KSTV Article: UK Basketball Summer Information & Observations (Great read)

[Rhavicc]

T.J. Beisner took some time to write up a very nice recap of our team's performance over the summer. You may find the article in this link below:

http://mycn2.com/kstv/uk-basketball...al&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer

This article has given me numerous reasons to be absolutely thrilled with this upcoming season. Malik Monk apparently looks like a superstar-to-be, the Humphries improvement is legit (and he may start next to Bam), and a bunch of NBA Cats agree after playing with the team, that this should be a very special group.

 

[BigBlueFanGA]

Very nice read. We have an incredible group of players who have gone through. I couldn't be more proud.

 

[docholiday51]

Very good read,it seems likely this edition will be a different breed of Cat than any of Cal's other UK teams.They may not have the depth of talent of 2014 or the mindset of 2012 but they may have a good mix of things both those teams had.

How they respond when Cal begins to push them(you know he will),will they be able to take it,will they catch fire and thrive on it or will they just endure it? The answer will dictate how good they can become,so far I like what I hear and read about this bunch they may be mature beyond their years.

 

[Bkocats]

Very good read,it seems likely this edition will be a different breed of Cat than any of Cal's other UK teams.They may not have the depth of talent of 2014 or the mindset of 2012 but they may have a good mix of things both those teams had.

How they respond when Cal begins to push them(you know he will),will they be able to take it,will they catch fire and thrive on it or will they just endure it? The answer will dictate how good they can become,so far I like what I hear and read about this bunch they may be mature beyond their years.

great questions Doc - my thoughts as well. But I can tell you this: I haven't been this (cautiously) excited about our team since the NC team.

 

[ukfan041]

Great read! Thanks for posting!

 

[Rhavicc]

Very good read,it seems likely this edition will be a different breed of Cat than any of Cal's other UK teams.They may not have the depth of talent of 2014 or the mindset of 2012 but they may have a good mix of things both those teams had.

How they respond when Cal begins to push them(you know he will),will they be able to take it,will they catch fire and thrive on it or will they just endure it? The answer will dictate how good they can become,so far I like what I hear and read about this bunch they may be mature beyond their years.

Thing is, I think they do have the 2012 mindset, but more of a 2010 style-team. 2012 was a team that had 3 elite motor guys on the floor most of the time. It could be argued that we will have more this year, between Bam, Gabriel, Fox, and Briscoe. The guard talent as far as the 1-2 punch matches the athleticism of the 2010 group, but arguably more talented as a whole.
Frontcourt as a whole will have pretty elite athleticism. Really the team should be the most athletic that Cal has had.
I do think how they respond to pressure will make or break the team though. That's the case with any team though, so it should go without saying. Phenomenal talent across the board though.

 

[UKrazycat2]

Billy Gillispie will be honored before the UT-Martin game

Not really. Just wanted to see if you were still paying attention

I nearly popped a vein in my neck when I read that. Glad he was joking.

 

[Jmeeks54thebest]

There's no way Humphries is improving that drastically. I have it confirmed from many posters on this board (and confirmed quite rudely) that he will NOT have an impact this year and may NEVER have an impact at UK. This article needs to check its sources.

 

[docholiday51]

Thing is, I think they do have the 2012 mindset, but more of a 2010 style-team. 2012 was a team that had 3 elite motor guys on the floor most of the time. It could be argued that we will have more this year, between Bam, Gabriel, Fox, and Briscoe. The guard talent as far as the 1-2 punch matches the athleticism of the 2010 group, but arguably more talented as a whole.
Frontcourt as a whole will have pretty elite athleticism. Really the team should be the most athletic that Cal has had.
I do think how they respond to pressure will make or break the team though. That's the case with any team though, so it should go without saying. Phenomenal talent across the board though.

You could be right,but the mindset and talent remain to be seen when the chips are down.If we are to have a run at a NC one of Willis,Humphries or Gabriel will need to have a year in which they exceed expectations.How the talent blends together and how they respond to Cal are keys to success.In 2012 by mid December we knew that team was something special,it may take this group a bit longer but the signs will show quickly if they are there.

 

[Bkocats]

Billy Gillispie will be honored before the UT-Martin game

Not really. Just wanted to see if you were still paying attention

I nearly popped a vein in my neck when I read that. Glad he was joking.

it was well played -

There's no way Humphries is improving that drastically. I have it confirmed from many posters on this board (and confirmed quite rudely) that he will NOT have an impact this year and may NEVER have an impact at UK. This article needs to check its sources.

 

[bucsrule8872]

Great to hear about Humphries. It would be great if Humphries can be a big contributor.

Would love to see Humphries work his way into heavy minutes in the rotation. The more he plays, the more Adebayo can play at the 4. Adebayo would be a very tough matchup at the 4 spot.

Adebayo and Humphries together gives us some great size inside to balance the three guard lineup we are most likely going to see with Briscoe, Fox, and Monk in the backcourt.

