Coach Cal's Big Blue Madness Special Guests list is growing.

Class of 2012

Talented wing prospect that has a unique scoring ability. He's constantly in attack mode and is an aggressive scorer. His long range shot is getting better, but he does majority of his work from mid-range and in. He's also confident enough in his post game to take defenders to the block and show a jump hook. We'd like to see him continue to develop range on his shot, but he's a heck of a prospect with an impressive motor.

A true low post prospect, Coleman, at 6-foot-8, 280-pounds, is one of the strongest players in all of high school basketball. He finishes well in the paint and doesn't mind a little contact along the way. He locks up his area rebounding wise and isn't afraid to go outside of it to reel in boards. Coleman has a great set of hands, soft touch around the basket and can get a bucket if he gets it on the block.

Sometimes it can look like Warren is coasting, but he has a great skill set. A wing with a thick strong body, Warren can really shoot it from deep and knows how to create for himself despite not being a superior athlete for the position. He's also starting to develop a mid-range game and he has great touch on his pull-ups and floaters.

 A post player with a solid skill level, McGary has really come along since re-classifying from 2011 to 2012. He can score inside and out with a strong face up game along with the ability to drive to the basket. McGary plays mostly below the rim, and isn't a great shot blocker.

One of the better two-guards in the 2012 class, Goodwin, who stands 6-foot-4, possibly 6-foot-5, made his bones by attacking the basket and always playing an aggressive brand of basketball. Goodwin gets after it on both ends and plays with intensity of the defensive side of things. At this stage, Goodwin is a good shooter, but could still extend his range. Overall he's a talented scorer with some serious potential.

Class of 2013

Andrew Harrison and Aaron Harrison are twin guards out of Houston who can completely dominate games with their size, athleticism, and natural scoring ability. 

Andrew Harrison and Aaron Harrison are twin guards out of Houston who can completely dominate games with their size, athleticism, and natural scoring ability. 

His rise to the top of the 2013 rankings has been quick and swift. Walker has grown to 6-foot-10 and didn't lose a bit of his mobility. Walker runs the floor quite well, is a terrific athlete and an impressive rebounder. Defensively he's tough to score on, as he uses his length, timing and athleticism to block shots. Going forward he'll need to continue to develop his low post scoring moves, but he's loaded with potential.

Class of 2014

Kidd-Gilchrist to be featured in HBO documentary

Freshman Michael Kidd-Gilchrist has yet to play his first collegiate game, but by the time he does, he will already have been featured in an HBO documentary called Prayer for a Perfect Season.

Kidd-Gilchrist played his high school basketball for national powerhouse St. Patrick's in Elizabeth, N.J. During his senior season, award-winning director Marc Levin and a camera crew followed his national championship-contending team that took an undefeated record into a end-of-season showdown against archrival St. Anthony's.

While St. Patrick's quest for a national championship will undoubtedly figure largely into the piece, Kidd-Gilchrist's personal journey and that of his team will be at its heart. Since he signed with Kentucky in November 2010, UK fans have come to learn about the perseverance that Kidd-Gilchrist has shown throughout his young life.


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Coach Cal announces Women Clinic dates now accepting registration

Date: October 2nd, 2011
Time: 4-7pm
Location: Joe Craft Center and Memorial Coliseum
Cost: $100
Building on the phenomenal success of the 2010 Coach Calipari Women's Clinic, this year's clinic will be held on Sunday, October 2nd, 2011. Be the first in your household to meet the entire 2011-2012 roster, learn the Dribble Drive Motion Offense, and get a tour of the Cats' stat-of-the-art practice facility. Scheduled presentations include behind-the-scenes looks at UK video, strength and conditioning and sports injury/rehabilitation lectures, as well as a Q&A with Coach Calipari, staff and current players. Included in this year’s Clinic will be full involvement by the entire 2011-2012 roster and also more interaction with the participants (at your own risk). We encourage all participants to wear comfortable attire.


http://www.ukathletics.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/082411aaa.html

Rex Chapman 1997 playoffs Phoenix Suns vs Seattle Supersonics

Watch King Rex in 1997 Playoffs, lights it up for 42.

