John Calipari built a college basketball program at a school starting with an “M” into a national power, then left for a more lucrative job just before the NCAA quickly rode into the town with allegations of wrongdoing that might make Don King blush.
This time, however, Calipari was not leaving as head coach at Massachusetts for the NBA’s Nets. This time, he left Memphis to take the head-coaching job at Kentucky — and left questions in his wake.
Now before anyone rolls their eyes, shrugs and says, “Same old Cal,” consider that Calipari has not been named by the NCAA in regards to any of the alleged violations that took place at Memphis. Calipari can claim he didn’t know that Derrick Rose didn’t take his own SAT, as has been alleged.
Nevertheless, the NCAA has told Calipari that he must participate in a hearing next week concerning the alleged violations at Memphis.
Calipari explained in one letter that he wouldn’t be able to attend a hearing scheduled for June 6 in Indianapolis because of a previously scheduled trip to China. But in a response last week, the NCAA’s director of the committee on infractions told him he needs to participate anyway, either through phone or video conference. Calipari responded Wednesday that he would join the hearing by phone.
Even though he is not “at risk” in the investigation, Calipari does have a concern. If he succeeds at a blueblood program like Kentucky, his name might be mentioned in the discussion for the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. The trustees of the Hall, however, have a clause that says it can remove any candidate who “has damaged the integrity of the game of basketball.”
Jerry Tarkanian has a national title and enough wins to be considered for the Hall, but he’s not in. Heck, Rick Pitino, the poster child for college basketball coaches, can’t even get in. Calipari got out of Amherst, Mass., in the nick of time. He probably got out of Memphis in time, although there are reports that Rose’s brother, Reggie, flew on the Tigers’ team plane and stayed in the team hotel, all paid for by Memphis.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.