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[Saba Sports News] John Calipari has always advocated for his players during the NBA Draft, and this year is no different. However, he’s bringing evidence with him in 2024.
During an appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show” Wednesday, Calipari issued a warning to NBA teams considering passing on the guards he coached at Kentucky. He highlighted how many teams overlooked Tyrese Maxey and Immanuel Quickley and cautioned them not to repeat that mistake. “Here’s what I would say: I’ve got four guards in this draft. Reed (Sheppard), Robert (Dillingham), Justin (Edwards) — who’s a 6-8 guard — and Antonio (Reeves). How do you pass on my guards?” Calipari said. “Do you want me to name the guards? They passed on Maxey and Quickley, and I told them all — you are going to regret this. One went 20, one went 21. What?”
Among the four players Calipari mentioned, Sheppard is the highest-rated and a potential top-five pick. Dillingham is projected as a mid-first-round pick, while Reeves and Edwards are less likely to crack the top 30. Calipari clearly believes this should not be the case.
Even though Calipari left Kentucky this offseason, he continues to support his former players. Maxey, in particular, is a notable success story who fell in the draft. The question now is whether teams will learn from that experience when considering players like Dillingham.