In the wake of head coach John Calipari leaving the Kentucky Wildcats Division I men's college basketball program after 15 distinguished seasons with the illustrious university to accept an offer to assume the same position for the conference rival Arkansas Razorbacks, many members of Big Blue Nation soured on the second-winningest coach the team has ever had, and unsurprisingly so.
But coach Cal's former players have made it known they still have gratitude and adoration for him regardless of his decision. However, they also emphasized that Lexington is their home first and foremost, even if he isn't there.
John Calipari's former Kentucky players abandon him in favor of home
The Lexington Herald-Leader's Ben Roberts asked members from last year's team, Rob Dillingham, Antonio Reeves and Reed Sheppard, to choose between Kentucky or Calipari, and they planted their flag.
“I’ll go to the game where they play each other. That would be even, right?” Dillingham jokingly said with a laugh before stating that he'd return to Lexington "for sure" rather than see Arkansas and Kentucky face off in Fayetteville.
Arkansas and Kentucky will meet in Rupp Arena once next season, at a date yet to be determined.
"And it wasn’t just (Calipari)," Dillingham said. "It was the fans. It was the teachers. Everybody there. I love Mitch Barnhart, the athletics director. I love all of them. So I really liked the UK experience, because they helped me as a whole, and they treated me like family,” he added.
“I’d say both [Calipari and Kentucky]. I played for him. So, of course, I’m going to cheer for him at Arkansas,” Reeves said. “And the fans at Kentucky — I definitely can’t leave them behind ... And I came from Kentucky. So I can’t just leave that behind.”
Sheppard had nothing but praise for Calipari and the Wildcats, but he is a basketball blue blood through and through -- both his parents (Jeff and Stacey) are former Kentucky college basketball stars. So, his comments may be a bit biased.
“To me, he’s the best coach in the world,” Sheppard communicated at the NBA Draft Combine last week.
While Calipari's players undoubtedly have tons of love for him, their loyalty lies with Kentucky and the program that gave them an opportunity to display their talents to the world on a national scale.