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  • Calipari won't back up from expectations for team, players

    By: LARRY VAUGHT

    Kentucky junior Marcus Lee has seen coach John Calipari “lose his mind” a few times during his playing career. Yet he understands why it happens.

    “He has an image of each and every player and how great you can be. Two games ago we showed how great we were able to be. So the expectation grew at that moment and we took a step backwards,” said Lee. “That’s not something we’re supposed to do. We’re supposed to take another step forwards and continue with where we went.”

    While that may sound hard, Lee said it should not be.

    “All you really have to do is just keep working hard. All he really asks of you is energy and to be into the game, to be totally focused,” the junior said.T”hat’s what we’re really trying to focus on right not, is just staying focused and that’s what we’re really trying to focus on right now, is just staying focused and staying in the moment and staying energetic the whole time. We’re getting there.”

    What about being ranked No. 1 this week?

    ‘It’s honestly just a number. Each team is just as equal right now. It’s the beginning of the season, it really doesn’t even matter. Rankings don’t even really matter until March. And then at that moment it really doesn’t matter until the last four teams,” he said.

    He says UK has “no idea” if it is the best team in the country and he knows the Cats have room for a lot of improvement.

    “We’re a new team. We are freshmen. We have people that haven’t played a whole lot last year,” Lee said. “We know we’re not where we’re meant to be right now. And we need to be a couple steps ahead of us right now.”

    Unlike some players, Lee admitted there are games where mentally a player or team is “not there” for whatever reasons. He’s trying to help make sure UK’s younger players understand that.

    “It’s something we all try to push in their heads knowing that there’s so much ahead of us that we need to get to. We haven’t gotten on the yellow brick road, if y’all want to talk about that. We’re not even close to being close. That’s something they understand and something that Cal always talks about,” he said.

    Lee said Calipari won’t back up from expectations for the team or individual players.

    “He goes for perfection and he wants you to go your hardest the whole time. When he sees you not doing what he asks of you and what the team asks of you, he loses his mind,” Lee said. “That’s what great coaches do: They push you to your limits and they make sure you don’t back up at all.”
    Comments 2 Comments
    1. CitizenBBN's Avatar
      CitizenBBN -
      Nice insight from Marcus.
    1. Krank's Avatar
      Krank -
      Quote Originally Posted by CitizenBBN View Post
      Nice insight from Marcus.
      He's going to be an excellent influence on Skal... bringing the energy, the D, and then Skal can settle in and be himself on offense.

      Lee has been a GREAT kid to have in our program for so many reasons, personally and on the court.
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