Success Is the Only Option: The Art of Coaching Extreme Talent

Kentucky’s charismatic coach shares the secrets of creating one of the premiere programs in college basketball, revealing how he transforms a group of former high school superstars into selfless, cohesive teams—including a remarkable squad last year that fell just one game short of a perfect season.

Kentucky basketball coach John Calipari is highly regarded for his ability to recruit the country's top high school talent without making outlandish promises. Instead, he believes, "Commit to each other, be about each other without sacrificing your goals, and by doing this you can achieve all YOUR dreams and more."

Here, for the first time, he distills his team-building methods in ways that apply to CEOs, business owners, coaches, teachers and leaders of all kinds—lessons for anyone seeking to inspire talented individuals to reach for their best selves and contribute to a greater good.

A basketball team is an intimate workplace, in which blend is everything and character matters. As such, it is a window into the nature of successful leadership. Calipari views each new team like a startup business—one composed of new players, new relationships, and new challenges. Each season is a series of discoveries as he learns how to unleash the extreme talent in each of his players and mold them into championship material as college basketball comes to a crescendo every spring. While he can’t control everything, he is responsible for everything—just like a CEO.

An enlightening look at leadership, management, and team building, Success Is the Only Option offers the keys to winning, on and off the court.

Kentucky basketball coach John Calipari is highly regarded for his unparalleled ability to recruit the country’s top high-school talent without making outlandish promises. Instead, he tells his players, “Commit to each other, be about each other without sacrificing your goals, and by doing this you can achieve all your dreams and more.”

Here, for the first time, he distills his team-building methods in ways that apply to CEOs, business owners, coaches, teachers, and leaders of all kinds—lessons for anyone seeking to inspire talented individuals to reach for their best selves and contribute to a greater good.

A basketball team is an intimate workplace, in which blend is everything and character matters. As such, it is a window into the nature of successful leadership. Calipari views each new team like a startup business—one composed of new players, new relationships, and new challenges. Each season is a series of discoveries as he learns how to unleash the extreme talent in each of his players and mold them into championship material as college basketball comes to a crescendo every spring. While he can’t control everything, he is responsible for everything—just like a CEO.

An enlightening look at leadership, management, and team building, Success Is the Only Option offers the keys to winning, on and off the court.

Praise for Players First: “If you are a college basketball fan like I am, you’ll understand why I’ve long admired John Calipari’s leadership style. While no coach treasures a win more than John, this terrific book reveals his greater purpose—to lead his young players to better lives, and then challenge them to give back to others.” - President William J. Clinton

“Players First is filled with so many nuggets of wisdom, I found myself highlighting and taking notes as I read. Writing like a loving but honest parent, Calipari shares stories of how he learned to inspire greatness from his players and how they pushed themselves to achieve more than they thought possible. A truly human account of what it takes to win, Players First proves that winning has nothing to do with the score, it has to do with the people.” - Simon Sinek, author of Start with Why and Leaders Eat Last

“Players First captures why so many kids want to play for John Calipari and why so many mothers and fathers ask him to take their boys and mold them into young men. Through stories and examples, Coach Cal brings out his most important teaching tool, which is servant leadership. Teaching these young people to care more about others than themselves is what sets his program apart and what sets this book apart from other coaches’ books. It’s a must-read.” - John C. Maxwell, New York Times bestselling author and speaker

“Players First is not just for sports fans—it’s for anyone who is open to learn that viewing your people as your number one customer is the key to long-term success. Wins and profits are the byproducts of putting your players/people first. I love this book—and so will you and the people you care about and count on at home, at work, and in the community where you live. Thanks, Cal.” - Ken Blanchard, coauthor of The One Minute Manager®, Leading at a Higher Level, and TrustWorks!

“Take a look at and derive insight from the modern world of college basketball and the unique and successful formula applied by one of our nation’s most gifted coaches. It’s a rare experience.” - Bill Parcells, Pro Football Hall of Famer and two-time Super Bowl-winning head coach

“I’ve been intrigued by Coach Calipari’s success in handling players of extreme talent. Human nature wants us to focus on ourselves; Coach has proven to have a tremendous ability to get extreme talent to perform for the good of the team. His insights can benefit anyone seeking to lead a winning team.” - Joe Gibbs, Pro Football Hall of Famer, three-time Super Bowl-winning head coach, and current NASCAR team owner

“Coach Calipari has taken a generational phenomenon of coaching extreme talent to another level of extreme success. Without his tipping-point thinking and mindfulness of what he has to do to coach his players, it would not work. He makes it work.” - Pat Riley, former Kentucky Wildcat, five-time NBA champion head coach, a Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer, and current team president of the Miami Heat

“Success in recruiting extremely talented individuals at a higher level is only the beginning. A leader must instill in those individuals the selflessness and teamwork required for success. The ultimate role of a leader is not to coach but to inspire and teach. John Calipari has captured the essence of a true leader.” - Mike Tomlin, Pittsburgh Steelers and Super Bowl XLIII-winning head coach

“Coach Cal provides a unique view behind the curtain into one of the country’s top basketball programs. The lessons of leading, motivating, and molding highly talented young men into an unselfish, high-performance team will benefit anyone in a leadership position.” - Junior Bridgeman, former professional basketball star and successful entrepreneur