John Calipari opens up on how the team has rallied around Daimion Collins after the passing of his father

Kentucky basketball was without three of its key returners in the season-opener against Howard. Oscar Tshiebwe and Sahvir Wheeler sat with leg injures, while Daimion Collins missed the game as he deals with the recent passing of his father, Ben Collins. But this week, Collins is returning to Lexington to rejoin the team. According to John Calipari, he and the rest of the UK team are there to comfort Collins when he does return.

“He has an option, he can stay at my house or you can stay at the lodge with the guys. My guess is he’ll be at the lodge with the guys and they’ll all greet him tonight,” Cal shared after the win over Howard. He also said that the team called Collins on their own before the game. “Now, I didn’t know they were doing this, but they had him on FaceTime prior to the game and that’s why they were on the court all going crazy.”

Calipari went on to explain how difficult the situation is on a kid like Collins and that whole family.

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“This has been a rough deal and, you know, every person grieves differently. And there’s nothing you can say to change that grief. It’s just, we’re here for you, we love you. But the funeral is this weekend, so he’s going to have to go back this weekend. But, you know, I think, getting in the gym, getting around the guys, you know, he’ll start that climb back.

“But it’s just awful. And I say it again it’s nothing Ben did to himself and nothing that someone did to Ben. God just said it’s your time. And that could happen to any of us. But he was here with his son, he’s on the phone with his wife, but that doesn’t make it any easier for the family.”

John Calipari and everyone in the Kentucky hoops community wishes nothing but the best for Daimion Collins as he tries to move on from the passing of his father. Impossibly tough situation to deal with for a young man in just his second year of college. Hopefully the team can rally around him as the season progresses.