Orlando Antigua might be heading back to Kentucky

Illinois basketball assistant coach Orlando Antigua is reportedly set to return to the Kentucky Wildcats as an assistant under John Calipari.

Kentucky basketball is returning to John Calipari’s roots when it comes to finding at least one new assistant coach.

Reports coming out of Illinois suggest Fighting Illini assistant Orlando Antigua is on the verge of returning to his post with Kentucky seven years after leaving the Wildcats.

These aren’t the most reliable sources, but there is serious smoke billowing around Antigua’s return.

Matt Jones and others predicted this even before open positions were posted on Kentucky’s job board.

Antigua went to work for Brad Underwood at Illinois in 2017 after his four-year run as head coach for South Florida ended. He got that job in part because of what he achieved with Calipari at Kentucky from 2009 to 2014. Calipari brought him along with him to the Wildcats after a year of coaching at Memphis.

Why does Kentucky basketball want Orlando Antigua so badly?

While Antigua was at Kentucky, the Wildcats won a national title with three Final Four appearances. Since he left, the team has gone to one Final Four in six seasons not counting 2020.

Meanwhile, Illinois has steadily risen to prominence with Antigua’s help. They were a No. 1 seed in the 2021 NCAA Tournament.

Antigua has a reputation as an elite recruiter. He’s also known for his skills on the development side. That’s a valuable combination for an assistant coach, one Calipari is hoping to tap into once more.

The position is open for Antigua because of the departure of assistants Tony Barbee, the new head coach of Central Michigan, and Joel Justus, who left for ASU.

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