John Calipari's Son Brad Looking to Forge Own Basketball Identity

ATLANTA — As the son of Kentucky head coach John Calipari, one of the most famous basketball coaches in America, Class of 2016 guard Brad Calipari is spending July trying to make a name for himself as a potential college basketball player.

"I want to play collegiately and then overseas," Calipari said. "I wouldn't mind playing for my dad, but I don't want it to be just handed to me. It's just pride, really. I don't want people to think that. I've worked so hard to get where I'm at. I want people to know that I'm not getting stuff just handed to me."

The 6'0", 165-pound Calipari is trying to show college coaches that he can defend and create his own shot with the Travelers of the Nike EYBL this summer. Catch-and-shoot perimeter jumpers are Calipari's biggest asset right now, but he is trying to prove that he belongs on a college roster. Some mid-major programs have spoken with Calipari, and he's visited Liberty and received calls from Tennessee Tech and Wright State.

After tearing his ACL and missing most of his junior season of high school, Calipari reclassified to the Class of 2016 in order to get healthy and earn more playing time. He also transferred from Lexington Christian right in the heart of Big Blue Nation to MacDuffie School in Granby, Massachusetts, before last season. The move has given Calipari more space to get away from the chaos of being associated with his father and the Kentucky basketball program. His injured knee is also fully recovered.

"The injury was the main reason [I reclassified] because I was only able to play a few games my junior year, so I reclassified and just got that whole year back," Calipari said.

"I think that right now I'm about 100 percent. The process was tough but it taught me not to take as much for granted. When it happened, it made me work harder and I had to rely on myself more."

While playing for his dad at Kentucky (likely as a walk-on at the end of the bench) is an option, Calipari is also poised to make a name for himself as a basketball player. His last name is always going to be Calipari, so Brad tries to use that name association as a positive.

"Right now, I'm creating a name for myself as I get better. People are going to start knowing me for me," Brad said.

Being healthy from the ACL injury also means Brad can play in open gyms with Kentucky players for the first time in competitive games since his dad took the Wildcat job. The experience of playing against the current Kentucky roster—some of the best college players in the country—has showed Calipari a couple of things that he's trying to apply to his own game. Since he was too young (or injured) to actually compete with Kentucky's roster before, Calipari is relishing the opportunity to play against a bevy of former McDonald's All-Americans.

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"I think that's helped my game, too. The main thing, defensively trying to guard those guys, they're a lot quicker, stronger, and you can’t let them push you around. So it kind of taught me to play more physical," Calipari said.

Playing in competitive games has been a little bit different for Brad from just hanging out with Kentucky players like he used to. Even though Brad is now healthy and competing against Kentucky's players in open gym, he's maintained the positive relationships with the players away from the floor that's he's always had. 

"I'm close with all of the players. They're all good about that. As we get closer in age [it's helped even more]," Calipari said. "As I've been younger, they were good to me. As I've gotten older, they've still been good to me. Every player my dad has had, we've all gotten along, so it's never been an issue trying to be with them."

As Calipari approaches his senior season, recruiting will be a primary focus and a decision will come soon. His old man knows a thing or two about landing signatures on the trail. John Calipari is keeping a respectful distance from his son's recruitment, however, and Brad said he'll take his father's advice if it's necessary.

"Once I talk to him, he'll give me feedback. But he's not really talking to me about the process or telling me what to do," Brad said. "Whatever I do, I do and he'll be there to back that up to tell me if he doesn't think that's right. Obviously, I respect his decisions."

Unless otherwise noted, all quotes were obtained firsthand.