Los Angeles Lakers head coach Mike D'Antoni was sympathetic when he heard the rumors of Kentucky Wildcats head coach John Calipari taking over his job for the team on the sidelines next season, but his sympathy was for Calipari, not himself.
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ESPN reports that the Lakers coach felt bad for such murmurs to be going on while Calipari prepared Kentucky for its National Championship game against UConn on Monday night, which the team ultimately lost 60-54 to close out the NCAA season.
"You deal with it, and I hate it for John more than anybody because that puts an undue pressure on something before a big game that he doesn't need to be distracted with," D'Antoni said Tuesday per ESPN.
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The rumors surfaced this weekend that Calipari would be taking the Lakers job, but since the speculation gained steam, Calipari has said that he will "absolutely" be back with the Wildcats while the Lakers called the reports of the Kentucky coach moving to sunny Los Angeles "untrue."
Wildcats T.V. analyst Rex Chapman had everyone buzzing when he tweeted that Calipari to the Lakers was a "done deal."
Was messin' 'round on Sat nite re: Cal. But word is - win or lose 2nite - it's a #DoneDeal ...Cal 2 La-La-Land 2 coach Mamba's Lakers. #NoBS — Rex Chapman (@rexchapman) April 7, 2014
Take your pick re: Cal.'s future. One, he's gone to LA. Two, if they call - he's definitely listening. Both very credible sources. #potluck
— Rex Chapman (@rexchapman) April 8, 2014
D'Antoni reportedly said it was "great" that the Lakers put an end to the rumors, but also said it's what he's come to expect with the way the media works these days.
"That's kind of the world we live in," D'Antoni said via ESPN. "Where before, what, three years ago, it would just be a little rumor that one person heard. Now, a million hear it. That's just the way the world is. It's social media and people run with it and whether it means anything or not, it's not really up to me anyway. So, you just go on. It's not a big deal."
D'Antoni's job is in question after the team has lost 53 games, its most since moving to Los Angeles in 1960, but the coach will try to block it out until a change is made.
"You try not to hear the noise, although yesterday was deafening so you could not not hear it," D'Antoni told ESPN. "I live in a cocoon but I still live in the same country, so you did hear it. But it's part of our business. And if you don't like that and if you can't take it, then don't be in our business. And if you can't get up the next day and do your job, then go find another job."
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