Kansas follows Kentucky lead with exhibition game.

The lockout at basketball's professional level is providing an ironic twist that usually goes the other way. Right now, the NBA's loss is college basketball's gain. Kansas hoops is about to take advantage of the work stoppage and give its fans a rare treat, similar to what Kentucky did recently.

Being that Kansas football has a bye the weekend of Sept. 24, Bill Self and the basketball program are taking advantage of an available fall Saturday in Lawrence.

Former Kansas players and coaches will participate in an exhibition game at Allen Fieldhouse. It's being billed as the Legends of the Phog game. I like it. I like it a lot. 

Former KU coaches Larry Brown and Ted Owens will coach a collection of former KU players who have been part of three NCAA titles, 54 conference championships, 13 Final Fours and 2,038 all-time victories. The rosters will include many current NBA Jayhawks, including NBA All-Star Paul Pierce, as well as many other recent KU standouts.

“It’s going to be a spectacular event,” Self said in a statement. ”Not very often can you spin a negative into a positive but we get an opportunity to do so with the NBA lockout. There have been numerous times we’d like to get all these guys back at the same time, but it’s always been hard for the current NBA players to come back because their schedules run similar to ours."
Paul Pierce is the big name, of course, but who else could we see? Well, Cole Aldrich, Mario Chalmers, Darrell Arthur, Nick Collison, Kirk Hinrich, Drew Gooden and Julian Wright are all former 'Hawks who make a wage in the Association. None of those were named in the press release, but it does state a good number of NBAers will play, so I think it's fair to expect a decent portion of the names above to make their way to Lawrence that weekend.
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Dominicans hold off ex-Cats 91-86 as Calipari rests stars in second half

LOUISVILLE — Although he's guiding the Dominican Republic National Team, John Calipari seemingly tried to coach a Kentucky team to another victory Tuesday night.

Calipari did not play his three leading scorers in the second half. But because a team of former UK players shot poorly from three-point range (1-for-19) and the foul line (31-for-52), the Dominicans managed to win anyway, 91-86, over the team called The Pros.

Edgar Sosa, Francisco Garcia and Al Horford — who combined for 71 points in the Dominicans' 106-88 victory in Monday's exhibition — were on schedule for another productive evening. The three had 33 points in the first half.

Then they sat and watched along with a crowd of about 15,000 in the Yum Center.

"I needed to see the other guys," Calipari said. "I have to figure out who can play. We still have to cut three guys."

Before the game, there was some question whether anyone would have a clear view of the action.

Read more: http://www.kentucky.com/2011/08/17/1847571/liveblog-with-john-clay-exhibition.html#ixzz1VxWrgXoT

Courtside at Rupp: Kentucky Pro's vs Dominican Republic : Don't Bink you'll miss it.

Scout.com's 2013 Top 100

It’s quickly becoming apparent that the 2013 class is one of the best collections of talent in recent memory.

From top to bottom it’s a great group that consists of plenty of star power and depth that extends well past the top 100 list.

Leading they way for the strong class is Chicago (Ill.) Simeon standout Jabari Parker. A 6-foot-7 do-it-all forward, Parker has established himself as the top overall prospect because of his size, versatility, athleticism, scoring ability and skill set.

Parker put together an impressive July with the Mac Irvin Fire and has had some talking about him as the best prospect in all of high school basketball.

Landing just behind Parker is 6-foot-8 power forward Julius Randle. The Texas native is active and energetic in the paint, runs the floor with ease and continues to develop his ball skills.

Pressing behind Parker and Randle is the nation’s top defensive player – Nerlens Noel.

Noel is the top prospect on BABC, who won the Peach Jam and made it to the finals of the AAU Super Showcase. At 6-foot-11, Noel has extreme length and is tough to score on because of his physical features, athleticism and timing.

To go with his ability to defend the rim, Noel is becoming a better rebounder and is starting to develop his ability to score on the low block.

