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A year ago, you hire a psychic...

Edwards not getting drafted would have shocked me more. I watched a summer game last year featuring Reed, Rob, Mbacko and Bronny, among others. Reed was clearly the best player on the floor. I assumed he would be “held back” by his coach and I was half right.
 
...and he tells you Reed will go #3 and Edwards will go undrafted. How do you respond?
"Give me my damn money back, you pretender!"

Coming out of high school, anyone, who says they thought Reed would be a first rounder after his freshman season is a liar.
 
Things I would’ve believed

1) This would be Cal’s last year (my prediction anyway)

Things I wouldn’t have believed

Reed goes top three
Pope is named head coach

Same. In a round about way I predicted this would be Cals last season at UK several years ago...then I waivered but then came back to it.

I thought he'd quit for the stipulation in contract and just flat retire.

Reed...always thought he was grossly underrated. When he torched Rob in summer of '22 it reconfirmed it. Never thought Top 3 though.

As for Pope, wouldn't have called it out of the question eventually, but was surprised it happened this year.
 
You know.........coming into the season if people said that most would think crazy. But it's shocking just how quickly that changed.

I think most knew from game 1 that Reed was really good and that Edwards would struggle.

It didn't take very long after they got on campus to see that.
 
If Edwards had played off the bench then his potential could have been touted more and he “might” have had a better chance at getting drafted.
 
All of this to say maybe Edwards won't be a complete bust. Maybe he just need more time in college to fully develop into the player he's capable of being.

Who knows.
 
Reed is the biggest surprise in terms of my own preconceived expectation vs actual impact I can remember at UK (40 years old, probably only REALLY thought about that stuff starting in middle school)

SGA is second.

Harrellson senior year, Erik Daniels also come to mind. Nazr from “earlier”
 
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In essence, KY had the best college player in Reed.... but I would argue that is overshadowed by the coaching and team at UCONN.

Several got drafted from UCONN, its kinda interesting. At one point, did anyone remember summer play and rob dillingham having big numbers in games? Wish these 2 guys could be on a great UK team, coached by greatness. Last year we flopped in the tourney.

Im surprised reed was drafted so high, and rob is just as capable as reed I think. edwards going undrafted, well he had questionable performance. I thought he could be like Poythress around the rim, maybe not so.
 
All of this to say maybe Edwards won't be a complete bust. Maybe he just need more time in college to fully develop into the player he's capable of being.

Who knows.
I honestly believe he’d be better if given the opportunity to come back
I don’t think it’s lack of talent so much as the maturity needed; and he needed to be properly coached
He had neither
 
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In essence, KY had the best college player in Reed.... but I would argue that is overshadowed by the coaching and team at UCONN.

Several got drafted from UCONN, its kinda interesting. At one point, did anyone remember summer play and rob dillingham having big numbers in games? Wish these 2 guys could be on a great UK team, coached by greatness. Last year we flopped in the tourney.

Im surprised reed was drafted so high, and rob is just as capable as reed I think. edwards going undrafted, well he had questionable performance. I thought he could be like Poythress around the rim, maybe not so.

Highest draft pick doesn't necessarily translate to best college player.

Potentially, perhaps even most likely the best college player in a given season may not be drafted at all but any event I think it is a tall hill to climb to paint Reed as having a better or more impactful year than Edey.
 
Nah…

It’s funny.

Last summer I think we all had an inkling that Reed could be special from the Canada trip, but I never dreamed he would be as good as he was to be honest.

I thought Justin looked so skilled but did seem a bit timid and sort of soft. I dialed back my expectations on him after that trip.

Never would have dreamed Reed would be top 3 and Justin undrafted. That’s mind blowing.

This year was a COLOSSAL fail of epic proportions… I could predict that bc Cal has been on cruise control for a while.

I’m just glad that era is over and wish everyone who left for the league the best.

Ready for a new era.

An era focused on UK again!
 
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