Did you know John Calipari has hundreds of children?

No, we’re not talking about his actual children – he has three of them – but Coach Cal considers his former players to be his kids. All total, 14 of them are currently playing in the NBA, so you can imagine the delight in Calipari’s eyes when he watched them tip off the NBA season over the weekend.

It seemed like most of them played a part in a memorable opening weekend.

Of the most noteworthy, Derrick Rose hit the game-winning jumper in the Chicago Bulls’ win over the Los Angeles Lakers, Tyreke Evans (20 points) and DeMarcus Cousins (12 points, 11 rebounds) led the Kings to a victory over those very same Lakers, John Wall stuffed the stat sheet (13 points, eight rebounds, five assists, three steals), and Brandon Knight enjoyed a decent debut (nine points).

[View a full list of former Wildcats and Coach Cal players]

And even if the players didn’t play directly for Coach Cal, if they’re a former Wildcat, he considers them part of the family. With 15 former Wildcats in the NBA (many of them Calipari’s players), that’s a lot of NBA games to watch.

“I stay up last night late, one o’clock, and I watch Sacramento play and I see my two children, DeMarcus, who’s growing up, and Tyreke Evans play well,” Calipari said. “You get to see Chuckie (Hayes) play. You see Derrick not score a point in the first quarter, not a point, and makes the game winner over Pau Gasol because he wants to win. DeMarcus Cousins is only talking about winning. So you’re seeing Brandon Knight do well for a rookie. You’re watching Patrick (Patterson). It just makes you proud.”

As proud as a papa.

But maybe no player made Coach Cal more proud than former UK forward Josh Harrellson. Two seasons ago, Harrellson couldn’t get off the bench for the Wildcats. And now, after two years under Calipari, he played in nine minutes in the New York Knicks’ nationally televised game with the Boston Celtics on Christmas Day, posting two rebounds, one block and one assist.

“Here’s what’s great for me as a coach: Josh Harrellson is in a New York Knick uniform,” Calipari said. “Not only is he in a New York Knick uniform, he’s on the court. Not only is he on the court, he had a rebound and an assist. Not only did he have a rebound and an assist, the coach after the game said he was going to play more minutes on the road when (they) get to the West Coast. Now for me, there’s nothing better.”

Calipari said the success of his former players makes everything they go through during the year worth it.

“We were just with Derrick and here’s what Derrick said, ‘Man, you’re crazy,’ ” Calipari said. “He was talking to Anthony Davis. ‘He’s crazy. The dude’s crazy.’ And one of his boys said, ‘He used to call all the time.’ I said, ‘He didn’t call you in January and February when he was the No. 1 pick in the draft, did he?’

“That’s what’s hard about here. We drag the guys, but when they drag each other, this becomes special.”