Ament will make no noise next year in the sec. He’s a boy in a man’s league. Will be a better pro where they don’t play defense.
Ament to Vols
- Thread starter TNCatfanforever
- Start date
Ament was very passive in the 3 games I watched him play. Not sure he is an Alpha. Will be interesting to watch when Barnes gets in his grill and gives him some bench time.
Well he looked terrible in the Nike game. Kids got between now and November to put on 10-15 pounds of muscle. Going against physical players 2-3 times a week will be hard on that body. He’s used to playing mid range to wing and not many physical players on AAU.
Will be fun to watch our guys push him around.
Oh he definitely needs a lot of strength training to be his best. My fear with him was the physicality would be too much for his one year and at his asking price we could get a much better college player for sure.
Yeah he might wilt if he gets the Lanier treatment lol.
I'll just bury this thought in this thread, it's as appropriate as any other to put it in ...
As more and more players this year find where they are going to land, where they ultimately end up, and shape up to be, etc.. it occurs to me that the "fit" and "chemistry" of putting together a team isn't so much on what you get, it can also mean what you DON'T GET during all of this process, where potential chemistry or "feel" breaking players could potentially come into the mix and not vibe right with what is needed, harming or destroying what a really unified teeam can become.
And maybe that means more at Kentucky than anywhere else, considering all the variables. Conversely, one could make the case and say that makes the job easier at places like UK or dUKe, where the success and experience necessary to sustain such programs happens.
Seeing a former recruit potentially land at UT, in this case, as a fan, it's great to see he's NOT a dUKie or goes to Cal at Arkansas, and may very well end up going to the Vols, that's great to see.
But I wonder sometimes at how the slightest changes in a team and roster construction can happen, how it can have a negative impact, at actually getting some of these "stud" players that are must have. I'm not saying we dodged a bullet with Ament, no. Absolutely not. It's just another thing to think about in the long run. A guy wants to come in to Kentucky and average 30 a game, play 40 minutes, and be "the man every single game ?" Hard pass.
That doesn't work at Kentucky.
Team works here as much as it does anywhere else. And sometime, sooner or later, the wild wild west of unregulated NIL college athletics will find it's business level, and the players learn they gotta back up what they want to get paid and perform to the standard.
That's when this era will really take true form, I think.
I'm glad Coach Pope understands the fit and chemistry of the players and gets the best possible feel for it. We're best served by him in that regard.
Go Big Blue !
As more and more players this year find where they are going to land, where they ultimately end up, and shape up to be, etc.. it occurs to me that the "fit" and "chemistry" of putting together a team isn't so much on what you get, it can also mean what you DON'T GET during all of this process, where potential chemistry or "feel" breaking players could potentially come into the mix and not vibe right with what is needed, harming or destroying what a really unified teeam can become.
And maybe that means more at Kentucky than anywhere else, considering all the variables. Conversely, one could make the case and say that makes the job easier at places like UK or dUKe, where the success and experience necessary to sustain such programs happens.
Seeing a former recruit potentially land at UT, in this case, as a fan, it's great to see he's NOT a dUKie or goes to Cal at Arkansas, and may very well end up going to the Vols, that's great to see.
But I wonder sometimes at how the slightest changes in a team and roster construction can happen, how it can have a negative impact, at actually getting some of these "stud" players that are must have. I'm not saying we dodged a bullet with Ament, no. Absolutely not. It's just another thing to think about in the long run. A guy wants to come in to Kentucky and average 30 a game, play 40 minutes, and be "the man every single game ?" Hard pass.
That doesn't work at Kentucky.
Team works here as much as it does anywhere else. And sometime, sooner or later, the wild wild west of unregulated NIL college athletics will find it's business level, and the players learn they gotta back up what they want to get paid and perform to the standard.
That's when this era will really take true form, I think.
I'm glad Coach Pope understands the fit and chemistry of the players and gets the best possible feel for it. We're best served by him in that regard.
Go Big Blue !
Agreed. A lot of these guys are chasing the money and not the system that fits. Most of the top cash transfers had terrible seasons last year because they didn't go where they'd fit. Pope understands who we need so I haven't been hanging onto any of these transfers decisions.
Why? He ties up talent but doesn’t make the big splash. In all seriousness he runs a good program long as you don’t want championships. Perfect for UT.
Guys you know if we were getting Ament, he would be the second coming of MJ. Now that he may be going to another team, he is not worth a shit. I don't understand how or why we think like this. Every kid is not for UK and UK is not the right place for every great kid. I am sure that Ament would be good in Lexington and I am sure he will be just as good some where else. If he is bad where ever he goes, he would have just as bad in he came to UK. I kept reading we were in his final teams. What happened that we did not win the recruiting battle? Don't use $$$$ as the reason because we have as much $$$$ as anyone in basketball.
I don’t think he’s the second coming of anything even if he came here. I much preferred Tounde Yessoufou or Caleb Wilson to him. He could end up being a great player and we definitely need to reel in Top 10 guys. He reminds me much more of a Skal than a Wall type player.
