ADVERTISEMENT

Tai Wynyard says :

Eloy got to the point where he could play 5-10 minutes and not actively hurt us. If Ty comes in ready to do that alone, he will be a valuable asset for this team.
 
  • Like
Reactions: jrpross
Eloy got to the point where he could play 5-10 minutes and not actively hurt us. If Ty comes in ready to do that alone, he will be a valuable asset for this team.
Precisely. With Skal, Poy, and Lee splitting minutes at 4 and 5, all he would have to do is not set us back when he comes in and I would be more than happy with it.
 
Plus, if he is a project, that would give him a big jump start on his sophomore season
 
Help me here, Wynyard is not projected as a one and done player is he? What is the advantage of him joining the team after the first of the year. Why not join the team this summer? I am confused here.
 
Help me here, Wynyard is not projected as a one and done player is he? What is the advantage of him joining the team after the first of the year. Why not join the team this summer? I am confused here.

Not eligible to play the fall semester, believe he has more course work to do
 
  • Like
Reactions: st-louie-blue
I've seen quite a few arm-chair coaches sorta write this kid off after the hoops summit. They literally watched one game on TV, and you would almost think they've been following the kid all of his life. That's how much these people know about Tai. Hilarious stuff.
 
I'm signing off on this. 5 more fouls and a big dude/enforcer when we need one. As long as no one lumps dumb expectations on him, he's a better option than anyone out there now!
 
no need for him to enroll early. He's international and will more than likely be sitting all semester whilst the NCAA picks their collective nose.
 
New Zealand is in the SOUTHERN hemisphere.

The seasons (as in spring, summer, fall, winter) are reversed.

He just started his Senior year (fall semester).

He will graduate in the Spring (early December).

So him arriving on campus for January classes is equivalent to most kids starting classes in June.

It's hard for us to understand, but that is how it works. I think that is why people are so confused by all this. I think some people think he is graduating early, but he is not. He's a HS senior in his Fall semester.

I had a buddy who coached a HS All-Star team and they travelled to Austrialia one summer and everyone packed summer clothes and said they got there and had to buy pants and coats because they didn't realize it was 40 degrees in June down there.

And our HS basketball team usually hosts an Austrialian National Team in December and they are all HS kids just on summer break.
 

The problem with that vid is his competition is Tahiti and Papau New Guinea, and the first thing that jumps out to me is how absurdly soft those defenses he's playing against look.

He's such an odd prospect in terms of background that I'm not sure what to make of him, but I assume there must be something there for Cal to give him a UK scholly. Cal does not part with those things lightly. One thing I have heard is the kid is apparently quite unusually strong for his weight, which means he might be able to develop into a formidable banger/post defender/rebounder underneath after he packs on a few more pounds.
 
UK, Texas, and Villanova offered him for a reason. Not sure why anybody is even slightly concerned.
 
The problem with that vid is his competition is Tahiti and Papau New Guinea, and the first thing that jumps out to me is how absurdly soft those defenses he's playing against look.

He's such an odd prospect in terms of background that I'm not sure what to make of him, but I assume there must be something there for Cal to give him a UK scholly. Cal does not part with those things lightly. One thing I have heard is the kid is apparently quite unusually strong for his weight, which means he might be able to develop into a formidable banger/post defender/rebounder underneath after he packs on a few more pounds.

It's a valid concern about the competition. I remember watching the highlight vids of that KU kid they call Svi. First, he just turned 17 when got to KU, and the defenses he was facing in that league he was in was nowhere near D-1 level. I knew he was not going to go there and light it up as many KU fans thought he would. He may eventually, as Self's players take longer to develop.
 
It's not like he needs to come in and average 20 and 10.

He's not even going to play double digit minutes most games and may not play at all.

How can anyone not be super psyched to have this kid coming in second semester.

I just don't see a downside to this.
 
big white kid with good skills for holding position near the basket, absorbing contact, very strong, daddy is world's most famous competitive lumberjack, be here at Christmas, fans complaining . . . what am I missing?
 
big white kid with good skills for holding position near the basket, absorbing contact, very strong, daddy is world's most famous competitive lumberjack, be here at Christmas, fans complaining . . . what am I missing?

1. Not sure why you mention his race in a context suggesting you think it's an attribute.

2. Wynyard is NOT a "white kid", instead he's of Maori descent, the Maoris being NZ's indigenous people who were already there before the white people showed up.
 
