Nobody expected the Kentucky Wildcats’ search for their next head coach to become this difficult, but that’s the tough reality fans of the Lexington-based squad would have to get used to.
The prestige that has many outstanding high school players committing to the Wildcats comes with its unique sets of problems, and this is likely one of the reasons why the coaches they approached to take over for John Calipari didn’t find the post enticing enough to make such a risky move for their careers.
One coach even went so far as to say that the situation the Wildcats find themselves in is a fall from grace for the program.
Anonymous coach describes the Kentucky Wildcats’ search for new coach as ’embarrassing’
The Spun’s Chris Rosvoglou wrote about the current dilemma Kentucky finds itself in and the honest thoughts of one head coach on the situation:
Adam Zagoria of NJ.com spoke to a basketball coach about Kentucky’s search for a new leader. Let’s just say this coach didn’t hold back when discussing the current state of the Wildcats.
“It’s getting embarrassing,” an anonymous coach told Zagoria. “Danny no, Nate no, Scott no!!! People understand how difficult that job is and they don’t want to follow CAL!”
It’s understandably hard to find a replacement for John Calipari. After all, he helped transform the Kentucky Wildcats into a premier destination for blue-chip recruits who want to make it to the NBA.
Rob Dillingham is the latest example of the effectiveness of Calipari’s program in turning high school phenoms into legitimate prospects in one season of basketball. While there are questions about his defensive ability, his scoring ability under Calipari was highlighted and turned into his strongest asset.
Billy Donovan is the best hope the Wildcats have in getting a big-name coach in, but he’s also not interested in the position, as reported by Jeff Goodman:
“I’ve talked to people close to Billy Donovan this morning. A couple days ago, I would’ve said the odds of him returning to college were 0-10 percent,” Goodman said. “Now I’d say they’re 25-30 percent. Is [Kentucky athletic director] Mitch Barnhart willing to wait a week?”
The Kentucky Wildcats hope their head coach hunt ends soon, or they will be in for an unfamiliar season in the fall.
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