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Gillispie era at Texas Tech isn't going smoothly

Few major, BCS-level athletic directors would have hired Billy Gillispie to coach their basketball team. He was radioactive, to say the least. In fact, that probably doesn't do it justice.

Honestly, Texas Tech AD Kirby Hocutt may have been the only major-conference AD willing to take a chance on Gillispie. The former Texas A&M and Kentucky basketball coach is known for his ability to win games but also carries with him a reputation that seems will haunt him forever, much of that stemming from how hard he is to interact with. There are also concerns with his penchant for drinking.

Fortunately for Gillispie, Hocutt went all in on him a few moths ago. Yet, before a game's been played under Gillispie, it turns out he couldn't even make it through an offseason without headaches and turmoil at his new job. There's already erosion within the Texas Tech program, considering Gillsipie can't hang on to assistant coaches, trainers or even secretaries.

He's scaring, bullying and forcing people away from the buildings in Lubbock. People who'd spent the better part of a decade there no longer are because of the new basketball coach in town.

SPORTSbyBROOKS ran with a story today that details some of what Gillispie's put Hocutt through in a few months' time, including the departures of the people referenced above. The post's primary conflict centers around longtime assistant Chris Beard, who left the program in mid-June -- an uncommon time for an assistant to jump ship.


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Kentucky keeping arena options open

Rupp Arena is a legendary basketball venue. It has housed some of the best teams in college hoops history. Blue-clad fans pack the place every night, even if they're only there to take in a halfhearted exhibition game between a foreign national team and a handful of former Kentucky stars.

But Rupp, like any good storied arena, is getting to the point where its age is outshining its charms. The building is old and drab and lacks many of the modern conveniences baked in to the gleaming new arenas we've seen pop up in NBA cities and college towns in the past 10 years. The obvious example is Louisville's Yum! Center Arena, which provides a beautiful year-round venue for Louisville residents and a top-notch hoops facility in the heart of the city's entertainment district. Kentucky is not the kind of program that wants to lackanything, let alone the facilities required to keep up with the basketball Joneses. (Not to be confused with The Basketball Jones, still the best NBA 'cast on the planet.) But could Kentucky really move out of Rupp?

Kentucky athletic director Mitch Barnhart is currently trying to find an answer to that question. On Tuesday, Barnhart and Lexington mayor Jim Gray sat down for a local news conference to discuss UK's possible arena options going forward. From the Lexington Herald-Leader: 

Gray noted that the process of exploring options is a long way from the finish line. "We're at Step One or Two," he said. "This is a project that will have 10 steps."

Barnhart said UK would be "open-minded" to either renovating Rupp or building a new arena. "My job is to protect University of Kentucky basketball and make sure it has what it needs to be the flagship of college basketball," he said. "... We think about the next 30, 40, 50 years of Kentucky basketball, and how we can be partners with the city in what the mayor's trying to get done."Read More Here

Rajon Rondo in Lakers Gear (Video)

Dick Vitale's 2011-12 All-Solid Gold Teams: Terrence Jones First Team Honors

It is always exciting to sit down and make my preseason choices for the best of the best in college basketball! Obviously the key is to make it as a postseason All-Solid Gold selection. That means a super season on the hardwood, baby!

There are so many good players out there and these decisions weren't easy, but the VBDI (Vitale Bald Dome Index) churned out the following players as the best, the PTPers, the cream of the crop for the upcoming season! Enjoy!

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Big Cuz throwing it down

 DeMarcus Cousins, Kevin Durant and John Wall played in the  Capital Punishment game in D.C.  Good clip of DeMarcus with back to back dunks:

John Wall could turn NBA lockout into a class act

Do it, John Wall. Don’t let yourself be lured by offers from European leagues. Don’t fall victim to the fantasy of nonstop Xbox. Don’t waste the time given you by the NBA lockout. Do it, John. Go back to college.

Wall told the Associated Press he was considering continuing his education at Kentucky if the lockout isn’t settled soon. No one in Wall’s family has ever gotten a college degree, although his sister is a sophomore and might beat him to it. So he would be the second person in his family to graduate college. That’s still impressive.

