When John Calipari had five players taken in the first round of the 2010 NBA Draft, the Kentucky coach told ESPN’s Heather Cox:
“I’d like to say it is the biggest day in the history of Kentucky’s program ... the biggest day for the University of Kentucky.”
That remark drew a lot of ridicule from observers who thought success on the court was more important than success on draft night. Even most Kentucky fans were embarrassed by his hyperbole.
“That’s the dumbest thing I've ever heard," said Dan Issel, UK basketball's career scoring leader.
While draft success is not the be-all, end-all for a program, it is a measure of a program’s success at collecting talent.