John Calipari’s deep NBA connections are the open secret to his legendary recruiting success. Need proof? Look no further than the 44 of his college players selected in the first round of the NBA Draft.
However, the assistants who have grinded alongside him haven’t always replicated that success when taking the reins themselves. Historically, the 11 Calipari assistants who moved on to Division I head coaching jobs have scraped together a combined record of 1,491–1,522.
But one former Kentucky staffer is breaking the mold by bypassing the college coaching route entirely. According to an official release from NBA.com, Brandon Weems has been promoted to general manager of the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Weems cut his teeth in Lexington, landing his first coaching job with Kentucky. He quickly climbed the ladder to become the program’s assistant director of basketball operations, serving as a vital behind-the-scenes piece of the Wildcats’ 2012 national championship run.
His rise in Cleveland’s front office is backed by hard results. Cavaliers President of Basketball Operations Koby Altman praised the move, stating, “He has been instrumental in our player evaluation and roster-building processes, has a deep understanding of our culture, and has grown into a tremendous leader.”
Adding another cool layer to the promotion, Weems was actually a high school teammate of Akron’s own LeBron James. The King would leave Cleveland only to return and bring an NBA title home to Cleveland in 2016.
Now, Weems is tasked with helping construct another championship roster for that same franchise, this time building around Donovan Mitchell.
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