John Calipari Forms New NIL Collective With Great Name After Getting Waxed In Transfer Portal, Refuses To Call It 'Collective'

Kentucky basketball and John Calipari had the worst months of April and May imaginable in terms of roster management. The Wildcats saw a large chunk of their roster leave for the NBA, or transfer out. And then they missed on every single player that they targeted through the portal.

Kentucky failed to land even one single addition through the portal. Yikes.

Obviously, after such an embarrassing stretch, Calipari, his staff, and the athletic department had to reevaluate where things stand. What they were doing didn't work so it's time for something new.

According to Kentucky Sports Radio, that "something new" will roll out in the Name, Image and Likeness space. NIL carries a lot of weight in the transfer portal and the Wildcats are trying to catch up.

John Calipari and Kentucky are rethinking their NIL strategy.(Photo by Grant Halverson/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)

Calipari and Kentucky will introduce 'The LaFamilia Club.'

The new fundraising effort is intended to reestablish the program's gold standard in the sport. The "Club" was formed back in January. Contributions have reportedly doubled that of collectives at other programs.

John Calipari won't call it a collective.

It will collect donations, pool them together, and then pay basketball players for appearances, autograph signings and things of that nature. It's an NIL collective, but Calipari decided that he doesn't want to do "collectives," so they aren't calling it a collective. They're calling it a "club."

The only difference between The LaFamilia Club and other collectives in Lexington, like the 15 Club and Commonwealth Causes, is that collectives are open to everyone. The Club will only raise funds from people that Calipari personally knows.

A network of former Wildcats players who are now in the NBA are believed to be involved.

Calipari failed once in the transfer portal. He doesn't plan to let it happen again. The LaFamilia Club, which couldn't have a more perfect name for the 64-year-old Italian, is here to make sure that doesn't happen.