Cats to Play Like The Warriors per Knox

[UK2KJAG]

“That could be a possible lineup for us this year,” Knox told SEC Country on Sunday. “Straight guards, straight Golden State lineup. That’s what I’m thinking. Golden State at times plays Draymond at the five with four guards. That’s something we could do. We’ve got a lot of positionless players like Coach Cal says.”

 

[Deli owl]

Hope we shoot like em

 

[K-Town Kat]

Hope we shoot like em

Few do, but man, this is going to be one fun team to watch.

Such an intriguing group. Very young, but very long, athletic, and deep.

They could take some lumps early as they get their footing, but this is going to be a scary group come March if we can stay healthy.

 

[AnarchoNeoLuddite]

Passing the ball is the Warriors best asset. Selflessness on the court, no egos.

 

[KentuckyCat420]

Passing the ball is the Warriors best asset. Selflessness on the court, no egos.

Well, I'm very confident in saying Green, Washington, and Vanderbilt are elite distributors for their positions so that's a good start.

 

[Smashcat]

Passing the ball is the Warriors best asset. Selflessness on the court, no egos.

We have a lot of good passers. This team though green could be fun, then dangerous by March.

 

[Blueworld_3.0]

Really feel Quade Green is going to remind a lot of fans of Tyler Ulis and that's a good thing. Maybe not as mature from the get-go as Tyler but, his game will be similar.

 

[kyjeff1]

Just hope they stay grounded. They will definitely cause some matchup problems, but I think they will be surprised at how well they will be guarded and how tough it will he to stop teams at this level.
Can't just show up with superior size and athleticism, you have to play harder and smarter than everyone else because they are all going to be veteran college players that have been there and done that.
I love the confidence though and this U19 summer ball is really going to help with experience.
I think it'll get UK a couple of early season wins that they otherwise would have lost.

 

[Nkycatfan17]

In my opinion, I think this is going to be cals most versatile team yet. Going to be able to play true positionless basketball. Going to be a very exciting year!!!

 

[bucsrule8872]

G Green
G Diallo
G Knox
F Vanderbilt
F Washington

Probably the closest we would come to a GS type lineup. I think we will see that at times.

That lineup looks fun to watch, but winning without a legit post presence in the NCAA tourney is tough. Remember the IU game in 2016?

Sure hope Richards develops into a force inside. We are going to need him to be.

 

[Dakota25]

I think they will be in for a surprise at how much tougher the competition is at this level. It's easy to go out to practice, see the size, athleticism, speed, and talent and think they are world beaters but when they step on the college level floor they will be in for a surprise at how the competion is much stronger than it was in high school.

I see 13-14 in this season. They have a good team but to get to the final four they will need to replicate the 2014 tournament run or get some luck from upsets which we never get, but are due anytime.

 

[UKWildcats#8]

I think they will be in for a surprise at how much tougher the competition is at this level. It's easy to go out to practice, see the size, athleticism, speed, and talent and think they are world beaters but when they step on the college level floor they will be in for a surprise at how the competion is much stronger than it was in high school.

I see 13-14 in this season. They have a good team but to get to the final four they will need to replicate the 2014 tournament run or get some luck from upsets which we never get, but are due anytime.

There is no way this team loses close to 11 games overall. I think you are in for a surprise bud.

 

[Supafuzz75]

Why do people still think KD is only 6'9"? Idiots..

 

[HoptownCat93]

The ball movement is the key thing I'd like to see us take from GSW. Less ISO and learn to run plays. I think our teams that performed at their peak in the tourney focused on ball movement (2011, 2012) while I think ISO ball held back some of our more talented teams from being at their best (2010, 2014, 2015, 2017).

 

[WildMoon]

GSW has 4 players with full set of basketball skill.

Would be great to see basically 4 players that can dribble, drive, pass, rebound, shoot and defend.

 

[DerekMcPwn]

There is no way this team loses close to 11 games overall. I think you are in for a surprise bud.

I think Quade Green will be a difference-maker on that front. The 2013-14 looked markedly different with post-Tweak Andrew Harrison focusing on distribution, and Green is a tremendous floor general. The offense won't stagnate with so many bigs on the floor because his instinct as a player, more than any PG I've seen in recent memory, is setting up his teammates to score. With so many skilled, matchup-nightmare forwards circling the rim, we'll get a good shot on every possession. We should be most concerned with physicality in the post and defense.

 

[Drcatfan]

Keep in mind that someone has to guard and rebound against all the SEC front court players we will face. Even the average SEC teams have big, strong grown men in the front court. We need some size and strength as well. Hopefully, Washington, Richards, and Sacha fill that role.

