The Rise of John Calipari's NBA Empire at the University of Kentucky

John Calipari and the University of Kentucky have produced an outlandish amount of NBA talent over the last several years, but the foundation of their "NBA empire" began back in 2009, when Calipari put together one of the most talented teams of all time.
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[@tedyoung239]

"Our job is to help these kids get jobs" sums it up perfectly, I mean that's why I go to college. If I could get my degree in one year, your damn right I would.

[@adrianpun5469]

Ted Young You could see that Demarcus cousins wears that headband to cover that RIP hairline

[@WmTMullins]

You're looking at his hairline? His abilities is what impresses me.

[@g.lumapas7434]

Ted Young basketball degree for 1-2years 😂🍺

[@seanpayne2470]

in what way do they get a degree in one year 😂😂😂

[@Maxwell-gl8qj]

Sean Payne are u stupid

[@billygowhoop]

"this ain't no spelling bee, it's a basketball game!"

[@joniotto-bernstein337]

YOOOOO if they stayed it would've been John Wall Eric Bledsoe Michael Kidd-Gilchrist Anthony Davis Demarcus Cousins That would be insane

[@chandlerbryant9098]

but the players like cousins and wall wouldn't be on their respective teams

[@vinceolson7599]

+Chandler Bryant Even better

[@x2RAWevicted]

Chandler Bryant that would be doing a favor for cousins lmfao

[@jemandgestort]

And boy the best shooters on this team would be PF and C. Come on

[@thenekomancer3867]

Joni Otto KAT on the bench holy shit

[@floydsteel1703]

Shot 0-20 from the outside and still only lost by 7...

[@jacobr.4809]

Floyd steel fr

[@skleebojonesjr4906]

A loss is a loss lmao

[@patrickduff5261]

Kwame Owens he’s not saying it isn’t. He’s just saying if they wouldn’t have shot the worst they shot all year then they probably would have won.

[@skleebojonesjr4906]

@@patrickduff5261 but they didn't is all I'm saying. Uk fans have every excuse

[@bradyburns3172]

@@skleebojonesjr4906 It's not an excuse. Take off the Kentucky hate glasses bro. Look at it.

[@andrewmey0302]

I wish you could play for Kentucky in 2k

[@jemandgestort]

Andrew Stanfel go to MyTeam, make Kentucky Jerseys, buy these players, have fun

[@blc0179]

Victor Oladipo just like the ncaa... you buy the players

[@TK-rz6ni]

Andrew Stanfel yeah I really wish 2k would get on that. Kentucky, UNC, Duke, UCLA. Big programs would make the college part of mycareer way better

[@shakenblake4533]

T K UCLA was in 2k16 my career

[@measelcatches3202]

@@TK-rz6ni yup. I don’t want to play for villanova and kansas every year

[@Shyev425]

It not about you, it's about THEM! #epicquote #coachcalipari

[@thediscoverystudio]

+Tre Mek Exactly bro. Those kids get taken advantage of by literally everyone around them (NCAA, TV, merchandising, etc.). He's getting these elite players because hes looks out for the kids first and foremost. Coach K is starting to do the same and he's been rewarded with getting great players recently.

[@bjsw534]

Davis(#1 pick) Towns(#1 pick) Wall(#1 pick) Cousins(#3 pick) Randle(#7 pick) Bledsoe Booker Knight T.Jones Nerlens Noel Cauley-Stein Patterson Lyles Archie Goodwin(recently cut but a good) Tyler Ulis There's more since 2010 . That's pretty remarkable work by Calipari.

[@paulcharles1448]

bjsw534 wow is that list real

[@coonishasotomayor9217]

And 1 Championship !

[@uselessinformation3634]

Paul Charles yea but he forgot to put Michael Kidd-Gilchrist in towards the top as a number two pick.

[@Jack-pg8tn]

Trey Lyles

[@kingkushy3104]

bjsw534 murray

[@Islandinthesun87]

Calipari is a hero. When every school is trying to milk tuition from their students and gain money from their popularity, Cal is focused on getting his kids paid and employed...

[@carsonc29]

those kids dont need Cal to make the NBA..virtually every kid that he recruits is NBA bound with or without him..and no BBALL coach at any school has anything to do with what students pay in tuition???

