A John Calipari statue is coming to UMass

UMass Amherst coach Joh Calipari pumps his fist to get his team in the game during the NCAA semi-final game against Kentucky in East Rutherford, NJ on on March 29, 1996. (Photo by Jim Davis/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)

John Calipari will soon be immortalized on the University of Massachusetts campus. This morning, UMass announced it will unveil statues of Calipari, Marcus Camby, Julius Erving, and Jack Leaman outside of the Mullins Center in Amherst on Saturday, September 11. Calipari, Camby, and the 1995-96 Minutemen team will also be inducted into the UMass Athletics George “Trigger” Burke Hall of Fame the same weekend. That group also includes Bruiser Flint and John Robic, assistants on Cal’s UMass staff.

“These four pillars of our men’s basketball program put Massachusetts Basketball on the map during their time in Amherst,” said director of athletics Ryan Bamford. “They are responsible for some of the most memorable moments in our program’s history, and we are thrilled to honor their legacies with this lasting tribute. We look forward to welcoming these Minuteman legends, their families and our fans back to campus this fall to celebrate this special ceremony together.”

Calipari was at UMass for eight seasons, 1988-96, leading the Minutemen to an overall record of 193-71 (.731 winning percentage, the best in school history) and five straight NCAA Tournament appearances, including the 1996 Final Four. If not for the juggernaut that was the 1996 Kentucky team, UMass may have won it all that year. Cal, Camby and the Minutemen lost to the Cats 81-74 in the national semifinals. Calipari still took home National Coach of the Year honors that season before leaving for the New Jersey Nets.

So, UMass is honoring Calipari with a statue, Memphis wanted to honor Calipari but backtracked because fans are still mad…when all is said and done with Calipari’s tenure here in Lexington, how will Kentucky honor him? Name in the rafters? Gilded “Pooping” ice cream machines at Rupp?