Calipari a big hit with Arkansas high school coaches on Monday in Hot Springs talking offense, defense, leadership, and more

By Kevin McPherson

HOT SPRINGS — Arkansas men’s head basketball coach John Calipari was at the Arlington Hotel on Monday to give a presentation that lasted about 90 minutes as part of the Arkansas Basketball Coaches Association’s annual coaches clinic.

Speaking to a ballroom full of mostly high school coaches from all corners of the state, Calipari was joined by new Hogs assistant coach Tyler Ulis (Hogville broke the news of Ulis’ official addition to the UA coaching staff on Monday) as he spent time speaking on, and demonstrating, various concepts and strategies on both sides of the ball (offense and defense) while offering up anecdotal nuggets of coacing wisdom accumulated over four decades of excellence as a Divison 1 head coach that earned him a Naismith Hall of Fame induction more than a decade ago.

Calipari also dialed up numerous videos revealing drill work from Hoop Hogs’ practices from inside the team’s basketball performance center in Fayetteville, using the clips as a backdrop to the teaching points that he was conveying verbally during his entertaining presentation.

Below we’ve included multiple tweets with my key takeaways from the event, links to videos of Calipari speaking, clips from UA practices that have not been made public until now, my video interview with Calipari during a mini media scrum follwing his presentation, photos, and more …

* No official announcement from Arkansas men’s basketball yet, but here w/Arkansas HC John Calipari @CoachCalArk @ ArBCA coaches clinic in Hot Springs is Tyler Ulis wearing Razorbacks gear … Calipari has spoken previously about adding Ulis as Arkansas’ 5th & final asst coach …

(VIDEO) https://x.com/ARHoopScoop/status/1835723676836127060

* Arkansas head coach John Calipari @CoachCalArk has the whole room locked into his storytelling & basketball acumen @ the ArBCA’s fall coaches clinic on Monday at the Arlington Hotel in Hot Springs … talkin’ ’bout Hogs junior forward Trevon Brazile in this reel …

(VIDEO) https://x.com/ARHoopScoop/status/1835742955006492813

* Quick media scrum w/Arkansas HC John Calipari following his guest speaking spot @ ArBCA coaches clinic on Monday in Hot Springs

  -Confirmed Tyler Ulis filling UA’s 5th asst coaching slot

  -Talked Kansas & TCU exhibition games

  -Confirmed Red-White gms for Hot Springs & Pine Bluff

(VIDEO) https://x.com/ARHoopScoop/status/1835743931306524965

* GREAT shop talk by Arkansas HC John Calipari, & Hoop Hogs practice clips were NICE

  -Nelly Davis w/floater to start reel 1

  -Love DJ Wagner’s drive-read-&-react craft, love his finish in reel 2

  -Cal talks playing fast in reel 3

  -Boogie from 3 & Thiero short-roll smash in reel 4

(4 highlight VIDEOS) https://x.com/ARHoopScoop/status/1835792388045836379

* Thoroughly impressed w/Arkansas HC John Calipari’s @CoachCalArk presentation for in-state HS coaches @ ArBCA clinic on Monday in Hot Springs … Cal shared helpful insight while demonstrating O & D principles himself & running video of drill work from Hoop Hogs’ practices …

(PHOTO) https://x.com/ARHoopScoop/status/1835759860027392360

* Four (4) defensive keys Calipari touched on that he said Rick Barnes (current TN HC) shared w/him years ago:

  -Pressure the ball

  -Be sound in gap help

  -Space as far away as possible on the weakside (brings extra defender closer to the paint)

  -Decide how you want to defend post

* I’m old school, so Cal didn’t have to convince me, but he said this analytics era that embraces 3’s & layups while pooh-poohing mid-range work is faulty logic, & he pointed to his 30 former players w/max NBA contracts as proof that having a middle game matters in development …

* Monday was the latest of many assertions made by Arkansas HC John Calipari that he & his staff are locked in on teaching his team how to play fast; when he was hired & before he spoke to UA media & fans, I remarked that his best KY tms excelled in transition (primary & secondary)

* “It is a privilege for me to coach at Arkansas. Eddie Sutton treated me like a son. Coach (Nolan) Richardson and I, we had wars against each other but had great respect for each other.”

  -Head Hog John Calipari speaking to HS coaches on Monday @ ArBCA clinic in Hot Springs

(PHOTO) https://x.com/ARHoopScoop/status/1835794274014949378

* And that’s a wrap … Arkansas HC John Calipari left ’em with laughter (reel 1) on Monday as he concluded his presentation @ ArBCA coaches clinic in Hot Springs …

(3 VIDEOS) https://x.com/ARHoopScoop/status/1835796788475011275