan of the Memphis rosters for this decade reads like a who’s who of college basketball: Tyreke Evans, Derrick Rose, Chris Douglas-Roberts, Joey Dorsey, Darius Washington, Jr., Rodney Carney, and Dajuan Wagner all suited up for the Tigers. Kendrick Perkins and Amar'e Stoudemire committed to Memphis, but entered the NBA Draft instead.
Prior to departing Memphis for Kentucky, Calipari had lined up one of the top recruiting classes in the country, headlined by Xavier Henry and DeMarcus Cousins.
Cousins followed Cal to Kentucky, but Henry opted to sign with Kansas.
When Cal was at UMass, he landed such studs as Marcus Camby, Donta Bright, and Lou Roe.
Simply put, Calipari could sell sand to a desert country, so recruiting kids with NBA talent to a school like Kentucky should be the least of his challenges.
Calipari’s first Kentucky recruiting class consists of Cousins, center Daniel Orton, small forward Darnell Dodson, and shooting guard Jon Hood.
Dodson, from Miami-Dade Community College, is a former Memphis recruit who also followed Calipari to Kentucky. Orton and Hood previously committed under Gillispie.
According to Rivals.com, Cousins and Orton are five-star recruits, while Dodson and Hood are four-stars.
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