[@carsonc29]

@Raghav Sriram Ulis was a 5* kid coming out of HS and there have been many other players his height that have made the NBA..quit acting like Cal took some 1* bench player and performed some miracle with him

[@skleebojonesjr4906]

@Raghav Sriram ulis was a 5 star recruit

[@carsonc29]

@Raghav Sriram all those kids would have been NBA draft picks had they been allowed to jump from HS

[@tyr3sem705]

Exactly and thats why calipari is the best

[@cashmoneybryson0293]

They forgot to put Devin Booker at the end

[@drxzonone]

They need to make a 30 for 30 about this

[@mercnsiku15]

Drake Reid nah they just need to make a 30 for 30 in general about any topic it would be good

[@uselessinformation3634]

Mercidi Nsiku you mean anything except for duke, right?

[@mercnsiku15]

The Burger King But they already made one for Duke, called "I Hate Christian Lattener"

[@uselessinformation3634]

Mercidi Nsiku I know. I watched it.

[@lilwolfy18]

They are...it's called "one and not done" it will be on espn I April

[@aaronwalker1678]

Calipari could have 5-6 titles if his great players would have stayed 2-3 years

[@Amm17ar]

Why would they stay and play for a league that exploits their names and talent for no pay when they could make money as top ranked NBA draft prospects.....

[@aaronwalker1678]

Yup

[@jonathangasana]

Ammar Hafeez thank you

[@bignizzle6973]

Maybe not since he'd have a harder time recruiting players in that case

[@JoshuaFrick3]

This assumes that no other programs like Duke, Kansas, North Carolina, etc retained their top players for 2-3 years also. If staying 2-3 years was the norm over all of college basketball, then the road would be much tougher & likely 5-6 titles would be on the high side.

[@ADAJ3KINGANGEL]

They should talk about AD & Ghilchrist's Wildcats too.

[@traphs2863]

They started this shit

[@simeonnate9938]

+Ahmad Martin wall, bledsoe ,cousins and Patterson started it

[@TheDeceptiveGaming]

+Ahmad Martin uhhh davis was not 1, but 2 years after the boogie and wall group.... so how the hell did they start anything?

[@peepeethefrooge3219]

+TheDeceptiveGaming I think he means walls group started it

[@justinbuska3499]

+Simeon Nate Patterson was a Gillepsie recruit and developed by him.

[@matthewcoleman2613]

"This ain't no spelling bee... it's a basketball game" lmfao I love Boogie.

[@waleedaref2692]

Imagine this team as an NBA team, beastly....

[@rileyjones9458]

Was just thinking of that lol

[@kurtcometa4818]

still nah

[@jordanr3963]

icee Zachary Rd cr cxxxgj

[@digitalgravity3563]

2k should add Kentucky all time team and I bet y’all that team is better than Nets, Hornets, Hawks and Kings lmfao

[@blakeruby3881]

xlynsanity BB they would beat everyone but warriors fuck u mean

[@aldiggty]

Gallintry -FDA APPROVED- How? KAT, AD, John wall, Boogie, Booker etc

[@provokepubgm4401]

@@aldiggty that team would beat warriors easily, they'd even have a solid bench

[@dogemaster4228]

Not the Kings, never the Kings.

[@aldiggty]

Gallintry -FDA APPROVED- I thought you meant that they wouldn’t beat every team

[@sergiozavaleta4521]

I feel like cousins being on the kings has really affected his maturity.

[@jonn8911]

*Y O U G R E E D Y D I R T B A G* hahahahaha

[@crypton_epiic7459]

It would be Great if Cousins and bledsoe joined the Wizards

[@nigelcooper7886]

It's a possibility Cousins joins, but not Bledsoe

[@blakejude497]

Nigel Cooper cousins won't join. Kings won't get rid of him he's their franchise player.

