John Calipari is a basketball legend. He has produced a plethora of talented basketball players who have successfully made it to the NBA. Darius Acuff, a projected top-five pick for the 2026 NBA draft, is currently Calipari’s star player at Arkansas.
While many argue that Acuff is the best player Calipari has ever coached, that’s still up for debate given the number of NBA superstars he’s coached in the past. Here’s a full list of NBA talent Calipari has produced.
Every NBA Star John Calipari Has Coached
Calipari has been coaching for 44 years. He’s been named Coach of the Year three times and was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2015. Calipari began his career in 1982 when he served as an assistant coach at the University of Kansas. Since then, he has climbed his way up to becoming one of the best coaches of all time, even featuring a brief NBA coaching stint from 1996 to 2000.
In 2000, Calipari went back to coaching for universities, starting with the University of Memphis. From that time, he coached a plethora of young up-and-coming stars who eventually got drafted into the NBA.
Some might be wondering which NBA stars coach Calipari has produced. Here’s a full breakdown of which NBA players he has coached and from what school they came from:
- University of Massachusetts (1988-1996):
Marcus CambyLou Roe - University of Memphis (2000-2009):
Derrick Rose
Tyreke Evans
Robert Dozier
Joey Dorsey
Dajuan Wagner
Rodney Carney
Shawne Williams
Chris Douglas-Roberts - University of Kentucky (2009-2024):
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Tyrese Maxey
Anthony Davis
Jamal Murray
Devin Booker
Karl-Anthony Towns
De’Aaron Fox
Bam Adebayo
John Wall
DeMarcus Cousins
Julius Randle
Tyler Herro
Malik Monk
Eric Bledsoe
Jarred Vanderbilt
Brandon Knight
Enes Kanter
Reed Sheppard
Michael Kidd-Gilchrist
Willie Cauley-Stein
Trey Lyles
PJ Washington
Keldon Johnson
Immanuel Quickley
Rob Dillingham
Cason Wallace
Patrick Patterson
Daniel Orton
Josh Harrellson
DeAndre Liggins
Terrence Jones
Marquis Teague
Doron Lamb
Darius Miller
Nerlens Noel
Archie Goodwin
James Young
Andrew Harrison
Dakari Johnson
Skal Labissière
Tyler Ulis
Kevin Knox
Hamidou Diallo
Nick Richards
Isaiah Jackson
Brandon Boston Jr.
Shaedon Sharpe
TyTy Washington Jr.
Chris Livingston
Antonio Reeves - University of Arkansas (2024-present):
Adou Thiero
Out of the 62 NBA draft picks Calipari has produced in his career, only a few notable players transitioned to become stars in the league.
Looking at the more modern players, Gilgeous-Alexander and Maxey fit the bill. SGA is arguably on top of the NBA world right now. He’s the reigning NBA MVP and is also a defending champion after winning the title over the Indiana Pacers in the 2025 NBA Finals.
Meanwhile, Maxey is another notable star in today’s NBA, given how he has transitioned to become one of the faces leading the Philadelphia 76ers.
Other NBA champions that Calipari has produced are Davis, Murray, and Cousins. Among the three, Davis is the most decorated player. He’s a 10-time All-Star and a one-time champion. He played a key role in helping LeBron James secure his fourth ring in 2020.
As for other NBA All-Stars Calipari has produced, there’s Rose, Booker, Towns, Fox, Wall, and Herro.
