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Are we hyping Jaxson Robinson up too high?

Robinson just give you another option on a team that will win based on balance.

If we add Lanier, Richmond, or Poplar, that probably changes because now you have a go-to scorer at the end of a game; but if all we come away with is Robinson, our ceiling might be just having 6 or 7 guys who can get you double digits any night, but really only one or two guys who can get you 20 every other night.

We're going to beat teams based on system and positional competency and elite defense. Feels kind of like a poor man's 2003 team. Good players at every spot, with solid depth, but no first round pick on the roster.

I'm totally cool with that in year one. It actually sounds like an upgrade when you factor in the coaching.

This is just what I was thinking. I'm good with that, and it's highly likely that someone jumps up and surprises us with their play once they're in and familiar with the system.

If people are hyped up? EXCELLENT! Big change from previous years where we were admonished not to have any hope or expectations. The job of fans is to BE HYPED up about their team.

They can handle disappointment if things don't pan out. We've have had a dozen years of disappointing coaching to prove it. We recover just fine.
 
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Robinson just give you another option on a team that will win based on balance.

If we add Lanier, Richmond, or Poplar, that probably changes because now you have a go-to scorer at the end of a game; but if all we come away with is Robinson, our ceiling might be just having 6 or 7 guys who can get you double digits any night, but really only one or two guys who can get you 20 every other night.

We're going to beat teams based on system and positional competency and elite defense. Feels kind of like a poor man's 2003 team. Good players at every spot, with solid depth, but no first round pick on the roster.

I'm totally cool with that in year one. It actually sounds like an upgrade when you factor in the coaching.
Well said.
 
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I feel like Robinson will be the final piece of a good but probably not great team.

It’s a solid squad with him.

We would have five guys who have started and/or played big minutes in P5 conferences:

G Kriisa- Big 12/PAC-12
G Robinson- Big 12
G Oweh- Big 12
F Carr- ACC
F Garrison- Big 12

Also have the best 3 point shooter in the country last year coming here in Brea.

Add to that two conference Defensive POYs in Butler and Williams.

And don’t forget that Butler led his team to the NCAA title game in ‘23, hitting a game winner in the Final Four. He is a leader and a winner.

Lots of experience on this squad, we just have to wait and see if it comes together. Chemistry is hard to predict, but with veterans leading the way and Pope at the helm, I think it will work. These guys are mostly grown men and should have a good work ethic. Don’t see them being petty about roles and such. And the top 8 should get plenty of minutes. 200 minutes split by 8 gives everyone around 25 minutes. Nobody should complain about not getting to play (Perry and Chandler won’t play significant minutes, IMHO).

I see this as a potential rotation:

G Butler(25)/Kriisa(15)
G Brea(25)/Kriisa(10)/Oweh(5)
G Robinson(25)/Oweh(15)
F Carr(25)/Garrison(10)/Oweh(5)
F Williams(25)/Garrison(15)

Robinson is probably our leading scorer followed by Carr. That’s a pretty good inside/out combo. Brea and Kriisa gives us shooters to go with them. Butler orchestrates the team with his propensity to make winning plays on both ends of the court. Williams and Garrison give us some major beef inside. They should be able to keep teams from dominating us inside. Oweh is a proven player on offense and defense.

On paper we look very good.

Would like to add a backup PF so Garrison and Oweh don’t have to play out of position some.

But as is, if we can add Robinson, we have a team with Sweet Sixteen potential. Hopefully they jell early.
 
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I think Robinson would be a great and needed addition to Kentucky's team next season.
BUT, as fans we will always inflate or deflate the value of an incoming player, no matter if it's a 5th year Senior or a 17-year old straight out of high school!!!

I think if Robinson does commit and can give UK anything close to Antonio Reeves from last year, it will be DEFINITE plus!!!

If you do a comparison of Robinson versus Reeves (in conference play), Reeves far outplayed (stat-wise) Robinson.

Robinson versus Reeves
MPG: 28.4 versus 32.6
PER: 14.1 versus 25.1
EFFG%: 48.2 versus 57.9
TRB%: 4.9 versus 8.2
AST%: 9.0 versus 9.9
STL%: 1.1 versus 1.3
BLK%: 1.6 versus 0.9
TOV%: 12.7 versus 7.9
USG%: 24.0 versus 27.0
W/S 40: .061 versus .179
 
JR did get an invitation to the NBA Combine along with Reed, Antonio, and Dilly. He's in good company. "Abysmal" clinched this as a troll post.
This! I mean, come on! Abysmal?! Just WOW! Personally, I love how this roster is shaping up. Add 2/3 more key pieces and we should be cooking. Bet we are better than Arkansas.
 
