The University of Kentucky’s star studded basketball team is weighing a
trip north after a request from the White House’s pick as U.S.
ambassador.
It was announced Thursday that Kelly Craft is the U.S. government’s
nominee for the next ambassador to Canada. Craft and her husband,
billionaire Joe Craft, are major donors to the University of Kentucky
men’s basketball program Brad Calipari Jersey, which practises at the Joe Craft athletic centre on campus.
University of Kentucky Wildcats coach John Calipari, who is close
friends with the couple, told The Globe and Mail that Craft has asked
him for two favours once she is confirmed as ambassador.
“There’s two things she wants in Ottawa She wants my basketball team
to be up there playing,” he said. “That’s one. And the second thing is
she wants Drake to come by the ambassador’s residence. She knows Drake
and I are good friends.”
Drake, a Toronto native who won a record 13 Grammy Awards in 2017,
is often found courtside at Raptors games, but he is also a big fan of
Kentucky basketball. Drake described Calipari as a mentor during a
recent one hour podcast interview hosted by the coach.
Ottawa has an annual tradition of playing host to a handful of U.S.
college basketball teams for a series of exhibition games in August. The
city has hosted several teams from Division 1 of the National
Collegiate Athletic Association, including Syracuse https://www.ukbasketballjersey.com/tai-wynyard-jersey-c-9.html, Wichita State and Kansas.
The games have shown that Canada’s top college teams are competitive
with established NCAA programs. Carleton defeated the Wichita State
Shockers 100 75 last year, a program that made the Final Four of the
NCAA’s national tournament in 2013. Wichita State came back to defeat
McGill 77 71 last year in a heated game that saw Shockers coach Gregg
Marshall ejected for arguing with the officials.
Carleton University’s men’s program has won seven straight national
titles under coach Dave Smart. The University of Ottawa is also highly
ranked.
Smart said he knows Calipari and would welcome the chance to host
Kentucky. He said they haven’t been in touch about a visit yet, but one
could be arranged for next summer if there is interest.
“We definitely would love to have them Dominique Hawkins Jersey,” he said.
Calipari’s program has specialized in attracting so called “one and
done” players who are skilled enough to make the NBA, but must complete
their required one year of college. The team has featured several
Canadians in recent years, including Jamal Murray, who is now with the
NBA’s Denver Nuggets, and Trey Lyles, who is with the Utah Jazz.
Next season’s Kentucky team will include Shai Alexander of Hamilton.
“I recruit in Canada,” Calipari said. “We recruit up there. We know,
Canadian basketball, the national team should be an Olympic team coming
up and then should be a medal team within that next phase, that’s how
good I think the basketball in Canada is right now.”
Toronto Raptors coach Dwane Casey, a former Kentucky player who has
known Kelly Craft since they were both students at the university, said
he would love to see his alma matter play in Ottawa against some
Canadian teams, including Toronto’s Ryerson University, a team that beat
Carleton this year for the provincial championship.
“Carleton and Ryerson both are very competitive teams. I would say
they would be probably in the middle of the Division 1. They’re not at
the level – not a lot of teams are – of Duke or Kentucky, but they could
be very competitive,” Casey said.
“I think Canada has done a great job with their college programs,” he added.
Casey Isaac Humphries Jersey,
also a former Kentucky assistant coach, said it is no longer necessary
for Canadian high school age players to go to American private schools
to get noticed.
“Let’s keep the good high school players here in the country. Play
basketball. You’re still going to be seen. If you’re NBA ready or an NBA
player, you don’t have to leave the country to be seen by the NBA,” he
said. “The NBA is going to find you.”
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