Vaught's Views: NBA rumors persist, but John Calipari insists he is happy being at Kentucky

John Calipari did everything he could at the Final Four to make it clear he was happy at Kentucky and not interested in going to the NBA.

“The biggest takeaway (from the NBA) is they fired me. What I learned there was, in college it was always about movement, motion offense.  That was the '70s. Motion and passing, not knowing who is shooting. In the NBA it was all about spacing. There is motion, but it's more about the space of the court.

So I was able to come back (to college) and say, ‘We do have movement, but the most important thing is the spacing,’” Calipari said in New Orleans.

“The second thing I would tell you is it taught me what kids in my program need to succeed when they go to the professional level. So if you look at the kids that we've coached that have gone to that league, they've done well. It's not just getting drafted. They're being drafted and doing well. So I think that's helped.”

Former UK¿standouts John Wall, DeMarcus Cousins, Patrick Patterson, Brandon Knight, DeAndre Liggins, Eric Bledsoe and Josh Harrellson have had NBA success. Anthony Davis will be the No. 1 pick in the June draft. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist could go in the top five picks. Terrence Jones likely will be a lottery pick. Doron Lamb and Marquis Teague could go in the first round if both opt to leave UK early.

“I enjoyed my time there (in the NBA). But I'm having a ball. I've got a great job. If there's a better job in basketball, I don't know what it is. This is a great job that I have right now,” Calipari said.

And that was before UK won the national championship. Now that “great job” is even better.

Calipari said “I don’t” when asked in New Orleans if he could see himself going back to the¿NBA. Yet rumors were swirling Tuesday about the New York Knicks pursuing him — and Calipari having interest in the job and a ridiculous contract.

That prompted Calipari not only to tell his go-to national media guys — Mike DeCourcy of the Sporting News and Andy Katz of ESPN — and he told them no. But Calipari knew that might not be enough, so he posted his thoughts about the NBA on www.coachcal.com for all UK fans to see. He told fans to “enjoy the championship”

“We just won the championship a day and a half ago. The only three things I’m trying to decide on is when I’m going to go see a few recruits, how I’m going to get through all these voicemails and when do I get a chance to get some sleep. But for those of you that need to hear it again, let me repeat what I told Andy and Mike: I’m not going anywhere. I have the best job in the country. Why would I leave after we’ve just won a national title? We’re trying to catch UCLA, folks. I’ve got more money than I’m ever going to need or my family can spend, so I don’t have to make a decision based on finances. Let me assure you that you will see me at NBA games this summer … to watch our former players. I’m not going to give up my lifestyle based on a few rumors, and I will continue to go to NBA games to see my family, friends and former players,” Calipari posted on the website.

He added that “no one’s stealing my joy or my players’ joy” and told fans to do the same.

He revealed at a Final Four press conference that it took “me 20 years to get a job like this, a BCS job” after being head coach at Massachusetts, then the New Jersey Nets before he was fired and Memphis.

“I coached 20 years not in a BCS situation. So it's been a ball,” Calipari said. “People care. People on the campus care. Kids around the country, you can go recruit who you want.

“You can get the best and the brightest. Brandon Knight was a 4.0 student.  He left our campus after one year because he had 23 credits go with him, 60 college credits of 4.0 work. You can get those kind of kids. You can get the best-of-the-best. Problem is with these rules the way they are, they don't stay long. But I'm enjoying myself.”

He plans to keep enjoying himself, too. Kentucky is already ranked fourth in one 2012-13 preseason poll, even though UK¿could lose as many as seven players off this team. He’s already signed three players, including two five-star recruits, for next season and could hit the jackpot Wednesday when the nation’s top two players — Nerlens Noel and Shabazz Muhammad — make their college choices. Another five-star player, Anthony Bennett, will announce at the same. All three have UK¿in their top three choices.

Could Calipari get all three? Yes. Will he? Probably not. But it would stun me if he does not get at least one, and two would really be no surprise because with the success he’s had at Kentucky and putting players into the NBA the last three years, top players want to play at Kentucky just like Calipari wants to coach at Kentucky.