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John Calipari deserves praise for valuing the mental health of Ashton Hagans

By Rucker Haringey

LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY - NOVEMBER 08: John Calipari the head coach of the Kentucky Wildcats gives instructions to Ashton Hagans #0 in the game against the Eastern Kentucky Colonels at Rupp Arena on November 08, 2019 in Lexington, Kentucky. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY - NOVEMBER 08: John Calipari the head coach of the Kentucky Wildcats gives instructions to Ashton Hagans #0 in the game against the Eastern Kentucky Colonels at Rupp Arena on November 08, 2019 in Lexington, Kentucky. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /
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Kentucky basketball coach John Calipari should be commended for the way he handled Ashton Hagans and valuing his mental health.

Completely embracing the one and done rule in college basketball makes Kentucky basketball head coach John Calipari an easy target for traditional fans of the sport. Those same fans need to applaud Calipari for his progressive stance on the mental health of his players.

His willingness to let point guard Ashton Hagans “step away” for a couple of days is a testament to Calipari’s willingness to put the health of his players first. Hagans told his coach that he was “in a bad way” just before the team departed for a road game at Florida. Calipari didn’t hesitate to give Hagans his blessing to take some time to recuperate mentally.

“My first responsibility is the health and well-being of my players,” Calipari said. “And when a guy tells me, ‘Coach, I’ve gotta step away,’ I’m with it. Tell me why. Tell me what you’re thinking. What is it? I’m good. I’ll see you when we get back, and hopefully what you’ll see is an inspired young man. And if he doesn’t think he’s ready for that, then he’s not ready. We’re going to go with whoever we have.”

Plenty of college coaches would have balked at the thought of letting their starting point guard take time off just before the start of the postseason. Kentucky certainly have designs on winning the SEC Tournament and making a deep run in March Madness. Achieving either of those goals without Hagans running the show may be impossible for Calipari’s team.

Kentucky’s head coach understands that Hagans can only power his team to those lofty heights if he’s 100 percent both physically and mentally. No one would blink an eye if Hagans sat out a week or two of action to rehabilitate a sprained ankle. Taking the same amount of time off to repair mental damage should be the norm in college basketball. For programs other than Kentucky, it’s still the exception.

While Calipari would like to tout this philosophy as a selfless decision to protect his player’s wellbeing, it’s arguably a self-interested move to give his team the best chance to win possible. Getting Hagans back after a week or two to recharge his mental health could be just the boost the Wildcats need to find their way to the Final Four. Calipari is absolutely making the right decision for his player, but the odds strongly favor it paying off for his team as well.

No matter the exact motivation, Calipari deserves plaudits for his progressive stance on mental health. Other coaches should study his approach to his player’s emotional health with the same fervor they do his recruiting tactics. Both can pay big dividends for other programs.

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