Calipari credits success to trust from black families

Kentucky head coach John Calipari is a Hall of Famer and one of the all-time winningest bench bosses in NCAA history, but the 61-year-old knows he wouldn't have reached those peaks without the black players who have suited up for him over the years.

"Where I am now is based on African-American families trusting me with their child," Calipari said Friday during a webinar with the National Association of Basketball Coaches, according to ESPN's Myron Medcalf. "I wouldn't be here."

Calipari was joined on the webinar by many of his peers, including Houston head coach Kelvin Sampson. The recent death of George Floyd in police custody has shifted their focus to bringing about positive change through the use of their platforms.

The Wildcats bench boss says he'll pitch a minority internship program at Kentucky to help create opportunities in elements of the school's athletic department.

"How about we get athletic departments to start looking different?" Calipari said. "That's what we can have an influence on."

Sampson supported Calipari's proposal but believes conversations about racial injustice need to be held in order to truly move forward.

"We can talk about opportunities and putting more people that are people of color in positions, but the thing that has to be talked about and defined so that people understand is racism," Sampson said.