“This team was special”

[ukcatz12]

The fans were starved for a 3 point shooting team, so they overrated the team when they finally got one imo.

People are way too fixated on 3 point shooting. This team's offense was statistically only 1.75% more efficient than the '22 team where everyone complained about the offense being so outdated. The defense was a lot worse this year. This team was flashy but that's about it. Oscar's first year was a better team.

 

[tarheelguy124]

Yeah that too. But to be fair even if folks overrated this team we still shouldn’t be losing to the teams we have been losing too.

I picked uk to go to the final 4. You had incredible freshmen guards, Sheppard is protected to be the no 1 pick, Dillingham may be better. Unc with rj Davis and Caleb love beat Duke 2 years ago and they had 5 1st round picks. Then last year we fell apart! This year those 2 players were both conference POY. Sports are very hard to figure.

 

[IH8BlueDevilsandUNcheat]

This team would not have won the NIT this year, with Cal on the sideline

 

[blackcat714]

This team sucked over rated just like the SEC was and we all know the coach is over rated

 

[Myth Buster51]

I’m sorry for the negativity but there was nothing “special” about this squad. Other than gift wrapping two wins for Texas A&M to get them a spot in March Madness, this UK team achieved nothing. 10 losses (including at home to Wilmington), first round exit from the SEC tournament and a first round exit from the NCAA tournament at the hands of mighty Oakland University. There is nothing remotely “special” about any of this.

Special? Get a grip. Too many on this site are still buying into Calipari’s schlock.

 

[bigblueinsanity]

It’s not so stupid and arrogant. If you understand recruiting promises, to klutch and other agencies, and to promises to old friends. This program is being rented out like a airbnb for Cal’s goal of getting players drafted.

Yes but who is so stupid and arrogant to make such promises? Only cal. Like I posted years ago, he sold his soul to klutch back in the bj and Clarke days to get back on top of recruiting. His ego wouldn't let him do something else.

Btw for all the people and analysts blaming his losing on youth - back then he had much older teams and lost anyway lol

 

[bigblueinsanity]

I always hear kentucky fans saying this team had so much talent. I’m asking “how do you know?” The results? That certainly didn’t show anyone they had talent.

Their draft status? What? Please help me. What has shown people they have talent?

The problem was who he had playing. With Rob Reeves and reed on the floor, they're production was insanely high. Instead he insisted on playing DJ and Edwards way way way too much.

 

[ACTSEAN]

i’ll tell you what was special was edward’s getting blocked by the rim that was pretty special

if he gets drafted somebody needs to get fired

 

[chroix]

For the 3rd or 4th time this year. That, the missed lob to Z, and Reed throwing a terrible pass out of bounds to Reeves. I believe each happened after a score and a stop.

Seemws like every game we lost this year we made good comebacks but then once we got close we could never string together consecutive positive plays.

Seems like a good kid, I feel badly for him.

Don’t forget Mitchell rebounding the free throw miss and then immediately throwing it out of bounds.

 

[Lempface]

Don’t forget Mitchell rebounding the free throw miss and then immediately throwing it out of bounds.

Everyone seemed confused there, other team didn't even have players on the line. Refs had to look at the play for like 3 minutes in review, for what I'm still trying to figure out. And the foul was before the shot. Whole thing was goofy lol.

 

[chroix]

Everyone seemed confused there, other team didn't even have players on the line. Refs had to look at the play for like 3 minutes in review, for what I'm still trying to figure out. And the foul was before the shot. Whole thing was goofy lol.

Cue the yakketysax.

 

[JFCats22]

This team was 100% not special.

I also don’t understand the lovefest over this group. Makes zero sense to me. They underachieved and were a major disappointment from the very first game, accomplished absolutely nothing, lost awful games, and really won only 2-3 good games all season.

Can someone explain why this team is said by so many to be so loved and great???

Love this team? Hell no, I absolutely hated this team as much as any in UK history.

 

[Lempface]

This team was 100% not special.

