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John Calipari is very uspet with ESPN over NBA Draft mistake

By Sam Richmond

Apr 6, 2014; Arlington, TX, USA; Kentucky Wildcats head coach John Calipari speaks at a press conference during practice before the championship game of the Final Four in the 2014 NCAA Mens Division I Championship tournament at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 6, 2014; Arlington, TX, USA; Kentucky Wildcats head coach John Calipari speaks at a press conference during practice before the championship game of the Final Four in the 2014 NCAA Mens Division I Championship tournament at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Kentucky Wildcats have sent more players to the NBA than any other team in college basketball throughout the past five years. ESPN was apparently making note of that on Friday, but unfortunately made a tiny mistake that fired up Kentucky coach John Calipari.

Calipari is referring to Enes Kanter, who was a member of Kentucky’s team from 2010-11, but never actually played a game. The NCAA ruled him ineligible after is was discovered that he received $33,000 in benefits while playing club basketball in Turkey, which obviously is a violation of NCAA rules.

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Still, Kanter was such a highly sought after talent that the Utah Jazz selected him with the third overall pick in the 2011 NBA draft, making him technically another Kentucky kid that made it to the pros.

It’s not hard to see where Cal is coming from here. He clearly feels like Kanter’s work within the Wildcat program was valuable and it’s a factor in the success the big man is having at the next level (12.3 PPG, 7.5 RPG in 2013-14).

Additionally, ESPN’s mistake here allows him and Kentucky to garner even more attention for being the best place for a prospect to go if they want to make it to the NBA. Cal’s first tweet has over 430 retweets and counting.

Well played, Calipari. Well played.

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