John Calipari not interested in NBA
Kentucky coach John Calipari said Wednesday he isn't going to coach the New York Knicks or any other NBA franchise for the foreseeable future.
"Kentucky is the best job in basketball coaching," Calipari said. "Why would I leave? We just won the national title. We're chasing UCLA."
“” -- John Calipari
I've made statements that I've got the best job in basketball and I'm not going to change my lifestyle. I'm not leaving.
Kentucky's title win over Kansas on Monday night in New Orleans gave the school eight national men's basketball titles, three short of UCLA's all-time record of 11.
Calipari said no NBA team has contacted him about an opening, including the Knicks, which are being coached by Mike Woodson on an interim basis after Mike D'Antoni was fired.
Calipari coached the New Jersey Nets for three seasons after he took UMass to the Final Four in 1996. He was fired by the Nets 20 games into his third season, in 1998-99.
He then worked as an assistant with the Philadelphia 76ers for one season before he coached Memphis for nine seasons, taking the Tigers to the national title game in 2008.
"All of those teams know I'm not doing anything," Calipari said. "I'm not changing. I'm going to continue to see my friends who coach in the NBA and see my former players who play in the NBA. I'm going to continue to go to games."
Calipari has coached the Wildcats to two Final Fours and three Elite Eights in his three seasons in Lexington. His Kentucky record is 102-14 with an NCAA tournament record of 13-2.
Calipari originally signed an eight-year contract. But Kentucky gave him a new eight-year deal worth $36.5 million in 2011. Starting in 2012-13, if he accomplishes all his incentives in his contract, he'll make $5.65 million in each of the next three years.
Calipari was paid $4.65 million this year. Starting in July, he will be eligible to earn a $1 million retention bonus for six of the next seven years.
"I've always said I have more money than I can spend, than my children can spend," Calipari said. "It's not about that."
Calipari has coached a number of first-round draft picks in his three seasons at Kentucky -- DeMarcus Cousins, John Wall, Eric Bledsoe, Patrick Patterson, Daniel Orton and Brandon Knight. Anthony Davis, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, and possibly Terrence Jones, Doron Lamb, Marquis Teague and Darius Miller could join them from this past season's team.
"No one is stealing our joy," Calipari said. "I've made statements that I've got the best job in basketball and I'm not going to change my lifestyle. I'm not leaving."
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