 

[Federal Cat]

Good read, thanks Rhavicc, can't wait to see them play

 

[Jakarii]

Love the article. I am a little worried that there hasn't been one write up on Bam, Wenyen or Willis (I think there was two sentences about Willis last month). Nothing on Bam has really puzzled me considering his size and motor. I'll have to see if Mr Fitch has any info

 

[ulismyman]

Nobody likes the white guys that improve...smdh...see Derek Willis

 

[kentucky_wildcat_#1]

I can't really say i'm surprised to hear about the big Aussie improving. It is what usually happens during a kid's SO year of college basketball. He came in at 17 years old. How many fans actually thought a 17 year old would come in and hold his own against much older players in the post? The fact he came into a few games and actually helped was a good sign that they kid has talent and will be a starter in the future. If Humps has improved his body and his confidence level, i wouldn't be shocked at all to see him start a few games or every game this coming basketball season. We all knew the kid had talent. Cal doesn't sign players that just take up space. Many worried if he would be quick enough to guard on the court, but after hearing about how awesome our strength and conditioning guy is doing with our cats, i'm confident Humps will get his body where it needs to be to add some quickness to his game. He's just so big and he's never going to be known as a guy that takes his man off the dribble. Some are a lil worried about our post play this coming year. I'm not one of those fans. Bam is a beast and has a Nba body from day 1. Humps is a guy that can only get better and i have a feeling this is the year he really shows he belongs on the basketball court. I was excited when Cal landed this big dude and i can't wait to see how much this kid has improved since being at Kentucky. It's almost shocking to me how many Kentucky fans nowadays forget that everywhere else int he nation it's actually expected for a SO player to improve 100% from his freshman year. Maybe not at Kentucky with the way Cal recruits, but it still does happen in college basketball.

 

[Hoskins91]

I always hesitate to take these preseason things seriously. It always seems like they get carried away with the positive things they say.

 

[W2R]

I think with the leadership role ,Briscoe confidence will be better. Just because of his shooting last season some will give him grief but I honestly believe he will be the key factor next season setting the tempo on defense. Not to mention there is nobody better at getting to the rim. If his FT improves like I think it will he will be a threat when he drives

 

[bucsrule8872]

If Humphries can give us a good 10-15 minutes a game at the 5, that really makes more versatile. It allows us to go big at times with Bam and Hump playing together at the 4 and 5.

I think the main rotation is going to be Fox, Monk, Briscoe, Gabriel, Willis, Killeya-Jones, Adebayo, and Humphries all playing double digit minutes. I see Hawkins playing every game, but maybe only 7-8 minutes a game because of the quality of the guys in front of him at guard. Cal has to give Fox, Monk, and Briscoe close to 35 minutes a game each, they are just too good not to play. Those 9 probably play every game.

We have the ability to go small and quick with three guards, Gabriel and SKJ. We can go offensive-minded and play the three guards, Willis and Bam. We can go really big and dominate the boards with Fox, Monk, Gabriel, Bam, and Hump. We can small and pressure the ball with Fox, Hawkins, Briscoe, Gabriel, and Bam. We can defend the lead with Fox, Monk, Hawkins, Willis, and Hump, who can all make free throws.

This team should be able to play whatever style they will need to play with all these potential pieces. Still, right now it's all potential. Hopefully, they put it all together by March and will end up being a nightmare for teams to matchup with in the tourney.

 

[Xception]

Thanks for the info , that being said , I almost wholesale disregard summer reports . They are usually wildly positive and pretty much never translate to the season . You could create a long list of players improving drastically or being unstoppable only to have them struggle during game play . I hope all of it becomes reality but I'm not going to expect player to live up to this hype .

 

[bucsrule8872]

Thanks for the info , that being said , I almost wholesale disregard summer reports . They are usually wildly positive and pretty much never translate to the season . You could create a long list of players improving drastically or being unstoppable only to have them struggle during game play . I hope all of it becomes reality but I'm not going to expect player to live up to this hype .

Yup. I hear you.

I always think of Josh Carrier being unstoppable in the summer. Never missed a shot from 3 during the summer it seemed, yet couldn't even get on the floor during the season.

But it's been a little different in the Cal era. Haven't really had many situations like that. Most of the players have panned out under Cal.

I can't really remember many reports about guys dominating in the summer and then disappearing completely during the season, with the exception of injuries (for example, Hawkins was supposedly playing very well last offseason, but never really showed much during the season after getting injured to begin the season).

Most often with Cal, it's someone we didn't expect much from that steps up and really helps the team (Harrellson in '11, Mays in '13, Willis in '16).

The truth seems to come out early when you play against NBA level talent every day. Like with Harrow, it was clear that he was struggling before the season started. I remember watching the All-Access show before the season started and Cal and the staff discussing having some real concerns about him running the show.

If Hump is holding his own against KAT in pickup games this summer, then he has a legit shot at being at least a decent backup at the 5 for us next year, I would think.

