When I talk with business owners, I hear the same complaint over and over: they can’t find young talent. And when they do find someone promising to interview, it seems (in their eyes, at least) that the candidates spend too much time online on social media. These businesspeople don’t understand social media. They have no interest in spending resources, money, or time on social media branding because they feel it is a waste of time.
So, then how is it that Coach John Calipari, former coach at the University of Kentucky and current coach of the University of Arkansas, can build a brand on social media? I’m talking about one of the best and most successful college basketball coaches ever.
For decades, Coach Cal found success on the court back when social media didn’t exist. But when the attention of the talented high school kids shifted to Twitter (now X), Facebook, and Instagram, he realized he needed to be there too.
At a time when many (not all) other coaches in college basketball refused to understand social media, Calipari went to where the kids were, the place where his potential recruits were. And he used social media to tell a story—a story of his travels, of his team, of his time recruiting, and of the players he coached who are now in the NBA: John Wall, Anthony Davis, DeMarcus Cousins, Derrick Rose, Karl Anthony Towns…the list goes on. Nobody else has a record like that. Nobody. These are the men idolized by high school players, the guys the kids want to be—and can be, with the right coach. What better way to tell that story than with images, video, and writing, all of it available online where the kids are?
College basketball recruiting has many rules. Break one and find yourself in serious trouble. But there is no rule against posting an image of the coach with the 2017 NBA All-Star MVP’s family. Or posting a picture with the mother of the all-star point guard, John Wall, when she happens to be on Kentucky’s campus for a visit. Do you think recruits are showing their parents the picture of this coach with a former player’s mom? Of course!
This is what social media networking can do. This is what it can do for you, too.
So, you can complain about social media. You can refuse to understand how social networking works, pretend like social media doesn’t matter, and that it’s only there for entertainment purposes—or you could engage on platforms like Facebook, X, and Instagram (and others—including LinkedIn, TikTok, YouTube, etc). That’s where your clients are, that’s where your customers are, and that’s where your new recruits are.
It’s your turn.
More college basketball content from SportsEpreneur
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College Basketball Is Different Now. And That’s Okay.
Mid-Majors Are College Basketball’s Developmental League (NIL Era Explained)
Eric Kasimov is the founder of SportsEpreneur, part of the KazSource media network. Since launching the platform in 2015, he has hosted over 500 podcast episodes, written and published more than 1,500 articles, and advised business leaders, founders, and creators on building authority through media strategy.
Through his brands — KazSource, KazCM, SportsEpreneur, and QuietLoud Studios — Eric leads teams that produce podcasts, develop brand platforms, and help companies grow through modern content ecosystems. He also scaled KazSource Insurance into a seven-figure boutique agency, providing the foundation for the broader media network he operates today.
His work has been featured in Forbes, Axios, and Front Office Sports, and his podcasts have included conversations with top founders, investors, and athletes turned entrepreneurs.