John Calipari lost out on #1 overall recruit Andrew Wiggins to Kansas last Tuesday. Most coaches would have been filled with disappointment.
Most coaches aren’t John Calipari and don’t have the luxury of the most loaded freshman class in the history of college basketball.
Calipari held a press conference Wednesday, a day after Andrew Wiggins signed with Kansas, and stole the spotlight back by raving about the roster he has that is stocked with 8 current McDonald’s All Americans, including 5 incoming freshman.
Calipari talked pressure, expectations, and not surprisingly, perfection and going undefeated according to Thacover2.
“We’re chasing perfection. We’re chasing greatness. We’re chasing things that have never been done in the history of our game,” Calipari said. “People say, ‘Pressure!’ Man, pressure brings out the best. ‘You’re gonna be fired if you don’t get this done!’
“Wakes you up earlier in the morning. I don’t mind a little pressure. I’ve had it my whole career. I’ve had the gun to my head for 20-something years. And you know what? I’m at my best when the gun is to my head.”
“Now, I’m not sitting there saying, ‘If we lose a game, it’s not a successful season,’ ” Calipari said. “No. But you’re chasing greatness. What’s wrong with that. ‘Well, we want to talk moment to moment and we’re not putting that on the kids.’ Well, we are. Any pressure on these kids when they come here? It’s on us. Now, it won’t be … the forefront thing we’re talking about, but there’ll be things out there that they’ll see.”
Calipari is loaded, NBA talent loaded, the question now is, after last seasons debacle, can Cal get all that talent to mesh as one.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gsd4hRknp2s]