With his “players first” credo, John Calipari makes no secret of the foundational element for the Kentucky basketball program. The players’ ambitions come first. The fulfillment of player dreams propels UK to on-court success. Not vice versa.
Hence, Calipari’s famous declaration at the 2010 NBA Draft that five first-round picks from UK marked “the biggest day in the history of Kentucky's program.”
Since arriving at UK in January, Hamidou Diallo has served as a striking example of this players-first philosophy. He did not play in a game. He only participated in practices. Then he entered his name in this year’s NBA Draft.