[@nigelcooper7886]

Blake Jude depends on if Cousins would resign next year (or in 2 years, whenever his contract is up). Will he take more money or a better chance at winning. They would trade him before the deadline or his contract's expiration if he won't resign because he's too good to lose without getting some assets

[@joonant1]

Blake Jude ha!! they just got rid of him for nothing

[@stkthefirst3463]

Anton Riley, have you heard an NBA player from Oklahoma State who's shooting good in Sacramento

[@aboutmillions]

This team had a lot in common with his Memphis team that had Drose and CD-R, extremely talented but couldn't shoot to save their lives lol

[@bjsw534]

franchisejr15 except Kentucky was supremely more talented

[@aboutmillions]

bjsw534 trueeee

[@justinreid3663]

My Favorite college team I literally watched them like they were a nba team

[@ianm6214]

Eric Bledsoe is still the most underrated guard in the NBA

[@infinitelz2]

Ian Martin you mean Drew Bledsoe?

[@marthmain6121]

I met him once he signed my t-shirt and I told him I would see him in 5 years

[@adrianmojnarowski2766]

K

[@fifty3975]

CPMS NEWS savage looool

[@ajc3289]

FIFTY 39 cringy looooool

[@joonant1]

D cousins should get the hell out of Sacramento and go play with John Wall in DC. They might beat lebron and come out of the east.

[@alitoofresh9044]

W

[@joonant1]

+NBA2K16 Master's Dc would be the new lob city.

[@alitoofresh9044]

+anton riley-burton keep your ring

[@isaacschaaf9652]

Anton Riley well he left Sacramento

[@joonant1]

KJ THA GAWD the dumbass kings traded him to NOLA for nuthing

[@DJosephJourney]

As a Kentucky that grew up in Louisville, Kentucky, I remember this year like it was yesterday, everyone in my family that were Kentucky fans were excited. There was a new level of energy in Big Blue Nation that hadn't been seen in years and no one expected what ended up coming afterwards.

[@cameronpalmer5641]

... I hope one day that John, Eric and Boogie play on the same nba team one day.

[@josephbuchanan1940]

That would pretty cool but I don't which team it would happen on

[@TheShadowhog759]

+Joseph Buchanan well Boogie is rumored to want to go to DC to play with Wall but that can't happen until 2018 when Boogies contract is up.

[@josephbuchanan1940]

+TheShadowhog759 yea unless some like 3 team blockbuster deal goes down but I don't think anyone sees that happening any time in the next two-three years

[@CuhhDiii]

I’m from the future where Wall and Cousins were on the rockets at one point

[@SabaDhutt]

Amazing. They averaged almost 5 guys going to the NBA every year through 2010-2015. That’s crazy.

[@clementk.2561]

Great documentary. Keep on producing them bleacher report. We really appreciate them!

[@EduardoGomez-db5vl]

young bledsoe looks like bobby shmurda

[@bartenderjacque7238]

John Wall is the most underrated point guard.

[@alitoofresh9044]

keep your ring

[@KingKel37]

He's considered a top 5 PG. How is that underrated?

[@bryanttang1056]

+Kelvon Keith top 5 is curry, westbrook, lillard, kyrie, cp

[@KingKel37]

+Bryant Tang replace Kyrie with Wall IMO

[@shamidullah1]

wall, kyrie, and cp better than lillard. ask Coach K and team USA.

[@Hasan-lo8gy]

what a great man.

[@thirtyacres7504]

These guys make it look easy. Shows how practice and hard work can pay off.

[@allensanor1133]

wall and Kemba Walker look they could be brothers

[@fifty3975]

Allen Sanor exactly what I thought

[@kyjoe9]

Really great video! One of the best teams we had at uk!

[@carboy101]

Have mad respect for him. I respect him much more than Coach K.

[@skleebojonesjr4906]

Why ?

[@johnsexton4250]

Because he's the greatest players coach ever.

[@skleebojonesjr4906]

@@johnsexton4250 with one ring huh

[@JohnEpps-by5je]

Hats off to coach Cal. Thank you for all you have done for the big blue. Good luck with your next coaching legacy. Proud of John Calipari here in Bell County KY. Class act.

[@powergamesandsports1]

This video was super good Bleacher Report

[@natekenny7106]

It's not "made in Kentucky". It's just a 1 year transition ground for super recruits for 1 season, and for one reason. Because the NCAA requires them to before they turn pro. These players arent loyal to Kentucky, it's coach Cal. Thats it. Now credit what he's done at Kentucky as far as recruiting from a pop culture perspective sure, but my point is it's coach Cal. No matter what power 6 university he would be coaching at right now, that's where these players would all be going.

