If Big Z is cleared Is this the most talented UK team 1-10…..EVER?

[HerrosHeroes]

Before you post lets take a look see:

1-Dillingham
2-Sheppard
3-Wagner
4-Edwards
5-Bradshaw
6-Reeves
7-Mitchell
8-Thiero
9-Big Z
10-Ugo

Would Cal be forced to platoon again?
Would 6-10 be a top 15 team?

 

[CB3UK]

1996

 

[MrHotDice]

1996 hands down

 

[MatteoV25]

96 and 2015 are better

 

[BlueWorldOrder74]

Oh shit man. Come on. I see your avatar, so I know you’re older than me. Were you in a coma in 1996? Memory loss? What is it?

 

[chroix]

96 wasn’t losing to UNCW. Zero percent chance. Even if you took away equal level players. Zero percent chance.

 

[wfm101981]

Before you post lets take a look see:

1-Dillingham
2-Sheppard
3-Wagner
4-Edwards
5-Bradshaw
6-Reeves
7-Mitchell
8-Thiero
9-Big Z
10-Ugo

Would Cal be forced to platoon again?
Would 6-10 be a top 15 team?

No team will rival the 96 team. Especially the style they played. One of the best teams ever assembled in college ball.

 

[Tampa_cat54]

96 was the best team ever assembled in the modern era of college basketball IMO (post 3 point line). 2015 was the most talented in terms of shear top-end NBA talent.

This team is not on par with those, unless Big Z is Anthony Davis in disguise.

 

[bigbluelou]

Yep, 1996 by a landslide. That was the only team in my lifetime that I could relax and enjoy the game knowing we were going to win no matter where we played. The only question was margin of victory, and it was usually 20+ even on the road.

 

[legalbeagle123]

OP, have you ever thought about posting less often?

 

[WildcatNC]

96 and 15 will maybe never be topped.

 

[bigbluelou]

Yep, 1996 by a landslide. That was the only team in my lifetime that I could relax and enjoy the game knowing we were going to win no matter where we played. The only question was margin of victory, and it was usually 20+ even on the road.

And yes, I'm still pissed off about the UMass and MSU losses. That team could have (maybe should have) gone undefeated.

 

[ArtLaibsGhost]

96 ,not even close, this is not even the best team Cal has had. They really haven't done anything special yet, not saying they won't just holding off on the coronation a bit

 

[Fox2monk]

Before you post lets take a look see:

1-Dillingham
2-Sheppard
3-Wagner
4-Edwards
5-Bradshaw
6-Reeves
7-Mitchell
8-Thiero
9-Big Z
10-Ugo

Would Cal be forced to platoon again?
Would 6-10 be a top 15 team?

Who is this Big Z you speak of? He may as well be in Croatia right now, dealing with this mess is a joke.

 

[Fox2monk]

1996

2015 probably a tie, 1996 the edge just because they finished it off but 38-0 was special.

 

[NociHTTP]

As of right now he's not cleared, and it's looking VERY likely he won't be. That nine isn't beating the 1996 team, under any circumstances.

 

[KentuckyCat420]

No.

This team has a bunch of NBA talent but none that necessarily look like they’ll be a star in the league.

Realistically, Dillingham is the only one I can see with any real All Star potential.

Then again, Reed Sheppard could be an MVP candidate if his game translates from college to the NBA the way it has translated from HS to college.

 

[screwduke1]

No

 

[JonathanW]

Several people mentioned 2015.

My hot take is that team was somewhat overrated in terms of its overall talent level, especially after Poythress got hurt. I think that exaggerated view of the team happened because the team demolished Kansas and UCLA early, because of the recruiting rankings of some guys that were a bit too high and of course it went 38-1.

But look at it 1-9, after Poythress. WCS was a defensive demon but a very limited offensive player. Dakari and Marcus Lee were also limited players. The Harrison twins were big, skilled college guards. But would you take them over Kentucky's guards this year? That leaves Karl Towns, the one true superstar on the team, a freshman Ulis who showed flashes but was undersized and easy to push around as a freshman, Trey Lyles who was a very good player even as a freshman but a bit passive and Devin Booker -- and this is part of what I believe makes that team overrated. Booker has become an NBA star. But he was inconsistent at best as a freshman, disappeared in a lot of big games and was a defensive liability, as we saw in the Wisconsin game. WCS also vanished in that game.

So that's a very good team. A special team defensively, but a limited team on offense. The idea that it was an unstoppable juggernaut of historic levels of talent doesn't really match reality.

I think it is a reasonable argument 2-9 or 2-10, the one big difference is big-KAT. There is no Towns on this team!
Now if Bradshaw breaks out the next few weeks into a consistent 14 & 8 guy (w/ couple Blks), then maybe it's close.

