Former Kentucky Staffer Says John Calipari Is 'Just Worn Out' Amid Recent Struggles | News, Scores, Highlights, Stats, and Rumors
The Kentucky men's basketball team made the Final Four in four of head coach John Calipari's first six seasons, but the Wildcats haven't been back there since 2015.
On Thursday, The Athletic's Kyle Tucker published a piece in which he spoke with numerous former staff members who offered theories as to why the UK program has fallen on tougher times. One of them posited that Calipari is simply worn out.
"He's just worn out," one ex-staffer said. "He ain't 54 anymore. He's 64."
Tucker provided more insight into the matter based on Calipari's actions last year.
"Last season, he frequently referenced how tired he was. Pregame news conferences, where he once delivered bold proclamations, not-so-humble brags or not-so-subtle jabs, became almost nonexistent. He zipped through postgame news conferences. He began hand-picking who got to ask him a question after games — and tried to avoid follow-up questions.
"After a home loss to Vanderbilt on March 1, Calipari spoke for just five minutes on his postgame radio show, where hundreds of fans waited in Rupp Arena as he joined the host courtside. He made an abrupt exit, explaining, 'As you can tell, I am beat down right now. I'm tired. This has been a tough run.' Assistant coach Orlando Antigua took over the show."
It's been tough sledding for UK since 2014-15, when the Wildcats were undefeated until the Final Four before falling to Wisconsin. Losing to the Badgers reportedly had a negative effect on Calipari and the program.
"That year took a lot out of him," an ex-staffer said. "It was such a unique opportunity to do something that had never been done, and to lose it all in the national semifinals … The next year, the vibes were entirely different."
"I really believe that game broke him," another former staffer told Tucker.
Calipari has also notably lost numerous people on staff or at UK who helped build and maintain the Wildcats' success earlier in his tenure, including ex-assistant (and now Louisville head coach) Kenny Payne, deputy athletic director DeWayne Peevy and assistant John Robic.
"He doesn't have anyone around him who understands how he thinks now," an ex-staffer told Tucker. "He's a genius. He really is. But like any kind of creative person, you have to know how to channel it, and I just don't think he has that anymore."
The Wildcats notably posted a losing record in 2020-21, lost as a No. 2 seed to No. 15 St. Peter's in the 2022 NCAA tournament and fell in the second round to Kansas State this past March.
We'll soon find out whether the 2023-24 Wildcats can turn the program's fortunes around under Calipari soon enough as the season nears. The first game will go down on Monday at home against New Mexico State.
