Larry Brown: Kentucky could make the NBA playoffs

SMU basketball coach Larry Brown does not feel that people are overreacting about just how good Kentucky is this season. The 34-0 Wildcats are the consensus favorite to win the 2015 NCAA Tournament, and Brown thinks they could even beat teams at the next level.

Just how many NBA teams does the 74-year-old coach think John Calipari’s squad could take down? Enough to qualify for the playoffs in the Eastern Conference.

Larry Brown just said "I honestly believe Kentucky would make the NBA Playoffs in the East"

— Matt Jones (@KySportsRadio) March 18, 2015

Kentucky is damn good — the best in college basketball, for sure. But could a college team really keep up with NBA teams enough throughout the course of a season to make the playoffs? We doubt it.

Few coaches are more experienced at both the professional and collegiate level than Brown, who last coached in the NBA with the Charlotte Bobcats from 2008 through 2010. And we know there are current NBA players who believe the Wildcats could beat at least one NBA team. Still, doing it consistently would be a major challenge.

Between’s Brown’s comment and this phenomenal quote from Louisville coach Rick Pitino, Calipari’s biggest challenge during the tournament will be keeping his players’ heads from swelling too much. If he can do that, there won’t be many teams that can stop Kentucky.