Did Calipari Force Cousins to Bolt for the NBA?

Did Calipari Force Cousins to Bolt for the NBA?

By Jason Howerton
jh1662@txstate.edu

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

After an astonishing turnaround for John Calipari and the Kentucky Wildcats, Demarcus Cousins enters the 2010 NBA Draft looking slightly like the U.S economy, glimmering with uncertainty.

When the 6-foot-11 center committed to Kentucky he found a school that he fell in love with, and one that loved him back. On the court he was as dominant as he was charming off the court. His oddball demeanor and outstanding performance made him one of the most beloved Wildcats to ever play basketball at Kentucky.

Cousins shared the same sentiment towards the University. "I didn't want to leave this place," Cousins said. "I could stay here forever.”

And although teammates John Wall and Patrick Patterson's departures seemed inevitable, Cousins wasn't always sure he would be one-and-done.

So what factors influenced the freshman center's decision making? Better to ask who.

Head coach John Calipari prides himself on polishing young talent into prime time NBA players. If you think back to his time at Memphis you may remember Derrick Rose and Tyreke Evans both bolting for the NBA Draft after their first seasons under Calipari. And as soon as the head coach felt Cousins was prepared for the next level, he gave him a little nudge or shove in that direction.

During a press conference Cousins claimed that his former coach practically forced him to enter the draft. "He told me it's my time to go," Cousins said, and then nodded in agreement when asked if he felt he was forced out.

Coach Calipari chose not to comment.

While Cousins remains optimistic about his future in the NBA, the choice never appeared to be entirely his. In his coach's eyes, he was as prepared as anyone for the NBA but Cousins' considerations may have been overlooked.

It makes it look like Cousins looks a child who is being forced to do what his father feels is best because “he said so.” When the former SEC Freshman of the Year speaks of his future in the pros it doesn't sound like the confidence of a player who is emotionally prepared to embark upon the rigorous journey of an NBA rookie.

"When I first got here, I thought I'd be here awhile," Cousins said. Had he played somewhere else, Cousins' name may not have been called on draft night this year.

It seems like an ongoing trend that is sure to continue while Calipari is at Kentucky, or anywhere for that matter. When a player is ready for the NBA and his draft stock is high, Calipari scoots them towards the door, even if none of his players stay enrolled for more than one season.

After losing five players this season, four of them being freshmen, the Wildcats have already claimed the rights to two of the best players in the class of 2010: point guard Brandon Knight and center Enes Kanter, both of whom are likely to be one-and-done like Cousins.

Losing an entire starting team can make some coaches pull their hair out, but Calipari seems to thrive on recruiting a new class of future draft picks, and he is hoping that next year's bunch can take him where last year's star-studded team couldn't – the Final Four.

Calipari's system is more focused on preparing players for the next level rather than building an experienced program with senior leaders similar to Coach K's at Duke, who believes he is building men before players. Calipari believes the opposite. He is building players – star players.

However, what is being lost in translation is what these stars are missing: a quality education. What would Cousins or Wall do if they regrettably suffered a career-ending injury during the early years of their careers? Where does education fit into Calipari's thought process? That is the fundamental flaw in his reasoning. Calipari fails to see what comes before and after basketball. And even if he is thinking of what is best for their basketball careers he is neglecting the bigger picture.

Whether one agrees or disagrees with his recruiting philosophy, it's hard to say that he has been unsuccessful in his endeavors. Had it not been for the vacated wins of the 2008 season, due to multiple violations involving Derrick Rose and his brother, Calipari would have held the title of “most winningest coach” in Memphis history, having 252 wins and surpassing Larry Finch's 220. And he led Kentucky to the Elite Eight this past season, proving that there might be a method to his madness.

Cousins will not be the last one-and-done all-star freshman to come out of Calipari's draft factory but his proven track record of launching top high school prospects into the draft lottery is the one thing that makes the idea of playing for him so appealing. Especially for players who have their eyes set on NBA stardom long before they accept a scholarship. And with the new age limit requiring players to be 19 years of age and one year removed from high school, the NBA-ready kids are going to have time to kill. In that case, Calipari may be just the man to play for

http://www.thehoopsreport.com/article.aspx?id=497.

good read BD

I don't think he was forced out necessarily. I mean, he is an adult, he could've said no or not hired an agent. It's not like Cal said, "If you come back to UK you'll not start a game for me next year."

I don't blame him for nudging his players when their stock is high. People can argue this what if they get hurt all they want. Either way you take a chance, and when you're a guaranteed lottery pick, you take that chance over coming back to school, of which you can do at any other time in your life.

Wow!! If this is true, then I wonder why Cal didn't give PPat a similar shove out the door last year.