Arkansas' John Calipari points out striking parallels between Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and former Chicago Bulls MVP 

Arkansas coach John Calipari has coached numerous talents in college, who went on to thrive in the NBA, including Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Derrick Rose — both MVP winners.

Rose played for Calipari at Memphis during the 2007-2008 season, with Gilgeous-Alexander playing for him at Kentucky during the 2017-2018 season.

In an interview Thursday on "The Pat McAfee Show", Calipari heaped praise on the Oklahoma City Thunder guard, saying that he reminds him of Rose.

McAfee asked Calipari if he knew "SGA" would become an MVP-caliber player when he was playing in college.

"Well, let me just say this: I've coached two MVPs. Derrick Rose and Shai both had the same DNA," Calipari said. "Unbelievable teammates. Shai won’t do an interview unless his teammates are around. Derrick wouldn’t take a picture unless his teammates were around. "They were both wired and driven — one trying to prove, 'I’m better than you think,' and the other trying to live up to what he was. Different players. Derrick's speed would kill you — his quick bounce, his floaters. And Shai? More of a pace game. He just goes and gets buckets, but he also plays a solid floor game. It’s amazing," he added.

John Calipari added that Gilgeous-Alexander remained patient and trusting even when he was not in the starting lineup. The 6-foot-6 Toronto native won NBA MVP honors this season, becoming only the second player coached by Calipari to win the coveted award after Rose in 2011 with the Chicago Bulls.

John Calipari urges limits on college athletes transferring multiple times

The introduction of NIL and the transfer portal has changed college athletics forever, with players now being able to make money and switch schools frequently with relative ease.

All this further complicated the already complex juggling act of an offseason for coaches, who had to deal with players entering the portal and searching for replacements while also managing their current roster and recruiting high school talent.

"They should be able to go once, maybe twice, without penalty because the coach lied," Calipari said via On3.com. "Told them you’re shooting every ball, I’m gonna play you this way, and he didn’t tell them the truth. Then, they should be able to leave."

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Calipari also pointed out that athletes transferring multiple times hurts them academically and hurts the schools they attend.

Edited by Veer Badani