Calipari disagrees with Knight
Kentucky coach John Calipari doesn't agree with Bobby Knight that
college basketball lacks integrity or that he is proof there is a
problem.
Calipari refused to get into a war of words Friday when asked
about the pointed criticism from Knight that Calipari's continued
employment proves the game has a problem. Instead, Calipari said he
remains a "big fan" of the former Texas Tech and Indiana head
coach.
"I don't agree with what he says but it doesn't change how I
feel about him," Calipari said.
Calipari said Knight's comments surprised him.
"I get up to go to mass this morning and there's like 100
text messages and I'm like what in the world happened?" Calipari
said. "And I get word and what I can tell you is I'm a big fan,
respect him as a basketball coach, always have."
Knight called out Calipari during a fundraiser for the
Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame on Thursday.
"We've gotten into this situation where integrity is really
lacking and that's why I'm glad I'm not coaching," Knight said.
"You see we've got a coach at <fstl:categorylink
categoryId="71687">Kentucky</fstl:categorylink> who put
two schools on probation and he's still coaching. I really don't
understand that."
Both Memphis and Massachusetts were forced to vacate Final
Four appearances by the NCAA for infractions made during Calipari's
tenure, though Memphis is appealing the penalty. Calipari was not
implicated in either case by the NCAA.
Calipari declined to take questions on the matter on Friday,
but created some of the success he has had with his offensive
strategy to Knight, who retired with 902 career victories. Calipari
said he took his staff at Memphis down to Texas Tech while Knight
was coaching to watch the Red Raiders practice.
Calipari said Knight gave him some help on perfecting the
"Dribble Drive" offense.
"Made it even better," Calipari said.
Kentucky forward Josh Harrellson said he was surprised by
Knight's comments but that Knight's words seem to be part of the
national perception of his coach.
"People hear stuff about him and they kind of guess what he's
like, but playing for him and actually being around him, he's a
great guy," Harrellson said. "He's fair to everybody."
The third-ranked Wildcats (10-0) host Austin Peay on
Saturday. Calipari can break Adolph Rupp's record for best start by
a first-year coach in program history with a victory.