After beating Auburn, John Calipari is headed to watch his seven NBA All-Stars in Indy

ZGeogheganKSR

John Calipari is a busy man this weekend.

After coaching Kentucky to a massive 70-59 road win over No. 13 Auburn on Saturday night, he’s heading straight to Indianapolis for Sunday night’s NBA All-Star Game, where a record six former Wildcats are set to participate in the midseason event. Kentucky actually had seven selected for the All-Star Game, but an injury to Julius Randle will keep him from taking the court.

Calipari was most definitely feeling himself in the postgame press conference following UK’s upset over Auburn. After bragging about Antonio Reeves‘ big night (22 points, five rebounds), he used it as an opportunity to talk up his guys in the pros.

“(Reeves is) going to have an opportunity like the six guys that I’m gonna go watch tomorrow,” Calipari said. “I am flying to Indianapolis, hopefully get together with the families, and then go enjoy six guys in the All-Star Game. ‘You don’t care about basketball. Why would you go up there?’ Are you crazy? Do you understand it’s a record? Julius is getting his shoulder worked on so he’s not going to be there, but the most ever from one school in an All-Star Game.”

Calipari says he's flying to Indianapolis to see his seven guys in the All-Star Game: "'He doesn't care about basketball.' Are you crazy? Do you understand?"
— Jack Pilgrim (@JackPilgrimKSR) February 18, 2024

Calipari was quick to add that Kentucky could have had even more than seven representatives in this year’s All-Star Game, too.

“So we got seven without Jamal (Murray), without De’Aaron Fox,” Calipari added “So all the sudden you’re talking about let’s get half the guys in that game.”

Seven out of 24 available spots isn’t quite half the roster, but it’s pretty damn close all things considered. The previous record for most All-Stars in one game by a single school was four, held by Kentucky (2018, 2023) and UCLA (1983). Seven is wildly unprecedented and something to be celebrated.

Below are all seven former Kentucky players named to the 73rd NBA All-Star Game. Coverage begins Sunday night at 8:00 p.m. EST on TNT inside Gainbridge Fieldhouse. I’m sure a camera will find Calipari at some point during the broadcast.

Eastern Conference All-Stars