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Andy Katz: Preseason Power Ranking. UK#1

Luke Maye hits a wide open mid-range jumper in the Elite 8 and all of the sudden people tout him as a preseason all-american. Guy is the most overrated player I've ever seen. Decent at best.
 
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UNC is going to be good.

Wouldn't be surprised if they win the ACC this season.

They have a good combination of talent and experience. Maye and Johnson are returning Senior starters. Williams is also a returning starter. They have two stud Freshmen coming in that should start by season's end (Little and White). They have some decent role players as well. They aren't extremely deep, but they should be able to go with a 7-8 man rotation.

They are top 10 and maybe top 5.

How far they go will likely be determined by PG play. That has to be their main concern. If White is ready they will be very tough, if not, they likely struggle. If Woods ends up starting all season, then they probably end up with an early exit from the tourney.
 
None of those teams make me worried about match-up problems like we had with Notre Dame and Wisconsin in 2015.

Sure, folks can take down UK in the tournament, but I feel it would take a historic effort.

Yeah Im not trying to get too confident this early cuz we haven’t seen any teams play yet against good competition but I’m starting to lean that way.

We are deep and can play multiple styles. If we can stay healthy then NCAA gonna be in trouble cuz we gonna have a really good chance to bring home #9.
 
None of those teams make me worried about match-up problems like we had with Notre Dame and Wisconsin in 2015.

Sure, folks can take down UK in the tournament, but I feel it would take a historic effort.

This team seems more balanced and less vulnerable to "bad matchups" than the 2015 squad. Of course, hindsight is 20/20 as they say.
 
Luke Maye hits a wide open mid-range jumper in the Elite 8 and all of the sudden people tout him as a preseason all-american. Guy is the most overrated player I've ever seen. Decent at best.

It is interesting though that for a guy who originally came to UNC as a walk-on to even be in the position to be considered over-rated nationally.
 
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Luke Maye hits a wide open mid-range jumper in the Elite 8 and all of the sudden people tout him as a preseason all-american. Guy is the most overrated player I've ever seen. Decent at best.
Did you miss the whole season after his wide open mid-range jumper? Averaged 17 and 10 last year in arguably the best conference in basketball. He is a lot more than you described. A heck of a player and national player of the year candidate this season.
 
Gonzaga has been ranked top 5 in seemingly every poll that I have viewed this preseason. My goodness, who do they have this year? They really gonna be THAT good? I have my doubts and rightfully so. Same ole shit different year if I had to guess.
 
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The Cats are built for the tournament this season.

We have good shooters (Baker / Herro / Green / Keldon)
We have the best front court duo in college basketball (Washington/Travis)...with two other great players to back them up.
We have quality depth at all positions
We have returning experience
Hagans and Johnson are two of the best on-ball defenders we've had since arguably MKG (arguably our biggest weakness last season...stopping dribble penetration)

This team may not be loaded with top 5 NBA draft picks, but I honestly think this is the most complete team that Cal has ever had at UK perhaps outside of the 2012 championship team, though it's close from a personnel perspective.

How far we actually advance in the tournament will depend on 3 things:

1. Someone has to step up and clearly take control of the PG spot. Will it be Green, Quickley, or Hagans? I think one of these guys will step up and take charge, and they are are all capable, but who will be the go-to? Quickley looked the best in The Bahamas, but you can't ignore Green's experience / shooting or Hagans' remarkable defensive abilities.

2. Chemistry. All signs suggest that this will be a non-issue and they are all already close off the court, but you never know when you have a team as deep as ours.

3. No injuries (especially in the backcourt) As deep as we are, I think injuries will be key, especially for the guards. Green, Quickley, and Hagans each bring a unique dynamic at PG. I think having all 3 of these guys available and healthy will be an incredible weapon for us. Then you have Herro and Baker who are both deadly shooters. Just an incredible amount of balance and they all compliment one another. This will be the story of the season in my opinion if everyone can stay healthy.
 
It is interesting though that for a guy who originally came to UNC as a walk-on to even be in the position to be considered over-rated nationally.

Seriously. The guy averaged 10 rebounds a game. I dont care how over rated he may be as an all american, the dude went from Mark Coury status to basically providing what Patrick Patterson provided at 16ppg and 10rpg. I dont think hes an all american but I'll tell you right now if PJ Washington averaged 10rpg last year wed have been a lot better. That being sais Travis is gonna make him and everyone else his woman by the end of the year.
 
Can we please stop saying this team is better or more complete than 2015? This team hasn't played a legit college game yet, but we're saying they're a better/more complete team than a team that went 38-1?

Then we like to top it off by saying "this team is more complete than any other Cal team except maybe 2012… ). Come on, yes, 2012 won a title and it's pretty obvious we're just saying they were the most complete team because they won a title.

Look, 2015 was equiped to handle anything and everything college basketball could throw at them, but they simply crapped their pants at the end of the Wisconsin game. They had the game won.

This team would struggle with 2015 Wisconsin too.
Let this team be it's own team, but you can't honestly sit here and state that this team is more complete or better than '15 when they haven't even played a real game yet.
 
Would you honestly trade Reid Travis for Luke Maye?

They're incredibly similar players, except Maye is a better shooter and has experience against better competition and on the big stage.

If it were possible to trade, this place would build a statue of Luke Maye outside Rupp Arena. In-state walk-on turned All American with a ring and a game winner over a hated rival to go to the Final Four. Stayed all four years. He'd be governor.
 
