Kentucky coach John Calipari is tight with LeBron James and coached Derrick Rose at Memphis. (MCT)
John Calipari's interest in the Bulls' job -- and despite denials based on semantics, he has interest -- showcases how tricky this coaching search will be for Gar Forman and John Paxson.
At first glance, Calipari's drama -- shortly after Yahoo! Sports broke his interest, Kentucky responded with talk of a raise; what a shock -- typically would make the Bulls steer clear. But this is no ordinary coach search. Not with the greatest free-agent class in NBA history hitting the market on July 1.
Calipari is close with LeBron James. He shares representation with Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade. And he coached Derrick Rose in college. Are these qualities enough for the Bulls to investigate?
Forman vowed not to give updates during his Tuesday news conference announcing Vinny Del Negro's firing. And team sources wouldn't comment on whether the Bulls would have interest in Calipari.
Calipari is downplaying any possibility of taking the Bulls job, but at the same time, he hasn't been quoted as saying he's definitely staying put at Kentucky.
Later in the interview, Calipari said, "I'm not out searching for jobs." Of course, with the Bulls, they would come to him.
Calipari said in an audio tweet on lexy.com that athletic director Mitch Barnhart approached him 10 days ago about restructuring his contract. Calipari said he told Barnhart that he welcomes the idea but doesn't want his compensation to change. He recently finished the first year of an eight-year deal that pays him just under $4 million a season.
This Bulls' search will take twists and turns, perhaps not as many as during the saga that led to Del Negro in 2008. But Calipari's interest is the first big story of many to come.
When I thin of calipari-I think of unlv!
How could he ruin UMass and Memphis basketball when he's the one that built them into the programs they are? They are both in conferences no one cares about. Besides, from what I gather, UMass fans still love Cal...they know he did nothing wrong. And ppl wanna act like he's the only coach to have that happen. I believe Michigan's coach had two final fours wiped away. Did he do anything wrong? From what I've read...no. Webber took some money for a dude before he ever stepped foot on campus. Even Roy Williams and Bill Self have been hit with violations...Cal never has. And at UK, Sandy Bell will make sure nothing ever happens.
It amazes me at how people dont read facts. Coach K won a championship with an ineligible player and that's ok...Marcus Camby accepts money from an agent at home in Conn during the summer without Calipari's knowledge and he's a cheater? Cal had absolutely nothing to do with Camby's situation. And that only came out cuz the agent black mailed him when he didnt sign with him when he did go pro. As for Derrick Rose, he was initially cleared...would you sit the #1 pick on the bench? The best players play for him because of how he develops them. And everyone else out there are just hatin. And to the writer of this article...you are one dumb idiot. You need to have some more facts before you write something up like this. Like the fact that Cal wants to spend the rest of his career at UK and has no interest of going to the NBA...he's tried that once before and he already makes better money than most NBA coaches. Oh, and when you get the #1, 2, 22, 23 players in a class combined with Patrick Patterson...that's the reason for the turnaround. But of course if you followed basketball you would know that the players hated Billy G and gave up on him and that's why they landed in the NIT...wasnt because they didnt have the talent...they wanted the season over. Keep on hatin.
Calipari as the next Bulls coach? Say it ain't so Jo..H-N Paxson. I'm sure that the organization can find a coach/leader to take this team to the next level without the cheater background. I hear Calipari's name and all I can see are the Tribune headlines surrounding the Memphis/Derrick Rose scandal. Kentucky's got him, let him stay there..."Caveat emptor" Wildcats.
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http://www.sportingnews.com/college-basketball/article/2010-05-05/kentuckys-john-calipari-im-not-out-searching-for-jobs
http://kentuckysportsradio.com/?p=51053
Mark Liptak
Wow, Cal shares representation with Bosh and D Wade. Clearly, that means he'll leave for the Bulls.
Wait a minute, I'm getting info that says Cal and Dick Vitale shared a Blooming Onion at Outback. Now, clearly, that says he's leaving for ESPN.
Calipari knows how to win at any level - and the Bulls wouldn't have to worry about NCAA recruiting violations if he didn't work out.
There is only 1 reason I would be happy about Calipari coming to the Bulls. World Wide Wes. Calipari's connections with Wes are well documented, and this alone could get big time players to Chicago. And if you think having Wes on board wouldn't help sway Lebron, you know nothing about the power of World Wide Wes.
