John Calipari

John Calipari is the current head coach of the University of Kentucky’s men's basketball and a veteran of nearly 20 college seasons at the University of Memphis and the University of Massachusetts. Widely regarded as one of the greatest program builders in all of college basketball, Calipari's teams have earned 11 conference titles, 12 NCAA Tournament berths and two Final Fours. Of his past three point guards, two have been NBA Rookie of the Year and the third, John Wall, was Washington’s No. 1 overall pick in the 2010 NBA Draft. He received the Naismith National Coach of the Year Award for the 1995-1996 and 2007-2008 seasons, as well as the Sports Illustrated National Coach of the Year honor for 2008-09.

 

Calipari’s first season in The Bluegrass State saw a complete rejuvenation of the program that had fallen from its perch atop college basketball. With the nation’s best freshman class entering for 2010-11, the Wildcats will again be in the thick of the race on the road to the Final Four. Calipari and his wife, Ellen, have three children, Erin, Megan, and Bradley. You can learn more about Coach Cal, “Bounce Back” and the Calipari Family Foundation for Chidlren (CFFC) on his website: www.coachcal.com and by following him on Twitter: @UKCoachCalipari and on Facebook at “John Calipari.”