Wednesday was a massive news day for Illini basketball as it saw the program landing Orlando Antigua, John Calipari‘s former right hand man, as an assistant coach. It also saw the top rated recruit in their incoming freshman class, Jeremiah Tilmon, de-commit, just two days after he overtly posted a message of commitment to the program on social media.
Additionally, less than 24 hours before both of these events it was learned that former Illini coach John Groce had landed his next job, at Akron. While Tilmon may still end up at Illinois when all is said and done, it appears highly unlikely that will be the case.
It’s really not surprising at all, given the vacillating on his commitment he did in November.
Tilmon continues the less than storied tradition of Illini basketball getting jilted at the altar by 5-star prospects. From Eric Gordon to Cliff Alexander to the blue chip big man from East St. Louis, we’ve provided a history refresher course over at this link.
However, losing Tilmon is nowhere near as a big of a deal as gaining Antigua. Do you want the bad news or good news first on Coach Cal’s former top lieutenant?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MVrvqyep5Mg
We’ll go with bad news.
Antigua comes from South Florida, where he led the Bulls to a 23-55 record in 2.5 seasons, where he saw 13 players leave the program. USF is also now under an NCAA investigation into alleged academic fraud. The baggage could follow Antigua to Champaign if the NCAA decides to slap him with a show-cause penalty.
Now on to the good news.
Antigua spent the 2008-09 season at Memphis before joining Calipari at Kentucky for five years from 2009-14. Named the top assistant coach in the country under 40 by ESPN.com in 2012, Antigua helped assemble five straight No. 1-ranked recruiting classes during his time at UK. The Wildcats compiled a 152-37 record during his tenure, highlighted by three Final Four appearances and culminating in the 2012 NCAA Championship.
Prior to joining Calipari at Memphis, Antigua spent five seasons at his alma mater, Pittsburgh. He was part of then-head coach Jamie Dixon’s staff, three as director of basketball operations (2003-06) and two as assistant coach (2006-08) while Pitt compiled a 132-40 record.
For you Illini basketball trivia buffs, Antigua is also the first Latino to ever play for the Harlem Globetrotters.
Antigua has a stellar reputation has an ace recruiter, and he helped land the bluest of blue chips to Lexington- names like Anthony Davis, John Wall, DeMarcus Cousins and Karl-Anthony Towns.
As of this season, UK has signed 29 McDonald’s All-American Game players during the John Calipari era who have been named to the prestigious high school event, more than any other school in the country during that time period.
Multiple players from each signing class have been tabbed McDonald’s All-Americans during the Calipari era, including an all-time record five in the 2013 class (when Antigua was there).
Former and current Wildcats who played in the McDonald’s All-America Game previously during Calipari’s tenure include:
Devin Booker (2014), Isaiah Briscoe (2015), DeMarcus Cousins (2009), Anthony Davis (2011), Archie Goodwin (2012), Aaron Harrison (2013), Andrew Harrison (2013), Dakari Johnson (2013), Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (2011), Terrence Jones (2010), Brandon Knight (2010), Doron Lamb (2010), Lee (2013), Trey Lyles (2014), Poythress (2012), Julius Randle (2013), Marquis Teague (2011), Karl-Anthony Towns (2014), Tyler Ulis (2014), Kyle Wiltjer (2011) Bam Adebayo (2016), Isaiah Briscoe (2015), De’Aaron Fox (2016), Sacha Killeya-Jones (2016), Malik Monk (2016), Quade Green (2017), Jarrett Vanderbilt (2017), P.J. Washington (2017), Nick Richards (2017) and James Young (2013).
https://soundcloud.com/p-m-banks/jonathan-hock-one-and-not-done-director-exclusive
Maybe Antigua can bring a taste of that to Illini basketball?
Will we finally see Illini basketball represented again finally in the NBA Draft and McDAAG? Perhaps even a Fighting Illini one-and-done someday?
Well, there is a vocal contingent within the Illini basketball community that is not too keen on the addition of Antigua. I suggest they take a closer look at why there’s such a backlash against Calipari and the Kentucky Wildcats. Read Bill Raftery’s thesis on why Big Blue Nation is reviled by so many.
Preview the Coach Cal 30 for 30 that debuts in a week, and make sure you watch it on the 13th.
The strong aversion that so many people feel for the Kentucky basketball program operates on many levels.
These reasons go beyond just the garden variety envy that accompanies success. Yes, the Kentucky Wildcats dominate the NBA Draft and the McDonald’s All-American Game. They win a lot of championships, regular season, conference tournament and NCAA Tournament games too.
However, the hatred for UK men’s basketball runs so much deeper than simple “they hate us cuz they ain’t us,” and if you claim it’s as simple as that, then you are being either egregiously ignorant or intentionally evasive.
For some, the hatred revolves around Kentucky basketball coach John Calipari, and his checkered past. Whether deserved or not, he has a reputation for being crooked. Coach Cal is such a polarizing figure that an ESPN Films 30 for 30 on this exact topic will soon debut.
“You’re gonna hate me,” Calipari is shown saying in the promo, “because I come to your town and we beat your team.” (One And Not Done premieres on ESPN April 13).
For others, it’s the openly mercenary ethos of the one-and-done style approach and the reality that “one and done,” whether fairly or unfairly has become synonymous with Kentucky basketball. Duke just won the 2015 national championship, led by three one-and-done freshmen, yet no one ever dares to slam Coach K. for “ruining the integrity of the game.”
Many see this one-and-done philosophy as an affront to the essence of college basketball, even though it’s a perfect adherence to the rules currently in place, and it only seems to be a stigma when Coach Cal implements this strategy, while the media don’t seem to have any issue with Mike Krzyzewski implementing this method.
As we learned when Coach Cal went on The O’Reilly Factor to promote his last book a couple years ago, some of the vitriol stems from racism and bigotry.
There are the unique few who can see the social trail blazing aspect of what Kentucky basketball has done, and continues to do. History has shown that the first trailblazers in any field are often feared and loathed.
Most of the Kentucky despisers focus on the micro level, and direct their acrimony towards this one specific program, instead of looking at the macro level exploitation of the NCAA and the NBA.
Of course, the addition of Orlando Antigua doesn’t make Illini basketball “Kentucky Slightly Northwest,” but it does help them take a giant step towards being relevant again.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net and TheBank.News, partnered with FOX Sports Engage Network. and News Now. Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times and NBC Chicago.com, contributes to Chicago Tribune.com, Bold, WGN CLTV and KOZN.
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