John Calipari compares Kentucky basketball to Alabama, Georgia football demanding new facilities

John Calipari came out and called for better basketball facilities for Kentucky basketball while referring to Alabama and Georgia football.

The Kentucky Wildcats, led by John Calipari, was one of the most successful programs in college basketball.

As such, Calipari has called for a new basketball facility. In a report by The Athletic’s Kyle TuckerCalipari has referred to Kentucky as a basketball school while also mentioning some of the nation’s top football programs in Alabama and Georgia to denote the money they receive for their facilities.

Additionally, in the articleTucker reports that Calipari has expressed how the state should want this, and that school officials should stand behind this project.

“This state deserves it,” said Calipari, who had to stop training early last week when the roof of Britain’s Joe Craft Centre, built in 2007, ruptured. This wasn’t the first time. “Everyone should stand behind it. Our administration. You see, our baseball facility might be the finest in the country, and I’m happy about that. We spent $200 million on our soccer facility. soccer, unbelievable. Well, the track – I love it. And now, I would say, if the administration should be like this, we’ll do it. How about the state? If this is the University of Kentucky and it’s the state’s basketball program, how about the state saying, ‘We’re in. We’re going to invest.” I’ll tell you right now, Anthony Davis gave me $350,000 for a text message (for flood relief). Do you know what our former players would do? You just have to see it: What is this? So this is the next challenge we all have.”

Whoa, that’s a mouthful. Calipari is right that Kentucky deserves a better basketball facility, and he’s right that former alumni may be willing to help create a better facility for future wildcats.

Kentucky basketball: John Calipari calls for new practice facilities

While Kentucky’s basketball program is among the best in the country under Calipari, there have been far too many times during his tenure when the Wildcats have missed out on the biggest moments. Just last season we saw Kentucky fail in the first round of the tournament against St. Peter’s. Additionally, under Nick Saban, Alabama has played in nine national championship games and won five. Additionally, Georgia is the reigning national champion.

For all the good he’s done, if we include the vacated year of the Memphis run to the national championship, Calipari has only appeared three times in the big game, winning a title under Anthony Davis in 2012 against Thomas Robinson and the Kansas Jayhawks . Caliparis’ last trip to a championship game was in 2014, a loss to Shabazz Napier and the UConn Huskies.

While John Calipari is right to want a better facility for his team, he hasn’t exactly had as much success as Alabama and Georgia football has been in recent times. A few more national titles should change that, but let’s see what happens when his team returns to the NCAA tournament and makes up for what happened against the Peacocks.

For more NCAA basketball News, Analysis, Opinion and Features, check out more from FanSided College Basketball to keep up with the latest promotions.