Diallo V. Newman

[bucsrule8872]

I would take Newman or Murray.

Newman is probably a little better, but both give us what we need and that's shooting/scoring.

Plug them in with Ulis and Briscoe and UK is good on the perimeter.

G Ulis (40-45% from 3)
G Newman or Murray (35-40% from 3)
G Briscoe (30-35% from 3)

Two good shooters and a third decent shooter. Teams will sag off those guys because of the way they can get to the rim. That means good spacing and open looks.

Throw in Mulder and/or Matthews coming off the bench and we have another good shooter as a weapon.

But we need Newman or Murray, IMHO.

 

[Blue Decade]

In the debate about Newman vs. Murray, we should keep a couple of things in mind. Murray is a 2016 prospect who hasn't reclassified. In a recent interview, Murray's high school coach says he does not have firm plans to reclassify. Maybe he will classify to 2015, maybe not. But Murray and Newman are both combo guards who want to play the point. With Briscoe and Ulis already on Kentucky's roster, Calipari does not have a need for another point guard. So if another guard is interested in Kentucky, he must be willing to play on the wing. Everything I see now tells me that Kentucky is much more likely to get Newman than Murray. I understand why Newman is considering Mississippi State, but it's hard to believe he will actually settle on MSU. Newman wants to play 1 year of college ball, then get drafted. At Kentucky, every game is played in front of a big TV audience. By my count, 4 Kentucky guards have been 1st round draft choices since Calipari got here, plus Booker may be a lottery pick this year. Newman can get drafted at MSU, but it's hard to rationally see why he would go that route unless he is scared of competition and just can't share the spotlight with other elite players. All these environmental factors suggest that Newman ends up at Kentucky.

 

[Teachable Moe]

A large number of college teams play 3 guard sets, Duke played 3 guards. UConn played 3 guards last year, I think. And I can't remember but I bet UL played 3 guards the year before that.

It looks like the question is: why not play 3 guard sets?

 

[JonathanW]

In order, I want Ingram, Diallo, Brown.

Yes, I left off Newman. I don't want Newman. Sure he is a very good scorer. But he has said numerous times that he needs to be where he has the ball in his hands, and that he wants to play PG (because he knows that will be his NBA position). Can't blame him for that last part. But I just don't think he will be a good fit for UK with Ulis & Briscoe. We didn't need Muhammad, and Goodwin didn't work out for us (as a team). We need guys who want to put the team first!!!!

I also left off Maker. I just don't have a good feeling about him. Can't explain it. Hope I'm wrong.

If Cal thinks Maker &/or Newman won't cause any problems & will help the team, then I'll trust him. But I still put those other 3 ahead of them.

UK needs TEAM players

 

[BobbyG_tickle_swerv]

Originally posted by SilentsAreGolden:

Originally posted by ZaytovenCat:
I've seen them both in person and we want and need Newman by far over any player left. What you saw in the Allstar games is nothing like what he really is. Picture a better offensive version of Brandon Knight with a tad more range and that's Newman. Knight also had a bad McDonalds game. Daniel Giddens worked Diallo in the Marshall Hoopfest. With the type offense Cal has been running, Diallo won't look like he did in the Allstar games. He's a bit more skilled version of Marcus Lee. Lee looks good in an up and down game where there's lobs but in a slower half court game he is lost.

Just going off the AS games, I'd say you are underselling Diallo by saying he's a "bit more skilled version of Lee". And I'm guessing there's a decent chance Diallo can improve his half-court game. He isn't ranked #7 because of how he plays in AS games.

I'd be more excited about a kid that had great outings in the all-star type environment. Of course, you can't judge someone off of a few games, but you can't also put a lot of stock into how well players perform against inferior talent. I have no idea who all he's played against, during the majority of the year, so feel free to ignore this, but getting excited because a 6-9 220 kid shows a good post-game against 6-4 200 16-17 year-olds is more-than-likely setting yourself up for disappointment.

 

[knockturnal79]

I definitely don't think Newman is a bad player. He's a beast. I don't think he comes here purely because of his statements and his attitude (not saying it's bad, but when has Cal ever been like 'yea we'll guarantee you touches and minutes'?). 3 bigs is simply not enough, considering one is coming off ACL surgery and Lee has pretty much no offensive game aside from catching lobs. He could possibly fill WCS's role, but I really don't even see him as a 4. I think people are saying he's a 4 due to his size, but his skillset is definitely that of a center.

 

[Wall2Boogie]

I know it was mentioned earlier, about Newman not playing well in all star games, but you can't judge a player based on those. An excellent example would be brandon knight. Wasn't he like 1-7 in the mcds all american game? And the 3 he did make won the game for them

 

[kywildcats4life]

I think you guys are going to be disappointed if you are expecting Newman. He is not coming because of the PGs already here. Ulis + Briscoe. He is not coming to only play SG.

