As Rumors Of His Interest In The Pelicans’ Job Swirl, John Calipari Commits To Staying At Kentucky

Despite his underwhelming run as coach of the New Jersey Nets some 15 years ago, the NBA has long desired to lure John Calipari back to the professional ranks. After another report indicating his interest in a league job opening surfaced, though, the University of Kentucky coach reaffirmed his commitment to the Wildcats.

The Calipari coaching rumors swirled again today when the the Times-Picayune’s John Reid reported the 56-year-old’s interest in succeeding the fired Monty Williams as coach of the New Orleans Pelicans.

Given the opportunity to reunite with star forward Anthony Davis, Kentucky coach John Calipari has made it known to New Orleans Pelicans officials that he’s interested in the team’s vacant head-coaching job, a source close to Calipari said Tuesday.

There have been exploratory conversations between Calipari and the Pelicans, the source said, but it doesn’t appear the team would be willing to meet his financial demands to leave Kentucky.

This story comes on the heels of one from late March suggesting Calipari “desperately” wants another shot to coach at the game’s highest level. That Kentucky’s roster has been left depleted by a record seven underclassmen declaring for the upcoming draft this season makes now seem an ideal time for him to finally make the jump again, too.

But anonymous sources and pure conjecture only matter so much – especially given recent momentum directly refuting them. Calipari not only signed a one-year contract extension with UK last week, but also quickly took to Twitter today and shot down all reports of his supposed desire to leave Lexington for the NBA.

So much for this story.

Until an opportunity becomes available that meets Calipari’s expectations from quality and financial standpoints, of course. But New Orleans’ isn’t it, and it stands to reason no other current league openings are, either.

(Via the Times-Picayune and ESPN)