John Calipari on Cavaliers' David Blatt: 'He's a better choice than me'

John Calipari's decision to turn down the Cleveland Cavaliers' coaching job involved much more than just integrity.

That's an attribute that would typically be set aside when there's a reported $60 million and a chance to coach the game's greatest player on the table, but Calipari continued to lean on his moral fiber when asked about the man who benefited from his decision to stay at Kentucky.

"David Blatt can really coach," he said in an appearance with SiriusXM NBA Radio via CBSSports' Matt Moore. "He's a better choice than me to coach that team. I coached against him. I'm not sitting here just saying it.

"I coached against him in FIBA basketball. I watched him coach Russia, the guy can coach, OK? Those players, all they want is respect. If they respect you as a coach they're going to play like crazy."

Calipari would, however, give Blatt at least a month's worth of reprieve based on precedent.

"It's not going to happen in a month, just like Miami. It'll be similar to that but they got an outstanding coach, they got the best coach they could get for where they are and what they're trying to do."

With LeBron James in the fold and Kevin Love on the way, Blatt has been handed the means to immediate success, but will have to prove that he can handle the expectation that accompanies it.