All-Time Most Improved UK Players

[TY U 2 WCS 4 9]

With the improvement that WCS has enjoyed, it got me to thinking...What would a starting lineup of our most improved (not counting processionally) players from the last 20-30 years look like?
PG Bledsoe or Epps?
2G Sheppard or Meeks?
SF Eric Daniels or Azubuike or Liggins?
PF WCS or Padget?
C Nazr (no question)

 

[TeoJ]

Any list of most improved has to have Josh Harrellson at or near the top.

 

[TY U 2 WCS 4 9]

Thought about Josh but I don't think anyone can sermount Nazr at Center. He went from blob to early entry.

 

[TeoJ]

Josh was probably more improved than Naz just not as good,does that make sense?

 

[JasonS.]

I'd put Cameron Mills on there. The idea of ever even seeing the court was laughable till his junior year.

Also the Pelphrey/Feldhaus/Woods three-headed monster.

 

[mdlUK.1]

Nazr and Jorts

 

[TY U 2 WCS 4 9]

I see your point, and its not a bad one. Just remember going to watch the 96 team scrimmage in Memorial...shirts and skins...needless to say Nazr was FAT. Couldn't even make it up and down the court.

Thought about Mills too, but figured I'd leave him off because he could always stroke it, but your right, I never thought he'd get any PT to show it off.

This post was edited on 1/16 3:28 PM by TY U 2 WCS 4 9

 

[WildMoon]

I would give Teague more credit. He was ballin' at the end of the year, and the way he played in final four was EXCELLENT.

Liggins was super as a junior.

Miller also was excellent his senior year. He was complete crap first two years. That was huge improvement.

I would also include Josh Harrellson as well. He became rebounding beast.

I don't have good enough memory to remember how much some of the older players improvement.

 

[TruBluCatFan]

How can Bledsoe really be considered? High ranked recruit, had an outstanding season and 1st round pick after freshman year?
Posted from Rivals Mobile

 

[TY U 2 WCS 4 9]

Teague is a good one...hadn't thought of him. He was a totally different not player by the other and of the year. I'd replace Bledsoe with him. Had included Eric originally because of his jump from off the board to extremely draftable by the end of the year. He wasn't rated nearly as high as the typical OAD.

 

[W2R]

Harrelson and Liggins

 

[KopiKat]

This is always a great topic to discuss. Players who improve greatly are remembered as great players. That's how it works with this program at least.

Nazr Mohammed. That name was literally within inches of possibly the greatest legacy in modern UK history and it can still be found on an active NBA roster after 17 seasons. I mean damn. When he arrived on the UK campus he was fat, weak as a kitten and truthfully had less basketball skills that what Harrelson showed up with as a JUCO transfer. So close Nazr was to winning two NCAA titles in a row. His may be the best pair of close-to-the-basket hands ever to wear a UK uniform. He unquestionably set the UK self-improvement bar higher than all others. And he went out a winner.

 

[Blueisbest]

I would have to say Nazr Mohammed, Scott Padgett, and Josh Harrelson were 3 guys that made huge improvements during their UK careers.

 

[83Cat]

Jarrod Polson

 

[Graves51]

Has to be Nazr Mohammed! Further behind him would be Pelphrey, Feldhaus, Farmer, Woods, Mills.

 

[jrpross]

Before opening the thread I immediately thought Scott Padgett. He got zero time as a freshman. I thought he'd be a last 2 minutes of a blowout kind of guy till he graduated. His 3 against Duke in his junior year was probably the biggest shot of the tourney that year.

 

[LowCountryCat]

Aaron's leap from disappointment to near-legend last season was very dramatic.

 

[Dallas-Wild]

Originally posted by Blueisbest:

I would have to say Nazr Mohammed, Scott Padgett, and Josh Harrelson were 3 guys that made huge improvements during their UK careers.

Agree

 

[jameslee32]

1. Roger Harden
2. Harrellson
3. Rob Lock