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Aaron Torres is a college basketball writer for Fox Sports who has written a book — “One and Fun: A Behind the Scenes Look at John Calipari and the 2010 Kentucky Wildcats” — about John Calipari’s first season at UK with John Wall, DeMarcus Cousins, Patrick Patterson, Eric Bledsoe and others.
The book is available for purchase on Amazon.com and more information is available at KentuckyBasketballBook.com. You can also follow Torres on Twitter @Aaron_Torres.
Torres says the book began as an article for FoxSports.com back last March before he decided there was more than enough interest to turn it into a full-fledged book.
“Thanks to interviews with Calipari, Wall, Patterson, Bledsoe and others, the book really does chronicle the entire season, from Calipari’s hire, through the recruitment of many of the team’s best players, into the season, through wins against UNC and UConn, and much, much more,” Torres said.
Question: Many still feel that 2010 team that lost to West Virginia in the Elite Eight was Calipari's best at UK even though it did not make the Final Four. How do you feel about that?
Torres: “First of all, thank you for having me Larry, and that’s such a fascinating place to start. The reason I’m glad you asked is because I had at least one assistant coach (I won’t say who — teaser, you’ve got to buy the book!) say that he believed that if you put the 2010 team head-to-head with 2012, 2010 would win outright. And honestly, it’s a strong argument. As one person pointed out ‘Who in 2012 could guard John Wall? Who could guard DeMarcus Cousins?’ The answer is ‘probably no one,’ meaning that, at least on paper, 2010 would have some decided advantages.
“So with that said, even though they don’t have the hardware, I would give the advantage to 2010 over 2012, and any other team of the Calipari era so far. However, I would also add this caveat: think that when all is said and done, 2015 might go down as the best. There is of course the 38-0 start, but that’s not why I like them so much. Why I like them so much is because how good a lot of those players project out to be as pros, it puts in perspective how talented a group they were as college players.
“Personally, I think of the guys who left last for last year’s draft, six of seven have the chance to stick in the NBA for a long time — I’m lukewarm on Dakari Johnson — and think that Devin Booker, Trey Lyles and Karl-Anthony Towns have a chance to be really, really good. Willie Cauley-Stein could also stay in the league for a really long time as a defensive presence and shot blocker.
“When you add in Tyler Ullis and Alex Poythress to that group, I think that 2015 could go down as the best of the Calipari era. But right now, I’d give the edge to 2010.”
Question: What stood out to you the most about that season as you talked to so many people?
Torres: “The thing that stood out to me is just… how many crazy experiences that group packed into one, crazy season. Honestly, I know you know from covering that team Larry, but still, let’s think about it for a second.
“This was a team that put together arguably one of the top recruiting classes in the history of college basketball in a matter of weeks. They had a dance, at a preseason practice go viral (The John Wall Dance). They played in a weird tournament in Cancun where there was an open bar courtside. They raised a million dollars for charity, then got a call from the President of the United States. DeMarcus Cousins’ “call me” phone gesture went national. Several players turned down a spot on a major, national magazine because other players weren’t included (many fans might not know that one. You’ve got to read the book!).
“Oh, and they went from the NIT, to NCAA Tournament favorite, in a matter of one year. Basically it was a whirlwind season, and that team did more in nine months than many college players do in a four-year career.”
Question: What was the biggest surprise as you did interviews for the feature/book?
Torres: “What’s so fascinating to me is how quickly things have changed in Lexington. Entering this 2015-2016 season, what are the expectations for Kentucky? Even though UK is coming off a season in which they lost seven players to the pros, the expectations are probably something like this: Win the SEC, earn a No. 1 seed, make the Final Four, compete for a National Championship.
“Does that sound about right? It’s insane, only that’s the standard that John Calipari has set. That’s also what made that 2010 season so fun: There were no expectations. That was a season where everyone was just happy to have a fun, dynamic team to root for. There was no sense that not winning a certain number of games, or going a certain distance in the NCAA Tournament would be considered a ‘disappointment.’
“It was a joyride all the way until the final moments of the season. And above all, that’s what was the biggest surprise to me: I forgot how different things were just a few years ago, and how much things have changed since.”
Question: With the success many of those players have had in the NBA, do you anticipate this book might have more national appeal than a book on UK basketball might normally have?
Torres: “I hadn’t really thought about it Larry, but I definitely think it’s a possibility and it’s not just because the four players off that squad who are in the NBA (Wall, Cousins, Bledsoe and Patterson) are really good, it’s because they’re really likeable as well.
“If you’re a Wizards fan, why wouldn’t you want to learn a little more about John Wall? If you’re a Kings fan, how could you not be thrilled to pick up a book to learn a little more about DeMarcus Cousins? Same with Patrick Patterson in Toronto (international exchange rates may apply) and Eric Bledsoe in Phoenix. Not to mention Bledsoe’s many supporters in his home state of Alabama (DeMarcus, too), John Calipari’s in Pittsburgh, and John Wall’s in North Carolina as well.
“I think this book has a little something for them, too, even if they’re not necessarily Kentucky fans.”
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