ADVERTISEMENT

“There’s no reason for me to get big-headed.” Deaaron Fox

I'd be scared to death to follow Ulis. This year set the bar almost too high to reach. Murray also set the bar way up there.
 
I'd be scared to death to follow Ulis. This year set the bar almost too high to reach. Murray also set the bar way up there.
Can you imagine The kind of player Ulis would be if he was 6'4". Answer. Fox.

Bigger, stronger, faster.

Nothing against Ulis (cause he is one of my all time favorites) or Murray but the Fox Monk guard combination will be just as good or better.
 
Life will continue to get better and better. I predict 40- 0 seasons for at least 10 years. seriously, It is gonna get even better
 
  • Like
Reactions: JasonS.
O
Can you imagine The kind of player Ulis would be if he was 6'4". Answer. Fox.

Bigger, stronger, faster.

Nothing against Ulis (cause he is one of my all time favorites) or Murray but the Fox Monk guard combination will be just as good or better.

Damn, you're calling fox A Ulis at 6'4?

If you say so, but I'm expecting it now.
 
Ridiculous to say the guards next year will be better. Reality has always been Freshman adjustments especially at point guard. But, both are talented enough that with the new combined big front court and returning players that Kentucky and Duke will appear to be head and shoulders above the rest.
 
I'd be scared to death to follow Ulis. This year set the bar almost too high to reach. Murray also set the bar way up there.





I'm sure the first time he scores 25 and 5 assists someone will say he's the best i've ever seen at UK.[winking]
 
question is do either have the court awareness and basketball IQ of Ulis; that makes him more dangerous than anything

You beat me to it. Ulis, as Cal has said, is like having a coach on the floor. He understands the game so well and seems to be able to adapt to situations on the run. His leadership ability is on a whole otherevel than most college PG's. Fox and Monk may be bigger and more athletic but will they have the other stuff Tyler brings to the team? Especially when they first start the season and look at playing on a whole new level. I'm hoping they will achieve all that knowing it might take some time. But, I'm definitely excited about seeing them in Blue next year.
 
You beat me to it. Ulis, as Cal has said, is like having a coach on the floor. He understands the game so well and seems to be able to adapt to situations on the run. His leadership ability is on a whole otherevel than most college PG's. Fox and Monk may be bigger and more athletic but will they have the other stuff Tyler brings to the team? Especially when they first start the season and look at playing on a whole new level. I'm hoping they will achieve all that knowing it might take some time. But, I'm definitely excited about seeing them in Blue next year.
oh, same here - hope I didn't come across as not being excited
 
We're UK. Cal has at least 4 more years at worst. We'll get high end point guards. Ulis just added more strength for future recruiting.

I love it.
 
  • Like
Reactions: bluescat92
The main key for freshman guards is TURNOVERS followed by shooting then defense.

Even the best freshman guards don't excell at all 3.
Turnovers cause so many problems and usually lead to the other two mentioned above.
If your freshman guard doesn't commit turnovers then ya gotta worry about their shooting. It takes 90% of freshman a couple months to adjust college shooting distances.
If your freshman guard can take care of the ball, shoot well, and plays good defense then you got yourself what I call a Tyler Ulis. A very rare, top 1%, type that can do all 3 things from the very first game of their career.
 
Which doesn't mean squat. If Fox and Monk are as good of bb players as Ulis and Murray to go along with the athletic ability then we'll have something freakish. Ulis and Murray ARE special. Fox and Monk COULD be.
I agree they are very special and I am not trying to make anything more out of this then the fact that all of next years recruits are freakishly athletic including Wynyard.

Ulis and Murray have spoiled us all for a long time to come. Player of the year tells it all for Ulis. But overall next years team will be more talented then this year even if this teams wins it all
 
  • Like
Reactions: Bkocats
I'll take the Ulis/Murray combo over any other until I see a better combo at UK. With that said, I'm looking forward to watching the Fox/Monk combo.
Absolutely, They have proven themselves so the new kids have to do the same.
 
question is do either have the court awareness and basketball IQ of Ulis; that makes him more dangerous than anything
I agree that it will be hard to have what Ulis has given this team. We're all amazed at what we have seen with the play of Ulis and I am in no way downgrading Ulis or Murray as they have carried this team.

Fox and Monk are a different type of players and with their size, talent and explosiveness they will be just as good or better.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Uk1111 and Bkocats
Fox has already stated he's recording every UK game this year and studying Ulis. Smart kid. Every young PG should. I think he'll be about as apt replacement for Tyler as we could hope for - and Trae Young as apt a replacement the year after.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Jazzycat
I haven't seen Fox or Monk play yet but it appears most in this thread have because for anyone to say that they could be better than Ulis and Murray is incredible to me. The intangibles that Tyler has are very seldom seen. I expect Fox to have some growing pains at first but at his size he has a nice advantage.
I just struggle to believe a HS kid could be better than Tyler.
 
  • Like
Reactions: KYtotheCore
Can you imagine The kind of player Ulis would be if he was 6'4". Answer. Fox.

Bigger, stronger, faster.

Nothing against Ulis (cause he is one of my all time favorites) or Murray but the Fox Monk guard combination will be just as good or better.

