Highlights from John Calipari’s debut podcast interview with Charles Barkley

University of Kentucky Coach John Calipari debuted a weekly podcast Tuesday with the opener a wide-ranging interview former Auburn and NBA star Charles Barkley.

Calipari said his podcasts will hit on a lot of topics outside of basketball, and his first one included politics, the influence of social media, golf and more.

The debut episode of “Cal Cast” is available here.

Here are a few highlights from Calipari’s talk with fellow Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer Barkley:

NBA on TV

Calipari: “Does it surprise you that I only watch (NBA) games my players are playing in? … ”

Barkley: “Thank you for Anthony Davis and Karl-Anthony Towns. Those two guys are going to be battling for the best big man for the next 10 to 15 years. They both are spectacular, and they both are great kids. … That’s cool that you keep up with your players, and you’re one of the few who publicly talks about how you support your players even if they’re only at Kentucky for one year.”

Barkley on UK fans

Calipari: “You won in Rupp (against Kentucky in 1983)?”

Barkley: “Me and Chuck Person came up and spanked (Sam) Bowie and (Melvin) Turpin. That was probably one of the highlights, it probably was the highlight (of my college career).”

Calipari: “How about winning in Rupp. How is it? …”

Barkley: “The thing that shocked me the most was … some of the best fans … I think they gave us respect when we won there, because you all were ranked No. 1 at the time, and we came up there and it was a game we really wanted to win. … I don’t even think the fans were mad. They did (clap for us). They’re some of the classiest fans ever.”

Calipari on ex-Cats

Calipari: “This is what’s driving me crazy. My guys perform so well in college. They’re getting picked by teams that are struggling. You and I know, in that league when you’re losing it’s the most miserable (thing). … Some of my guys are just on bad teams. …”

Barkley: “You play 82 games. When you’re on a bad team, it’s like you play 150. It’s like the season lasts 12 months. It is the worst feeling in the world, and it works the opposite when you win. Eighty-two games seems like 50 when you’re on a good team. … Anthony Davis is one of the probably best 10 players in the world, and he just don’t have enough help.”

Barkley on current Cats

Calipari: “Have you watched this team I’m coaching now play at all?”

Barkley: “I have. … I gotta get you a weight room. Next time I get a new raise, ’cause your boys looking kind of skimpy. …”

Calipari: “We’re playing North Carolina this weekend, and we’re not ready for that kind of game. …”

Barkley: “Yea, but the one thing about your teams, you remind me of Bill Belichick and Gregg Popovich. You always look at big picture. You know you can’t win a championship in December.”

Taking pictures with fans

Barkley: “I’m always going to sign autographs and take pictures. That’s part of this thing.”

Calipari: “You know it’s funny for me, I’ve never turned down a picture unless I’m at dinner and I say, ‘can I do it when I’m done eating?’ … I did it the other day, and the lady got mad and I’m OK she got mad.”

Barkley: “That’s the most annoying thing in the world.”

Calipari (laughing): “‘I don’t mean to bother you.’ Well thenm, why you bothering me?”

Social media

Calipari: “You don’t do social media?”

Barkley: “I do not do social media. … I think a lot of those people are just damn idiots and fools.”

Calipari: “I have 1.6 million Twitter followers. Eight-hundred thousand, half of them, are haters. … They’re on there just to bust balls.”

Barkley: “There’s so many losers out there. … That’s just another distraction that I don’t need in my life.”

Politics

Barkley: “I think both the Democrats and the Republicans are full of it. They argue, they disagree on every subject, which is silly. Their job is to take care of the people, and they’re not doing a good job.”

Calipari: “How do we bring this thing together? I think we’re more divided right now than I’ve ever seen. I just hope that whatever happens, that both sides have got to admit the other is right to a degree.”

On one-and-dones

Barkley: “If you’re good enough and you want to go to the NBA, go make that money.”

Calipari: “And some of them aren’t but I have to let them go if they choose to. Some of the aren’t ready, but it’s their life and their thing.”

On DeMarcus Cousins

Calipari: “The last thing. We’ve got to talk about DeMarcus. You’ve got to stay off my man. You know I love DeMarcus, and he’s out there at times. … He really wants to win. He sacrificed for me. … At the end of the day, that kid would give me his kidney. … When he’s on USA Basketball with all those guys, he’s way better. We just got to get him some guys in Sacramento.”

Barkley: “I don’t dislike the kid. People don’t think I like him. That’s just not true. I dislike some of the things he has done. I think if the kid had went to a real organization from the beginning … he would probably be the best big man in the game. …”

Calipari: “He’s had nine coaches. It’s crazy.”

Barkley: “In fairness, he’s got a bunch of them fired.”

Calipari: “It’s just unfortunate, and now it’s like he realizes you’re evaluated on being a winning player. You know that. I know that.”

Barkley: “He does not have to win the championship, but he can’t lose all the time. … Make the playoffs.”

This story was originally published December 13, 2016 at 2:37 PM with the headline "Highlights from John Calipari’s debut podcast interview with Charles Barkley."