John Calipari Players Quotations

When you're trying to build or change a culture, what do you do? I always say you take players from state championship teams because they only know one thing, winning.

We have that same opportunity again in a little over two weeks. We are the first of five schools being televised, so we have the chance to set the stage for the entire night. I'm excited, my staff's excited and the players are excited. We're ready to start the season, and there's no better way to tip it off than with Midnight Madness on ESPNU.

The thing I've tried to tell each of these players is be ready for your moment. What if I only play Andre Allen eight minutes this game because Darius is really playing well? What if this game is better-suited for Kareem Cooper than it is Joey Dorsey? What I'm trying to tell our players is that you have to live with that and march on to the next game, and that may be your game and your opportunity to be the star.

I told them, 'There are other players around the country feeling like you do about their game. Just keep working at it. You'll be fine. We may not be playing great right now. Don't worry about that. We're winning the way we're playing, but they're going to have to start playing a little bit better.

These players all know that I'll be the first one to say, 'Hey, you know what? It's time for you to go. I'll be the first guy. If it's time to stay, I'll be honest with them.

He stands for three things: his family, his players and winning. I will miss playing him, but he will be coaching again.

I did a better job last year than I did this year. Awards are great. Our award we're trying to get here is trying to win this tournament. I'm happy for Rodney, happy for all the players who get these awards because they've worked hard for them.

I don't think he needs the verification. But what he has done there to develop players and to build a program and to do it alongside an unbelievable football program -- which is not easy -- and to have your own identity and to play big in big games says a lot.