By ADAM ZAGORIA
The last time John Calipari coached against a team featuring R.J. Barrett, it didn’t go so well for Calipari’s team.
Playing for Canada on July 8, 2017, the 6-foot-7 Barrett went off for 38 points, 13 rebounds and 5 assists in Canada’s 99-87 win over Calipari and the USA in the World Cup semifinals in Cairo, Egypt. Canada went on to win the gold medal over Italy, its first ever at that level.
Now more than a year later, Barrett and his Duke teammates will take on Kentucky in the Champions Classic on Tuesday night in Indianapolis. The game between No. 2 Kentucky and No. 4 Duke is the second half of a doubleheader also featuring No. 1 Kansas against No. 10 Michigan State (ESPN).