bridges down to 3 moves uk visit up to this weekend :
- Thread starter z71sab
- Start date
Look, UK puts a ton of guys in the pros and the perception is that if you go to UK you will be an NBA player, and that is true for the most part. With guys like Bridges though? He's going pro regardless of where he ends up. It's just funny to me how some think Izzo can't get guys to the NBA, or that he holds possible NBA guys back. He has no where near the amount of NBA talented players that you guys get each year.
Dakari Johnson, the Harrison twins, etc were also projected to be lottery picks, and went much later than expected.
i didnt say he couldnt get guys to the league. read my post again. bridges is a pro wether he goes to msu or uk but like i said kids that go to uk get drafted higher than kids that dont. even though he will get drafted at msu he may slip a few spots which is $$$$$$$. every spot you slip you are losing money so once again it matters where you go to school
what about the other kids that didnt pick uk . where are they now ? it matters wether you wanna believe it or not. ask shabazz muhammad if it matters. ask josh selby. ask xavier henry. it matters.
![[laughing]](http://l.yimg.com/j/assets/img/emoticons/classic/laugh.r191677.gif "Laughing [laughing]")
The fact that Bridges is even making this trip, if he truly knows MSU is the school, then why even make the visit to UK?
Because you're an impulsive 17 year old kid who has been leaning to UK for months, but then you have a GREAT visit to MSU with your buds and are ready to commit, but the various people/saner heads around you talk you into going ahead with the UK visit and then taking two weeks to think about it.
I think we still have a great chance to get this kid after he has a chance to cool off and get beyond the emotions of this weekend, but I think it's obvious that's what happened if you follow his Twitter stuff.
And as far as Chieck Diallo and Twitter, the very last thing Diallo did on Twitter after saying he'd made a decision and setting an announcement date was follow a couple of Kansas players. I remember the KU fans being ecstatic about it and UK fans trying to downplay it, but in the end, it was the best hint we had of where he was going.
non uk fans who bring this up just come off as stupid and desperate. i get non uk fans have to hold Cal/UK to a higher standard than they do their own coach...they need a talking point, any talking point.
I certainly don't think that it is ideal, but I like that we have the last visit. Get him on campus, see the facilities, and let Cal do what he does, better than anyone else. I'll take my chances.
Jesus Christ- Aaron Harrison and ESPECIALLY Dakari Johnson were never considered lottery picks.
Either do your homework or don't post here. We have enough of our own no-nothing dolts puking on threads. We don't need ignorance from opposing fans, too.
its all they got. non uk fans need talking points. each year they need to push the bar higher and higher for uk. if uk doesnt win all our games, by 20 and everyone get drafted in a lottery.....see UK/Cal failed.
i mean really...compare the two programs side by side...MSU - UK. what is a MSU fan going to say really? MSU is a nice program, really is. but its not close to UK. if miles bridges wasnt from michigan....he wouldnt have them on the list. like basically every other elite recruit.
These people who constantly throw up players like Dakari or The Harrison's - do they honestly think there are other coaches out there who could have made them into lottery picks? Cal can't work miracles - those guys had flaws that were exposed as they moved up a level in competition.
That fact that they all still have a shot at an NBA career is an accomplishment.
That fact that they all still have a shot at an NBA career is an accomplishment.
Thank you. I know some think Twitter is a joke when it comes to recruiting -- but it's hard as adults to realize at the end of the day they're just kids -- and as your alluded to -- they're reactive and instinctive. I do think UK has been the leader the entire time -- but MSU has the momentum because of his "emotional" visit. I understand he doesn't "owe" anyone -- but as much as he is hyping up this MSU stuff -- he's setting up a lot disappointment for them if he doesn't go in that direction.
That being said -- looking at his Twitter -- it is all over the place. He'll tweet one minute saying "I wish people who have never played basketball would stop saying what's best for me." Then -- an hour later -- he tweets MSU fans telling them to keep a pro-MSU hashtag going. I think you nailed it though -- he's running on emotion now. Let's see what Cal can do. #BBN
The Harrison twins were most definitely considered lottery picks. No one is being ignorant. I guess all the mock drafts having them in the lottery going into their freshman seasons was something I made up.
http://www.cbssports.com/general/wr...e-staying-in-school-because-the-system-worked
I am not putting down UK for Johnson, and the Harrison twins not being lottery picks. Kentucky has a great program as I have said numerous times. It's just this stigma that many of you fans get that annoys me. It's the "Kentucky puts players in the league. Izzo makes guys hang around 4 years. Izzo can't deal with a one and done, etc, etc." Cal is a genius marketer and salesman of your guys program. However, let's not get it twisted guys like Davis, MKG, Wall, Towns, Noel, etc would have been top picks ANYWHERE.