It’s even more impressive when you don’thave to do it. Wall will make a lot of money in his NBA career, which has only just begun. Barring rash investments or spendthrift living, he should be able to live comfortably on the proceeds without having to work again.

Wall wants to study business management, which is a great idea for a guy who was a millionaire before he was 20. If you’re going to have a pile of money, you should have some notion of what to do with it. A degree might help protect him from being ripped off or from blowing through his stash before his career is over.

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Shaq: President Obama ruined Rajon Rondo’s shooting confidence?

Despite criticism Rajon Rondo received at the hands of President Barack Obama he shows no ill effects as he drains the open jumper in the dark at the Yum Center in Louisville Ky.  It's been recently revealed by Shaq that during an event with the President, Obama jokingly barbed Rondo. Obama ask Ray Allen to help Rondo with his shooting.

Read Story Here

See YouTube Video Here

Enes Kanter vs Ukraine - Spor Toto World Cup 10

Good Week to be a Kentucky Fan

First off, Scout.com put out its updated Class of 2012 rankings andJohn Calipari and Company are involved with the Top 4 players — Shabazz Muhammad, Andre Drummond, Mitch McGary and Brandon Ashley, as well as No. 9 Kaleb Tarczewskiand No. 10 Anthony Bennett.

On the court, Calipari will coach the Dominican National Team tonight and tomorrow in two exhibitions against a group of Kentucky pros that includes John Wall, Rajon Rondo and DeMarcus Cousins.

Oh, and they also have a shot at No. 12DaJuan Coleman, No. 14 Archie Goodwin, No. 17 Alex Poythressand No. 19 Robert Park

“It’s going to be a circus,” Atlanta Hawks forward Al Horford, a former Florida Gator and one of the starters for a Dominican team that will soon begin its quest to qualify for the 2012 Olympics, told the Louisville Courier Journal. “It’s going to be a big road game for us. Big Blue is going to show out. It’s going to be a good test. We’re going to be playing against Argentina at home over there. This is good preparation. I don’t think there’s any arena in in South America that sits 25,000 like here.”


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UK 2012 Target Archie Goodwin scores 46 and wins MVP honors.

Isaiah Whitehead and Archie Goodwin almost got a little too close for comfort Saturday night.

The pair sat next to each other on the bus en route to The Franchise Classic rain site, the South Bronx Job Corps, before exchanging trash talk and getting tangled up near the end of the first half of the all-star game, which pitted the top players in New York City against highly touted athletes from around the country.

Goodwin, an electric, 6-foot-5 shooting guard from Little Rock, Ark., drilled a 3-pointer in the Lincoln star’s face with 50 seconds left in the first half and barked at Whitehead while making hand gestures.

Goodwin ended up with 46 points and was named the MVP for Team USA. Whitehead finished with 16 points and his Team NYC won, 146-138. He said everything was cool afterward and he enjoyed riding on the opposing team’s bus after a driving rain hit Col. Young Park in Harlem, the original site of the game.

Goodwin said he had an equally good time in New York. He and his teammates have been here since Thursday and they got to see Ground Zero and the Apollo Theater along with New York City streetball staples Rucker Park and Dyckman.

Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/high_school/basketball/franchise_classic_notebook_whitehead_3wx9veNQ4FRp61fGWxAUPJ#ixzz1V15PZNWl

Miller records 7 points, 8 rebounds in Team USA exhibition

After trailing by as many as eight points in the first quarter,John Jenkins (Vanderbilt/ Hendersonville, Tenn.) hit three straight 3-pointers during a 14-0 run in the second period to help propel the USA Men's World University Games Team to an eventual 88-61 exhibition win Chinaover Chinese professional team New Century on Aug. 11 at Huizhou Stadium in Huizhu, China. .

ESPN Sportswriter look at 2011 season, SEC offers plenty of fascination

The ESPN panel of sportswriters looks at the 2011 Men's Basketball season ahead for the most intriguing stories.  Coach Cal comes in on this one.   Name one coach who is poised to garner the recognition he deserves this season?

