Are Burks and Hart shown the door?
- Thread starter gojvc
- Start date
Cal doesn't know how to build a roster anymore. Fans would like some returnees, and portal fills. Cal wants to load up on unproven Freshman, in a bad class. This is why fans are done, besides his coaching.
Hart may see playing time off the bench next year unless they get surprise returns, a reclass and land some guards that can shoot out of the portal. Perry & Fland are the only guards in the class today. I'm sure people may mock it, but these are the kind of kids that should stick around to be another Hawkins and Polson to get playing time later in their career. They need more talented players than just Hart though to retain and help this team get older going forward.
Taking 6 freshman in this sorry class especially with the amount overlapping in skillset was a mistake
It doesn’t. There aren’t enough spots for everyone we want to return and get some true elite portal additions.
We need huge portal additions and we need Reed to return to instill any sort of excitement for next season if Cal is coach. And I do not believe cutting existing players is the answer. If anything they should cut off some of the recruiting class.
If Cal comes back, and I were him, this would be my offseason checklist:
1) Get Reed Sheppard to return. Promise him the starting spot (he’s earned it) to whichever of the 2 guard spots he wants (PG or SG) and work with the university to get him the biggest NIL in college basketball history. I think Reed is gone, but if I’m Cal and I want any fan support, this is my number 1 off-season goal.
2) Recruit Edwards, Big Z, Adou, Bradshaw, Burks, Hart, and Ugonna back. That puts us at 8 roster spots taken without considering the incoming recruits.
3) I would fly out and meet with the recruits that I would be recruiting over in the portal. I would look to retain Jayden, Fland, Knox, and Perry. I would be honest with them about their roles and tell them if they want to start they’ll have to fight for it. For the rest I would give them the same speech Cal gave the Tubby/BCG holdovers: we will honor your scholarship should you still choose to still come here but we are actively recruiting over you in the portal. I would expect the remaining top recruits to back out and go elsewhere. When this all shakes out I’d expect to have 12 players scholarship if everything is going as good as it could be.
4) Meet with the bigs that I want to play at the 5. I would meet individually with Ugonna and Jayden. I would be honest and say one of you is going to start and play 25-30 minutes a game, one of you is going to sub and play 10-15 minutes a game. And one of you is going to get blowout minutes or fill in for injury. “Wait coach, that’s 3 people, there’s only 2 of us.” I’d recruit a glass cleaning defensive anchor from the portal and he’s the starter until proven otherwise.
5) Id meet with Bradshaw and Big Z and discuss being a stretch 4. If they don’t like it, hit the road. If one or both hit the road, I’m getting a stretch 4 from the portal.
That’s going to break a lot of hearts and go against a lot of what Cal has stood for and preached for years and I have very serious concerns he does any of that. But again, if I was the coach and I was in his situation that’s exactly what I’d do. Not that anyone cares 😂
If Cal comes back, and I were him, this would be my offseason checklist:
1) Get Reed Sheppard to return. Promise him the starting spot (he’s earned it) to whichever of the 2 guard spots he wants (PG or SG) and work with the university to get him the biggest NIL in college basketball history. I think Reed is gone, but if I’m Cal and I want any fan support, this is my number 1 off-season goal.
2) Recruit Edwards, Big Z, Adou, Bradshaw, Burks, Hart, and Ugonna back. That puts us at 8 roster spots taken without considering the incoming recruits.
3) I would fly out and meet with the recruits that I would be recruiting over in the portal. I would look to retain Jayden, Fland, Knox, and Perry. I would be honest with them about their roles and tell them if they want to start they’ll have to fight for it. For the rest I would give them the same speech Cal gave the Tubby/BCG holdovers: we will honor your scholarship should you still choose to still come here but we are actively recruiting over you in the portal. I would expect the remaining top recruits to back out and go elsewhere. When this all shakes out I’d expect to have 12 players scholarship if everything is going as good as it could be.
