John Calipari reveals joint parting gift he, Bill Self, Tom Izzo sent Coach K

Yesterday marked the beginning of the end for Mike Krzyzewski, as the Duke head coach will retire at the end of this season after nearly 42 years in Durham.

To start the 2021-2022 basketball season, four blue blood basketball programs descended about New York’s Madison Square Gardens for a couple of matchups as part of the Champions Classic. No. 9 Duke topped No. 10 Kentucky 79-71, while No. 3 Kansas defeated Michigan State 87-74. 

Prior to the games, the other three coaches involved — Kentucky’s John Calipari, Kansas’ Bill Self and Michigan State’s Tom Izzo — hopped on a call to figure out a gift for their famous colleague. Calipari spoke with reporters after Tuesday’s game and detailed the situation.

“We got the three coaches together, because none of us are going to be able to do anything here, so we did a Zoom call,” the Kentucky head coach said. “And Bill Self said, ‘Cal, why don’t you get us a bottle of Pappy for him and we’ll all chip in.’ Which they didn’t chip in, just so you know.”

The room loved the light-hearted shot at Self and Izzo.

“So we got him a bottle of Pappy — you guys know Pappy Van Winkle? We got people that don’t know in this room. Well look it up.”

Pappy Van Winkle is a famous bourbon made in Kentucky.

“When we gave it to him it was, ‘If you don’t drink bourbon — and I knew he didn’t — but if you don’t drink bourbon, you save this and when I retire you give it back to me,’” Calipari said as laughter broke out in the room. 

“He came up to me prior to the game and said, ‘My daughter saw this and said, “You can’t get this.”’ And I knew he didn’t know. He was like, ‘Hey, nice bottle, pour it out.’ And I would have done the same, but now I live in Kentucky, so I know what bourbon is. And I need some bourbon right now, to be honest with you. But I think it was an enjoyable game that we learned, hopefully they learned.”

Calipari recalls memories of playing Coach K, Duke

Calipari took his first head coaching job at UMass in 1988, and he has since be at the helm in college for Memphis and Kentucky in addition to stints as the head coach of the then-New Jersey Nets and an assistant for the Philadelphia 76ers. He has been in his current position in Lexington since 2009.

Calipari had faced Coach K’s Duke team three times prior to Tuesday night, and the Wildcats were 1-2 in those matchups. 

Kentucky’s head coach commented on some of his memories from squaring off against Duke while Krzyzewski was at the helm. 

“Well, I remember one where we got beat so bad that I told the guys in the last five minutes, if anybody fouls or stops this clock, you’re finding your own way home,” Calipari said. “I want to be out of this building in seven minutes.”

Presumably, Calipari is speaking of an 118-84 loss to the Blue Devils in 2018.

“And then the other time Tyler Ulis just totally dominated the game and we beat them,” Calipari added. “We may have beat them a couple times, I don’t know, you would have to tell me. I know we beat them with Tyler Ulis. So may have beaten them another time too.”

Ulis played for Kentucky from 2014-2016, and the victory over Duke came in 2015. Ulis had 18 points and six assists in the 74-63 win.

Calipari wrapped up his Coach K commentary with a compliment to the storied head coach. 

“But you know that you’re going to have a well-coached team, his players are going to want to win the game, so are mine. That’s why you have this kind of game. He said to me after, ‘This is like a postseason game.’”

The Wildcats host Robert Morris on Friday night.