As reported Tuesday evening, Memphis Tigers coach John Calipari is headed for Lexington after signing a huge deal with the Kentucky Wildcats.
CBS is speculating Calipari, who was bringing the top-rated recruiting class to Memphis next season, could take some of those players to Kentucky with him.
Bluechippers DeMarcus Cousins and Xavier Henry are rumored to be on their way to UK along with unsigned stud John Wall. Sources close to the team also said freshman Wesley Witherspoon would be transferring to the Wildcats program, leaving him unavailable for next season.
If junior Jodie Meeks and sophomore Patrick Patterson return, Kentucky is automatically thrust into national title contention. Role-playing forwards Ramon Harris and Perry Stevenson will be back for their final year. The remaining UK talent will likely stay put after many of them did not get along with Gillispie.
Kentucky has plenty of talent coming in, including center Daniel Orton. The 6-foot-10 bruiser is a perfect complement to Patterson’s athleticism around the paint.
The only real negative thing I see about this move and all its parts is how the UK faithful will react to the one-and-done talent Calipari gladly welcomes to his programs. It’s not what Kentucky basketball is all about.
The Wildcats have the most vocal and sometimes delusional backers on the planet. They called for Gillispie’s head after last season’s loss to Gardner-Webb in the second game of the schedule. And they didn’t stop until the coach was run out of town like Frankenstein’s monster.
If bringing in Calipari and all the Cal’s men means an instant national championship in Lexington, there will be no problems.
If it doesn’t , than prepare for a $h!t storm the likes of which college basketball has never seen.
Regardless it'll be interesting to see where the Wildcats rank for next year's futures when BetJamaica.com and other books release their odds.
Stay tuned.