With the official announcement yesterday of Assistant Coach Orlando Antigua returning to Illini Basketball, as the new Associate Head Coach, we now re-publish our two part exclusive with him, from 2017 Media Day. Part one can be found here
If you have not seen the John Calipari ESPN 30 for 30 film ”One and Not Done.” I strongly suggest you check it out. “I thought they did a solid job of trying to encapsulate Cal’s history,” said Illini basketball assistant coach Orlando Antigua, Calipari’s assistant coach for six seasons.
“It’s hard to try to capture all that Cal is, someone as complicated.”
Antigua joined the Memphis staff of John Calipari in 2008-09, and then moved with Coach Cal to Kentucky from 2009-2014.
Like George Washington told Alexander Hamilton in the more popular than pizza and sunsets combined musical Hamilton: “I’m gonna need a right hand man.”
Last April we interviewed “One and Not Done” Director Jonathan Hock (audio and transcripts here), after doing an advanced screening review of the film (read that here).
At Illini basketball Media Day, we wanted to get Antigua’s take on the documentary.
“It’s always hard, there are always a lot of things that are up for speculation, and people that don’t really know Cal, don’t know his heart, how much he cares for his players, his staff, their families and how hard he works at being one of the best to ever do it- he’s a hall of fame coach,” said Antigua who was obviously a big part of the action when the cameras’ red lights were on.
With John Calipari, there is a ton of ground to cover, and opinions about the Kentucky coach are mixed, but always very strong among the populace; or as we call it, polarizing.
“It can be hard to encapsulate as you say, polarizing, he can be polarizing to some folks, he can be a lighting rod to others. He’s a guy that’s passionate about life, his craft, and about the people who are in his life,” Antigua continued.
The man who coached the Dominican Republic national team agrees that Calipari is a trail blazer, and was indeed ahead of his time in going with the recruiting one and done level players.
Antigua helped John Calipari land five straight number one ranked recruiting classes, which resulted in three Final Fours and the 2012 National Championship.
“He was smart enough to figure out how to utilize a rule that not all college coaches were excited about, but in his Cal way he figure out a way to encourage kids to chase their dreams and put em in a position if the right information came back that allowed them to be in that position,” opined the first Latin-American Harlem Globetrotter in history.
“And as you can see he’s been able to continue that over the years.”
Antigua added that Hock, who he’s collaborated with for the director’s previous projects is in “an expert in his field,” a “good man,” and a “great producer.” Hock said during our interview that a member of his production crew goes way back with Antigua, knowing him since childhood.
Named the top assistant coach in the country under 40 by ESPN.com in 2012, the Wildcats compiled a 152-37 record during his tenure, highlighted by three Final Four appearances and culminating in the 2012 NCAA Championship.
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to Ravens Wire, part of the USA Today SMG’s NFL Wire Network and the Internet Baseball Writers Association of America. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated, Chicago Tribune and the Washington Times. You can follow him on Twitter.