John Calipari tweeted on Thursday afternoon that he reached out to Jim Boeheim regarding the Syracuse coach’s thoughts on his aversion to college coaches’ involvement in Team USA and the purported effect that influence has on landing the nation’s top recruits.
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On Wednesday, Boeheim told the Syracuse Post-Standard that Calipari had complained several times to Team USA’s board of directors about the additional access to younger players that coaches who participate in the program receive.
Boeheim also pointed out that Calipari, who coaches the Dominican Republic national team, landed Karl Towns, the No. 1 player in the country, and, perhaps not coincidentally, a member of that team.
“It’s a concern he has raised before,” Boeheim said. “That particular case he has mentioned. He’s said he thinks its an advantage. He got the No. 1 recruit in the country. It’s a little bit disingenuous of him. I like John. We get along fine. He feels Mike is getting an advantage. You could make that argument. But Duke isn’t getting any better players than they ever have.”
Calipari seemed to skirt around that particular line from Boeheim, only saying that he doesn’t mind coaches getting that extra edge because it’s hard work.
