Maybe I am an idiot, but John Calipari and Pitino both proved they're not great shakes at NBA coaching. Why would either want to leave their programs to go and-more than likely-be mediocre? Also, is LeBron's coach that big of a deal to him you think? Do you think he will go to the Nets simply because he knows Calipari will be there? I don't see the appeal in that, but that's just me.

 

Both coaches are probably in their last 10 years of coaching. For the next 10 years they could potentially coach Lebron who will be the best player on the planet for more than half of that time if not longer. They will not be mediocre w/ LBJ.

 

No way Cal leaves UK for the NBA. Pitino admits his biggest career blunder was leaving UK, Cal won't make that same mistake. He's in a great spot, and loving every minute of it. This is fantasy at it's best.

 

Calipari already left college for the NBA. He may want to prove to the doubters that he is capable of coaching at that level. If LBJ hand picks you don't you at least listen?

I hope you're right, but I disagree.

 

The difference between Pitino to Boston & a potential Cal to NBA is this: LeBron James.

 

Pitino left for the NBA with the intentions of doing for Boston what he had done for UK. I don't blame him for making the decision, especially considering the truckload of money & power they offered him. He felt he was in a good situation, because they had the two of the top six picks in that year's NBA draft (#3 & #6...took Billups & Mercer). The following season he drafted Paul Pierce, but he wasn't the Paul Pierce then that we know now. Pitino had a very young roster at Boston--no proven veteran all-star types.

 

The Cal situation is different because it involves LeBron. I don't ever see Cal leaving UK for the pros unless it's to coach a team that has LeBron. And I wouldn't criticize the man if he did leave. He would have something Pitino did not: the chance to coach a team that you know will have one of the greatest stars in the game for at least 6-7 years--probably more. Add into that fact that the team could be the Nets, who might get the #1 pick. That means Cal would have the opportunity to coach both LeBron & Wall (numerous rumors are floating around about LeBron to Jersey because of Jay-Z).

 

I hope it doesn't happen. I don't think the odds are in favor of Cal leaving. But to say it's impossible is illogical.

 

Everything you said was dead on. The bolded part I couldn't have said better myself.

Here are some Twitter posts from Adrian Wojnarowski (NBA columnist for Yahoo! Sports):

 

Pitino knows new Russian owner wants a high-profile name and he's trying to be that guy. For him to say he's "done" with coaching the pros?

 

What Pitino doesn't want is perception he tried to get job and was rebuffed. That's what happened with Sacto; NJ is job he really wants.

 

The Pitino story in NYDN is accurate. He's been working back channels to Russian owner and management.for weeks. They know he wants job.

 

Here's Pitino's nighmare scenario: Gets Nets job, puts Commonwealth in rear view and ...LeBron decides to take Cal to the Knicks with him.

Here are some Twitter posts from Adrian Wojnarowski (NBA columnist for Yahoo! Sports):

 

Pitino knows new Russian owner wants a high-profile name and he's trying to be that guy. For him to say he's "done" with coaching the pros?

 

What Pitino doesn't want is perception he tried to get job and was rebuffed. That's what happened with Sacto; NJ is job he really wants.

 

The Pitino story in NYDN is accurate. He's been working back channels to Russian owner and management.for weeks. They know he wants job.

 

Here's Pitino's nighmare scenario: Gets Nets job, puts Commonwealth in rear view and ...LeBron decides to take Cal to the Knicks with him.

 

Those tweets are from the guy who started the Sac-town rumor.

I'm a little nervous about Cal leaving for the NBA. Brooke Lopez, John Wall or Demarcus Cousins, Devin Harris, and possibly Lebron James could be a really good nucleus for the Nets.

I sure don't want Cal to leave but if he brings us #8 then I wouldn't be too mad. I am ready for #8.

The only slim chance the Cal has at jumping would be if he could coach LBJ. If that happened, I'm sure BBN would have a complete meltdown unlike any we've ever seen before but personally I wouldn't blame him. However, I do think this has been thought out ahead of time and if Cal thought he had a realistic chance at coaching him when he became a free agent, then he wouldn't have taken another job with LBJ only having one year left on his deal.

I'm a little nervous about Cal leaving for the NBA. Brooke Lopez, John Wall or Demarcus Cousins, Devin Harris, and possibly Lebron James could be a really good nucleus for the Nets.

 

Didn't Cal get fired from the Nets? I don't think he would want to go back after that experience.

For people saying that they think Cal learned his lesson and won't go to the NBA again, you have to realize they same could have been said about Pitino. You would have thought he learned his lesson after his first go around with the NBA, yet he still ended up leaving UK for another shot at the NBA. Now I don't think it would happen after this year, however I would not be surprised at all to see him leave after a few years. Right now he still has one of his daughters in school who is at UK, so I think he would want to be around for her. Not to mention I think he wants to really get this UK program back on track and be remembered like Hall, and Pitino are here for their time coaching here. He probably honestly wants to accomplish more than Pitino did while here. So as long as he keeps things going in the direction it looks like it is heading in. Then I would no be surprised at all to see him go to the NBA after about 5 years, just not next year though.

Ric Pitno:

 

“So what do you do when you're tired and worn out?” Pitino said. “You don't go to the Caribbean, you don't go to the Bahamas, you take the New Jersey Nets job where they've won four games.

 

“Just think of the rationale behind the whole thing. If you're going to get rejuvenated you don't take over the Nets.”

For people saying that they think Cal learned his lesson and won't go to the NBA again, you have to realize they same could have been said about Pitino. You would have thought he learned his lesson after his first go around with the NBA, yet he still ended up leaving UK for another shot at the NBA. Now I don't think it would happen after this year, however I would not be surprised at all to see him leave after a few years. Right now he still has one of his daughters in school who is at UK, so I think he would want to be around for her. Not to mention I think he wants to really get this UK program back on track and be remembered like Hall, and Pitino are here for their time coaching here. He probably honestly wants to accomplish more than Pitino did while here. So as long as he keeps things going in the direction it looks like it is heading in. Then I would no be surprised at all to see him go to the NBA after about 5 years, just not next year though.

False. She was going to come but decided not to.

 

I've heard Cal talk about the NBA and I just don't see it in his future at all. Unless he had a chance to coach LBJ, that would possibly change things.

False. She was going to come but decided not to.

 

I've heard Cal talk about the NBA and I just don't see it in his future at all. Unless he had a chance to coach LBJ, that would possibly change things.

 

Well thats a shame, probably was a good idea on her part though. I think every male UK fan on campus, seen how good looking she was at his opening press conference. So she would have been getting bothered all the time from crazy people.

Well thats a shame, probably was a good idea on her part though. I think every male UK fan on campus, seen how good looking she was at his opening press conference. So she would have been getting bothered all the time from crazy people.

 

From talking to some girls in the sorority she would have joined here, that is exactly the case.

False. She was going to come but decided not to.

 

I've heard Cal talk about the NBA and I just don't see it in his future at all. Unless he had a chance to coach LBJ, that would possibly change things.

 

He might not even want to coach in the NBA, but if LBJ calls you listen. LBJ wherever he goes or stays will sign a 3 year or less deal IMO. I think it's more realistic that if Cal left it would be 3 years from now. To dismiss LBJ, Bosh, and the Bulls as Imaginationland is way way off base though.

From talking to some girls in the sorority she would have joined here, that is exactly the case.

 

That definitely does not surprise me, very smart decision for her not to.