More on that Calipari-NBA talk, what prognosticators are saying about UK football, a huge War Room with all the latest in football recruiting, what comes next for America's U19 team with Calipari and future Cats, plus more.
CAL-KNICKS TALK
It seems like we do this every year. Actually, yes. We do this every year.
John Calipari and NBA rumors go hand in hand like ... well, pick your analogy. A lot of them would work.
The CatsIllustrated.com staff goes to the Roundtable to discuss the latest round of rumors linking Calipari to The Association and, beyond that, what the future might hold.
LINK: Roundtable discusses what to make of the Calipari-Knicks/NBA talk
WHAT'S NEXT?
The USA U19 National Team is settled in Egypt and will start competition play for the FIBA 2017 World Cup on Saturday morning.
But the Americans, which are coached by John Calipari, have already gotten their feet wet in international competition. USA beat Lithuania in an exhibition on Wednesday and just a day later beat France.
The USA team features UK freshmen Hamidou Diallo and P.J. Washington, plus a slew of 2018 Kentucky recruits.
BOWDEN'S IMPACT
With football season inching closer and yesterday's revelation that Lynn Bowden will be good to go for 2017, the CatsIllustrated.com staff goes to the roundtable to discuss UK's heralded incoming freshman.
DOUBLING DOWN
John Calipari shot down Thursday's ESPN report on his supposed interest in the New York Knicks' presidency on Twitter late last night.
Turns out, that wasn't enough for Calipari, who made an appearance on ESPN's popular radio program Mike and Mike. He addressed the same topic.
THE WAR ROOM!
This Friday edition of the War Room has all the latest in the world of Kentucky football recruiting.
One target's nearing a decision, notes on several wide receiver targets, and the latest from The Opening and what sources are saying there.
LINK: The War Room! (6/30): Yahtzee watch, background on key recruits, the latest
DENIAL AT THE NILE
Only John Calipari could dominate the basketball news in the United States even when he’s in Egypt coaching the USA under 19 team.
It started late Thursday night with a media report by ESPN’s Ian Begley that Calipari had someone reach out to the New York Knicks about being team president and coach after the team fired president Phil Jackson.
LINK: Calipari goes from denying NBA rumors to riding camel, seeing pyramids
After he nixed reports about NBA interest Friday morning, John Calipari mounted a camel and took a ride alongside Kentucky stars in Egypt.
With the pyramids at Giza in the background, Calipari's status as the reigning master of relevancy was not in question.
LINK: What's good for Calipari is good for Kentucky
Kentucky head coach John Calipari made it clear Thursday through Twitter that he wasn’t interested in replacing Phil Jackson as the president of the New York Knicks.
ESPN’s Ian Begley had reported Thursday that someone in Calipari’s camp had reached out to the Knicks about the newly vacant position. Calipari went on “The Jim Rome Show” on Friday to explain why he’s not leaving Kentucky after eight seasons with the team.
SUMMER HOOPS
Former Kentucky men’s basketball players Bam Adebayo, Dakari Johnson and Derek Willis will play in the NBA’s Mountain Dew Orlando Pro Summer League, which begins Saturday at the Orlando Magic's Amway Center practice court. The league will jumpstart a busy summer for former UK players either making their professional debuts or looking to enrich their opportunities in the NBA.
CATS IN EGYPT
John Calipari and three of his University of Kentucky basketball players are immersing in the global game this summer.
Freshmen Hamidou Diallo and PJ Washington and sophomore Tai Wynyard and the UK head coach are in Cairo, Egypt, for the FIBA U19 World Cup.
Teams have been training in Cairo all week and open World Cup play Saturday. Washington and Diallo play for Calipari’s United States team. Wynyard is representing New Zealand.
LINK: Calipari and three Wildcats in Egypt: A primer for the U19 World Cup
CAUTIOUS APPROACH
As we all know, UK has a football program on the rise, but the preseason folks are still cautious about the team’s outlook.
Last season, as you’ll recall, the Wildcats did really well in the SEC East Division en route to their first bowl trip since 2010. Even though Kentucky dropped to Georgia Tech in Jacksonville’s TaxSlayer Bowl, the Cats still finished on the winning side with a 7-6 mark, including a three-way tie for second place (with Georgia and Tennessee) in the SEC East with a 4-4 record.
