Calipari Offers Solution To One-And-Done Players

The Denver Post, Christopher Dempsey

http://www.denverpost.com/dempsey/ci_20185571/kentucky-basketball-coach-john-calipari-offers-solutions-one

LOUISVILLE, Ky.—John Calipari news conferences are funny and ridiculous, frivolous and thought-provoking all in one session.

The Kentucky coach was asked how he would solve the one-and-done issue in the NCAA, when a player plays for one season, then leaves for the NBA. Calipari is very familiar with it, given he loses at least one freshman nearly every year to the NBA.

“It starts with you get the NCAA in the room, and you say you give these kids the stipend they deserve, Calipari said. That’s one. Two, the insurance that they have to pay for themselves, which can be upward of $15, 000 per year, $20, 000 per year that they have to pay for themselves. They’re loaned the money, and then they have to repay it when they come out. They NCAA should pay that to encourage them to stay.

“The third thing is families. The NBA and NCAA should get together and have a loan program for those families — we’re only talking about 30 kids, we’re not talking 500 players. We’re talking 30 kids that would be eligible for that insurance. They should be able to have a loan. To what level, I don’t know.”

Calipari then turned his attention to the NBA.

“The last two things are the NBA, he said. One, if a young man stays more than two years, his rookie contract should be shorter. And if a young man graduates, his pay scale should be higher when he comes in. Now we encourage these young people. It’s about them. ‘You should stay because of the integrity of our school, unless you’re Bill Gates or Steve Jobs; you guys leave and change the world.’ But (players), you stay in school because it’s the integrity. It doesn’t make sense to me.”

Calipari Offers Solution To One-And-Done Players

The Denver Post, Christopher Dempsey

http://www.denverpost.com/dempsey/ci_20185571/kentucky-basketball-coach-john-calipari-offers-solutions-one

LOUISVILLE, Ky.—John Calipari news conferences are funny and ridiculous, frivolous and thought-provoking all in one session.

The Kentucky coach was asked how he would solve the one-and-done issue in the NCAA, when a player plays for one season, then leaves for the NBA. Calipari is very familiar with it, given he loses at least one freshman nearly every year to the NBA.

“It starts with you get the NCAA in the room, and you say you give these kids the stipend they deserve, Calipari said. That’s one. Two, the insurance that they have to pay for themselves, which can be upward of $15, 000 per year, $20, 000 per year that they have to pay for themselves. They’re loaned the money, and then they have to repay it when they come out. They NCAA should pay that to encourage them to stay.

“The third thing is families. The NBA and NCAA should get together and have a loan program for those families — we’re only talking about 30 kids, we’re not talking 500 players. We’re talking 30 kids that would be eligible for that insurance. They should be able to have a loan. To what level, I don’t know.”

Calipari then turned his attention to the NBA.

“The last two things are the NBA, he said. One, if a young man stays more than two years, his rookie contract should be shorter. And if a young man graduates, his pay scale should be higher when he comes in. Now we encourage these young people. It’s about them. ‘You should stay because of the integrity of our school, unless you’re Bill Gates or Steve Jobs; you guys leave and change the world.’ But (players), you stay in school because it’s the integrity. It doesn’t make sense to me.”