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Putting Hands on the Interviewer, Infamous Coach Makes College Basketball World Erupt in Rage

Published 01/15/2023, 12:10 PM EST

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USA Today via Reuters

Basketball is a fast-paced game that is played across the globe with heightened emotions. Whether it is the NBA or the NCAA, the game is played with extreme intensity, which generally entails fast-paced action and high-flying emotions. Therefore, there are plenty of instances where the players and the coaches get carried away with their emotions in the process. However, the recent action of John Calipari, an NCAA coach, has left the Twitter world in chaos, with many believing he crossed a line with his recent controversy. Moreover, Calipari has had several controversies in the past.

John Calipari is the head coach of the Kentucky Wildcats, an NCAA team. He has produced several talented stars in the NBA like Anthony Davis. In fact, AD led the Wildcats to the national championship in 2012.

College Basketball coach’s action sparks heated debate among fans

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During the halftime interview of Saturday afternoon’s game between the Wildcats and the Tennessee Volunteers, Calipari put his hands on the shoulders of an ESPN interviewer.  When ESPN’s Holly Rowe asked Calipari about the game, the excited coach put his hands over Rowe while illustrating his points. Though Calipari spoke about his team’s performance, the fans engaged in a debate for a different reason. A Sports Twitter handle shared the video clip of the interview and wrote, “Just take it easy, Cal.”

Kentucky Coach John Calipari Reveals How Anthony Davis Played Like Bill Russell in 2012 National Championship Game

The basketball world swarmed the comment section and flooded it with opinions. While the majority of the fans found the scenario unproblematic, some found the incident outrageous. One user said, “That poor woman. She may need therapy after this.” Following are some reactions from the Twitter world.

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A lot of fans criticized the Twitter user for sharing the video.

Calipari walks off a press conference

During the 2021 NCAA season, the Wildcats went off to a worst start with three consecutive losses. Subsequently, during a press conference post the loss, Calipari left the interaction within six minutes. Josh Pastner, one of Calipari’s assistants tweeted, “ohn Calipari cut off postgame presser after six minutes. Said he needed to get on the bus to get home.” However, the coach’s move seemed like he was furious with the consecutive defeats.

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What do you make of Calipari’s actions? Was it offensive? Let us know in the comments.

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Written by:

Shahul Hameed

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Shahul Hameed is an NBA writer at EssentiallySports. He holds a Master's degree in Journalism and Mass Communication and has previously worked as a contributor at an online news site. Shahul has always shared a keen interest in journalism, starting off as a reporter for his college news journal.
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Edited by:

Satagni Sikder