Last edited:
1. Not sure why you mention his race in a context suggesting you think it's an attribute.

2. Wynyard is NOT a "white kid", instead he's of Maori descent, the Maoris being NZ's indigenous people who were already there before the white people showed up.

just seeing who I can bait into going into some politico-sensitive lib-tard rant in order to supply this thread with just one more worthless post about a quality player who wants to come here and do a good job. thanks for playing. white kid, black, green, pink, orange, polka-dotted or born with paisley patterns on their eye lids. I don't really give a shit so long as they come here and work and be happy for the opportunity to do so. THAT, is what I call an attribute. Any more questions?
 
If we ever learn to look at our fellow man , As God looks at us, Then we would see no difference in our appearance .
Jesus gave us 2 commandments : To Love one another as I have loved you. And to love your neighbor as your self .
 
Kentucky Men's Basketball Recruiting News
May 22 at 10:22am ·

Tai Wynyard says Kentucky having only 3 true big men makes it more appealing for him to enroll in December
It shouldn't be appealing to him, because all of Kentucky's players who participate in offseason conditioning and preseason practice will have a huge head start over a second semester enrollee. Calipari says he runs a players 1st program. If he intends to continue recruiting international players like Kanter and Wynyard, he needs them to be successful in Lexington. Kanter is successful in the NBA, but the chapter in Lexington did not look good to other international players. If Calipari intends for Wynyard to be successful, he will get the kid into school in August, 2016, and give him the benefit of a fair competition in preseason practice. I realize my opinion is currently in the minority here, but you just don't recruit a player with Wynyard's potential and then waste a year of his eligibility just to fill out a thin roster. Not in a true players 1st program.
 
just seeing who I can bait into going into some politico-sensitive lib-tard rant in order to supply this thread with just one more worthless post about a quality player who wants to come here and do a good job. thanks for playing. white kid, black, green, pink, orange, polka-dotted or born with paisley patterns on their eye lids. I don't really give a shit so long as they come here and work and be happy for the opportunity to do so. THAT, is what I call an attribute. Any more questions?
Okay. Here is another question. Why must you bring your political baggage to a basketball board?
 
It shouldn't be appealing to him, because all of Kentucky's players who participate in offseason conditioning and preseason practice will have a huge head start over a second semester enrollee. Calipari says he runs a players 1st program. If he intends to continue recruiting international players like Kanter and Wynyard, he needs them to be successful in Lexington. Kanter is successful in the NBA, but the chapter in Lexington did not look good to other international players. If Calipari intends for Wynyard to be successful, he will get the kid into school in August, 2016, and give him the benefit of a fair competition in preseason practice. I realize my opinion is currently in the minority here, but you just don't recruit a player with Wynyard's potential and then waste a year of his eligibility just to fill out a thin roster. Not in a true players 1st program.

Are you trying to insinuate he doesn't run one? Your post is kinda eye rolling with "Calipari says she runs a players 1st program" and "Not in a true players 1st program" but everyone knows that Wynyard is not a one and done, but a multi-year guy so bringing him in in December is not a big deal. Plus, he will get a few minutes per game like Lee did his first two years if nothing else, and get a lot more minutes in year 2. And it is not Cal's fault that the idiot NCAA screwed UK and Kanter. That is not Cal's fault in any way and I doubt any international player looks at that as Cal's fault, as yout post insinuates to an extent.
 
Woo, pissing contest. How intriguing. I say let him get here earlier. Jarnell Stokes got his full 4 years, plus it would benefit Wynyard as far as the NBA goes if he gets on campus at a younger age and starts going against elite talent daily.
 
Are you trying to insinuate he doesn't run one? Your post is kinda eye rolling with "Calipari says she runs a players 1st program" and "Not in a true players 1st program" but everyone knows that Wynyard is not a one and done, but a multi-year guy so bringing him in in December is not a big deal. Plus, he will get a few minutes per game like Lee did his first two years if nothing else, and get a lot more minutes in year 2. And it is not Cal's fault that the idiot NCAA screwed UK and Kanter. That is not Cal's fault in any way and I doubt any international player looks at that as Cal's fault, as yout post insinuates to an extent.
LOL! Of course not. I am not insinuating anything. Calipari hasn't done anything inconsistent with that. I am saying straight up that putting Wynyard on the team in January just to fill out a thin roster would be inconsistent with players first, and I don't think he will do it.
 