Calipari told ESPN.com's Andy Katz that he has no interest in the opening (Bulls) yet you didn't mention this in your story. Why???
I'm all for Avery Johnson, but he would never put up with Paxson.
The Bulls don't pay coaches what it would take to get someone like this. This is a non story.
Mark Liptak
This Bulls fan would love Calipari. He would let our best player Derrick Rose to go to work and have fun again. I dont think Lebron is coming either. To the idiots below who are bashing Calipari you should stop watching TV where they mold what you think of people. You have no proof Cal is a cheat cause he isnt. The guy is good and the people in the media cant handle it cause most at ESPN are Dook fans. I wouldnt doubt that guy below is a Louisville fan I see them all the time going crazy about kentucky. I dont see how kentucky fans put up with them
Calipari is a weasel. The Bulls should stay far away from him. Also, please stop trying to make the link between him and Lebron because it is meaningless. That guy is staying in Cleveland...he's not coming here.
College coaches have success because they can essentially pick the best players to come to their teams. When that certainty is removed, then they fail miserably in the NBA (Calipari, Mike Montgomery, Tim Floyd, Jerry Tarkanian, PJ Carlesimo, Rick Pitino...the list goes on and on).
Liar and cheat? What a joke, is he gonna break NBA rules for violations? LOL. Cal would be a great choice for the Bulls given his relationships and the guy can coach. He would being much needed life into the franchise.
By the way, if you're so worried about NCAA rules, check out Gar Forman's resume, the guy is a proven cheater and NCAA violater at New Mexico State.
If the Bulls hire this guy I will no longer be a Bulls fan! You see, I find it odd that Tiger Woods continues to be shredded for his "commited adultry" while Calipari jumps from team to team while leaving in his wake academic scandals and vacated NCAA tournament teams and lost seasons. This to me is beyond belief. The stories of his reckless behavior as a coach is passed over by the media and get buried a day after they are reported while this guy skates without any remorse or repercussions for ruining the basketball programs at the University Of Massachusetts and Memphis. The only person who called Calipari out for being a slimeball is Bobby Knight and that got buried as quickly as all the other stories about Calipari. Even more amazing is Kentucky didn't even make the NCAA tournament in 2009 and in 2010 they go into the tournament as the HEAVY FAVORITE. Most coaches take 3-7 years (many even longer) to turn a basketball program around and this guy turns the program aroound IN 1 YEAR! Somethings going on and everyone from Dick Vitale to the University of Kentucky are looking the other way.
Bunch of BS! Why would the Bulls want a liar and a cheat anyway? Character should be applied to coaches as well as players. And if it was true and Paxson hired Calapari, the liar and cheat would quit and abandon the players as soon as things got difficult. Do you remember UMass and Memphis?
i agree with Todd. Lebron will not be a Bull and neither will Calipari. Lets get Phil back
Gotta love the media these days. articles are nothing more than lies, speculation and opinions.
Lebron isnt coming to the Bulls. And who says Cal could get him there. That yahoo story was so false. I get a kick out of people making up stuff and saying a source told me. Yeah right.
Why would Cal deal with a VP who goes around assaulting people
The Bulls should go after Bill Laimbeer. He has tons of experience and has won multiple title as a player (x2) and WNBA (x3) coach. He has also been coach by Hall of Famer Chuck Daly. Believe Laimbeer will bring toughness, intensity, higher IQ, and defense to a team that is in need of all of that. Lastly, he will probably be way cheaper then Calipari. I think it makes sense but when has the Bulls organization or chicago teams done that.
Calipari is close with LeBron James. He shares representation with Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade. And he coached Derrick Rose in college.
Thats all that matters to me
If he comes to the NBA, he would not be bound by all those pesky NCAA rules. Oh wait, he ignores them anyway. Nevermind.
If the Bulls hire Calipari, I will have to stop supporting this team. This guy has never won a national championship in college despite consistently having NBA-all-star level talent. And his stint with New Jersey proves he has no business coaching in the actual professional ranks. I know Bulls management has no idea what they're doing. They stumbled on a decent coach in VDN, then let him go for stupid reasons. If they can't do better than Calipari, there is no hope for this franchise.
How come Yahoo seems to break more Bulls stories than our wonderful local beat writers?