Controversial take: Cats dodged bullet with Jaylen Brown

[MdWIldcat55]

Not saying Brown won't have a good college career, and may have more NBA upside than Jamal Murray. But the times I watched him, he was a terrific athlete who was challenged to score from the wing and was not a particularly skilled ball handler or passer.

No way UK gets Brown and Murray, in my opinion. And I doubt Brown in the line-up with Poythress and Skal is as balanced a line-up in terms of perimeter scoring and ball handling and overall basketball IQ as one with Murray there.

Brown is likely a better rebounder, but a rotation of Skal-Poy-Lee-Wynyard should be capable enough, though I do see rebounding as a potential area of concern next year. Not sure who would be a better defender overall, because that comes down to attitude and toughness. Murray certainly seems to have that.

 

[irishcat1965]

Brown would have been a great addition. But I'm very pleased with how it worked out with UK getting Murray. Murray is a great fit.

 

[bookerfan66]

Brown is very talented but Murray is a better shooter and fits our needs better.

 

[docholiday51]

We may have dodged more than one bullet this recruiting season(Brown may or may not have been one)I think Newman was one

 

[KA4Prez]

I love the way it ended up.

However, it's very easy to say "hindsight is 20/20" once we got Murray. If we didn't get Murray, well I would've still taken Brown or Newman. Murray is a better impact player right away and better fit for UK, but it doesn't mean what the title says.

The title basically says not getting Brown period is good.

 

[StubbornPenny]

Anyone who chooses to further their basketball career by going to Cal needs some serious mental help. Cal is a great school but c'mon.

 

[Smashcat]

Brown is very talented but Murray is a better shooter and fits our needs better.

I agree.

 

[Blue Decade]

Not saying Brown won't have a good college career, and may have more NBA upside than Jamal Murray. But the times I watched him, he was a terrific athlete who was challenged to score from the wing and was not a particularly skilled ball handler or passer.

No way UK gets Brown and Murray, in my opinion. And I doubt Brown in the line-up with Poythress and Skal is as balanced a line-up in terms of perimeter scoring and ball handling and overall basketball IQ as one with Murray there.

Brown is likely a better rebounder, but a rotation of Skal-Poy-Lee-Wynyard should be capable enough, though I do see rebounding as a potential area of concern next year. Not sure who would be a better defender overall, because that comes down to attitude and toughness. Murray certainly seems to have that.

First off, I like Murray better than Brown although they play different positions. Murray is really a combo guard. Brown is a combo forward who weighs 230 pounds but likes to play on the wing. I don't buy the idea that Murray and Brown can't play together, because they easily could. Brown plays a position that Calipari has had a hard time filling in Lexington. However, I don't know about Brown's attitude. I like our team just fine. With Labissiere, Briscoe, and Murray, I think we probably have the best team in the country. We will certainly be the best offensive team in the country. If we play any defense, we ought to be the favorite to win the whole ball of wax.

 

[RondoBaller21]

I'll take Skal and Murray over any recruit in the entire class.

 

[minjo]

We have our team set. It is better than good. The rest of who is better or not is not an important subject for discussion.
When the season starts all of the above pro and cons about our players and the ones that did not come to UK will be answered.

I am amazed at the NBA teams picking players that nobody had heard, and not pick Aaron in the draft. Unbelievably stupid of them.

 

[coolcat9lives]

It happens almost every year. Cal pursues a guy that UK doesn't get. Fans become outraged only to watch that player underperform (Shabazz, Bennett) or do something that could potentially hurt the team (Mudiay to China). I think the bullet UK dodged this year was actually Malik Newman instead of Jaylen Brown. Mark my words, by the time Newman is through at Mississippi State he will be a late first to early second round pick.

 

[Blue Decade]

They are different players, for sure, but I don't see how they'd play different positions at Kentucky: Either one was going to play on the wing at the 3 in next year's line-up.

Murray and Brown are very different players. The only reason they would play the same position is because Calipari has a lot of guards but no wing forwards this year. Calipari will tailor his offense to fit the available players. But Murray is not a forward. Look at what Murray said when he signed with Kentucky. He sees himself as a guard. Brown and Murray could play together. But we are fine. You can't sign everyone, and I am thrilled with Murray's commitment. Given a choice, I would take Murray over Brown without hesitation.

 

[st-louie-blue]

Not saying Brown won't have a good college career, and may have more NBA upside than Jamal Murray. But the times I watched him, he was a terrific athlete who was challenged to score from the wing and was not a particularly skilled ball handler or passer.

No way UK gets Brown and Murray, in my opinion. And I doubt Brown in the line-up with Poythress and Skal is as balanced a line-up in terms of perimeter scoring and ball handling and overall basketball IQ as one with Murray there.

Brown is likely a better rebounder, but a rotation of Skal-Poy-Lee-Wynyard should be capable enough, though I do see rebounding as a potential area of concern next year. Not sure who would be a better defender overall, because that comes down to attitude and toughness. Murray certainly seems to have that.

I'm happy with Murray.