‘Think like kings’: John Calipari demands new mindset from Arkansas basketball roster

FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas basketball will embark on a new era this season with Hall of Fame coach John Calipari leading the program, and the former national champion is demanding a refreshed mindset from his new team.

Speaking at a press conference Monday recapping the Razorbacks summer workouts, Calipari stressed the importance of setting a new culture in Fayetteville. He pointed to the successes of former head coaches Nolan Richardson, Eddie Sutton and, most recently, Eric Musselman as evidence that Arkansas can be competitive on the biggest of stages.

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Still, Calipari’s arrival raises the standard. As long as he’s coaching college basketball, Calipari is chasing national titles. He believes he can reach the mountaintop with Arkansas, but he needs that self-belief to reach his new roster. He has a simple message to try and extract that faith.

“I’m trying to get them to think like kings,” Calipari said. “Kings think different than we think. 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.”

Arkansas basketball coach John Calipari (right) is introduced to Razorbacks fans by athletic director Hunter Yurachek on April 10, 2024.

Instilling that belief was one of three summer goals for Calipari. The other two focused on setting the tone for his own culture and individual development. Out-of-bounds plays and offenses to break down a zone defense will wait until September. The summer was designed around getting his players in tune with the new expectations and finding a new ceiling in their on-court talents.

But of the three goals, Calipari believes breaking through with a new mindset is the most difficult piece of the puzzle when arriving at a new program.

This is Calipari’s third team of the century. He…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/think-kings-john-calipari-demands-192144745.html

Author : Ft. Smith Southwest Times Record

Publish date : 2024-07-29 19:21:44

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