 

[rmn678]

I have a strong feeling that both of our "sleeper" recruits, Baker and Alexander, will both play significant roles in this supposed Warrior lineup. They both can play more than one position on the court and I really believe that the two of them could end up being the two best 3 point shooters on this team.

 

[Cindog28]

I see 13-14 in this season. They have a good team but to get to the final four they will need to replicate the 2014 tournament run or get some luck from upsets which we never get, but are due anytime.

Weren't you the same poster that said Malik Monk brought NOTHING to the table if his shot wasn't falling? If you're betting on freshmen to be "shocked" at the physicality of other NCAA teams, then wouldn't it be more shocking for NCAA teams to play AGAINST them? Have you been asleep since Calipari came to UK?

https://www.seccountry.com/kentucky/kentucky-usa-basketball-knox-cats-like-warriors

"There’s Diallo (6-foot-5 with a 6-11 wing span), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (6-6 and 6-10 ½), Knox (6-9 and 6-11 ½), Washington (6-8 and 7-3), Jarred Vanderbilt (6-9 and 7-1), Wenyen Gabriel (6-9 and 6-11), Sacha Killeya-Jones (6-10 and 7-2), Tai Wynyard (6-10 ¾ and 6-11) and Nick Richards (6-11 ¾ and 7-3 ¾).

“We’re just a hard team to guard,” said Washington, who could play small forward, power forward or center for Kentucky. “All of us can do everything. We’re big, we’re long, we’re fast, we’re agile, we can shoot, we can dribble. We can do everything. I feel like we’re a nightmare at every position on the court.

“Teams would have to go zone, and then that would be a nightmare for them, too, because we can also rebound.”

 

[Dakota25]

Weren't you the same poster that said Malik Monk brought NOTHING to the table if his shot wasn't falling? If you're betting on freshmen to be "shocked" at the physicality of other NCAA teams, then wouldn't it be more shocking for NCAA teams to play AGAINST them? Have you been asleep since Calipari came to UK?

https://www.seccountry.com/kentucky/kentucky-usa-basketball-knox-cats-like-warriors

"There’s Diallo (6-foot-5 with a 6-11 wing span), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (6-6 and 6-10 ½), Knox (6-9 and 6-11 ½), Washington (6-8 and 7-3), Jarred Vanderbilt (6-9 and 7-1), Wenyen Gabriel (6-9 and 6-11), Sacha Killeya-Jones (6-10 and 7-2), Tai Wynyard (6-10 ¾ and 6-11) and Nick Richards (6-11 ¾ and 7-3 ¾).

“We’re just a hard team to guard,” said Washington, who could play small forward, power forward or center for Kentucky. “All of us can do everything. We’re big, we’re long, we’re fast, we’re agile, we can shoot, we can dribble. We can do everything. I feel like we’re a nightmare at every position on the court.

“Teams would have to go zone, and then that would be a nightmare for them, too, because we can also rebound.”

I am not the same poster. I rarely ever talk down about players individually, I know what you are referencing but it wasn't me. I was never hard on any of the players individually last season, the team as a unit during that late January/ early February slump I wasn't too happy about, but other than that I didn't say too much negativity last season.

 

[thebluestripes]

Just wished we had a few seasoned players to help these freshmen out when the going gets tough..

 

[Johnfarrel]

Cleveland, with LeBron James, does not play like Golden State. Hard to see a college team doing it. Their great passing leads to open threes and they make the open threes. But they also play great defense. Playing like Golden State will only work if these three things are done expertly and consistently.

 

[Dablueman]

I think they will be in for a surprise at how much tougher the competition is at this level. It's easy to go out to practice, see the size, athleticism, speed, and talent and think they are world beaters but when they step on the college level floor they will be in for a surprise at how the competion is much stronger than it was in high school.

I see 13-14 in this season. They have a good team but to get to the final four they will need to replicate the 2014 tournament run or get some luck from upsets which we never get, but are due anytime.

You do know that all this is buzz being generated by how well our guys are doing at the U19 while going vs college players and other elite players?

 

[Dablueman]

I think they will be in for a surprise at how much tougher the competition is at this level. It's easy to go out to practice, see the size, athleticism, speed, and talent and think they are world beaters but when they step on the college level floor they will be in for a surprise at how the competion is much stronger than it was in high school.

I see 13-14 in this season. They have a good team but to get to the final four they will need to replicate the 2014 tournament run or get some luck from upsets which we never get, but are due anytime.