I also don’t understand the lovefest over this group. Makes zero sense to me. They underachieved and were a major disappointment from the very first game, accomplished absolutely nothing, lost awful games, and really won only 2-3 good games all season.

Can someone explain why this team is said by so many to be so loved and great???

Love this team? Hell no, I absolutely hated this team as much as any in UK history.

Because offense is fun to watch?

 

[shaudyshaud]

This team was 100% not special.

I also don’t understand the lovefest over this group. Makes zero sense to me. They underachieved and were a major disappointment from the very first game, accomplished absolutely nothing, lost awful games, and really won only 2-3 good games all season.

Can someone explain why this team is said by so many to be so loved and great???

Love this team? Hell no, I absolutely hated this team as much as any in UK history.

I get they were frustrating but not sure how anyone could hate this bunch . Coaching failed this team big time

 

[Spica Orbit]

I'm certainly no basketball expert but here's what I saw from this special team during the year.

1. Occasional offensive outbursts but always accompanied by just terrible defense.
2. Lazy in-game & lazy inbounds passes.
3. A complete inability to guard inbounds plays under the basket on the defensive end. It was comically awful at times.
4. Physically weak players that completely avoided any contact.
5. Zero offensive threat from any of the frontcourt.
6. Troubling deer in the headlights moments as game pressure mounted. The road games at Mississippi State & Tennessee being the most obvious.
7. Putrid defense.....did I mention that before? Not even matador defense, hell, the players would just get out of the way & let the other team score. Georgia damn near came from 30 down while our players were busy giggling on the court.

 

[wardlow]

I agree with what you’re saying but to be fair the coach also mismanaged those two top 10 players .

Cal never adjusted to Reed and Rob being the best freshman on this team . He truly didn’t adjust to Wagner and Edwards not being the alpha production wise .

Unfortunately cal never really adjusted shit all season. Look at the starting 5 for one of the most important games of his career.

Imagine watching your boss do that and still following him out onto the court. I just laughed the whole game, yelling wouldn’t have been the same.

Getting rolled by 40 year old Eddie Munster and having what, 1 win in sec/ncaa tournament since Covid????

 

[know1]

This team COULD HAVE BEEN special. And they were horribly let down by their coach. He should be ashamed. He did a terrible disservice to this team by not giving 100% to coaching them.

 

[know1]

I'm certainly no basketball expert but here's what I saw from this special team during the year.

1. Occasional offensive outbursts but always accompanied by just terrible defense.
2. Lazy in-game & lazy inbounds passes.
3. A complete inability to guard inbounds plays under the basket on the defensive end. It was comically awful at times.
4. Physically weak players that completely avoided any contact.
5. Zero offensive threat from any of the frontcourt.
6. Troubling deer in the headlights moments as game pressure mounted. The road games at Mississippi State & Tennessee being the most obvious.
7. Putrid defense.....did I mention that before? Not even matador defense, hell, the players would just get out of the way & let the other team score. Georgia damn near came from 30 down while our players were busy giggling on the court.

And these are ALL coaching issues.

 

[FitchandMurray29]

I get they were frustrating but not sure how anyone could hate this bunch . Coaching failed this team big time

The coach failed this program. Cal got insanely lucky with Reed and his immediate impact. If not for that, this team would be similar to the 9-16 team. Same formula with banking on top 10 recruits that busted.

 

[plumdog69]

Everyone seemed confused there, other team didn't even have players on the line. Refs had to look at the play for like 3 minutes in review, for what I'm still trying to figure out. And the foul was before the shot. Whole thing was goofy lol.

The foul was definitely before the shot. Throwing the ball out of bounds is an all timer.

 

[Lempface]

The coach failed this program. Cal got insanely lucky with Reed and his immediate impact. If not for that, this team would be similar to the 9-16 team. Same formula with banking on top 10 recruits that busted.

Which begs another question. How are all of the ranking services having consensus top 10 players turn out to be 'busts'?