Can we please stop saying this team is better or more complete than 2015? This team hasn't played a legit college game yet, but we're saying they're a better/more complete team than a team that went 38-1?

Then we like to top it off by saying "this team is more complete than any other Cal team except maybe 2012… ). Come on, yes, 2012 won a title and it's pretty obvious we're just saying they were the most complete team because they won a title.

Look, 2015 was equiped to handle anything and everything college basketball could throw at them, but they simply crapped their pants at the end of the Wisconsin game. They had the game won.

This team would struggle with 2015 Wisconsin too.
Let this team be it's own team, but you can't honestly sit here and state that this team is more complete or better than '15 when they haven't even played a real game yet.

I say it because I truly believe it. Opinions are like a-holes, we all have them.

Do I think this team goes 38-1? No. Do I think this team would beat that team in a head-to-head matchup? No.

What I am saying is this: If you look at both rosters from top to bottom, I think this team has fewer glaring areas of weakness from a sheer personnel standpoint. We have good shooting, good big men, good athleticism, good perimeter defenders, good wings, tremendous depth, and returning experience. That is a complete team.

The 2015 team had a higher pedigree of NBA talent, and they were "great" in areas that we are simply "good" in this upcoming season, but I think all things considered, those Wisconsin/Notre Dame type of matchup issues don't exist to the same degree with this team.
 
Right now, I think UK, KU, Zaga, Nevada, UVA, Nova, UT, and UNC will have great regular seasons. I think those are your 1 and 2 seeds.

Zaga, Nevada, and Nova benefit from being in weaker conferences. They could all get through the regular season with 1-2 losses just because they won't face great competition.

UK and UT will both face a brutal SEC schedule. They will lose more games than the aforementioned teams because of that.

UVA and UNC face a similar problem in the ACC.

KU is somewhere in between. The Big 12 is not as strong as in past years. K-State and WVU are really the only teams that should give them any trouble.

I see Duke as a 3 or 4 seed because of their youth. Four Freshmen starters will struggle to navigate the ACC. By March, they will be a contender, though.
 
They're incredibly similar players, except Maye is a better shooter and has experience against better competition and on the big stage.

If it were possible to trade, this place would build a statue of Luke Maye outside Rupp Arena. In-state walk-on turned All American with a ring and a game winner over a hated rival to go to the Final Four. Stayed all four years. He'd be governor.

Not doubting his success story. Considering from where he started, it's certainly remarkable. I just don't see an All-American candidate in him. But that's just me.

We will have to agree to disagree on the comparison.

Reid will get his chance to go up against Maye soon, we will see how it plays out.
 
Not doubting his success story. Considering from where he started, it's certainly remarkable. I just don't see an All-American candidate in him. But that's just me.

We will have to agree to disagree on the comparison.

Reid will get his chance to go up against Maye soon, we will see how it plays out.

Maye vs. Travis is a matchup I am looking forward to seeing.

Both were 6'8 double double machines last season.

I think UK has the better team, though.
 
I say it because I truly believe it. Opinions are like a-holes, we all have them.

Do I think this team goes 38-1? No. Do I think this team would beat that team in a head-to-head matchup? No.

What I am saying is this: If you look at both rosters from top to bottom, I think this team has fewer glaring areas of weakness from a sheer personnel standpoint. We have good shooting, good big men, good athleticism, good perimeter defenders, good wings, tremendous depth, and returning experience. That is a complete team.

The 2015 team had a higher pedigree of NBA talent, and they were "great" in areas that we are simply "good" in this upcoming season, but I think all things considered, those Wisconsin/Notre Dame type of matchup issues don't exist to the same degree with this team.
So you think UK is just going to breeze right through their E8 and FF games (that's where UK played Notre Dame and Wiscy)? I certainly don't.
CBB is damn good this year and I expect nail biters in every game beyond the sweet 16.
That 15 team was more complete than any team I've seen since UK96. UK2019 has a full season to prove that they are more complete, but as we sit here on October 12th, there is no way possible to say that this team is more complete than '12.
If 12 didn't win the title would you make that statement?
 
So you think UK is just going to breeze right through their E8 and FF games (that's where UK played Notre Dame and Wiscy)? I certainly don't.
CBB is damn good this year and I expect nail biters in every game beyond the sweet 16.
That 15 team was more complete than any team I've seen since UK96. UK2019 has a full season to prove that they are more complete, but as we sit here on October 12th, there is no way possible to say that this team is more complete than '12.
If 12 didn't win the title would you make that statement?

We may lose in the first round. We may win all 6 games by 15 points or more. Who knows.

If we do lose before the title game, I don’t believe it will because of a matchup issue like Wisconsin. It will be because we took a game off or the other team simply made more baskets.

The 2012 team had shooters, size, great defenders, inside scoring, and tremendous defense. Yes I would say the same thing.
 
So you think UK is just going to breeze right through their E8 and FF games (that's where UK played Notre Dame and Wiscy)? I certainly don't.
CBB is damn good this year and I expect nail biters in every game beyond the sweet 16.
That 15 team was more complete than any team I've seen since UK96. UK2019 has a full season to prove that they are more complete, but as we sit here on October 12th, there is no way possible to say that this team is more complete than '12.
If 12 didn't win the title would you make that statement?

This team's mindset reminds me alot of 2012, just do not think they will be denied that title come tournament time. You could see the looks on there face at BBM when Cal started talking about the national championship this season and they brought the 48, 49, and 51 champion teams out there, those boys is gonna be hungry come March..
 
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