Rating:

3.0 (3 votes)

John Calipari got to revel in a little "I told you so" Wednesday.

The UK coach says he knew all along that Eric Bledsoe would make a fine NBA player.

"I said he would be the surprise of the draft. I've been wrong before. I think it was '78. It might have been '77," he joked. "I coached the kid so I know he has a toughness, a fire and a will to win. He is not afraid. He just has to be more confident in himself."

The former Wildcat guard is averaging 9.9 points per game and 5.2 assists in his rookie season with the L.A. Clippers.

"It's neat when you have a player in the NBA who is scoring more in the NBA than he scored for your team,"Calipari said. "That is what is happening. He is scoring more in the NBA than he did for us. That's a neat thing."

Bledsoe actually averaged slightly more points per game at UK - 11.3 in his one season as a Wildcat. But he is dishing out assists at a far faster pace as a pro. He averaged just 2.8 helpers per game as a Cat.