Kentucky Wildcats Coach John Calipari might actually face one of his own players in a tournament this offseason. Redshirt sophomore Tai Wynyard was once again selected to participate in the upcoming FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup. He will play again for his native nation of New Zealand, a team with which he won Gold in the 3×3 tournament in 2015.
Coach Cal has a team in the summer tourney field as well. Thus, you may have a developing story line that is a lot more compelling than what you typically see in most offseason international competition.
Via a release sent out by Kentucky basketball:
“There is a possibility Wynyard could face his current college head coach, John Calipari, in the upcoming tournament. Calipari was recently named the head coach of the 2017 USA Basketball Men’s U19 World Cup Team that will compete in Cairo.”
Wynyard was selected to play for the Junior Tall Blacks, who will compete in the World Cup July 1-9 in Cairo. For more information on his team, visit the New Zealand national team’ site basketball.org.nz.
The Wynyard news comes the same day Hamidou Diallo announced that he’s returning to Kentucky.
To see the John Calipari statement on that go here. To see how both Wynyard and Diallo fit into next year’s depth chart go here.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net and TheBank.News, partnered with FOX Sports Engage Network. Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times, NBC Chicago.com and Chicago Tribune.com, currently contributes to WGN CLTV and KOZN.
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