This is a pretty grand comparison based off of one game so far. Coach Calipari has effectively turned Kentucky into an NBA 1 and done factory and they're seldom considered a title threat anymore. He's even openly stated that his goal is to get players to the NBA, not win titles.
Kim was forced to rely on the portal to revamp her team and won a title in year two at a new school. She's won 4 championships in her career and turned Baylor into a powerhouse, and is now doing the same at LSU. People harp on her using the portal so heavily, but what other option did she have to turn LSU into a title contender so quickly? She's recruited extremely well out of the HS ranks the last few years and has LSU primed to be a title threat for years to come.
1. I have claimed a few times that Mulkey is the 2nd best coach, based on how she has won titles with totally different squads. My conjecture was not a knock on her coaching ability.
2. Despite what Calipari claims, if his goal is not also to win championships he would be gone from Kentucky before now. And he did win a championship soon after he got there, then almost had the first perfect season in 30 years. But if Kentucky does not start performing better soon in the tournament he will be gone. I am surprised you accept that excuse he makes for his results at face value.
3. Mulkey has now won soon after switching to LSU, just as Calipari did switching to Kentucky. She won in recruiting for elite transfers that made sense her first year, then won in recruiting for elite transfers that do not make as much sense in the second year. Indiscriminate recruiting for elites is also like Calipari. Calipari would go after a player like Morrow, which does not fit well with Reese and interferes with developing Rosario. Maybe you think Morrow will fit in well, point taken, let’s just see if she does.
4. A “grand” comparison suggests my tone was declarative. The tone was clearly speculative so may I suggest to you that “premature” is a better critique for you to make. It’s premature because it is speculating based on only two years of recruiting at Mulkey’s new school, though recent reports of how hard she is trying to get both Edwards and Strong with NIL offers suggests the possibility of a third year of this pattern. Going for both similar players, 1 and 2 in their class, definitely emulates Calipari, whether by intention or not. But it’s still only three years and my speculation of the pattern could prove premature. Again, we will see.
5. Frankly, I expect at least one more title for Mulkey whether or not this pattern holds, just as Calipari was successful for awhile. They are both great coaches. However, I don’t think indiscriminate recruiting of elites for the present produces as well as selective and developmental recruiting. Once again, we will see.