Key word projected. Phillips was a consensus top 15 guy though. Not that far off.
That's not official yet. I think he will go with the money but also factor in the competition for playing minutes.
But I agree he will get pushed around in the SEC.
Knox of AR has entered the NBA draft but is keeping the option of coming back. I expect him to come back for one more year unless he gets a guaranteed contract.
DJ, TB, and Richmond all are coming back.
But I agree he will get pushed around in the SEC.
Knox of AR has entered the NBA draft but is keeping the option of coming back. I expect him to come back for one more year unless he gets a guaranteed contract.
DJ, TB, and Richmond all are coming back.
Arkansas has the look of a really bad shooting team. Wagner, Brazile, Richmond and several Freshman is not an NCAA tournament roster.
This could be Cal’s flame out season.
This could be Cal’s flame out season.
That is definitely an NCAA tourney roster. May not be a good shooting team or be a top 15 team but that roster has a lot of talent.
Arkansas was a SEC tournament loss to South Carolina away from not making the tournament this past season. Now they lose their 2 best players and replace them with a Freshman class that would be the least talented Cal has ever had.
That’s a typical Cal, make it to the tournament and lose in the first weekend, team.
The question: who starts at PG?
My prediction: Wagner is a Junior and basically Cal’s grandchild. He probably gets the nod, but Acuff is too good not to start, so Cal goes with two PGs, like last year with Wagner and Fland. Thomas probably starts with them as the 3. Brazile and Ewin at the 4 and 5. Richmond, Sealy, Rtail, and Pringle off the bench.
Cal probably sticks with that and if Knox decides to return, he’ll have one more guy to throw into the mix.
So now Cal decides pushing kids out the door isn't the best for the kid?
Not sure what your saying, KY last year 48% FG.
Those 3 players average over 50% EDIT combined
Ewin 59%
Pringle 57%
Numbers don't back up your statement.
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If Knox comes back. But we will probably get about 2 more from the portal. Not knowing who will start but by position.
It has been said we have over 12M in just NIL money.
At PG: jr. DJ Wagner 6'4" 195, fr. Darius Acuff 6'2" 180
At SG: fr. Meleek Thomas 6'4" 185, soph. Billy Richmond 6'5" 205
At SF: soph. Karter Knox 6'6" 220, soph. Billy Richmond 6'5" 205, fr. Isaiah Sealy 6'7" 195
At PF: sr. Trevon Brazile 6'10" 230, sr. Nick Pringle 6'10" 220, fr. Karim Rtail 6'9" 205
At C: jr. Malique Ewin 6'11" 230, sr. Nick Pringle 6'10" 220
Especially after losing Henderson their 2nd best recruit. And at the SF position. IF Proctor (draft) and Foster was to leave, they will be really thin,,, and young.
I disagree.
Acuff (#1 PG)
Wagner / Meleek Thomas (#2 CG)
Knox / Richmond
Brazile / Pringle (SC)
Ewing (FSU) - Stud Big. Averaged 14/8 as a sophomore.
That is a very solid 8 player rotation. Knox and Richmond should make the big jump in year 2. IF they add a couple more portal pieces, not only will they be good, but VERY dangerous. Mix of youth and veterans, 4 players returning from last year that started / played starter minutes. Don't let the Cal hate fool you, they will be good.
Knox is gone man. I would be absolutely shocked if he doesn’t stay in the draft, just like Edwards and Livingston.
They probably have one more coming from the portal though. Johnell Davis type to fill out his 8-10 man team.
As bad as Arkansas was last year at the beginning of the season, they had a pretty good run towards the end of the season including the NCAA tournament where they had some good wins.
I don’t think we can brag too much when we lost to Arkansas in Rupp. The team they have if they add some shooting they could be dangerous.
This year we added more length and physicality, but just like Arkansas we are looking for shooters. We still need to replace Brea and JR.
It looks multiple teams will compete for some need of shooters: Kentucky, Kansas, Arkansas, UNC, Duke, St. John’s, Alabama, Auburn, Baylor, TN just to name few…
I don’t think we can brag too much when we lost to Arkansas in Rupp. The team they have if they add some shooting they could be dangerous.
This year we added more length and physicality, but just like Arkansas we are looking for shooters. We still need to replace Brea and JR.
It looks multiple teams will compete for some need of shooters: Kentucky, Kansas, Arkansas, UNC, Duke, St. John’s, Alabama, Auburn, Baylor, TN just to name few…
As far as Ament , it looks TN was the best option as far as playing time. I am surprised that Duke was not the team but that means Evans is coming back for SF and with Boozer at 4 , Ament didn’t want to have to play behind anyone.
I wonder if we would have waited not to get the European guy if he was still an option for us.
I wonder if we would have waited not to get the European guy if he was still an option for us.
Ya I think he's looking for 30+ minutes a game at least.
Probably in for a big shock in SEC play. I can hear him now "dang these are grown men"
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