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I honestly don’t know, but I imagine very few on this board have seen anything but a few highlights of select games he played well in (like his last game). Did you know that this would be his 4th team, he didn’t start for BYU and shot a worse % from 3 than Justin Edwards last year? I’m not saying this to be a Debbie Downer or belittle him in any way, I’m just saying that maybe he’s not the star that many are saying he is. The true test will be if Pope wants the guy on the team. If we don’t get him, I’ll assume he wasn’t a good fit, verses we struck out. If we DO get him, I’ll be thrilled but careful not to have unfair expectations.

Personally, from what little I’ve watched of him, and seeing the positive reviews from basketball experts, I think he’ll be a really good player but probably not a 17 point a night kind of guy. Likely not our number one option. I imagine we’re hunting bigger fish. Just a guess.
I do not think ANYONE will average 17 per game next year, or any year really. Yes reeves did last year, but before him, name the player last to do it ? Scoring will be very balanced and one guy will not carry us every night. Last year Reeves had to. Young team and veterans we did have struggled or got injured so he had to carry us, and did a damn fine job. I do think we will have several guys average in the 10-14 range per game and any given night will pop off for 20+, but not every game. Very few college players average 20+, unless they are playing with s subpar roster.
Only 35 players in all of college basketball averaged 20+, a lot on small / bad teams.
List of schools players played on ;
Wis. GB / UCSB / Neb. Omaha / Monmouth / Southern / BG / NC Ashville / UC Davis / Detroit / Weber ST. / Morehead St. / NC A&T / N. Illinois / W. Carolina / Milwaukee / New Orleans / Stetson / UT Martin / E. Michigan / S. Illinois / Hofstra / Denver.
Of the 35 players who averaged 20+, 22 played in non power 5 conferences.
 
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Absolutely.

Fans are being optimistic, as they should. Cal is gone and most of us are rejoicing on account of that. But what most are not doing is being realistic. The roster, thus far, is abysmal.

If Duke or Kansas grabbed Butler and Oweh as starters, we’d laugh at them. Robinson is another guy that this fan base rates higher than virtually every person putting together portal rankings, and then the fan base simply says, “I love him.”

This team doesn’t have a scorer (if Perry isn’t up to the task yet) and it doesn’t look like it will have one when it’s all said and done.
You’re dumb. Colin chandler would be way over Perry and it’s not even close. Even having not played 2 years.
 
I feel like Robinson will be the final piece of a good but probably not great team.

It’s a solid squad with him.

We would have five guys who have started and/or played big minutes in P5 conferences:

G Kriisa- Big 12/PAC-12
G Robinson- Big 12
G Oweh- Big 12
F Carr- ACC
F Garrison- Big 12

Also have the best 3 point shooter in the country last year coming here in Brea.

Add to that two conference Defensive POYs in Butler and Williams.

And don’t forget that Butler led his team to the NCAA title game in ‘23, hitting a game winner in the Final Four. He is a leader and a winner.

Lots of experience on this squad, we just have to wait and see if it comes together. Chemistry is hard to predict, but with veterans leading the way and Pope at the helm, I think it will work. These guys are mostly grown men and should have a good work ethic. Don’t see them being petty about roles and such. And the top 8 should get plenty of minutes. 200 minutes split by 8 gives everyone around 25 minutes. Nobody should complain about not getting to play (Perry and Chandler won’t play significant minutes, IMHO).

I see this as a potential rotation:

G Butler(25)/Kriisa(15)
G Brea(25)/Kriisa(10)/Oweh(5)
G Robinson(25)/Oweh(15)
F Carr(25)/Garrison(10)/Oweh(5)
F Williams(25)/Garrison(15)

Robinson is probably our leading scorer followed by Carr. That’s a pretty good inside/out combo. Brea and Kriisa gives us shooters to go with them. Butler orchestrates the team with his propensity to make winning plays on both ends of the court. Williams and Garrison give us some major beef inside. They should be able to keep teams from dominating us inside. Oweh is a proven player on offense and defense.

On paper we look very good.

Would like to add a backup PF so Garrison and Oweh don’t have to play out of position some.

But as is, if we can add Robinson, we have a team with Sweet Sixteen potential. Hopefully they jell early.
A San Diego writer that has covered Butler a lot said he is not a point guard. Does not have the vision of a point guard. And his handle is not the tightest. He said the positives he is a good driver to the basket. A great defender. Plays with heart. And an outstanding person. So it looks like we could use another tight handling true point guard to go with Krissma. JMO
 
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Absolutely.

Fans are being optimistic, as they should. Cal is gone and most of us are rejoicing on account of that. But what most are not doing is being realistic. The roster, thus far, is abysmal.

If Duke or Kansas grabbed Butler and Oweh as starters, we’d laugh at them. Robinson is another guy that this fan base rates higher than virtually every person putting together portal rankings, and then the fan base simply says, “I love him.”

This team doesn’t have a scorer (if Perry isn’t up to the task yet) and it doesn’t look like it will have one when it’s all said and done.
NuttinButt the truth here.
 
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