Bam, Briscoe, Monk, Fox get invites, no word yet on Diallo
- Thread starter SilentsAreGolden
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He gone. Thanks Hami, you will go down as the 2nd best practice player in UK history that never played a game.
That honor will forever go to Matt Pilgrim.
Glad Hami got an invite. Hate to think all of this hand wringing was for nothing and this way he gets the feedback he needs to make the right decision on his future.
Good for him. I'll be glad to have him back if he chooses but if not then I wish him all the best. Even though I'll never consider him a cat.
I would vote for Enes Kanter as #1.
Um, you don't understand. The fact that he got an invite is further proof that he is gone, and that he had this nefarious plot from Day 1. He's a genius, and Cal is the fool who fell for it.
....... or it could have just been part of his "grand master plan" all along and none of the UK staff picked up on it. Just a thought.......
the hayes kid from wisky, 4 year player, not invited to the combine. but hey....come back and improve your stock! lol
I have been trying to hold off on getting into the conversation regarding the Diallo kid.
It seems Big Blue Nation is about evenly divided on their feelings with this matter.
I may not agree with some of your feelings, but I respect the fact each of you have the right to feel and say what you think.
This has nothing to do with the coaching of Coach Cal.
I am not a big fan of the OAD, never was and never will be. I accept this is the future and cannot argue with the success we have enjoyed with the OAD.
The OAD is not the only the only thing that has changed over the years that I do not totally agree with and unless you want to live a miserable life, you either deal with it or not.
But this situation with Diallo sucks. It is wrong in every aspect.
The kid comes to UK to play basketball. It seems from day one he set the boundaries. He was the one calling the shots.
What did we really gain from this? Please do not tell me Fox and Monk got better from him being here. Really? If so, how much on a 1-10 scale did he help them with 10 being he made them greater players.
There were signs this exact situation was going to happen the day he walked into the Kentucky locker room.
Some will say he made this known from day one. I agree, but again, he was calling the shots.
From all this I get the feeling if, a big IF, he came back, is he ever going to buy into playing for KENTUCKY or the name on the back of his jersey.
But that is just me. What pisses me off is this:
The kid has called the shots; he said he was not ready to play this year. He actually had more time to get ready as a player then a normal freshman who usually only has a few weeks to learn the system till the first game.
We are getting screwed in our game with UNC; foul trouble out the butt, and yet no Diallo to say, "coach, let me try to help".
If this is the kid many say helped Monk and Fox get better, then why is it out of the question to ask "Could he have helped us in our game with UNC"?
Just try damn it. What was it going to hurt? His stock with NBA scouts?
Many have said the scouts already knew about him before hand, so what was there to lose?
Game over, and a couple weeks go by and this kid is ready to try out in the NBA combine.
Just wish someone could give a honest answer to why he could practice for a few months with the team but couldn't try to help them when we could have used a few more fouls to give.
I will not be surprised if he stays or not, the NCAA looks into this and work to make sure high school kids do not start skipping their senior years of school and this start to become the next part of the future of college basketball.
I hope the kid comes back to UK and plays his heart out for us. Just don't see it happening that way.
No matter how good he is, one full year with Coach Cal and he would be a much better player.
My last question/complaint; if Diallo had stayed in high school, all those who think he helped Monk and Fox get better, who would have helped him get to the place in his career he is now? I don't remember much about anyone saying this kid was the next Kobe or Lebron.
Go Big Blue.
It seems Big Blue Nation is about evenly divided on their feelings with this matter.
I may not agree with some of your feelings, but I respect the fact each of you have the right to feel and say what you think.
This has nothing to do with the coaching of Coach Cal.
I am not a big fan of the OAD, never was and never will be. I accept this is the future and cannot argue with the success we have enjoyed with the OAD.
The OAD is not the only the only thing that has changed over the years that I do not totally agree with and unless you want to live a miserable life, you either deal with it or not.
But this situation with Diallo sucks. It is wrong in every aspect.
The kid comes to UK to play basketball. It seems from day one he set the boundaries. He was the one calling the shots.
What did we really gain from this? Please do not tell me Fox and Monk got better from him being here. Really? If so, how much on a 1-10 scale did he help them with 10 being he made them greater players.
There were signs this exact situation was going to happen the day he walked into the Kentucky locker room.
Some will say he made this known from day one. I agree, but again, he was calling the shots.
From all this I get the feeling if, a big IF, he came back, is he ever going to buy into playing for KENTUCKY or the name on the back of his jersey.
But that is just me. What pisses me off is this:
The kid has called the shots; he said he was not ready to play this year. He actually had more time to get ready as a player then a normal freshman who usually only has a few weeks to learn the system till the first game.
We are getting screwed in our game with UNC; foul trouble out the butt, and yet no Diallo to say, "coach, let me try to help".
If this is the kid many say helped Monk and Fox get better, then why is it out of the question to ask "Could he have helped us in our game with UNC"?
Just try damn it. What was it going to hurt? His stock with NBA scouts?
Many have said the scouts already knew about him before hand, so what was there to lose?
Game over, and a couple weeks go by and this kid is ready to try out in the NBA combine.
Just wish someone could give a honest answer to why he could practice for a few months with the team but couldn't try to help them when we could have used a few more fouls to give.
