This could turn out to be some special year for Kentucky coach John Calipari.
In 2015, he could complete an undefeated season with the Wildcats, win an NCAA championship and make the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
Calipari on Saturday was announced as one of 12 finalists for the Hall of Fame Class of 2015.
“I’m at a loss for words,” Calipari, who has had two Final Four vacated from his time at UMass and Memphis but who won an NCAA title at Kentucky in 2012, said of being named a finalist. “I want to thank the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame committee for even considering me. The process is by no means over – I’m just a finalist at this point – but to even be mentioned as a finalist among these worthy candidates is an unbelievable honor. I am absolutely humbled by this.”
In 2013, Louisville coach Rick Pitino entered the Hall of Fame and won an NCAA championship.
Calipari could pull a similar feat this year and also has the potential to guide the first unbeaten team since Bob Knight’s Indiana club in 1976. Kentucky began the day at 24-0 entering their game with South Carolina.
This year’s other first-time finalists include: 39-year NBA referee Dick Bavetta, two-time NBA Coach of the Year Bill Fitch, all-time winningest boys high school coach Robert Hughes, eight-time NBA All-Star Dikembe Mutumbo, four-time Division III national champion coach Bo Ryan, seven-time NBA All-Star Jo Jo White, the all-time winningest high school coach Leta Andrews and three-time WNBA MVP Lisa Leslie. Previous finalists included again this year for consideration are five-time NBA All-Star Tim Hardaway, four-time NBA All-Star Spencer Haywood and three-time NBA All-Star Kevin Johnson.
“The finalists for the Class of 2015 are a group of very distinguished individuals who have each made a unique impact on the game of basketball,” said Jerry Colangelo, Chairman of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. “To be recognized as a Finalist is a great achievement in and of itself and each of the Finalists recognized today should be very proud. Although the process of selecting the final class members of 2015 will be a difficult task, we look forward to making the announcement at the Final Four in April.”
Former Wildcat Louie Dampier (1965-67) was named one of five direct elects as initial members of the Class of 2015. Dampier, a second-team All-American at Kentucky and a seven-time ABA All-Star, was voted in from the American Basketball Association Committee.
In Calipari’s 22-plus years as a college head coach, he’s guided five teams to the Final Four – including three over the last four years – one to a national championship and produced 30 NBA Draft picks, including 19 in his first five seasons at Kentucky and 15 first-rounders.
Included in those 30 draft picks are three No. 1 picks (Derrick Rose, John Wall and Anthony Davis). Calipari is the only coach with three top draft picks.
Among Calipari’s most notable achievements are eight 30-win seasons, including five straight from 2006 to 2010. He’s the only coach in NCAA Division I history to achieve that feat.
The 56-year-old has won two Naismith Coach of the Year honors (1996 and 2008), the Adolph Rupp Coach of the Year award (2010) and been a Naismith finalist four other times.
On his way to more than 600 on-court wins, which he achieved this season, he’s notched 21 consecutive seasons of 20 or more on-court victories, more than all other active coaches.
