Kentucky coach John Calipari said Friday at his pre-Tennessee press conference that he’ll do anything in his power to help Leon Rose, the long-time CAA player agent reportedly set to become the New York Knicks president, thrive in his new role leading the Knicks. Everything, that is, but coach the team.

“I’ve never heard in 25 years anybody say a bad word about Leon Rose. Not one,” said Calipari touting Rose’s credentials in the agent world. “He’s a gatherer, he’s a culture-builder. I understand why [the Knicks] would do it if they do that [hire Rose]. Because I’m so close, I’d help him in any way I could being a resource. It just wouldn’t be to coach.”

Calipari said he’s known Rose for more than 25 years and has a close relationship with him, but since reports that Rose and the Knicks were finalizing a deal to make him the team president on Thursday, Calipari says the two haven’t spoken. So he has “no idea” if the deal is done or if Rose plans to take the job.  

Calipari was instantly linked to the Knicks job after Rose and William Wesley were reported to be tabbed Thursday as emperors of the new Knicks regime. He has close ties and a history with both basketball influencers that makes sense, the dots connecting seamlessly. Calipari, however, isn’t playing the game and seems content in Lexington.

The Knicks job opened in December when they fired coach David Fizdale. Earlier this week, on Tuesday, they fired team president Steve Mills after his tumultuous tenure lasted less than three years.

Calipari’s continued success at the college level, previous NBA experience and ties to innumerable NBA stars and agents would seemingly make a college-to-NBA transition seamless, so the argument goes … and goes. Nonetheless, each time he’s been tied to the NBA over the years, he’s chosen to remain in the college ranks. He coached at Memphis from 2000-09, and has been at Kentucky since then.

Last spring, after UCLA reportedly showed a strong interest in making a huge commitment to bringing Calipari to Westwood, he signed a contract extension that allows for him to effectively finish his career at Kentucky. The deal was reported as a “lifetime” contract extension, and affords him to retire in a paid ambassador role should he choose to retire as the Wildcats coach.