I saw in another thread that you haven't seen our guys. Maybe you should or maybe read some articles.

The 14 final four team came in with all the talent in the world. However lots of reports of the Harrisons and Randle not getting along in HS. So they had some chemistry problems to overcome. These kids are all really good friends and helped recruit each other starting with PJ who was close with Quade who was close with Diallo and Knox. They are all friends. Then the guys who were not necessarily in that close group of friends Vanderbilt is known to be a great passer who is very unselfish and Richards plays with a chip on his shoulder and has only played ball for four years his improvement has been drastic in fact alot of his so called weaknesses we're things that were said his soph year when he was in year two of ever playing basketball. Seen him grab to many sick one handed oops for his hands to be bad. Miles Simon who coached against Richards at the hoop summit laughed at Biancardi who said he needed to improve his hands. He said his hands are fine and on cue Richards coraled a sick one handed oop. He said Richards plays defense like he hates you said he was physical with bamba when he was guarding him. So with Diallo coming back after a semester of practicing against the bigger stronger players this team won't have the chemistry problems 14 had.

In HS the Harrisons were bully's 6ft6 215 lb guards well the NCAA started focusing on the impeding motion and where in HS the Harrisons couldn't push and be physical playing defense like they were used to and they couldn't keep anyone in front of them defensively at first. Young was a terrible defender. Randle was a mediocre defender as well we have 2 guards with a better wingspan. Johnson was to slow to play great defense as well. So on the 14 team only Poy and WCS were know as good defenders and WCS had problems with maintaining intensity. Plus WCS went down in the sweet 16 or we probably cut down the nets.

This team scouts say Green is a bull dog on defense draft express calls Diallo and Vanderbilt potentially elite defenders because of their motors and length. Washington and Knox both have defense listed as strengths as does Richards who's Hoop summit coach says actually has the lateral speed to guard out on the floor. These kids defend they are known for it.

So the biggest difference in why this year's squad won't lose as many as 14 is chemistry and defense and truthfully they have know weaknesses. Some say shooting but l see Green, Knox, Washington, Gabriel, Alexander, and Baker all capable of shooting over 35 percent from 3 and if the U19 practices are any indication Diallo is much improved as well even Vanderbilt is said to be much improved as a shooter. Even Foul trouble shouldn't slow this team down all these guys are interchangeable. We don't even have the rebounding weakness that this past season had that cost them early. Be shocked if this team loses more than 6.

 

[STL_Cat]

Probably take a little humble pie early on. They won't be as good as they think they will be early in the season. Looking forward to what they can become by February though.

 

[TheAnonymous13]

With respect to Knox, this is a silly comparison. These team will play nothing like golden state--- a team loaded with shooters that runs to transition 3-pointers.
Won't be doing that.
Cats will run but predicated much more so on using its speed/versatility to get to the rim, not the arc.

 

[musrat59]

When they start SEC play, teams are going to take away what they like to do.

 

[HoptownCat93]

I saw in another thread that you haven't seen our guys. Maybe you should or maybe read some articles.

The 14 final four team came in with all the talent in the world. However lots of reports of the Harrisons and Randle not getting along in HS. So they had some chemistry problems to overcome. These kids are all really good friends and helped recruit each other starting with PJ who was close with Quade who was close with Diallo and Knox. They are all friends. Then the guys who were not necessarily in that close group of friends Vanderbilt is known to be a great passer who is very unselfish and Richards plays with a chip on his shoulder and has only played ball for four years his improvement has been drastic in fact alot of his so called weaknesses we're things that were said his soph year when he was in year two of ever playing basketball. Seen him grab to many sick one handed oops for his hands to be bad. Miles Simon who coached against Richards at the hoop summit laughed at Biancardi who said he needed to improve his hands. He said his hands are fine and on cue Richards coraled a sick one handed oop. He said Richards plays defense like he hates you said he was physical with bamba when he was guarding him. So with Diallo coming back after a semester of practicing against the bigger stronger players this team won't have the chemistry problems 14 had.

In HS the Harrisons were bully's 6ft6 215 lb guards well the NCAA started focusing on the impeding motion and where in HS the Harrisons couldn't push and be physical playing defense like they were used to and they couldn't keep anyone in front of them defensively at first. Young was a terrible defender. Randle was a mediocre defender as well we have 2 guards with a better wingspan. Johnson was to slow to play great defense as well. So on the 14 team only Poy and WCS were know as good defenders and WCS had problems with maintaining intensity. Plus WCS went down in the sweet 16 or we probably cut down the nets.