 

[BlueRunner11]

This team had THREE top 3 pointers in top 10 All Time UK history on its roster. THREE! On the same team. Two of course who didn’t even start.

You have to figure that out to make these guys take the majority of your shots and then make these guys just be at least average defensively.

Look at the action that team was running for Ghoke (whatever his name was). On the other hand, we had DJ and JE both stationary about 10ft from each other passing the ball back and forth like 20x in a row.

 

[ArcticChar]

Im sure they were but that doesn't compute when theyre not being coached. You, as a coach, should be ashamed to let such talent suffer 10 losses, lose the conf, lose in the first game of the sec and the ncaa. Thats pathetic.

 

[Smashcat]

 

[Johnfarrel]

Not entirely no, but he flubbed plays he made 90%+ of the time throughout the year. You expect one of your best players to be able to make those kind of routine passes.

Reed played like his girlfriend was being held hostage. I don't know if he was told not to shoot in the first half but there was some shots he should have taken to loosen up. In the second half the pressure and expectations got to him and he froze up. The freshmen played like freshmen and Reeves and Mitchell could not carry the team. Big stars in high-school who have never had to play defense can't or won't learn how to play it in one season if the coach does not drill it into their heads. The portal has spread too much experienced talent to win a championship with one and does anymore.

 

[Spica Orbit]

And these are ALL coaching issues.

---
Well, that's certainly true, but you can't separate the coaches from the players. The players bear responsibility, too. That's like saying, we won all the battles, but lost the war because of politicians. No, you lost the war...period.

 

[Skyguyb27]

I never said “he”. I was referring to this group of kids. Go read it again

You are right, I misread it. Sorry.

 

[susan2361]

I agree with what you’re saying but to be fair the coach also mismanaged those two top 10 players .

Cal never adjusted to Reed and Rob being the best freshman on this team . He truly didn’t adjust to Wagner and Edwards not being the alpha production wise .

I agree. Cal's ego is so big and he hates to be wrong. With Rob and Reed so much better overall than Wagner and Edwards, he had to play them, but he wanted to showcase Wagner and Edwards for the scouts. I think he has been pissed most of the season, because this shows that he was wrong. And he can't stand that.

 

[jwphelps]

seen this several places tonight and just want to point out this team accomplished exactly nothing.

This was a terrible season. 10 losses, didn’t win the SEC regular season or even a game in the SECT. Several humiliating home losses and then knocked out in the first round of the NCAAT.

Only thing special about this team was the level to which they underachieved.

I liked this team, but unfortunately we had the same old ego driven non coaching Cal on the bench that is the common denominator for the last 6 years. He is already talking about the players he has coming in next year, but we still have the same old coach who can't coach.

 

[HenryMuto]

I for one am going to miss Reeves, Reed and Dilly. I know Reed and Dilly had their flaws but they were special. When was the last time we had a guy shoot 52% from 3 for an entire season ?

Going to miss those 3 guys next year. This team had some fantastic wins 4 top 10 NET wins with 2 on the road and 1 in a neutral. Just too many lapses on the defensive end and fitting with a 1 point game it was a defensive mistake that cost us any chance to win at the end.

There was no reason for Dilly to come off the guy in the corner and allow that 3 pointer when they drove the ball we have bigs in the middle for a reason. Just depressing beyond all belief.

 

[runt#69]

The optimist in me is simple ; Kentucky gets a new coach and kills it. I can think of several out there that are easy replacements for Cal.

Who would'a thought the new super villain in the LOD - Basketball Bennie - would be the one who brought him down ?

turn the page

 

[Diggers_Matching_Highlighter]

Yup I never agreed with that logic . Hell it’s not like we were undefeated or close to it with that strategy.

I still want someone to name a time where two of the top 3 players came off the bench for a team? I believe this is the first time it’s happened . I’d like a legit answer from Cal on why he thought it made sense

Did you know Anthony Davis took the fifth most shots of the 2012 team?

I always thought that was an odd thing to be proud of.