John Calipari says Cam'Ron Fletcher has stepped away from team

Apparently there is more going on with Cam’Ron Fletcher than yesterday’s tweet led us to believe. John Calipari just announced that Fletcher has left the team to go home and “do some soul searching to get his priorities in order.”

From @UKCoachCalipari:

We have asked Cam Fletcher to take some time and step away from the team. He needs to reflect and do some soul searching to get his priorities in order. Any attitude or actions that are detrimental to this team will not be tolerated – and that goes for everyone on the team.

We have a culture here that’s been built over the last 11 years AND IT WILL NOT CHANGE. Through good times and bad, this culture is meant to change individuals and change maturity levels. This hurts our team, but this is about Cam and his future.

I talked to Cam and his mother and they know I care about him and I love him, but they also understand that there are changes that need to be made. It’s his job to decide whether he can perform within this culture both on and off the court.

On Saturday, Fletcher was visibly upset on the bench in the waning minutes of Kentucky’s loss to North Carolina. After the game, Calipari said he was frustrated over playing time.

“Again, you’ve got to accept your position on this team,” Calipari said. “Whatever minutes you get and Cam was mad he didn’t play more. And I’m like, the guys in front of you are playing. And Lance [Ware] played out of his mind. I thought Devin [Askew] played better. So, you know. Cam came in and apologized after but they don’t understand that with four minutes to go we had a chance to win the game and you cop an attitude. It’s the immaturity of that.”

Yesterday, Fletcher apologized to fans for the moment on social media:

LOVE BBN 💙 pic.twitter.com/udaLo0Cygf

— 21 (@CamRonFletcher1) December 20, 2020

“Hope all is well BBN, I want to apologize to the BBN, my teammates and coaches. I also want to provide clarity on what happened at the end of yesterday’s game. I was frustrated and let my emotions get the best of me. I always feel I can help the team. I am a team player and it hurts to see my team struggle. That’s why I was frustrated and my emotions peaked. There is no excuse for my behavior at all. I just want to make sure everyone knows I am fully committed to this program and am willing to do whatever I’m asked by my coaches. I will never let that happen again and this mistake in no way reflects who I am. I made a mistake and I take full ownership. Again, I want to apologize to BBN, my teammates and coaches. Stay with us, we are going to get this right.“

A source told our own Drew Franklin that Fletcher flew out of Lexington yesterday and could be heard on the phone voicing his frustrations. Here’s hoping he gets the time and space he needs to get in a good frame of mind.