Players First
Coaching from the Inside Out
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4.0 • 59 Ratings
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- $14.99
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- $14.99
Publisher Description
Now with a new chapter on the Wildcats' legendary comeback in the 2014 Final Four
John Calipari, one of the most successful coaches in NCAA history, presents the world of college basketball from the coach's chair, unvarnished and straight from the heart. Players First is Calipari's account of his first six years coaching the University of Kentucky men's team, leading it to a national championship in 2012 and the championship game in 2014, all while dealing with the realities of the "one-and-done" mentality and an NCAA that sometimes seems to put players last. Filled with revelatory stories about what it takes to succeed at the highest level of the college game, Players First is a candid look at the great players and rivalries that have filled Calipari's life with joy and a sense of purpose.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
As the men's basketball coach at the Univ. of Kentucky, Calipari is annually tasked with taking the nation's best high school recruits and turning them into a team befitting the championship stature of a storied program. It's not as easy as it looks. The coach may have these players for two years, if he's lucky, before the NBA beckons. Having great talent also comes with the burden of a satisfying a rabid fan base and teaching kids who have long dominated their peers. There are several ways that Calipari's experiences might have benefitted readers, but he and co-author Sokolove (a fine writer with a sports background) never find one. It's hard to know what we're reading: a behind-the-scenes look at how a great coach works, sports advice relatable to life or business, or a civilized attack on the rules and culture of college basketball. Calipari's compassion and thoughtfulness can't overcome the book's thematic jitteriness; readers will get little more than a collection of random thoughts and sharp comments bound by the pull of Calipari's name.