He may be bigger, stronger, faster but Ulis changes pace and keeps defenders off balance while completely orchestrating a game like I've personally never seen in my life time. His basketball IQ is off the charts.

I see Fox as more Wall'ish where he'll control a game with his athleticism, getting to the rim and pushing the ball up the floor.

Murray comes off screens and hits extremely difficult shots better than anyone we've had since Meeks. I'll hold up on putting that pressure on either of the newcomers.
 
There are point guards and shooting guards on the cellar dweller SEC teams that are bigger, stronger, and WAYYY more athletic than Tyler and Jamal. Yes, Fox and Monk are highly rated and will probably be special, but to say they may/will be as good or even better than the best tandem we've seen maybe throughout all of UK history is just hyperbole and wishful thinking.
If you can't see what makes our current duo so special (leadership, exceededly high basketball IQ, court vision, ability to score in the clutch,etc,), you are either very young, unappreciative, naive, an eternal optimist, or the biggest super fan I've ever seen....
 
  • Like
Reactions: spotter34
I haven't seen Fox or Monk play yet but it appears most in this thread have because for anyone to say that they could be better than Ulis and Murray is incredible to me. The intangibles that Tyler has are very seldom seen. I expect Fox to have some growing pains at first but at his size he has a nice advantage.
I just struggle to believe a HS kid could be better than Tyler.
I just went and watched a few highlight videos of Fox. Oh dear lord what an athlete that kid is. He can really shoot but my goodness he can also dunk.
Yeah I now understand where you guys were coming from. That kid is skilled. If he has half of Tyler's ball control and court vision he's going to dominate his position. Impressive.
 
  • Like
Reactions: bluescat92
I agree that it will be hard to have what Ulis has given this team. We're all amazed at what we have seen with the play of Ulis and I am in no way downgrading Ulis or Murray as they have carried this team.

Fox and Monk are a different type of players and with their size, talent and explosiveness they will be just as good or better.

Assists to turnover ratio for Cal's point guards recruited out of high school:

Wall (Fr.) 1.62
Knight (Fr.) 1.27
Teague (Fr.) 1.75
A. Harrison (Fr.) 1.46 (So.) 2.17
Ulis (Fr.) 3.55 (So.) 3.81
Briscoe (Fr.) 1.72
Murray (Fr.) 0.90

No matter how big an athletic the freshman guards are next season, we will have to get used to them turning the ball over a lot more than Tyler.
 
They won't "look" as good because they won't have to do as much. They're also much different in the style they play.

And let's face it: fans love what Ulis is doing at his size. The same production from a 6'2 kid wouldn't be as fun to us. He'd be the same player (in fact, he'd be better) but I think the perception would be different.

The reality is that it's impossible to determine who's "better" because there are so many other variables. Thank God they've all played for us.
 
There are point guards and shooting guards on the cellar dweller SEC teams that are bigger, stronger, and WAYYY more athletic than Tyler and Jamal. Yes, Fox and Monk are highly rated and will probably be special, but to say they may/will be as good or even better than the best tandem we've seen maybe throughout all of UK history is just hyperbole and wishful thinking.
If you can't see what makes our current duo so special (leadership, exceededly high basketball IQ, court vision, ability to score in the clutch,etc,), you are either very young, unappreciative, naive, an eternal optimist, or the biggest super fan I've ever seen....
I'm on the band wagon as far as all the tangibles that Ulis and Murray bring to this team. I love those guys.

But it is not wishful thinking. Fox and Monk will have a faster, more athletic and skilled group of team mates than the current team. Gabriel will be a 6'10 220 lb three who can create off the dribble. Bam will play with more energy and strength then anyone on this years team and produce more. SKJ has as good an outside shot as Willis. And let's not forget about Wynyard.

Fox will not have to do as much as Ulis as next years team will control the boards and put more misses back in then what has occurred this season. Next years team will play an entirely different game because of their size, strength and speed.

FYI I am 62 and have supported and followed the Cats since 1961. Had my heart broken many times over the years but since the arrival of Cal I have become an eternal optimist considering all the quality kids he has brought in and all they have accomplished. Next year will be one of the most talented teams overall he has had here at UK.

Mark it down. Lol.
 
It doesn't get much better than Ulis/Murray at the college level. Really, we'll be lucky if fox/monk are on the same level, athleticism isn't everything. I do think they'll be very good though and next year we have a good chance at being a better overall team. Back when Fox/monk first committed I did think they'd be an upgrade, of course that was before we knew exactly how good Ulis and murray are, especially murray.
 
Eagerly awaiting to see Fox/Monk put on the jerseys and become our next top backcourt.

How about starting their careers after Ulis/Murray lead us to 2 wins in Houston?
 
  • Like
Reactions: bluescat92
Too many are too eager to put new recruits on pedestal and give them expectation that are too great even before they step on the floor (see Skal). While it is fun to talk about talent and expectation, its not fair to put them on a level of near perfection before they lace up for BBN. Its not fair to bestow them with greatness before they earn it.
 
  • Like
Reactions: rudd1
ADVERTISEMENT