Thursday, April 16, 2009

Delk, Padgett Return to UK


John Calipari continues to press all the right buttons during his honeymoon period as UK's new basketball coach. With the announcement that both Scott Padgett and Tony Delk will be re-joining the program in administrative/coaching roles (albeit not yet clearly defined), Coach Cal certainly stays on a hot streak. This seems like a great move by Calipari and it stands to benefit everyone involved.

Unfortunatlely, it has been understood that former players had felt more than a bit of a cold shoulder under former coach Billy Gillispie's brief tenure. In fact, at least a couple of past UK stars went out of their way to openly criticize Gillispie during the team's tailspin last February (most notably Kenny Walker and Mike Casey). Calipari has wasted no time in starting to mend some fences, and I expect him to continue to create an environment that former UK players would find to be open, warm, and welcoming.

Although it will be difficult to judge the impact of this move until we learn more about the exact responsibilities that Tony and Scott will have, it does seem fair to say that Cal has continued to honor the Kentucky basketball tradition by bringing them on board. It is encouraging to see an effort by the new coach to reach out to these Wildcats and provide some assistance as they get along with their post-playing careers.

I don't think it would be any great stretch to consider these two young men to be amongst the finest to wear the UK blue. Without recounting all of their career statistics and accolades-- not to mention championships-- both Delk and Padgett exhibited great basketball IQs as college stars and while playing in the NBA. (I personally saw Scott play quite a bit as a Houston Rocket, though never really enough IMHO, under Jeff Van Gundy.)

Pure coaches-in-training? Well, again, that will remain to be seen-- yet there is little doubt that both of these guys should have much to offer in terms of experience at the college and professional levels, and they also strike me as the kind of guys who would have great work ethic and find ways to contribute to the program off the court.

I figure nobody would want for Kentucky basketball to excel as much as the guys who actually wore the uniform, and they will also have that unique background to draw upon when counseling players on the current roster. UK lost so much with the passing of Bill Keightley last year, and while it would be unfair to expect either of these guys to fill the shoes of Mr. Wildcat (understand: there will never be another like him), it never hurts to have people around your program that really "get it", that know what it's all about. Delk and Padgett lived in the Lodge. They had lockers at Rupp.

Additionally, I gather that Calipari gets a real kick out of assisting people who are entering the coaching profession. He's the kind of guy that has climbed the ladder to great heights, but left it there for others to use, rather than pulling the ladder up behind him. I took it as a positive that he was pushing former assistant Tony Barbee for the Memphis job upon his own departure. Obviously, that scenario did not play out, but I do admire that kind of perspective from Coach Cal.

From my view, there just doesn't seem to be any downside to this kind of move right now. The return of Tony Delk and Scott Padgett to the Blue Grass looks like just another reason be excited again about Kentucky basketball.