Knicks Reportedly Targeting John Calipari; Kentucky Coach Says He's 'Not Leaving'
NEW YORK (WFAN) -- Fresh off his first NCAA championship, Kentucky head coach John Calipari insists he's staying in the Commonwealth.
But that doesn't mean the Knicks won't perform their due diligence. According to the New York Daily News, the team is "already targeting" Calipari through his representatives, Creative Artists Agency.
The team's relationship with CAA was central to their trade for Carmelo Anthony last season and this year's signing of J.R. Smith, the paper reported.
"Do I think they've spoken directly to Cal? No," a source told the paper. "Do I think he knows they're very interested? Definitely."
Calipari said Wednesday that he's not about to leave "the best job in basketball coaching."
"Why would I leave?" he said of the Wildcats. "We just won the national title. We're chasing UCLA."
The Knicks have rebounded after Mike D'Antoni's abrupt resignation in mid-March. They've turned to more of a post-up game, recording nine wins in the first 12 games of interim head coach Mike Woodson's audition.
Shortly after D'Antoni walked away from MSG, the Kentucky coach denied any interest in returning to the NBA.
"I love being the coach of the commonwealth's team," Calipari tweeted. "To … all the recruits that are coming or want to come, I will be at Kentucky."
For Calipari, nothing has changed.
"No one is stealing our joy," he said. "I've made statements that I've got the best job in basketball and I'm not going to change my lifestyle. I'm not leaving."
Do you believe Calipari will stay put? Should the Knicks just lift the "interim" tag off Woodson? Sound off in the comments below...
