The biggest challenge for the No. 2-seed Kentucky Wildcats as they try to avoid an upset from the No. 7-seed Wofford Terriers on Saturday will be containing Fletcher Magee.
In Wofford's 84-68 win against the No. 10-seed Seton Hall Pirates on Thursday, the star shooting guard became the nation's all-time leader in 3-pointers. John Calipari, never shy about talking up his own ability in a manner of different fields, said Magee reminds him of someone he thinks is really great.
"You know who I saw in him and how he played?" the Kentucky coach said at his pregame press conference Friday in Jacksonville. "I thought and the closest I could get to him is how I used to play."
Calipari was specifically asked about the way Magee is able to contort his body to get off shots through tight windows. To be fair, film of Calipari's brief career with the UNC Wilmington Seahawks and Division II Clarion University of Pennsylvania is tough to track down.
To be less charitable, the 3-pointer wasn't even a thing in the one season he played at UNC Wilmington, when he attempted 17 total shots.
"I just used to shoot every ball like that," Calipari said, "and I thought, you know, I saw myself doing those kind of things."
Calipari, for what it's worth, ranked No. 41 on an ESPN list grading NCAA Tournament coaches on their careers as players, but he's definitely not mad about that.
"I know I was rated 41st. There were 40 college coaches better than me. I'll go one-on-one right now. Let's go. You've got guys older than me that said they were better. Come on."
Calipari clarified he was joking about all this, but he clearly seems as loose as ever as the Wildcats get ready to play the Terriers and a loose Calipari means a confident Calipari, which typically bodes well for Kentucky's March Madness hopes.
