John Calipari: Why He's the Model College Hoops Coach for the 21st Century

Love him or hate him, John Calipari is the best college basketball coach for the 21st century.

He is a forward-thinking opportunist that has been one step ahead of the competition. He understood the nuances of the one-and-done rule right away, and he's been reaping the benefits ever since.

Since the rule came into effect, Calipari has made three Final Fours (one was vacated) and won a National Championship. Many people don't like that he's taken advantage of the one-and-done rule, but he doesn't seem to care.

Apparently, Calipari doesnt even like the rule, but he still uses it, which is why some people really don't like him.

First, Calipari turned Memphis into a revolving door, and now he has done the same with Kentucky.

By winning this year's National Championship, Calipari has solidified that his system works. Now that he's proven his point, expect college basketball to change.

You can't argue against a team simply because freshmen are leading it. Given the right balance of experience, the best team will win. Calipari has lost with the better team in the past, and many people blamed it on inexperience.

That didn't happen this year.

Coach Cal understands how to coach the freshmen. He knows how to bring kids along at a pace where they will peak in March. Kentucky overachieved last year, and the Wildcats lived up to the hype this year.

The immediacy of Calipari's greatness exemplifies his philosophy. Great players don't want to play in college, but they don't really have a choice. Essentially, they just need a place to crash for seven months before they start tuning up for the draft.

Calipari is giving those kids an option. Like it or not, he keeps them on the fast track to the NBA.

As a neutral college basketball fan, it's an unfortunate reality. Fans want to see seniors paying their dues and being rewarded. They want players to have pride in their jerseys.

Fans don't want to watch new kids every year. They don't want to see the same, undisciplined mistakes year in and year out. They want to see players develop at the collegiate level. 

But fans also want to see winning and Calipari has found the shortcut.

Until everyone else utilizes his philosophy, we will all just be a step behind.