Kentucky's John Calipari. OK, so if there's any coach in the country who doesn't need more name recognition, it's Big Blue Nation's favorite adopted son. But stay with me here. Calipari, for all the publicity he receives, is still frequently criticized for his actual coaching ability. Many fans think he's a recruiting maestro who lacks coaching chops. They assume he just rolls the balls out on the floor and lets his talented stars go to work. In some ways, that's true. In others, it's totally false. (For example: Few coaches in the country field teams as consistently stingy as Calipari. That he does so with so much roster turnover each year is doubly impressive.) If Calipari can take what might be his best recruiting class ever -- and that's saying something -- all the way to a national championship, the naysayers will be forced to recognize the coaching ability that has underpinned his controversial rise to the top of his profession.

-- Eamonn Brennan

I could easily go with Missouri's Frank Haith or Texas A&M's Billy Kennedy since they both walked into loaded teams and should challenge for the Big 12 title. But I have a sneaky suspicion that Oregon is going to be a handful in the new Pac-12. The addition of two big men -- former Wake Forest center Tony Woods and Louisiana Tech forward Olu Ashaolu -- will immediately make the Ducks a force inside. If both of these players play up to their potential, Oregon will be a tough out in the Pac-12. Dana Altman was always looked at as a serious coach at Creighton, one who consistently was able to maximize his talent. But he didn't garner the national recognition he deserved. If he's able to take the Ducks from the bottom of the Pac-12 and to a top-four finish and a possible NCAA berth in Year 2, then he should be praised on both coasts.

-- Andy Katz

Dana Altman has an opportunity to crack into the upper half of the Pac-12 and make a run at an NCAA tournament bid. The Ducks overachieved in Altman's first year, winning the CBI title even after numerous players transferred in wake of Ernie Kent's firing and left him short-handed. Altman missed the NCAA tournament in his final three seasons at Creighton after building up the Bluejays as a top mid-major program. Now he'll have a chance to experience March Madness again as Oregon welcomes top-100 freshman Jabari Brown and impact transfers Ashaolu and Woods.

-- Diamond Leung

Rick Byrd has been at Belmont for 25 years, shepherding the Bruins from NAIA to Division I, and winning more than 600 games in the process. Well-respected, Byrd earned some attention last season when Belmont racked up a 30-win season and made its fourth NCAA tournament appearance in the past six years. But the Bruins were summarily bounced by Wisconsin in the first round and the national attention faded.

This year, Belmont returns nine of 11 players and four starters from the team that lost but one game in the Atlantic Sun. Heavy with seniors and experience, Byrd could have the sort of Cinderella darling that makes NCAA tourney noise and earns well-deserving coaches their overdue praise.

-- Dana O'Neil

'Read The Entire Article HereNeil

Calipari introduces literacy program for youth of Kentucky

University of Kentucky men's basketball head coach John Calipari announced a new initiative Thursday afternoon to bring financial literacy education to children across the Bluegrass with an engaging, interactive game for kids from 4th to 6th grade.

Accompanied by Kentucky First Lady Jane Beshear, Kentucky Education Commissioner Terry Holliday, Congressman Hal Rogers, Congressman Ben Chandler, UK President Eli Capilouto and EverFi CEO Tom Davidson, Calipari talked about what the initiative means and what it will bring to the youth of the state.

"This has been a vision that my wife Ellen and I have held for several years, and we are excited to be launching a program that will focus on teaching young children the value of saving," Calipari said in a news release. "I applaud the local banks here in Kentucky who have made this possible and encourage others to join me in this endeavor. Together, we are empowering children to cultivate good financial habits that will stay with them throughout their lives."


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2012 UK Target Mitch McGrady narrows to six.

After staying quiet in July, Mitch McGary (Chesterton, Ind./Brewster Academy) emerged from the silence and he's constructed a final list of six schools. Making the cut, in no specific order, are Florida, Maryland, North Carolina, Michigan, Duke and Kentucky.

McGary, the nation's top power forward, hadn't mentioned the legitimate contenders for his services the entire month of July. Instead, the Indiana native elected to shut it down and concentrate on basketball. Coaches from major programs followed him to every event he participated in, jockeying for position, hoping to slip onto his list.