 

[kentucky_wildcat_#1]

I understand and agree with what you guys are saying, but in my opinion the key difference between hearing about Josh Carrier bombing 3s and impossible to guard is the fact with our news we all know they have the talent to realistically expect them to do the same once the season is underway. Many of us read about Josh and hoped for the best, but deep down we all knew that once the season started, Josh would go back to the frightened guy with no confidence to knock down 3s that he was capable of doing every game. When i hear about Humps being better conditioned, that means more to me than hearing about the kid being unguardable in the post. When i hear about Monk being an explosive guard and being a complete player, i have no choice but to believe it cause the kid has always been considered the best shooting guard in his highschool class and a good shooter. We all know Fox is going to be hard to stop off the dribble. Who is going to want to guard a beast like Bam in the paint? I don't fall for the hype these reports bring every summer, but knowing how great our talent level is this coming year, i don't think i'll doubt those reports either. The chances of them being right are greater with a more talented roster. Unlike Josh, once the season starts, i expect Monk to be a great player and odds are that will turn out to be the case.

 

[Xception]

Poythress every year , Julius Mayes , Harrow , Dodson shooting , Mulder was a lot better than originally thought , there's been plenty that got rave reviews in the summer during the Cal era . This is not a Josh Carrier thing , it is a pickup game phenomenon that happens yearly . I think people get excited and look for positives , nothing wrong with that . Least we forget John Hoods glorious summers of dead eye shooting .

 

[bucsrule8872]

Poythress every year , Julius Mayes , Harrow , Dodson shooting , Mulder was a lot better than originally thought , there's been plenty that got rave reviews in the summer during the Cal era . This is not a Josh Carrier thing , it is a pickup game phenomenon that happens yearly . I think people get excited and look for positives , nothing wrong with that . Least we forget John Hoods glorious summers of dead eye shooting .

I understand your trepidation. I too think we should be a bit skeptical.

Anyone expecting Hump to become an All-American (or even All-Conference) player will likely have to deal with some disappointment this season. It is not likely to happen. Expecting him to contribute more as a Soph than as a Frosh is entirely within the realm of possibility. I don't see him starting, but I am hopeful he can give us a solid 10-15 minutes a game at the 5.

Expecting Monk (a top 10 rated five-star in a loaded class) to be a superstar is not far fetched considering Cal's track record with those type of players. I would be shocked if he didn't start and isn't our first or second leading scorer.

But I agree, these practice reports should definitely be taken with a grain of salt. It's okay to get excited, but remember, we are talking about practice, and not even real regular season practice, but summer practice.

 

[Wall2Boogie]

Need for the thread!

 

[KyFaninNC]

Poythress every year , Julius Mayes , Harrow , Dodson shooting , Mulder was a lot better than originally thought , there's been plenty that got rave reviews in the summer during the Cal era . This is not a Josh Carrier thing , it is a pickup game phenomenon that happens yearly . I think people get excited and look for positives , nothing wrong with that . Least we forget John Hoods glorious summers of dead eye shooting .

This. I am in a wait and see mode this year

 

[catrecruit]

Very good read,it seems likely this edition will be a different breed of Cat than any of Cal's other UK teams.They may not have the depth of talent of 2014 or the mindset of 2012 but they may have a good mix of things both those teams had.

How they respond when Cal begins to push them(you know he will),will they be able to take it,will they catch fire and thrive on it or will they just endure it? The answer will dictate how good they can become,so far I like what I hear and read about this bunch they may be mature beyond their years.

I don't see any Harrows with this group

 

[kyjeff1]

Thanks for the info , that being said , I almost wholesale disregard summer reports . They are usually wildly positive and pretty much never translate to the season . You could create a long list of players improving drastically or being unstoppable only to have them struggle during game play . I hope all of it becomes reality but I'm not going to expect player to live up to this hype .

Ah, the legend of Matt Pilgrim.

 

[throatpoker]

Heard pilgrim's a beast

 

[kyjeff1]

Nobody likes the white guys that improve...smdh...see Derek Willis

So what color is Hump, purple?
No need for a head shake, DW is going to get his. Besides, he's not white, he's Indian.

 

[Jakarii]

Yeah you never know with practice reports. In open gym many people can look like stars even D2/D3 guys playing with future NBA guys. I'm with one of the other posters in that I'm more excited about Hump being in better shape.

As far as Bam, yes he's big and athletic but don't expect him to just dominate off the bat especially since he has work to do skill wise. The great thing is he plays hard and has a high motor so he will have a impact regardless.

 

[Bkocats]

Poythress every year , Julius Mayes , Harrow , Dodson shooting , Mulder was a lot better than originally thought , there's been plenty that got rave reviews in the summer during the Cal era . This is not a Josh Carrier thing , it is a pickup game phenomenon that happens yearly . I think people get excited and look for positives , nothing wrong with that . Least we forget John Hoods glorious summers of dead eye shooting .

agree for the most part, which is why I'm "cautiously" excited. It all sounds so good.
I will say, though, that there seems to be a more, I don't know, aggressive? team personality in place.