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Arkansas and Illinois

Nope typical Cal game. When will he realize you need shooters? Last year taught him nothing because they aren’t defending either.

He's had a TON of shooters over the years. Davis and crew overcame his coaching to give him ONE title. The rest of the shooters regressed until they got to the NBA, and then became what they could have been in college.

He's just a salesman hoping that one big sale will come through for him again
 
How did all the services miss on wagner by so much? Wasn’t he top 5-10 since he was a freshman?
1. The rankings are compared to the rest of the freshman class and not necessarily to an objective standard, so being a top 10 recruit isn’t necessarily the same level of projected college impact from year to year. Last year was widely acknowledged as a weak class.

2. His stock seemed to be falling by the end of the cycle, with lots of whispers that he hadn’t improved much since initially emerging at the top of the class as a sophomore. I’m not sure talent evaluators really whiffed that badly so much as Kentucky fans put unrealistic expectations on him since new freshmen were about all we had under Cal. I’m so glad we’ve moved out of that era.
 
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How did all the services miss on wagner by so much? Wasn’t he top 5-10 since he was a freshman?
I swear they just rank most of these guys based upon the eye test. They look like freak athletes but lack any basic skills and fundamentals. Kahlil Whitney was the poster-child for the flaw in these modern player rankings.
 
Man, I feel for this guy, I really do. I understand feeling like you've been sold a bill of goods and deceived.

I would only offer him one critique- the issue is not necessarily the talent and ability of the players. The issue is Calipari.

Yes, he can bring in the 5-stars. And they'll leave at the end of this season whether Arkansas has a good season or not. But Calipari has lost his edge. He's "players first," which means he wants to get them to the NBA, and wins are secondary. Arkansas is down the list of priorities. Get used to it, or fire him now.
 
Nope typical Cal game. When will he realize you need shooters? Last year taught him nothing because they aren’t defending either.
Thing is , even last year when we finished the season number 1 in the country in 3 point shooting percentage …..we were only 71st in 3 point attempts. And that with Welch trying to implement modern basketball.
 
I’m sure Cal will spew out their injuries and getting healthy and how they are one of the youngest teams in the country. Then Jay Bilas interrupts the interview and reminds Cal that Cooper Flagg is only 17.
I spit water all over the place. Well done.
That would be one time I wouldn't mind Bilas talking to interrupt Cal and tell him that.
 
How did all the services miss on wagner by so much? Wasn’t he top 5-10 since he was a freshman?
Even more…we had the following guys (Rivals rankings):

#2 - Aaron Bradshaw
#3 - Justin Edwards
#6 - DJ Wagner

How do you get 3 of the top 6 guys in the class and they are all severely overrated.

I would argue that Aaron Bradshaw is the most overrated (by ranking) of any top 2 player in years. Skal is Patrick Ewing compared to him.
 
I try to ignore Cal because I was so sick of him the last four years but can’t help to look at the headlines and check the box score.

He’s very washed up. I wouldn’t want him under any circumstances. You know you don’t have any hope with that guy at the helm.

This isn’t obsessed UK fans who are bitter. It’s clear as day he’s the same exact coach with the same exact type of team the last handful of years. Same shitty coaching.

Thank God is all I can say. Thank God someone else wanted him.
 
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I know Pope can flat out coach and I get its nice to have a elite Freshmen on the team.
But I certainly hope UK has many, many expirenced players every year going forward.
My biggest fear is relying on mostly Freshmen in the future. It doesn't work.
Me too . Popes never been able to get guys like he is now . Like a kid with a shiny new toy . Hope CMP doesn’t have to learn the hard way about playing a lot of highly ranked freshman. Surely he won’t…….right?
 
I know Pope can flat out coach and I get its nice to have a elite Freshmen on the team.
But I certainly hope UK has many, many expirenced players every year going forward.
My biggest fear is relying on mostly Freshmen in the future. It doesn't work.
I feel the same way. Recruiting elite Freshmen is a slippery slope. It seems difficult to have portal veterans and elite Freshmen who play the same position. Seems more like an either/or to me …
 
Man, I feel for this guy, I really do. I understand feeling like you've been sold a bill of goods and deceived.

I would only offer him one critique- the issue is not necessarily the talent and ability of the players. The issue is Calipari.

Yes, he can bring in the 5-stars. And they'll leave at the end of this season whether Arkansas has a good season or not. But Calipari has lost his edge. He's "players first," which means he wants to get them to the NBA, and wins are secondary. Arkansas is down the list of priorities. Get used to it, or fire him now.
Exactly, like the other Vandy fan I believe in here. He said okay thru Davis, well Calipari knows Davis has limited pro prospects so he will do everything he can to get DJ and Fland all the minutes and shots he can.
 
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1. The rankings are compared to the rest of the freshman class and not necessarily to an objective standard, so being a top 10 recruit isn’t necessarily the same level of projected college impact from year to year. Last year was widely acknowledged as a weak class.

2. His stock seemed to be falling by the end of the cycle, with lots of whispers that he hadn’t improved much since initially emerging at the top of the class as a sophomore. I’m not sure talent evaluators really whiffed that badly so much as Kentucky fans put unrealistic expectations on him since new freshmen were about all we had under Cal. I’m so glad we’ve moved out of that era.
Let's tell the truth of Wagner's ranking....a large part of his high rating was because who his father and grandfather were. In fact, he lacks the quickness, jumping ability, athleticism, and basketball IQ of Milt and Dejuan. Who are the 50 greatest pro basketball players of time? How many of them fathered a son good enough to play in the NBA? Very few! The combination of genes to produce a pro quality athlete are thousands to one odds. Horses have been bred by humans for thousands of years, but the stallion Winner of the Kentucky Derby might not sire even one champion horse, even when bred with a quality thoroughbred mare.
 
Thing is , even last year when we finished the season number 1 in the country in 3 point shooting percentage …..we were only 71st in 3 point attempts. And that with Welch trying to implement modern basketball.
Exactly because he refused to play Dilly and Shep and Reeves 35 minutes a game together. Then late he went back to post offense after we went on that couple game run beating Tennessee and everyone because he can’t let teams be modern. He will win his way, or not at all.
 
Let's tell the truth of Wagner's ranking....a large part of his high rating was because who his father and grandfather were. In fact, he lacks the quickness, jumping ability, athleticism, and basketball IQ of Milt and Dejuan. Who are the 50 greatest pro basketball players of time? How many of them fathered a son good enough to play in the NBA? Very few! The combination of genes to produce a pro quality athlete are thousands to one odds. Horses have been bred by humans for thousands of years, but the stallion Winner of the Kentucky Derby might not sire even one champion horse, even when bred with a quality thoroughbred mare.
Exactly right, but DJ’s problem is he never grew or improved much from his freshman year. He doesn’t have the best handle, he’s not a great passer with elite vision, he’s not a knockdown shooter, and he can’t finish at this level like in HS. He’s a good college player if he plays the right way but Cal uses him totally wrong. He should be a 17-20 mpg bench guy at this point.
 
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