John Calipari spent 15 seasons as Kentucky's men's basketball coach, leading the Wildcats to four Final Four appearances and an NCAA title in 2012. Calipari once joked that he deserved all the credit for the Wildcats players' success in a press conference following a game against the Auburn Tigers. A video of this press conference was posted by ESPN on YouTube on Feb. 24, 2019.
A reporter asked Calipari in the media briefing how much credit the coach would take for PJ Washington undergoing a transformation in his sophomore year. The reporter opened his line of questioning by telling Calipari that he's been blamed in the past for holding players back, prompting a hilarious response from the veteran coach.
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"All of it, it's all me," Calipari said in response to the question.
PJ Washington dazzled in that game against Auburn, scoring 24 points in Kentucky's 80-53 win. He shot 9-for-13 from the field, including 5-for-8 from beyond the arc. He also had six rebounds, two assists, one steal and one block in 33 minutes of action.
John Calipari praised Washington for his decision to return to Kentucky for another season. He averaged 10.8 points and 5.7 rebounds through 37 games in his freshman year but decided he wasn't ready to make the jump to the NBA yet and returned for his sophomore campaign.
"This is a great lesson," Calipari said "PJ without going through this, having to go in that league, maybe be a second-rounder or play in the G League. His life just changed now because he decided to come back when the other kids all left. He made a choice for him,"
Kentucky failed to win the NCAA title in 2019, losing to Auburn in an overtime thriller in the Elite Eight round. PJ Washington, who averaged 15.2 points and 7.5 rebounds in his sophomore season, declared for the 2019 NBA Draft following the Wildcats' exit. He was selected 12th overall by the Charlotte Hornets.
How John Calipari's Arkansas reached 2025 March Madness
John Calipari left Kentucky after the 2023-24 NCAA season and decided to move to Arkansas for a new challenge. His first season with the Razorbacks failed to live up to the lofty expectations that come with a Calipari-coached team. Arkansas finished the 2024-25 regular season with a 19-12 record, including an 8-10 slate in the Southeastern Conference.
The Razorbacks also had an early exit in the SEC Tournament, losing to the Ole Miss Rebels in the second round. Calipari and the Hogs still qualified for this year's March Madness, though, earning the No. 10 seed in the West region. They will face the Kansas Jayhawks in the first round on Thursday.
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