Most of the talk around what players are supposed to do during the trench warfare ahead of us in the NBA lockout revolves around NBA players going overseas to play professional basketball in Europe or China. Well, John Calipari and his NBA graduates from Kentucky may have found another quite unique way of dealing with the lockout. Some may argue that Kentucky is little more than an NBA D-League team as it is with the amount of one and done players that Calipari continues to recruit. However, the quick pit stop in college may actually be an advantage for these players during the lockout. For one, they can go back to school, as Coach Cal Tweeted regarding former Wildcats PGs John Wall, Rajon Rondo, and Eric Bledsoe:
Ah, but that’s not all. As Pro Basketball Talk concludes (and I reckon fairly accurately), there’s another added bonus of these NBA players returning to school during the lockout…
All three played ball at Kentucky. Good for them going back to school… but if you’re asking why are they really going back to school — other than to relive the joy of Sociology 101 — we have a guess (suggested by Matt Jones at Kentuckysportsradio.com). All three can be “student assistant coaches” with the Kentucky squad, meaning they could practice with the team. Calipari has already said than any former Kentucky player could come back and use the facilities.
So these players can A) Go back to school. B) Practice with NBA caliber players (UK’s incoming freshman Anthony Davis is in the running for the #1 overall pick in the 2012 NBA Draft). And C) Coach and learn under one of the best coaches in the country. Seems like a nice way to make it through the abyss of the lockout.
The Kentucky plan sounds more appetizing than playing pro ball in England or taking up Dancing With The Stars (as Ron Artest Metta World Peace has been rumored to do) to kill time during the lockout… or even full-time planking. In fact, this is such a good idea that I wouldn’t be surprised to see more young NBA players take up similar opportunities with their universities if they are available. These players can at least keep practicing and stay closer to game shape while getting an education about the game from the coaching perspective. As much criticism as Calipari gets for making a mockery of student-athletes and amateurism, he may have provided a revolutionary way to approach the NBA lockout through the same system.
H/T Pro Basketball Talk, photo via Daylife.com