Izzo can get players to the pros no question, but they are usually players he developed, and Bridges wants to leave after 1 year no matter where he goes. Here is the bottom line, if you are a true one and done do you take a chance with Izzo who, if I am not mistaken has not has one player that has left after their first year, of all the 5 star talent he has had. I know Gary Harris left after two. But, do you leave that to chance, with Izzo's track record of (correct me if I am wrong) zero one and dones. So if you are one of the best players in the country and you want to show off your talent for one year, do go to MS or UK. Now I know that there were several players that shunned us in the spring, but most of those players chose coaches that had some experience with one and done players. At least those coaches had that selling point, something Izzo does not have.
First, there's a difference between a 5-star and a kid that is capable of being a one and done. Look at MSU's recruiting classes in the last 10 years. How many kids do you honestly see that were talented enough to be one and dones? Maybe a couple? Harris was a projected lottery pick after his freshman season. He's very young, and came back for a chance to win a National Title. He just turned 21 yesterday, and he played 2 years in college, and already finished his rookie year in the NBA. That's not on Izzo. He supported the Harris family with whatever decision they made.
Zach Randolph was a one and done under Izzo.
Do you not think that if Izzo had landed guys he went after recently (Okafor, Parker, Jones, etc) that they would have been one and dones at MSU?
It's the same thing with many of your one and dones. Again, I am not putting Kentucky down, but Davis, Wall, MKG, Noel, Towns, etc would not have played 2-4 years at MSU.
You guys lost recruits to Cuonzo Martin. What experience does he have? Dave Rice had Anthony Bennett, but he's an awful coach. No one would recommend a one and done to go to Dave Rice over Izzo would they?
Then you have Bill Self. I could have put Andrew Wiggins and Joel Embiid in the NBA. Look at Xavier Henry, Josh Selby, Cliff Alexander, etc. So yes, Self has experience coaching one and dones, but some have also been out of the league within a couple years.
Andrew Harrison was considered a consensus Top 10 pick coming into college. Aaron was not. He was considered a 1st rounder, but not lottery. It's simple. Andrew is a 6'6" PG. Aaron was a SG- which are dime a dozen- with only decent athleticism. Gary Parrish is NOT an NBA Draft analyst.
And Dakari was NEVER considered a lottery pick. He was considered a late 1st rounder/early 2nd rounder.
i have no idea why fans insist on this being 100% true when there are several cases as to where it is not.
I don't believe anyone here has said that Izzo can't get players to the league. And your nieve that you don't think that it doesn't take a marketing plan to pull off what Cal has. It is something he committed his recruiting efforts to is getting the best players and is part of the reason he took the UK job. Whether these players would have done just as good somewhere else you will never know. Coach K is catching, but it takes a committed coach.
I think some fans oversell it, but the fact is there is a big difference money-wise between being a lottery pick and non-lottery, or the No. 1 pick vs. 3-4-5.
The fact that Lyles and Booker were lottery picks last year, and the more highly regarded (out of high school) Kelly Oubre finished outside the lottery is pretty amazing - and that's all Cal and the exposure those guys got at UK.
You can also look at what Cal did to position Towns as the No. 1 draft pick vs. Okafor, Myles Turner, and Cliff Alexander. Per ESPN, the top three recruits coming out of high school in 2014 were Okafor, Turner, and Alexander. Towns wasn't even fourth - he was No. 9.
Think about how poorly Myles Turner was used at Texas last year, the negative exposure Alexander got when he did play, with Self calling him out and criticizing him.
Contrast that to the steady improvement in Towns play through the year, with Cal doggedly promoting him as the best center in the country from Day 1 - when at the time it was a somewhat ridiculous assertion.
Beat me to it.
I love when people say this. Too bad that you're coach couldn't get them.
Negative. Also, that was coming into college. As a previous poster stated, that was before the flaws that they had were exposed. Keep up.
Lol those kids would have been top picks straight out of HS if they were allowed. You think Calipari is the reason Davis, Noel, Wall, etc were top picks?
he didnt hurt their stock and helped their games. not every coach can do that. i get why you think they can though.
at any rate....its all pointless. UK gets these guys, and MSU doesn't. again, just talking points non uk fans cling too.
This is why I didn't say all the recruits we missed on. Not all recruits are the same. Jaylen Brown went to California to avoid the limelight. Bridges wants to leave after a year, and can't afford to to hope he is Izzo second one and done.