4) Meet with the bigs that I want to play at the 5. I would meet individually with Ugonna and Jayden. I would be honest and say one of you is going to start and play 25-30 minutes a game, one of you is going to sub and play 10-15 minutes a game. And one of you is going to get blowout minutes or fill in for injury. “Wait coach, that’s 3 people, there’s only 2 of us.” I’d recruit a glass cleaning defensive anchor from the portal and he’s the starter until proven otherwise.
5) Id meet with Bradshaw and Big Z and discuss being a stretch 4. If they don’t like it, hit the road. If one or both hit the road, I’m getting a stretch 4 from the portal.
That’s going to break a lot of hearts and go against a lot of what Cal has stood for and preached for years and I have very serious concerns he does any of that. But again, if I was the coach and I was in his situation that’s exactly what I’d do. Not that anyone cares 😂
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I hope not. Burks has talent. I think he will play ahead of Knox, maybe others next year. And Hart supposedly is a very good shooter. So sounds like he only needs to work on athleticism and defense.
But the biggest reason why not is that you aren’t going to get better players to come in to agree to be 11th-13th men. Why would they?
Lastly, related to prior paragraph, if we do have 4-5 return and/or come from portal, then I would expect 1-2 FR to go somewhere else.
Even if starting isn’t important to Reed, I agree with you. And I was one saying starting doesn’t matter if getting the minutes, and still think that.
On your 2nd point you didn’t count Reed, so possibly 8. But of course we don’t get them all to return. But I also agree to try and keep them.
On your 3rd. Bradshaw wants to be a 4 anyway. I bet Z does too. Although I think z could be a really good 5 next year. Weight room!!! But honestly I think at best we return 1 of our 7-footers. So Quintance better be Bam/Randle-esque.
I hope Burks returns. He was close to ready for this level. A little work and he'll be a contributor.
He would’ve been better if given the mins Edwards got. God I hate calipari
Has the potential to grow into a Jacob Toppin caliber player but it will probably be somewhere else.😐
Yeah, why I couldn't understand the take on Knox when we needed three or four mature talented transfers. Cal kept saying he has a great group coming in but what does it matter if they will be too weak, too young and not tough enough mentally or physically? Then on top of that can you see him sitting his five stars for a more talented and mature transfer?
I
I'd hope for a little more consistency than Toppin.
They both should stay, that's what we want isn't, to recruit and develop talent. Saint Peters and Oakland have players that aren't as well known as some of ours and they had some players that could play. Both can contribute if they are given more than one or two trips up and down the floor. five all Americans and three or four seldom used players is not working out, winning is more important than keeping certain players happy. That's what you call holding you hostage, something he said he wouldn't let happen, but has.
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DJ, Edward's, and Bradshaw were expected to go in the draft. That might have effected this recruiting class.
I don't see Bradshaw going high in the draft. I look for him to transfer and if he does that will not hurt UK any. He is just tall and not that good.
Edwards, Bradshaw & Ugo can move on. Seen enough of their non talent
Z to play along with SOmoto & Quantenance would be fine. Of course that lineup would have to play zone
You don't just kick players out, though. That would just be one more bad look on top of many other bad looks.
I want Burks to stay, feel like he will get better each year & add some muscle then contribute more each game and each year he’s here. One of those older pieces we’ll need going forward.
Not true at all.
Burks does nothing on the basketball court better than Edwards.
If you want to say JE was a disappointment that's ok but JE was better than Burks in all facets of the game.
Not taking your pumper advice especially with a fairy name like Skyprince like wtf?
Burks played his ass off given the 2 mins he got.
DJ is not a point guard. Hope he transfers. If Reed and DJ come back Cal will play DJ over Reed...again.
Would like to see Reed, Adou, Z, Burks and Hart return.
Would like to see Reed, Adou, Z, Burks and Hart return.
Burks could’ve been a guy to throw on Gohlke and tell him “do nothing but stop this guy”.
