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Calipari gave Jarred Vanderbilt the assurance to try the NBA

Before signing autographs for fans in Lexington Tuesday evening, Jarred Vanderbilt chatted with Jerry Tipton about his decision to leave Kentucky after only one season in Lexington, in which he played in only 14 games all year.

Turns out, John Calipari was instrumental in his final decision to go.

“He gave me the assurance because I initially didn’t know whether I wanted to make that leap or come back,” Vanderbilt told Tipton. “But him being by my side and, you know, edging me that I should do that gave me the assurance that I should do it.