 

[docholiday51]

HH, gotta hand it to you. just when I think you can't get more over the top you prove me wrong. I do enjoy your posts, you help make the board what it is

 

[YardCat]

HH, gotta hand it to you. just when I think you can't get more over the top you prove me wrong. I do enjoy your posts, you help make the board what it is

I’m sure later today or tomorrow he will post something more over the top.

 

[St.PatterSoN-54-]

Is earth the best planet?

Is oxygen the best breathable gas?

If JFK wasn’t shot, would he have been the best president ever?

 

[MakinMusic]

I’d like to say 1996 but who knows. The one thing I know for certain is this conversation can only legitimately take place AFTER the current team wins a championship.

 

[JonathanW]

The OP is not being crazy here. We are all looking at what 96 accomplished both for that season and in future years, and what 15 almost accomplished that season and in future years. Obviously you can't look at what this team will do in future years (at UK or NBA), nor can we confidently predict what they will do this year. I will say the confidence in this group of players is only surpassed (post Mashburn) by the 96, 10, 12 & 15 teams. 12 wasn't deep like the other 3.

All those teams had flaws, even 96, that because of time maybe we've all forgotten the bad. For example, our "clutch 2014-NCAA-T shooter" (Aaron H) made only 31.6% from 3 in 2015. And Lee gave us so little, that with the Platoon ending not long after Poythress injury, he had trouble getting minutes the last 1/3 of the season. As much as I loved Ulis, he wasn't All-American Ulis in 2015, where he doubled his scoring pace (PPM).

96 is first.
But depending on how the big guys this year play, 24 certainly has a chance to be the 2nd best group in terms of performance.

 

[true blue1]

96 team.

 

[BlueWorldOrder74]

The OP is not being crazy here. We are all looking at what 96 accomplished both for that season and in future years, and what 15 almost accomplished that season and in future years. Obviously you can't look at what this team will do in future years (at UK or NBA), nor can we confidently predict what they will do this year. I will say the confidence in this group of players is only surpassed (post Mashburn) by the 96, 10, 12 & 15 teams. 12 wasn't deep like the other 3.

All those teams had flaws, even 96, that because of time maybe we've all forgotten the bad. For example, our "clutch 2014-NCAA-T shooter" (Aaron H) made only 31.6% from 3 in 2015. And Lee gave us so little, that with the Platoon ending not long after Poythress injury, he had trouble getting minutes the last 1/3 of the season. As much as I loved Ulis, he wasn't All-American Ulis in 2015, where he doubled his scoring pace (PPM).

96 is first.
But depending on how the big guys this year play, 24 certainly has a chance to be the 2nd best group in terms of performance.

Yes he is. But that’s just KWilt. It’s why we love him. You can take the boy out of Bullitt County, but you can never, ever get the Bullitt County out of the boy.

 

[ZenCatFan73]

96 Bigtime.

 

[crawfords corner]

Let's revisit this when this team has 9 players spend time in the NBA.

 

[Fox2monk]

No.

This team has a bunch of NBA talent but none that necessarily look like they’ll be a star in the league.

Realistically, Dillingham is the only one I can see with any real All Star potential.

Then again, Reed Sheppard could be an MVP candidate if his game translates from college to the NBA the way it has translated from HS to college.

I think Reed could be much like Herro, except with better defensive instincts. He could be a 20 ppg guy, 5 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals a game. He will get a close to max type deal after a couple years and make a few All-Star teams.

Depending on how his shot develops, Wagner could also be a high level starter. Dillingham has the most upside IMO as a potential star.

Bradshaw also can be a very high level fringe All-Star guy. Especially if he can shoot consistently from the 3. Isaiah Jackson plays pretty well for the Pacers, and I see Bradshaw in his mold. I think that is his floor as a player. He is just taller, and a better shooter.

 

[Slowwalker]

96 wasn’t losing to UNCW. Zero percent chance. Even if you took away equal level players. Zero percent chance.

What if 3 of their top 10 players were out?

 

[FirewithFire]

How many threads do you need to make about platooning? The answer is no to all of your questions.

 

[runt#69]

well, as has been pointed out, 96 for sure. 15, yes.

But I think the real point here is it's gotta be on a short list, depending on how they end up. I sure as hell hope we don't talk about yet ANOTHER CCC team underachieving......

 

[Ky_Bred_Cat]

"We're young"

That's the difference when comparing to teams like 96.

If this team wins a title then, in addition to defying the odds, they move right up there in the all-time list. Time will tell.

 

[mcnicKY91]

To be honest, I would take 2012 over 1996 4-3 in a best of 7.

'96 has more depth, but depth is very overrated, especially in the tournament when there are stoppages so flippin often.

Would love watching AD, T-Jones, and MKG play defense against the '96 squad. Would be some good entertainment.