Adam Zagoria covers basketball at all levels. He is the author of two books and an award-winning journalist whose articles have appeared in ESPN The Magazine, SLAM, Sheridan Hoops, Sports Illustrated, Basketball Times and in newspapers nationwide.
Calipari and Francesa on How Kentucky Lost Wiggins
Perhaps the only funnier radio riff on Andrew Wigginsthan Colin Cowherd’s question to Bobby Hurley earlier this year occurred Friday afternoon on WFAN in New York.
Mike Francesa, who clearly hasn’t watched a college basketball game yet this season, interviewed Kentucky coach John Calipari in advance of the Kentucky-Providence game Sunday at Barclays Center.
At one point, Francesa blurted out: “How did Wiggins get to Kansas?”
Calipari: “Well, I think again we had a whole group of guys and…”
Francesa interrupts: “Did you recruit? Were you close? You had to be close on Wiggins. You’re close on everybody…How good is Wiggins?”
Calipari: “He’s really talented.”
Francesa: “I mean, put him in perspective for me. How talented?”
Calipari: “Well, athletically he’s off the charts and basketball-wise Bill [Self] will do a great job.”
Francesa interrupts again: “Will he walk in and be an NBA star?”
Calipari: “In time he will but you can’t just be athletic, you gotta have skills. So his skills are good…”
Francesa: “Is he a serious player…I haven’t seen him play yet.”
Calipari: “If you had the cross between his athleticism and the kid at Duke [Jabari Parker’s] skillset you would have someone off the chain. Like, oh my gosh. So it’s a little different….And then you got my kid…”
Francesa interrupts: “Compare [Julius] Randle to somebody for me.”
Calipari: “A bigger Zach Randolph maybe.”
Francesa: “Oh, really. Is he that wide?”
Calipari: “Oh, yeah. He’s big and he can shoot. He’s more of a perimeter guy.”
Francesa: “I haven’t seen him yet. Is he lefty or righty?”
Calipari: “He’s lefty.”
Francesa: “Oh, man. He’s lefty, oh wow….Show him some Bob Lanier tape.”
Classic stuff. Thanks for an entertaining interview, Mike.
**For more stories on Andrew Wiggins, click here.
Adam Zagoria is a Basketball Insider who covers basketball at all levels. A contributor to The New York Times and SportsNet New York (SNY), he is also the author of two books and is an award-winning journalist and filmmaker. His articles have appeared in ESPN The Magazine, SLAM, Sheridan Hoops, Basketball Times and in newspapers nationwide. He also won an Emmy award for his work on the SNY mini-documentary on Syracuse guard Tyus Battle.
A veteran Ultimate Frisbee player, he has competed in numerous National and World Championships and, perhaps more importantly, his teams won the Westchester Summer League (WSL) championships in 2011 and 2013.
He lives in Manhattan with his wife and children.
Perhaps the only funnier radio riff on Andrew Wiggins than Colin Cowherd’s question to Bobby Hurley earlier this year occurred Friday afternoon on WFAN in New York.
Mike Francesa, who clearly hasn’t watched a college basketball game yet this season, interviewed Kentucky coach John Calipari in advance of the Kentucky-Providence game Sunday at Barclays Center.
At one point, Francesa blurted out: “How did Wiggins get to Kansas?”
Calipari: “Well, I think again we had a whole group of guys and…”
Francesa interrupts: “Did you recruit? Were you close? You had to be close on Wiggins. You’re close on everybody…How good is Wiggins?”
Calipari: “He’s really talented.”
Francesa: “I mean, put him in perspective for me. How talented?”
Calipari: “Well, athletically he’s off the charts and basketball-wise Bill [Self] will do a great job.”
Francesa interrupts again: “Will he walk in and be an NBA star?”
Calipari: “In time he will but you can’t just be athletic, you gotta have skills. So his skills are good…”
Francesa: “Is he a serious player…I haven’t seen him play yet.”
Calipari: “If you had the cross between his athleticism and the kid at Duke [Jabari Parker’s] skillset you would have someone off the chain. Like, oh my gosh. So it’s a little different….And then you got my kid…”
Francesa interrupts: “Compare [Julius] Randle to somebody for me.”
Calipari: “A bigger Zach Randolph maybe.”
Francesa: “Oh, really. Is he that wide?”
Calipari: “Oh, yeah. He’s big and he can shoot. He’s more of a perimeter guy.”
Francesa: “I haven’t seen him yet. Is he lefty or righty?”
Calipari: “He’s lefty.”
Francesa: “Oh, man. He’s lefty, oh wow….Show him some Bob Lanier tape.”
Classic stuff. Thanks for an entertaining interview, Mike.
**For more stories on Andrew Wiggins, click here.