 

[bucsrule8872]

Here is how Cal is selling a spot to Newman (and Murray as well): we will run the DDMO. In this MOTION offense, he will spend a lot of the time at the "point" since everyone rotates to different spots. In the DDMO, Newman will have ample opportunity to run the show.

So his choice is going to be:

1. Go to UK and SHARE ballhandling duties with Ulis and Briscoe, but be the top scoring option on a potential title contender.

2. Go to LSU and get to be the PG, likely be on a good team (not a true contender due to a lack of a good coach), but be second option on "Simmons' team."

3. Go to MSU and have the ball in his hands at all times, but sacrifice winning as that team will likely be lucky to get to the NIT.

If getting to a Final Four and having a chance to compete for a title is important to him, the choice is pretty easy.

 

[JFCats22]

This is promising!!!

@CoachEvWilliams: Kentucky has regained some momentum in the recruitment of Cheick Diallo. Two-horse race between St Johns. KU losing some momentum.

 

[JFCats22]

Cal meeting with Diallo tonight

 

[CUJO_1970]

You just don't pass on a guy like Diallo. That's exactly why Cal and Payne are sitting in his living room RIGHT NOW.

 

[bookerfan66]

I love Diallo.Kid seems to go after each play like it's the most important one in the world.I would be thrilled to get him.

 

[Hoskins91]

Originally posted by Brando Mac:

Originally posted by Hoskins91:

Originally posted by wildcatsboston1984:

Originally posted by Son_Of_Saul:

Diallo would give UK more of what it already has in Skal, Lee, and Poythress. Albeit, he brings it on a higher level offensively than Alex and Marcus (and probably more than Skal on the defensive end) but he would certainly become a luxury player given what UK already has.


Newman, however, is capable of giving UK what it desperately needs right now - wing scoring. Currently, UK has two elite-level playmakers in Briscoe and Ulis - neither of whom are presently capable of becoming an elite scoring guard - and a number of projects in Matthews, Hawkins, and presumable Mulder.


I'd rather the unknown for next season rest on the shoulders of frontcourt depth than on the desperate lack of wing scoring.


We need Newman. Diallo is a luxury. It's as simple as that.

Diallo gives more of the same, albeit better than Lee and probably Poythress too, but we need the depth. Three posts just isn't enough. One gets in foul trouble and you're screwed. One gets injured and you're screwed. One just doesn't bring it for a game and you're screwed. It's not like we have the depth on the perimeter to run a four guard/wing offense with a Justice Winslow type playing the four unless Derek Willis finally lives up to the bucket maker rep he has in practice.

We do not need four bigs, unless Lee just doesn't improve at all. It is nice to have plenty of depth in the frontcourt, but your expectations are extremely out of wack if you think we need to have four guys that can play big minutes. Perimeter depth and scoring are needed much more than more bigs.

We need 1-2 perimeter scorers/shooters and a beefy/strong big man that can rebound and hold his position and be an enforcer type. Right now our bigs are either rail thin or coming off of ACL surgery. We need a big that can get offensive boards and give us second chance opportunities.

We're not after any bigs that fit that description. Diallo is another thin springy pf type, which is honestly what Cal seems to prefer.

 

[Hoskins91]

Originally posted by wildcatsboston1984:

Originally posted by Hoskins91:

Originally posted by wildcatsboston1984:

Originally posted by Son_Of_Saul:

Diallo would give UK more of what it already has in Skal, Lee, and Poythress. Albeit, he brings it on a higher level offensively than Alex and Marcus (and probably more than Skal on the defensive end) but he would certainly become a luxury player given what UK already has.


Newman, however, is capable of giving UK what it desperately needs right now - wing scoring. Currently, UK has two elite-level playmakers in Briscoe and Ulis - neither of whom are presently capable of becoming an elite scoring guard - and a number of projects in Matthews, Hawkins, and presumable Mulder.


I'd rather the unknown for next season rest on the shoulders of frontcourt depth than on the desperate lack of wing scoring.


We need Newman. Diallo is a luxury. It's as simple as that.

Diallo gives more of the same, albeit better than Lee and probably Poythress too, but we need the depth. Three posts just isn't enough. One gets in foul trouble and you're screwed. One gets injured and you're screwed. One just doesn't bring it for a game and you're screwed. It's not like we have the depth on the perimeter to run a four guard/wing offense with a Justice Winslow type playing the four unless Derek Willis finally lives up to the bucket maker rep he has in practice.

We do not need four bigs, unless Lee just doesn't improve at all. It is nice to have plenty of depth in the frontcourt, but your expectations are extremely out of wack if you think we need to have four guys that can play big minutes. Perimeter depth and scoring are needed much more than more bigs.

Did I say we needed four that can play big minutes? No. I said we needed another post, which is the truth. Teams don't win championships with only three posts on the roster unless they have the perimeter depth to run a high-quality four-perimeter offense. If you have that kind of perimeter depth then you can get away with three posts like Duke did this year.

So you hinge our title chances on us having a scrub on the roster who would only play in spot minutes...I stand by what I said.