"I stayed low in July but I talked to coaches on Facebook and stuff like that," McGary said. "Some of the schools like Duke, North Carolina and Kentucky, they've got great coaches there. I like Michigan and Maryland in the rebuilding stage and they gave me good vibes. Florida's pretty good and they do a lot of similar things with guys like me who are versatile."

In-state schools Indiana and Purdue are not being considered and McGary feels good about his list, though he left the door cracked.

"Maybe if another school stays in contact, but I kind of wanted to narrow it down to these six," said the No. 4 overall player in the 2012 class. "I've got strong feelings about these six schools."

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2012 Ryan Harrow sits down with CoachCal.com

Kentucky basketball pickup legends have become a fixture of summers at the Joe Craft Center.

When news is slow and the unquenchable thirst of rabid UK fans is left dry, people start to talk and rumors begin to pick up steam. Without mentioning names, there have been a handful of players over the years who have been billed as “the next big thing” at Kentucky without ever actually playing a game.

By all accounts and comments, Ryan Harrow seems to fit the definition of one of those guys.

Though few in Lexington have ever actually seen him play, whispers around the UK facility are that Harrow is every bit as good as each of the studs in the 2011 four-man freshman class that easily ranks as the best in the country. Chatter from some of the guys involved in the pickup games indicate that if the season started tomorrow and Harrow was eligible to play, he would make the most immediate impact.

“I think he’ll surprise a lot of people when he can play,” former UK forward Josh Harrellson said recently at the Prasco John Calipari ProCamp held at the Joe Craft Center. “I thought John Wall could jump; just wait until you see this kid. Never seen anything like it.”

Prohibited from playing this season due to NCAA transfer rules, Harrow has rapidly earned a reputation as John Calipari’s next, next great point guard. Should Marquis Teague choose to stay at Kentucky after a year or not, Harrow, once eligible, is expected to fall in line with Calipari’s line of great guards that includes 2010-11 NBA MVP Derrick Rose, 2009-10 NBA Rookie of the Year Tyreke Evans, 2010 No. 1 NBA Draft pick John Wall, Final Four-leading guard Brandon Knight and Teague.

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2012 Big Trio headed to the Bluegrass?

The Kentucky staff prepares for the 2011-12 season but not without spending many hours traveling an evaluating the 2012-13 Class.  Andre Drummond, Shabazz Muhammad and Archie Goodwin are most definately on the Cats radar. This Trio could bring another elite class to Lexington if they choose Kentucky.  

Shabazz Muhammad will enter his senior season at Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas) as the nation's No. 1-ranked prospect.  Following a busy summer with San Diego-based club team Dream Vision, the 6-foot-6, 205-pound guard retains his status as the top prospect in the country, holding off a class full of promising big men – including No. 2, 6-10 center Andre Drummond."Heading into the summer, the top spot was up for grabs," CBSSports.com recruiting analyst Jeff Borzello said. "Muhammad grabbed onto it in early July and wouldn't let go. He consistently dominated offensively, scoring at will against nearly every opponent. The only thing that slowed him down was an injury late in the month. Despite that, given his work ethic and scoring ability, Muhammad heads into the school season with the No. 1 spot firmly in his grasp." 

Drummond, who announced Wednesday he will leave St. Thomas More (Oakdale, Conn.) for Wilbraham & Monson Academy (Wilbraham, Mass.) this fall, made a strong push in July and early August to establish himself as the top post player in the class. Head-to-head battles with No. 5 Isaiah Austin, No. 8 Kaleb Tarczewski and No. 9 Cameron Ridley all went Drummond's way. Drummond, who announced Wednesday he will leave St. Thomas More (Oakdale, Conn.) for Wilbraham & Monson Academy (Wilbraham, Mass.) this fall, made a strong push in July and early August to establish himself as the top post player in the class. Head-to-head battles with No. 5 Isaiah Austin, No. 8 Kaleb Tarczewski and No. 9 Cameron Ridley all went Drummond's way.

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