Kentucky's John Calipari responds to Kevin Durant's NBA combine comments

CHICAGO – Kentucky head coach John Calipari wasn’t aware of the pointed comments made by Kevin Durant about the NBA draft combine, but once informed, he didn’t shy away from offering his opinion.

“He may be right,” Calipari said of Durant's comments about bypassing the NBA draft combine. “For the guys, if you think there’s anything here that would hurt you, don’t come. If there’s anything here that would help you, come. If you have to play to help yourself, come. If it doesn’t help you playing then don’t play.

"This is for these kids. My job is to protect my guys. The job of these NBA teams is to get as much information as they can to make a great pick, so they would like to see every one of them play five-on-five, do all of ... it’s not the way it is for these kids."

Durant, who was drafted No. 2 overall in 2007, suggested prospects “stay your (expletive) at home, work out and get better on your own time.” Specifically, Durant hated the weight lifting portion of the testing.

“All the strength coaches were laughing at me and (expletive),” Durant said. “They were giggling with each other that I couldn’t lift 185 pounds.”

When pressed on the question, Calipari clarified his position.

“Not skip the event but skip things in the event like the playing,” he said. “If there’s no reason to play, how do you help yourself if you’re some of our guys? You’re not going to help yourself.”

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Kentucky PG De’Aaron Fox, who was scheduled to talk to reporters on Thursday, pulled out of his media obligations. Wildcats guard Isaiah Briscoe and big man Bam Adebayo were both scheduled to attend the event in Chicago. However, a majority of the projected lottery players opted not to come, including UCLA guard Lonzo Ball, Kansas guard Josh Jackson and Kentucky guard Malik Monk.

Calipari admitted there was some value to the event, particularly for players like Briscoe, Adebayo and Hamidou Diallo, who are all looking to boost their stock.

“They’re also getting the interview guys, where they wouldn’t,” Calipari said. “So now each kid is getting 12, 13 people interviewing them, so that’s good. What the NBA is doing is good for these kids, and if it doesn’t help the kid to play, they don’t play. If it doesn’t help them to lift weights, they won’t lift weights.

"How about an athletic kid like (Diallo)? You think I encouraged him to do the agilities? Did I tell him, ‘Try to put your nose on the rim and let them see it?’ And then stay away from all the other stuff. Go individually, work with them and if they want to draft you, they’ll draft you.”

Follow USA TODAY Sports' Michael Singer on Twitter @MSinger

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