Gregg Doyel @GreggDoyelStar
Big-time coach just told me kid's going to Mich St. We'll see. UK has last visit. #iubb has Thomas Bryant connection
Big-time coach just told me kid's going to Mich St. We'll see. UK has last visit. #iubb has Thomas Bryant connection
They were already great, but yes, Calipari is one of the biggest reasons Wall, Davis, and Towns went #1, and I personally believe Noel would have gone #1 if it weren't for his ACL injury. I'm not going to slam you like other people in this thread, because you do bring up good talking points. However, I just want to say that those players developed a lot under one year. Anthony Davis and KAT are incredible examples. Davis was not a great offensive big man at the beginning of the 2011-2012 season. Even though he had guard-like skills, his sudden growth spurt made him change positions and have to develop a post game. Calipari cared more about developing Davis' inside game than continuing to let him be a perimeter player (this is the same with Karl-Anthony Towns). UK's complete 2011-2012 season is archived online, and you can watch some early games and some late games to see how much his post game improved, thanks to Calipari and his experience with a similar kind of player in Marcus Camby. I will give you that Davis was basically a defensive/shot-blocking genius from day 1, same with Nerlens Noel.
More recently, Karl-Anthony Towns (the 14-15 season is also archived for you to see solid proof of this): Many of his high school highlights show him shooting 3's, driving from the perimeter, etc. However, his post game, specifically aggression and strength, needed further developing. He showed flashes of that skill and power when he got to UK, but many times he missed really close baskets. His work ethic was great, and he was very coachable, but he wasn't fully refined yet. But near the end of the season (most notably the LSU and Notre Dame games), he was automatic in the post, and had passed up Jahlil Okafor as the perceived #1 pick, which he ended up being. Before the 14-15 season, Okafor was considered the #1 pick by just about everyone.
Would other coaches have done the same thing with those players? Maybe, maybe not. We'll never know. Some coaches could have easily said "Wow, these 6'10"/7-foot players can shoot jumpshots and play on the perimeter? I may have the next Kevin Durant!" But Calipari said "No, these guys need to learn how to be true centers."
Funnily enough, he has done the opposite with some of his power fowards, such as Patrick Patterson, who was strictly an under-the-basket center for his first two years at UK under BCG before Cal came and greatly helped him develop a perimeter game. PPat wasn't a 1-and-done, but Cal had 1 year with him, and changed his game drastically from what he was doing under a previous coach. Also, he had Trey Lyles playing the 3 position to refine his versatility. Terrence Jones played both inside and outside as well. Calipari wanted to do the same with Randle, but he found out that Randle was borderline unstoppable inside like Cousins was, and he was desperate to win games because of the regular-season losses piling up (see, Calipari DOES care about winning games!)
of course a coach said that....that way when the kid picks UK...the same coach can say UK cheats to get kids.
Absolutely. Wall is the only one who wouldve been #1 overall had he went to the NBA straight from HS.
Everyone knows how great Davis is now. But the Davis that arrived on campus had virtually no offensive game other than catching lobs. So Cal creates an entire offense around the lob. How many other coaches could pull that off?
Then as the season progresses, suddenly Davis has an unstoppable jump hook. Then hes nailing jumpers and is sure thing from the FT line.
Its much similar to the progression of KAT, except the ceiling isnt as high.
Noone in college basketball develops players like Cal. Thats especially true for elite players.
If a recruit wants to go elsewhere, thats fine. But the unbiased truth is we are the best program, with the best coach/staff to develop and market elite talent.
The needle is moving in the direction of UK. It's down to two, though that isn't public. Have no link, just scuddlebutt.
Of course they developed. I never said Cal is a bad coach, or that he can't develop players. Point is that those players were already locks to be top draft picks when they were in HS still.
I would love to see Izzo's resume if he had the type of talent that Calipari brings in every year.
One and done players aren't because of a coach. Jaylen Brown and Ivan Rabb are not going to be a one and done because of Cuonzo Martin's coaching. If Malik Monk goes to Arkansas, he won't be a one and done because of Mike Anderson. One and done talents are one and done talents whereever they go.
Like I said before, how many players like Bridges with the ability to be a one and done has Izzo landed? Answer: Not many. The 2016 class is very good at the top. In other years, Bridges would be considered for the #1 or #2 spot in the rankings. He's going to have the ability to be a one and done wherever he goes.
Its tough to coach a brand new team every year with a majority of them being freshman. You may be surprised at what his resume may look like.
True to a point. But the coach and style of play can have a major influence. Cal's specialty is maximizing draft stock. Towns was a perfect example. When he came out of high school, he was considered top five or 10. But I honestly believe it was because of the way he was used and developed that helped him claim the top spot.
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