Calipari touts his old Kentucky backcourt
CHICAGO — John Calipari said point guard De’Aaron Fox can be like John Wall if he changes his mentality.
The Kentucky coach held court Thursday at the NBA Draft Combine. His starting backcourt of Fox and Malik Monk are definite lottery picks and intriguing to the Knicks. Also gaining combine buzz is Kentucky student Hamidou Diallo, a Queens product who didn’t even play this season, but is being projected as a potential middle first-rounder.
According to a source, the Knicks interviewed Fox on Wednesday, whose speed is being compared with another Calipari Kentucky stud, Wall.
“I asked John Wall that,’’ Calipari said. “‘John, is he is as fast as you?’ ‘No.’ I asked Eric Bledsoe. He said no. But he’s fast. They ask me to compare. That was seven, eight years ago I coached [Wall]. But they’re both really fast.’’
The difference, Calipari said, is the attacking mindset Wall always possessed.
“John Wall uses his speed as a weapon, wasn’t as good with the ball scoringwise at that age like De’Aaron, who has floaters — not a great 3-point shooter, but good,’’ Calipari said. “Neither was John. But John’s thing was I’m getting that run and dunk on you. This kid [Fox] didn’t use it as a weapon. My whole thing all season — sprint the ball for layups. Rebound it, get the outlet and try to get a layup. When he did it, it was, ‘ Oh my God.’ But he doesn’t use it as weapon yet. When he uses it as a weapon, it’s a wrap. I want him to use his speed as a weapon, use it like John Wall.”
Of the projected top-10 picks, only Fox and potential No. 1 Markelle Fultz attended the combine. However, Fox and Fultz can- celed their press conferences Thursday.
After destroying Lonzo Ball in the Sweet 16, Fox is not expected to fall past the sixth pick. The Knicks are seeded seventh — by virtue of their last-second victory in the season finale. They could miss out by one spot on Fox if form holds and they stay put in Tuesday’s lottery.
However, that would put them in position for Monk, another freshman Calipari raved about.
“Malik Monk is special folks,’’ Calipari said. “There’s stuff he does — you just iso him. He can play a 1 or 2, head’s on the rim, fast, good with the ball, a scorer. But he can do other things. Defensively, he can be that guy. But they’re all young. They’re 19. They can’t get a beer or go to a club. If you’re going to draft him, know that. Don’t think they’re 25.”
Calipari has about two dozen former Kentucky players on NBA rosters. He said Fox and Monk could make the transition to New York because of the massive spotlight/media crush found at Kentucky.
“They’re not overwhelmed by this,’’ Calipari said.