I will not be surprised if he stays or not, the NCAA looks into this and work to make sure high school kids do not start skipping their senior years of school and this start to become the next part of the future of college basketball.
I hope the kid comes back to UK and plays his heart out for us. Just don't see it happening that way.
No matter how good he is, one full year with Coach Cal and he would be a much better player.
My last question/complaint; if Diallo had stayed in high school, all those who think he helped Monk and Fox get better, who would have helped him get to the place in his career he is now? I don't remember much about anyone saying this kid was the next Kobe or Lebron.
Go Big Blue.
I don't understand why so many fans are distraught over Diallo.
Cal last season: Come join us mid season, practice with elite players, best place in the world to get ready for the NBA. I'm not playing you because I have a full roster of good players and it would not be fair to them. You go to the combine and get feedback. If the feedback is good enough then you enter the draft. If the feedback is you need a year of college, then you are a key player on championship contending team next season.
This is exactly how it has played out so far. Even if Diallo stays in draft, what has he done to hurt UK in any way?
Cal last season: Come join us mid season, practice with elite players, best place in the world to get ready for the NBA. I'm not playing you because I have a full roster of good players and it would not be fair to them. You go to the combine and get feedback. If the feedback is good enough then you enter the draft. If the feedback is you need a year of college, then you are a key player on championship contending team next season.
This is exactly how it has played out so far. Even if Diallo stays in draft, what has he done to hurt UK in any way?
I never read posts this long.
Diallo thing has been done to death. Hope UK gets Johnson and Bamba.
Not sure where you get from my post that Diallo hurt UK in any way. I was not trying to imply that.
What did UK get out this is where I am coming from. Seems the kid gained more than the team did.
Players first? In order for this to apply, then he first must be a UK player the way I see it.
Just can't understand how he was not ready to participate in a game but he could do so in practice. More practice time to get ready then ordinary freshmen.
Sorry my post was long, just built up frustration with the situation.
What did UK get out this is where I am coming from. Seems the kid gained more than the team did.
Players first? In order for this to apply, then he first must be a UK player the way I see it.
Just can't understand how he was not ready to participate in a game but he could do so in practice. More practice time to get ready then ordinary freshmen.
Sorry my post was long, just built up frustration with the situation.
First off, I agree with a LOT of what u said, here are some of my thoughts....
- I'm also not a big fan of one and done but that is the system currently and no one outside of the NBA and the NCAA can do anything about it. I would choose the last 8-years hands down versus the previous 8!
- It was a gamble taking Diallo as UK did but it's still just that a gamble until May 25th and a final decision has been made. Everyone should have known or realized this was ALWAYS a possibility.
- I'm also disappointed that during the UNC game Diallo and or Cal did not broach the subject of him playing.
- I hope he also comes back and we also add Bamba, Knox and Johnson; plan for the worst and hope for the best.
- Anyone with any basketball knowledge at all KNOWS there was a benefit to adding HD to practice against the trio of Briscoe, Fox and Monk! BEFORE HD: This trio was going against Dom, Mulder and Brad. AFTER HD: Dom, Mulder and Diallo. So we traded Brad as a practice player for Diallo; hmmn tough choice!
- Also, HD practicing against the trio of Briscoe, Fox and Monk is a better threesome than he would EVER have played against in high/ prep school.
- IMO
Cal didn't fall for anything. He knew this was a very likely scenario. The BBN fell for it.
That is worth fretting over, in my opinion. Diallo crossed a Grammy off his list.
I don't want Diallo.
He's not a Cat.
He's basically Daniel Orton. He screwed the program by not finishing the semester.
Diallo is not much different. Good luck and adios.
He's not a Cat.
He's basically Daniel Orton. He screwed the program by not finishing the semester.
Diallo is not much different. Good luck and adios.
I want Diallo as long as he wants to be here. Completely different situation than Orton.
Wrong, not only factually but in theory as well. Was this a dream you had or are you just making ish up?
Diallo needed to protect his draft stock and UK/Cal provided him the perfect outlet. He was hiding. How can you be unprepared for the college game and a month later wanna test yourself for the NBA level?
I, well no, Pilgrim doesn't deserve any derision, certainly Kanter doesn't, see two categories. H D is being viewed terribly. I went to Centre and UK twice. I never had a view of bettering Centre or UK( that said, I believe I behaved responsibly and was awarded multiple sport acolades and academic acolades at UK). Point is pretty simple; you simple minded fools expecting a player, regardless( notice, I didn't say irregardless) of their circumstances to put a school before their personal or families well being, are simpke minded fools. To generalize, likely half of this board lives at or around the poverty level-if your family or you personally were offered a major life change, would you tout school loyalty? I think not. We are not in HDs shoes, don't try to walk in them, they likely don't fit.
What I really wonder is whether, IF Diallo decides for one reason or another to not come back, Calipari puts the program in a similar situation. I do love the talent he brings in, but I am of the opinion that he is a slave to the NBA. He said several years back that he would not allow players to hold the program hostage, but if we're being honest here that hasn't really been the case.
Can we stop with the he didn't finish the semester nonsense? Nobody is actually making that claim, correct?
