De’Aaron Fox recently shared his thoughts on his former college coach, John Calipari, and his allegiance when Kentucky faces Arkansas in the upcoming basketball season. Appearing on FanDuel’s Run It Back live show, Fox, who now plays for the Sacramento Kings, was asked about his loyalty to his alma mater, Kentucky, especially considering that Calipari is now the head coach at Arkansas. His response was sure to please Kentucky fans, known as Big Blue Nation.
Fox, who played for Calipari during his time at Kentucky, made it clear that despite any changes, his heart still lies with the Wildcats. He admitted that while he had once believed Calipari would never leave Kentucky, he ultimately felt that it was time for Calipari to move on. “When they play each other, I definitely still got Kentucky for sure,” Fox said. “It’s funny, at the time — I definitely think it was time [for Calipari to leave UK] — but if you asked me four, five years ago if Cal would ever leave Kentucky, I would have told you no.”
Fox acknowledged that during Calipari’s tenure, the Wildcats had struggled to break through in the NCAA tournament, particularly in the later rounds, which led to the eventual decision for Calipari to step away. Despite that, Fox expressed his continued respect for both Kentucky and Arkansas, and he emphasized that, although he’s cheering for both, when they face each other, he will unquestionably be supporting Kentucky. “I’m definitely cheering for both, for sure cheering for both. But if they play against each other, I gotta ride with my Wildcats for sure,” Fox said.
Fox’s loyalty to Kentucky, even after his departure for the NBA, shows just how deep his connection is to the program. It’s also a reminder of how influential Calipari’s leadership has been in shaping the careers of players like Fox, who went on to become a star in the NBA. Fox, having spent one season under Calipari’s guidance, clearly has immense respect for his former coach, but that doesn’t diminish his loyalty to his school.
Beyond his thoughts on Calipari, Fox was also asked about his all-time Kentucky starting five. He took the opportunity to reflect on some of the program’s greatest players, particularly from the Calipari era, and selected an impressive group of stars to form his dream lineup. Fox named himself as the point guard, alongside Devin Booker, Anthony Davis, Bam Adebayo, and Malik Monk. This lineup, which includes players Fox played alongside during his time at Kentucky—Adebayo and Monk—would undoubtedly dominate the college basketball scene, with each player now a prominent NBA talent.
Fox, who has been teammates with Monk on the Sacramento Kings, believes that these players represent the pinnacle of Kentucky’s basketball legacy. He also paid tribute to players from earlier eras, like Jodie Meeks and Jamal Mashburn, but ultimately decided to stick with those who played under Calipari’s leadership, a period that saw Kentucky achieve remarkable success.
This all-time Kentucky lineup assembled by Fox is one that could go down in history as one of the most formidable teams ever, with Booker, Davis, Adebayo, Monk, and Fox all having the potential to break records at both the college and professional levels. Kentucky fans will undoubtedly dream of seeing this group play together, imagining what could have been had they all shared the court for more than just one season. As Fox continues his NBA career, it’s clear that his time at Kentucky, under the guidance of Coach Calipari, remains a defining chapter in his journey.
