It's easy to watch No. 1 Kentucky play and get enamored with all the pure basketball talent, all the athletes and fast breaks and high-flying dunks. But John Calipari? He sees something different.
Asked about the Wildcats early season success, Calipari pointed not to the Cats' collective skill, but rather their ability to read and react in instinct, to put themselves in position to use all that skill in the blink of an eye. If you can't do that, you can't play for Cal no matter how talented you are.
"Their minds think quick," said Calipari. "They can see stuff and recognize quickly. If you have to process, 'OK, ball's coming to me. I think this guy over here's going to be open', you cant play the way we're playing.
"When you put five guys with nimble minds that are skilled, that's what you get," Calipari continued. "Doesn't mean you win every game. Doesn't mean you hit every shot. Doesn't mean you won't turn it over. But that's kind of who they are. Then you just demand it."
So far, Kentucky has delivered on the demands this season. Their offensive efficiency ranks fifth, according to KenPom, and their average of 95.6 points per game is good for fourth best in the country. That's what nimble minds and talent can get you under Calipari's tutelage.
We'll see how it all works against UCLA on Saturday.