[@CarsonRandol]

Thank you

[@isaacmaddentennis]

They look like brothers man, great chemistry from the start....

[@farakhhanif]

This was really good.

[@ChicagoBulls7733]

Damn man amazing video!

[@DatOneGuy901]

you can add the short memphis resume to this as well with Derrick Rose and Tyreke Evans

[@DatOneGuy901]

i give him props for that squad back in the day, but i meant as far as successively sending NBA bound kids to the LG. 2008, 2009, and then the guys in this video in 2010. for all intents and purposes, this team had already committed to memphis before Coach Cal decided to switch schools so those two years before hand count to me in the success of kentucky.*****

[@DatOneGuy901]

eh...they washed out the lg tho (so did wagner).these guys are superstars *****

[@bjsw534]

Arrahdre that's true.

[@razkable]

It started with Marcus Canby at umass

[@joeyfradella7074]

Cal is a great recuiter and a great coach. Look at what this man did and still doing. Much love and respect.

[@totothedoggo]

Watching this made me realise how amazing it would be if wall and DMC teamed up again...

[@jamaljackson4853]

@5:30 “idk what there deal is but they drunk the hatorade !” 😹😹😹

[@Sam_B1]

Pretty sure I saw Harrison Barnes brick a corner three early on. He's still doing that, except he's getting paid $84 million now.

[@jamalb7101]

Quantum Leap he went to nort Carolina bro

[@Veyronp87]

and now averaging 20 ppg lol

[@TheOlmonroe1]

And the crazy thing is with UK's one and done many of these "Cats" were going top 5 in the draft. Crazy!!

[@lightfoot123]

Legend baby!

[@jeremyblake7590]

WVU was sweet that year dasean butler was on a whole other level

[@ChiefBlue4298]

Since this video went up, Kentucky has still not made it back to the Final Four

[@Joseph-lz5er]

This team can legitimately can compete in the NBA. And probably even compete for the playoffs. Wall, Bledsoe, Patrick Patterson, Cousin.

[@Lucksh007t]

still my favorite uk team

[@LaggyMcstutters]

Remember this team like yesterday.

[@firstnamesurname2210]

this is good

[@DENZELINAFRICA]

I love John Calipari

[@JK-gu3tl]

One and Done revived Calipari's career.

[@cav3man82]

6:54 Best part of this video

[@ad_stayfly7]

I still play ncaa basketball 2010 because of this team

[@christschool]

That's sad.

[@Allen.Fepuleai]

Caliperi has the right mindset about these one and done players. Take care of them and they’ll take care of you.

[@hooman4217]

He said he never seen guys like that since until you have zion,rj barret,cam reddish and tre jones on a team

[@NapalmSportzCardz]

GO BIG BLUE!!!! LEGENDS Of College Basketball!!

[@9mmbetamax316]

Now walls and cousins reunite in houston, ready to run as one 👍

[@graysonk363]

My dad was at that U.K. vs West Virginia game he was soooo mad. we are hardcore UK fans

[@Logan-Speaking-Facts-Again]

270 Owensboro, ky. We are so proud of our cats.

[@alphavoid1011]

Man i would love to see john wall and cousins in one team together

[@daytona6734]

the captions in 5:44 - 5:47 "this is basketball, so have a baby"

[@thenextgenofgaming3662]

Oooo yeah thos my boys

[@sadeaton]

All of that talent and one national championship. Alabama has won 7 national championships in roughly the same time period and it's so much harder to accomplish in football too.

[@JohnSmith-zw8vp]

Because you gotta have experience. And you won't get that from one-year-wonders.

[@falconhoward4032]

Calipari has coached 4 1st overall draft picks. No other coach has more than 2.

[@thesebasavina]

Man I wanna go to Kentucky so bad

[@mariofranklin9898]

You can see boogie in Washington soon 👍🏾

[@SteadyFlockin]

Mario Franklin was thinking about the same thing

[@brentonjones7689]

Mario Franklin portland

[@EA-ps4wc]

This comment didn't age well 😂

[@devantesmith-jelly6907]

Who else here to get hyped??? Let’s go BIG BLUE NATION!!!!!

