Mitch Barnhart compliments John Calipari's ability to adapt, adjust in the face of criticism
Speculation regarding the future of Kentucky head basketball coach John Calipari with the program began to rise ahead of his meeting with athletic director Mitch Barnhart this week. With many believing the meeting would result in Barnhart parting ways with Calipari following another consecutive early exit from the NCAA Tournament.
Instead the two discussed evolving and preparing for the future, and how together they can help Kentucky get back to the winning tradition they achieved during the first decade of Calipari’s tenure in Lexington. And following the meeting, Barnhart expressed his confidence in Calipari being able to adapt to the nuances of college basketball moving forward based on his history.
“Everybody talks about change. I don’t like the word change. I like to adapt and adjust. And if there’s ever been a person who has been able to adapt and adjust in the game, Cal has,” Barhart said. “I remember when he first came here he made the comment that we’re going to have to adapt to this new era of one and done and everybody sort of looked, cocked their head, and look at him like ‘What’s one and done mean?’”
“I wish some of those [players] would have stayed, but I get it,” Calipari added.
Calipari dominated the ‘one and done’ era of college basketball, recruiting the nation’s top players who would help lead the Wildcats through the postseason before entering the NBA Draft following one year of collegiate basketball.
The tradition of Kentucky producing NBA talent has not changed, with 70% percent of Kentucky’s scholarship players winding up as draft picks and 73% of them receiving second contracts. But in the past five seasons, success in the NCAA Tournament has not followed suit.
Calipari led Kentucky to two national championship appearances (one victory), four Final Four appearances, and seven total Elite Eight appearances in his first 10 seasons with the program. But in the last five seasons, the Wildcats have not made it past the second round of March Madness. Highlighted by two first-round eliminations in the past three seasons.
“But my point is he adapted. And all of a sudden, the reality of that world and the changes in the NBA rules, he adapted to get ahead of the game on that and we will have to adapt to adjust to a new world of NIL and transfers,” Barnhart explained.
Many have pointed to the changes in the college basketball landscape between the rise of NIL and the usage of the transfer portal as areas Calipari will need to adapt to moving forward if he wants to achieve his previous level of success. With his young and talented ‘one and done’ rosters potentially not being the formula for winning anymore. As other programs have built experienced and successful teams through the transfer portal and from development within their program with the help of NIL.
There’s no doubt that all eyes will be on Coach Cal this offseason and next year to see how he adapts and if Kentucky can return to their previous dominance.