This team scouts say Green is a bull dog on defense draft express calls Diallo and Vanderbilt potentially elite defenders because of their motors and length. Washington and Knox both have defense listed as strengths as does Richards who's Hoop summit coach says actually has the lateral speed to guard out on the floor. These kids defend they are known for it.

So the biggest difference in why this year's squad won't lose as many as 14 is chemistry and defense and truthfully they have know weaknesses. Some say shooting but l see Green, Knox, Washington, Gabriel, Alexander, and Baker all capable of shooting over 35 percent from 3 and if the U19 practices are any indication Diallo is much improved as well even Vanderbilt is said to be much improved as a shooter. Even Foul trouble shouldn't slow this team down all these guys are interchangeable. We don't even have the rebounding weakness that this past season had that cost them early. Be shocked if this team loses more than 6.

I have noticed Cal has really gone after players that are friends the last few years. Getting Fox(who everyone liked and wanted to play with), led to some great guys coming in and they were ready to go from day 1.

 

[Fitch44]

With respect to Knox, this is a silly comparison. These team will play nothing like golden state--- a team loaded with shooters that runs to transition 3-pointers.
Won't be doing that.
Cats will run but predicated much more so on using its speed/versatility to get to the rim, not the arc.

Not really that silly. Most think warriors just shoot a bunch of threes but most would be surprised to find out that the warriors were top 3 in the league in points in the paint.
They use their size and smarts to get paint points and eventually will get an open 3 off ball movement and player movement.
This could be cals most versatile line up to run a warrior type offense.

 

[TheAnonymous13]

Not really that silly. Most think warriors just shoot a bunch of threes but most would be surprised to find out that the warriors were top 3 in the league in points in the paint.
They use their size and smarts to get paint points and eventually will get an open 3 off ball movement and player movement.
This could be cals most versatile line up to run a warrior type offense.

In a league of 30 teams, only 4 teams shot more 3-pointers.

 

[morgousky]

Oh hahahahahahahahahahaha

I've been thinking it said Knox think's we could BEAT Golden State.

 

[Cardsstink]

View embedded media

“That could be a possible lineup for us this year,” Knox told SEC Country on Sunday. “Straight guards, straight Golden State lineup. That’s what I’m thinking. Golden State at times plays Draymond at the five with four guards. That’s something we could do. We’ve got a lot of positionless players like Coach Cal says.”

I can see this now. If the ball is moving at all times and guys are picking and cutting, it will be something to behold. This just gets to be more fun every year.

 

[Fitch44]

In a league of 30 teams, only 4 teams shot more 3-pointers.

And yet they were still top 3 in points in the paint. They actually led the league last year in points in the paint.
This team will shoot more 3's than you think.

 

[TheAnonymous13]

And yet they were still top 3 in points in the paint. They actually led the league last year in points in the paint.
This team will shoot more 3's than you think.

Maybe. We will find out. If this uk team shoots more threes than nearly 85% of D1 teams--- I'll concede your point.
I'll also be concerned for the success of the season, as I don't think that would be a winning formula for this personnel.

 

[Hoskins91]

We don't have the personnel, and Cal will not run a system similar to what the Warriors run.

 

[Fitch44]

Maybe. We will find out. If this uk team shoots more threes than nearly 85% of D1 teams--- I'll concede your point.
I'll also be concerned for the success of the season, as I don't think that would be a winning formula for this personnel.

So "playing like the warriors" means they have to shoot more 3's than 85% of all college teams.
Gotcha.

 

[cawoodsct]

Cal doesn't even know how we will play. Usually takes awhile before he settles on a style with each team. Just win baby!

 

[K_TIME]

You can try to play like Golden St all you want...but with crazy shooters like Curry and Klay...then adding Durant. This UK roster has nothing like any of those three guys in terms of shooting even at collegiate level.

We'll be more like the a space and drive team with our athletes and handling skills at the 3, 4 and 5 at times. And then on defense...play and switch on tons of ball screens where teams can hardly create a match up for this long team is our best bet IMO.

 

[TheAnonymous13]

So "playing like the warriors" means they have to shoot more 3's than 85% of all college teams.
Gotcha.

The Warriors shot more 3s than 85% of NBA teams last year, so if you wanna make the comparison.....

 

[bucsrule8872]

I guess it depends on what you mean by "play like Golden State."

If you mean shooting and making lots of 3's, then it's not going to happen at UK next year.

If you are talking about having a team of guys who can all handle, pass, and rebound, who are always playing unselfish basketball, and defend well as a unit, then they absolutely could play like GS.

We tend to think of the former as the GS style of play, but the latter is also how they play.