Woo, pissing contest. How intriguing. I say let him get here earlier. Jarnell Stokes got his full 4 years, plus it would benefit Wynyard as far as the NBA goes if he gets on campus at a younger age and starts going against elite talent daily.
That is not factual. There is no evidence or reason to believe that putting Wynyard on the team next January would benefit his NBA career.
 
Yeah, i
That is not factual. There is no evidence or reason to believe that putting Wynyard on the team next January would benefit his NBA career.

Well, what would benefit his career is spending next winter competing against elite competition instead of sitting on his ass doing nothing.

Which is what I'm not sure some people are getting. This is NOT a situation where he's trying to graduate early to come here. Instead, he graduates in December no matter what, as that's when the NZ school year ends. If he doesn't come here in December, he'll essentially just be sitting around waiting for several months.

Given that situation I don't see any reason for him not to come. Practicing against elite competition and attending college from December to May is certainly a better way to spend that time than simply waiting for the US school year to end. Even if he's not ready to play you can can just call it a redshirt year and nothing is lost.
 
There just seems to be something about Wynyard that makes it OK for some people to say "no" to bringing him in mid term - something about him that makes it OK for some people to look at him in the Nike game and say "hmm, not sure about him." Screw those people. All indications are he wants to be here and he wants to get to work upon arrival and looks to me like his main emphasis isn't about him (refreshing). Ramon Harris was welcomed with open arms mid term as a surprise freshman from Alaska during the Tubster years. How 'bout I explain that comparison's elephant in the room for "you people." lol
 
Last edited:
Let me try to wrap my old mind around what I believe this young man maybe thinking. I think he is really hyped about coming to UK to play I also see that he believes that he can help the team by coming right after he graduates in December. I believe he wants to come and play basketball..IMO
 
The quality of basketball down under is continuously improving. Look at Bogut, Patty Mills and Dellavadova. Now remember these are small countries with a combined population approximating Texas.Simmons also came from Australia and Maker played there as well.

A positive is the fact that his parents are champion athletes in a VERY demanding sport (lumberjacking). Winyard knows from watching his parents what it takes to win. I doubt there will be a lot of whining about wind sprints.

Now remember he just turned 17 in February. He will probably get a little taller and even stronger in the UK S&C program.Watch him shoot . He has a much better touch than WCS or Lee RIGHT NOW. Lastly, go back and look at the one field goal he made in the World game. It was on a right shoulder spin move. The move was almost an explosion it was so fast and powerful. I suspect Cal saw that in the tapes and workouts. If he can spin like that at 17 with his size , strength and athletic heritage, he will eventually be a force greater than Harrelson.
 
The quality of basketball down under is continuously improving. Look at Bogut, Patty Mills and Dellavadova. Now remember these are small countries with a combined population approximating Texas.Simmons also came from Australia and Maker played there as well.

Jeez, here we go again. I'm amazed how many Wynyard posts seem to think Australia and New Zealand are essentially the same thing, as opposed to being entirely different countries with different cultures separated by well over a thousand miles of ocean.

The success of aussies like Dellavedova, Mills and Bogut is not really relevant to Wynyard, as there's a vast difference in the two countries' basketball cultures. In Australia the sport has actually been quite popular since the late 80s and they've been churning out a steady supply of high level talent for decades now, whereas in NZ the sport never quite caught on popularity-wise the same way it did in oz and is regarded as more of a newer thing. There have been a few high level Kiwi ballers (Kirk Penney and Steven Adams being the two names that come to mind), but nowhere remotely comparable to the hoops scene in Australia.
 
Last edited:
Jeez, here we go again. I'm amazed how many Wynyard posts seem to think Australia and New Zealand are essentially the same thing, as opposed to being entirely different countries with different cultures separated by well over a thousand miles of ocean.

I think you have some serious reading comprehension in addition to overall control freak disorders. The post to which you replied very clearly (2nd sentence) made reference to multiple countries in the discussion: i.e. "these are small countries . . . " The poster was probably, and reasonably creating a discussion for more intelligent reading - for persons to conclude something along these lines: As basketball in Australia has begun to produce top talent, then maybe basketball in neighboring New Zealand may as well. But you just couldn't resist the opportunity for the conclusion that would offer you a superior appearance. How's that working out for you?

But at least we appear to agree on young Mr. Wynyard's right to enroll mid semester
 
Last edited:
ADVERTISEMENT