Performing with energy elevates player into Calipari’s Kentucky rotation
Tuesday night’s loss to Kansas led John Calipari to continue lamenting about poor three-point shooting and the need for more teamwork on offense. He added a pithy observation about Kentucky getting “punked” by the Jayhawks.
But the UK coach also saw a positive development in the play of transfer Jacob Toppin. “Jacob helped himself move into a rotation spot now,” he said.
During a video teleconference Friday, Calipari was asked what he liked about Toppin’s contribution.
“Made plays,” the UK coach said. “Ran. Played with great energy.
“When you bring a guy off the bench, he’s got to lift your team. Not take your team back. . . . Jacob gave us great energy.”
In Kentucky’s first two games, Toppin played 11 total minutes and scored two points and grabbed three rebounds. Against Kansas, he matched those 11 minutes and three rebounds. He also scored six points.
When asked on the video call what he thought he did against Kansas to move into UK’s rotation, Toppin said, “At this point, I’m just trying to do anything to help my team succeed and win. Whether that’s hustle plays, whether that’s scoring, whether that’s rebounding. I’m just there to help my team win.”
Of course, Toppin is the younger brother of Obi Toppin, a National Player of the Year for Dayton in 2019-20 and first-round pick of the New York Knicks in this year’s belated NBA Draft.
In a pre-draft call, Obi said he saw Jacob as a future NBA player.
“He’s going to make a statement,” Obi said of Jacob. “And I feel like I can’t wait to be able to play with him at the next level.”
Obi’s enthusiastic endorsement “means a lot because that’s my brother and I look up to him,” Jacob said. “I’m just trying to work every day, get better every day . . . and hopefully one day that dream can come true.”
No fans
Georgia Tech’s McCamish Pavilion has a capacity of 8,600. State Farm Arena, the home of the Atlanta Hawks, has a capacity of 16,888.
When asked about Sunday’s game against Kentucky being played in an NBA arena, Tech guard Jose Alvarado said, “It’s cool. It’s a great opportunity. We’re excited to show guys we’re better than we’ve shown.”
No fans will be allowed to attend the game because of Fulton County COVID restrictions announced Thursday.
Toppin and Calipari spoke of no fans making energy an important attribute for players.
“Coach is always telling us we’ve got to bring our own energy . . . because we don’t have that energy coming from the fans,” Toppin said. “So, we have to find it within ourselves.
“We definitely need to do a better job of it, but we’re getting there. We’re going to start having energy from one another.”
‘Funky zone’
Georgia Tech, aka the other team in State Farm Arena on Sunday, starts three seniors and a junior.
Calipari said he expected Tech to play what he called a “funky zone” defense, which he defined as a 1-3-1.
Such a zone can concede a three-point shot as the price to pay for clogging up the lane, he said. Of course, UK has made only three of 31 three-point shots in the past two games (9.7-percent accuracy). For the season, the Wildcats have made nine of 47 three-point shots (19.1 percent, which ranks 277th out of 285 Division I teams).
“I expect them to play 40 minutes of zone and thinking at some point we’re not going to make open shots.”
That strategy is “a little bit dangerous if you watch us in practice. We can make them. Hopefully, we’ll be in that mode.”
President Cal?
Before playing Kentucky last season, Georgia Tech Coach Josh Pastner suggested Calipari was knowledgeable about current events and might run for president someday.
Pastner repeated himself during a video teleconference previewing Sunday’s game. He said he encouraged the UK coach to throw his whistle into the political ring.
“I don’t know if he’ll run for president in ‘24,” Pastner said. “But he really should run for some form of office. Whether it’s senate or congress or president.”
Pastner said 2022 might be too early for Calipari to leave coaching and enter politics. But 2024 could work.
“I’m going to push him to make a move on that,” Pastner said. “And I’m being dead serious.”
‘A blip’
When asked about Kentucky’s 1-2 start to the season, Mississippi State Coach Ben Howland all but shrugged.
“At a place like Kentucky, the fans are so spoiled with winning,” he said. “And John (Calipari) has incredibly spoiled them with all the winning they’ve done during his tenure.
“This, I think, is a blip. They’re going to be one of the best teams in our league this year without question.”
Etc.
Karl Ravech and Jimmy Dykes will call the game for ESPN.
This story was originally published December 4, 2020 at 4:29 PM.
