LEXINGTON, Ky. — A sentence with the words Kentucky, basketball, coach and Calipari will need clarification going forward. UK announced Thursday that Brad Calipari is joining his father's staff as a graduate assistant coach.
Of course, he was on three Kentucky teams coached by his father, John Calipari, before completing his college eligibility for Detroit Mercy.
As speculation of a return to Kentucky circulated earlier this year, Detroit Mercy coach Mike Davis said that the younger Calipari's second turn with the UK program might not be long lasting.
"I don't know how long he'll be at Kentucky because I'm telling you, he'll be a head coach before long (thoughtful pause) with a lot of success," Davis said before correcting himself. "A ton of success."
Added Davis: "I would definitely consider hiring him if I had a spot."
Brad Calipari became something of an assistant coach without the title for Detroit Mercy last season. More talented teammates limited him to playing in only six games. That led to a meeting with Davis, who advised him to use the time to prepare for coaching in the future.
The player/coach helped prepare film, work on game plans and direct workouts for teammates.
"He respected my knowledge of the game, listened to me and my input ... ," Brad Calipari said of Davis in a story Detroit Mercy prepared for its Senior Day ceremony. "I am seeing everything from a different perspective, and it's almost like a different love for the game."
In its news release, UK said that Brad Calipari's duties will include on-court input in practices and individual workouts, plus contributing to practice plans and scouting opponents.
Brad Calipari graduated in three years from UK in 2019 with a degree in Communications. While at Detroit Mercy, he received a Master's degree in liberal studies this spring. As a graduate assistant, he will pursue a Master's in Kinesiology.
Davis was taken aback by how well Calipari shifted his focus from wanting to continue playing in the future to setting his sights on coaching.
"His feel for the game is way ahead of his age," Davis said of Calipari, who will turn 25 on Nov. 11. "It's kind of like you see singers who may be young. When you hear them sing, you say, 'Wow. That's a beautiful voice.'
"He's got that 'it.' "
In the story for Detroit Mercy's Senior Day, Calipari said he has always wanted to be a coach. That ambition took the highest priority early in the 2020-21 season.
Of course, Calipari grew up in the basketball world. He was born in New Jersey when his father was the Nets' coach. His advanced learning experience included watching his father's Memphis team play in the 2008 national championship game as an 11-year-old.
Calipari's high school playing career began at Lexington Christian Academy. After three seasons as a walk-on at Kentucky, Calipari transferred to Detroit Mercy. In 2019-20, he made 38% of his 3-point shots (46 of 121) and averaged 6.1 points and 20.2 minutes.
In the story for Detroit Mercy's Senior Day, Calipari said his two seasons at the school had helped him grow as a player and aspiring coach.
Calipari recalled his father helping him understand that coaching was "a hard profession." Creating good relationships was key. And it was best to coach with the intent of helping others achieve their goals. The latter includes lifting players and their families out of poverty.
"I have seen that from such a young age, and (it's) something I want to continue to do," Brad Calipari said in the Detroit Mercy story.
In his son, John Calipari saw himself circa the early 1980s.
"He is doing what I did, and that is dreaming big dreams and having his thoughts about what it would be like if he was a head coach," the UK coach said. ". . . Coaching is about the long haul. It is about getting an opportunity to be on a staff and getting an opportunity to get a job. At the end of the day, if you care about kids, if you create relationships with people that are long-lasting relationships, his commitment to himself, to the sport, to training his body, shift that to coaching and he will have a long career."
Davis told the younger Calipari to set high goals.
"It's kind of crazy," the Detroit Mercy coach said. "I told him, you're going to be way better than your dad. Your dad is a Hall of Famer. I'm not taking anything away from your dad. Your dad is unbelievable. Hall of Fame speaks for itself.
"But I said, man, you're going to be really, really good."
