John Calipari has long been criticized by his detractors for recruiting too many one-and-done players, which they believe undermines the college system.
Calipari has been one of the best recruiters since his days at UMass, going to Memphis and then Kentucky. He has reached six Final Fours and won a national championship.
In an interview with Reid Forgrave for Bleacher Report, Calipari was asked about the one-and-done system being a “sham” and defended it.
“And they can come back and finish up!” Calipari said. “They can do it [finish school] whenever. Tell me what the issue is with that. And let me tell you this: For those of you that think what we’re doing is a sham: What if it were your child? Would you think it’s OK then?”
Calipari continues to pump out top recruits who then leave Kentucky for the NBA. Right now, most of his starting lineup is comprised of freshmen. And as long as he can do it year after year and get strong results, why should he change his system?
One other notable item from the interview was Calipari stating his goal of getting 12 of his players in the NBA All-Star Game. His highest so far has been four.
H/T CBS Sports
