If he stays in the draft, then the message it sends is one of ..........(I'll just let you finish the sentence).
As a fan of UK basketball for nearly 50 years, my interest is slipping incredibly fast. This has gone from a college sport which I love(d) very much to nothing but a money game where the UK fan is being used and abused, for the gain of a very select few. What about the time and money that we fans invest in the program? I know it's great that these guys get big $$$$ and their dreams are coming true, but what does the common fan get in return? The fan gets to hear about a great recruiting class coming in again that will once again probably fall short because there is no stability in the program with regards to returning players.
I really started getting tired of this type system a couple years ago, and it's getting worse fast. Color me stupid I guess to say that I wish we had players that play with heart and passion and know that the name on the front of the jersey means something. The one and done rule has quietly destroyed what the UK program is all about. Championships or not, and there haven't been many lately.
I'll probably watch like I always have, but it's more like watching something because it's on rather than feeling involved like I used to.
Lastly, I can't believe Calipari gets 7-8 million $$$$ per year, by UK, to focus on UK basketball success and it's all about running an NBA developmental camp. It could be so much different if he would just TWEAK his system a little, but he's obviously not going to and Barnhart and company seem to be content with it. To each his own I guess.