[@NoLuvCity]

never heard eric blesdoe speak until now

[@AlexMcCurdy89]

"Our job is to ensure that these kids ensure my job."

[@pamelasheehan2731]

5:28 gotta keep them sponsors lol

[@JordanonPC]

Who's the fool drinking the coke at 5:27 lmaoo

[@seanjones2090]

Daniel Orton. Even in high school basketball I never would even think of touching soda

[@bennettpeterson5210]

what people don't know, is that calipari coached at memphis when d rose was there

[@ajrollins1757]

Calipari GOAT

[@bigpapi2658]

Gets Outrageous All Star Talent

[@treyblair7238]

+Ed Jones you say that like it's a horrible thing

[@austins5238]

Coach K GOAT

[@BROSKIALLDAY]

You spelled John Wooden wrong

[@moonpuppy9919]

No

[@wk3820]

Most amazing stat in modern college basketball: through nine seasons at Kentucky, all Calipari one-and-done players have been drafted in the first round, meaning they got guaranteed contracts.

[@zachlee7945]

Cousins will have his first winning season in 2018-19 since this

[@bookertee3057]

The fall of the Kentucky Tradition with Calipari. The University now is a basketball clinic financed by Kentucky.

[@pinheadlarry7304]

They should do one with Brandon Knights Kentucky.

[@deandrepresswood4543]

at 0:18 the guy looks just like russel westbrook👀

[@brentandy4233]

daniel orton

[@kurtcometa4818]

Daniel Orton. He a stupid bitch, trash ass player

[@Carl-ir3dh]

J WALL & D FOX both played in kentucky

[@Wetrockstah2116]

Take all the teams KY has had in the last 20 years and all the teams of any other school and KY still dominates. Calipari literally brought back KY basketball dominance since the 90s. Since in the 90s KY dominated that decade but went on a dry spell after Pitino left up until cal came. And he brought it back to life. Now it's 2022 and we have a team now that could hang another banner. Go BBN

[@charlesguevarra3208]

8:50 Gordon Hayward at the back

[@AdamKlownzinger]

I’ll always respect Calipari (as much as I think he’s a prick) for being a maverick as far as emphasizing the players over the program, and getting them in the workforce over spending 4 years and graduating for no reason

[@kgosimajatladi2031]

Kinda reminds me of Zion, Cam, RJ and Tre this year

[@pwatson7]

I'll never forget listening to the WVU game on the radio at work. IT SUCKED!

[@joshuaweiss8280]

DC gonna go play in DC this offseason

[@kingvelo2312]

Coach Cal one of the best college coaches of all time

[@powergamesandsports1]

I could see EB and Boogie going to Washington one day for some reason

[@aaronssworld1613]

That would be cool

[@KxngKUDA]

that would be a huge upgrade on all accounts. they should

[@Eoinvf]

Yo this might be another reason why cousins would go to the wizards cuz of john wall there good friends

[@wvu4258]

Let's go mountaineers! Best WVU moment ever

[@mercnsiku15]

SavageAlexFTW but who won that final four that year... hint look at the profile pic

[@jonn8911]

Mercidi Nsiku who just lost to Syracuse? A 17-12 team.. duke did

[@caseycombs8418]

Uk l am a Kentucky fan

[@pollomaniac]

i hope D. cousins , john wall , and eric bladsoe can someday play together in the nba , there gonna be like the second coming of the banana boat hahaha

[@brianpruett114]

Ya gotta admit, Coach is on to something. However, Coach Wooden after winning UCLA 8th Championship said ask me in 20 years if we where successful!!?!?!?! Think about it!

[@TingBunna]

Patterson a straight force on the wing for the Raps, straight up robbery in that Rudy Gay deal.

[@nochillsam2265]

We need John wall and demarcus cousins on a team together

[@cantbeatthebay4765]

That was John crying.

[@brandenbarnett6093]

I agree that he coaches to prepare them for NBA in that one year. I also hate how he and UK act like they got these guys to the pros when these names could play d3 and get drafted in a year...Thats cool what he’s doing for these players, just wish he’d go to G league and do it, we want banners here...

[@morganwallace3274]

On the West Virginia game all we had to do was get the ball into Boggie and Paterson and beat them in the paint