Brad Calipari has big ambitions for his basketball coaching career, and he’s diving in at the deep end on his father’s staff.
Calipari, the son of Kentucky coach John Calipari, revealed Thursday that he will be joining the Wildcats’ staff as a graduate assistant. The younger Calipari said his dream was to ultimately become a head coach himself, and jokingly shaded his dad to conclude his statement.
I am extremely excited and honored to begin my coaching career at the University of Kentucky. I would like to thank everyone who has supported me along the way, as I continue to chase my ultimate dream of one day becoming a head coach. (1/5) pic.twitter.com/YuPYxDiAl2
— Brad Calipari (@bradcalipari) August 26, 2021
I do not take this opportunity lightly and appreciate the chance to begin my coaching career at the mecca of college basketball. I’m eager to learn from our tremendous staff led by an OK coach. LOL. Not a Hall of Famer or anything (5/5)
— Brad Calipari (@bradcalipari) August 26, 2021
Brad Calipari spent two seasons playing for Kentucky as a rarely-used reserve, though still a wildly popular figure with fans. He later transferred to Detroit where he played two further seasons. In 2019-20, he averaged 20.1 minutes per game, primarily in a reserve role.
Not everyone gets to start their coaching career at a school like Kentucky, but Calipari will know the people and the environment well. It will be intriguing to see how far the 24-year-old can climb in the coaching profession.