No. Let’s let him keep hitting 3s
That’s a good plan
No. Let’s let him keep hitting 3s
That’s a good plan
Got to see Burks live - love the energy. He is very athletic and eager to play and succeed. He deserves a real chance. I agree with those saying he earned some of Edward's minutes. Edwards had really one great game - an important one and I wish him success - but A LOT was sacrificed to allow him to work through it... and in the end - did he really (Oakland)?
If Burks leaves someone is getting a very good player - like a Houston/Auburn defensive energy and transition offense type player. I could see him wanting out with Cal and all... and wanting a better situation with playing time - but if I could keep him as a coach - I would.
If Burks leaves someone is getting a very good player - like a Houston/Auburn defensive energy and transition offense type player. I could see him wanting out with Cal and all... and wanting a better situation with playing time - but if I could keep him as a coach - I would.
Definitely doesn’t. I was coached to play that way and started over players who were more talented than me because I brought more production dip shit.
You want production?
How is this then:
- Burks made 60% of his shots
- His (per30min) rebounding (7.0) was right there with Theiro (7.0) and Mitchell (7.1) and Bradshaw (7.2)
- even in limited minutes, except for fouls, his defense looked to be 2nd or 3rd best on the team
Why doesn’t Cal care as much about helping them and their families as much as he does others? Honest question…
1. You sort of have to see how the other players on UK team will pan out before determining if Hart and Burks have a spot....and I'd argue UK has more then enough room for both back....particularly Burks
Here is my guess on roster if Cal is back:
Guards: DJ (I can see it)
Boogie Fland
Travis Perry
Hart
Forwards: Richmond
Knox
Thiero
Burks
Center: Somto
Quantenance
I do see Dilly gone for sure, Edwards likely to NBA/GLeague.. I think Reed and Ivisic could come back but I'll guess they bolt as that is the norm for Cal. I do see Ugo transferring out and Bradshaw transferring.
I can see UK addign in portal guard/forwards like Reeves as a shooter.
So if it pans out as I guess...that is only 11 spots with 1 transfer portal player coming in. Even if they take on 2 transfers...that is only 12 players. Hart may or not be ready to be a shooter (I don't see good handles in him yet). But Burks is valuable as a defender, long and has potential to stretch the floor with this skillsets. Why UK would lose him is silly to me....
Here is my guess on roster if Cal is back:
Guards: DJ (I can see it)
Boogie Fland
Travis Perry
Hart
Forwards: Richmond
Knox
Thiero
Burks
Center: Somto
Quantenance
I do see Dilly gone for sure, Edwards likely to NBA/GLeague.. I think Reed and Ivisic could come back but I'll guess they bolt as that is the norm for Cal. I do see Ugo transferring out and Bradshaw transferring.
I can see UK addign in portal guard/forwards like Reeves as a shooter.
So if it pans out as I guess...that is only 11 spots with 1 transfer portal player coming in. Even if they take on 2 transfers...that is only 12 players. Hart may or not be ready to be a shooter (I don't see good handles in him yet). But Burks is valuable as a defender, long and has potential to stretch the floor with this skillsets. Why UK would lose him is silly to me....
I don't think we can judge this post season by past post seasons. If Cal really wants to "get this taste out of his mouth", he's going to have to put on a full court press to get some good players to return. I think transfers will be limited. Stressing defense all summer to guys who already know the system is his best hope for success.
A lot of big IF'S involved.
Coaches pull scholarships all the time. College sports is a meritocracy. Probably less these days. No reason to look mean, just gently guide disappointments into the portal.
Give me 5 recent examples of players who had their scholarships pulled excluding ones who had disciplinary actions, broke laws, etc..
You don't pull the scholarship of a good kid who has worked to contribute to the program and just doesn't happen to get any meaningful minutes.
If it were that wouldn’t he have shown preference for rob/reed over dj/edwards tho? I think you’re on the right path though
You have a 6’10” glass cleaner coming in who’s 240 lbs center who’s going to limit Bradshaw period he’s just too soft.
