When you talk about Memphis basketball, you cannot tell the story without Coach Cal. He did more than build a program. He built belief. He gave this city a sense of pride that went beyond the scoreboard. He made us walk taller, talk bolder, and dream bigger. He showed the world what Memphis basketball could be… fearless, passionate, and full of heart. For a city that has always fought for respect, he helped us see that we already had everything we needed right here.
Coach Cal didn’t just coach players. He poured into people. He saw greatness in young men who sometimes didn’t see it in themselves. He taught them how to work, how to lead, and how to handle success with humility. You can feel his influence every time you watch a kid in Memphis chasing a dream, every time you see a coach teaching the game with love and intensity. His legacy is not just in the banners or the highlights. It’s in the lives he helped shape and the confidence he gave this city.
This weekend is more than a return. It is a homecoming. And the fact that it is tied to St. Jude, one of the most meaningful places in our city, makes it even more powerful. It shows who he is at the core, a man who cares about people, about purpose, about giving back. It is a full-circle moment that speaks to what Memphis represents: heart, faith, and community.
Coach Cal deserves his flowers because his impact will never fade. The lessons, the energy, the love he poured into Memphis are still alive. As someone who learned under him, who has carried those lessons into my own journey, I can say this with pride. Coach Cal is part of the soul of Memphis basketball. And when he steps back into this city, he deserves to be celebrated like family.
Trey Draper a proud son of Memphis, is a best-selling author, ESPN analyst, and co-founder of Catch12, where he tells stories rooted in grit, legacy, and the city that raised him.
