"Think like kings": Arkansas HC John Calipari urges the Razorbacks to think outside the box, sets bold summer goals
Less than five months into the Arkansas basketball program, John Calipari has already had several major ups and downs. He brings his scouting, recruiting and player developmental acumen from Kentucky but strides to make an immediate impact in the collegiate circuit.
One way John Calipari aims to reach his goal is by imbibing high values and self-esteem within his players. In a recent video posted by the Arkansas program, Calipari touches on his method to ensure that his Razorbacks stand out from other basketball rosters.
"How do I get these guys to think different? to think bigger?" Calipari said in the snippet. "Im trying to get them think like kings, because kings think different. And I've got to get these kids to understand, 'I want you to think big and dream big, but you must work bigger.' But your dreams for yourself and your teams have to be big," he followed.
One of the few things John Calipari and his coaching staff do to set the culture of the program is call for early morning weight training workouts, followed by team breakfast. This allows coaches to work on their mindset and players to unite under a common purpose.
Alongside conditioning, individual development training is a regular theme within the Arkansas basketball program. This will help the coaching staff identify the skill set and tools each player brings to the floor.
John Calipari's first year at Arkansas brings a lot of pressure
The Razorbacks are fresh off consecutive Elite Eight appearances and a Sweet 16 trip last year. If that fails to mount a significant checkpoint, there comes John Calipari’s illustrious three-decade-long coaching tenure.
Calipari has operated with complete freedom when it comes to bringing in players and coaching staff, adding more pressure for a successful season.
It is one of the reasons Arkansas has still not transitioned to heavy group-related activities to establish playbooks, actions and a system.
The coach is taking things slow, trying to maximize the intel before deriving a team identity on the young roster, unlike Mark Pope’s roster in Kentucky which is believed to play a run-and-gun three-point-heavy game.