Doron Lamb, in case you are reading this...

[bigbluelou]

...I think you are one of the most underrated UK guards of all time. You may be one of the most underrated UK players regardless of position. Without you, we do NOT win the 2012 title game. (Of course you could say that about most of the players, but still...)

You:

• had an amazing nose for the basket
• were very smart and crafty
• were more athletic than people gave you credit for
• had a deceptively quick first step that helped you get to the basket with relative ease
• were an incredible outside shooter, and
• had an outstanding attitude with a winning smile.

Thank you for the fantastic two years you gave UK. I wish you nothing but the best in whatever you are doing and will do in the future. You will always be one of my favorite UK players of all time.

(I know this post is a little random, but with all the love and attention we give to AD, TJ, MKG, and Darius Miller...and rightfully so...I wanted to remind him and everyone what a great player he was.)

 

[KYNC89]

I'll call him to let him know.

 

[Cardsstink]

He was awesome. I remember him making a couple of bitter comments when he didn't make it in the NBA. I hope everything works out for him.

 

[Nubb16]

Doron Lamb here. I've kept my identity hidden for some time now, but after reading your post, you have inspired me to reveal my self and let everyone know who the man is behind the username. Thank you for your kind words Lou.

 

[jameslee32]

 

[Coach CALzone]

Not to mention he lead us in scoring during our title run.

 

[ThroughBlue]

Without any of our top 6 we don't win the 2012 championship.

 

[bigbluelou]

Thanks.

 

[bigbluelou]

Doron Lamb here. I've kept my identity hidden for some time now, but after reading your post, you have inspired me to reveal my self and let everyone know who the man is behind the username. Thank you for your kind words Lou.

Happy to be an inspiration to you, Doron. That's my job here.

 

[FrankUnderwood]

He left

 

[Smashcat]

Lamb led UK in scoring in the six NCAA games that gave us Cal's only NCAA championship. Nuff said about his importance.

 

[Kycatspaws]

Doron with a nice shot from the corner.

 

[FrankUnderwood]

He was the type of player that when he pulled up for a 3 , you would usually be like "I bet this is going in" he's one of the most "make you feel comfortable when he's shooting the ball" players like ever at UK (one of many, but still )

Love lamb

Plus he always looks sleepy which is super cool.

 

[BBUK]

Happy to be an inspiration to you, Doron. That's my job here.

Partly your job...

 

[oldfanofuk]

We may have won two titles had Knight passed the ball to Lamb a few more times vs UCONN......

 

[Wall Knight Teague]

Happy to be an inspiration to you, Doron. That's my job here.

Any shooting tips for Doron/Nubb while you're at it?

 

[Cowtown Cat]

Loved me some Doron Lamb. Dude was flat out nails, even in the clutch. @FrankUnderwood good post. Basically my thoughts as well. Lamb is probably the most underrated guard at UK under Cal and Randle is the most underrated big at UK under Cal, IMO.

 

[playmorezeppelin]

D Lamb never disappointed. Dude was too cool

 

[hotelblue]

if/when he ever got open enough to rotate the ball in his hands a little he shot like 90% lol

he didn't miss from the corner

 

[hotelblue]

also he could hit coming right off the bench as a freshman in limited attempts and nail big or much needed shots. he usually always hit big threes for you in big games also. he was clutch.

 

[Nubb16]

Any shooting tips for Doron/Nubb while you're at it?

You either got it or donts got it

 

[WildMoon]

He was the type of player that when he pulled up for a 3 , you would usually be like "I bet this is going in" he's one of the most "make you feel comfortable when he's shooting the ball" players like ever at UK (one of many, but still )

Love lamb

Plus he always looks sleepy which is super cool.

No. That's not what happened.

Usually we all just start dancing!

And when he doesn't make it we wonder if he was injured.

 

[78Gooses]

I'm 78Gooses and I approve this thread. Doron is deserving of our gratitude and fond memories. His arcs of destruction were money.

That's right, I said arcs of destruction.

 

[Macy's socks]

 

[morgousky]

Loved me some Doron Lamb. Dude was flat out nails, even in the clutch. @FrankUnderwood good post. Basically my thoughts as well. Lamb is probably the most underrated guard at UK under Cal and Randle is the most underrated big at UK under Cal, IMO.

Lamb is extremely undervalued.

Randle is by far the most underrated player of the Cal era imo. Sometimes we talk more about Kanter or Harrellson than Randle, and given that I believe he's the third best big (after Cuz and Davis) it's pretty ridiculous.

 

[CELTICAT]

We may have won two titles had Knight passed the ball to Lamb a few more times vs UCONN......

Knight shot us out of that game, then Lamb goes on a freakin rampage to get us back in it, only to have Knight shoot it away again.

 

[Fawrules]

Knight shot us out of that game, then Lamb goes on a freakin rampage to get us back in it, only to have Knight shoot it away again.

In fairness to Knight though, we wouldn't have been there to begin with without him.
Buzzer beater against Princeton in the first game
Scored 30 against West Virginia in the Round of 32
Buzzer beater to upset Overall #1 Seed Ohio State

 

[crestcat]

(I know this post is a little random, but with all the love and attention we give to AD, TJ, MKG, and Darius Miller...and rightfully so...I wanted to remind him and everyone what a great player he was.)[/QUOTE]
Doron was as important to that championship as anyone on that team, thanks for starting thread

 

[WildMoon]

Lamb is extremely undervalued.

Randle is by far the most underrated player of the Cal era imo. Sometimes we talk more about Kanter or Harrellson than Randle, and given that I believe he's the third best big (after Cuz and Davis) it's pretty ridiculous.

What? we don't talk about Kanter and Harrellson over Randle. You starting crazy talk again.

Randle was the best player on our runner up run. Who has minimized that? best double double machine in Cal's era. Dude was a BEASTTTT.

 

[420grover]

Who up?

 

[420grover]

Who up?

 

[morgousky]

What? we don't talk about Kanter and Harrellson over Randle. You starting crazy talk again.

Randle was the best player on our runner up run. Who has minimized that? best double double machine in Cal's era. Dude was a BEASTTTT.

If you start a rank'm thread later on, you'll see what I'm talkin about.

And Randle was a triple team machine, if you doubled him you lost.

 

[WildMoon]

If you start a rank'm thread later on, you'll see what I'm talkin about.

And Randle was a triple team machine, if you doubled him you lost.

come on man...only my opinion matters. LOL joking.

Yeah, some don't realize it. But yes, he was amazing. Not sure where i put him. Davis as number 1, and after that it gets foggy.

 

[preacherfan]

One time I ran into Lamb at Pizza Hut and I spent about 20 minutes telling him how to fix his shot to be more effective. You can thank me for his success!

 

[Bluegrassking]

Without any of our top 6 we don't win the 2012 championship.

I'd say seven, Wiltjer contributed as well.

 

[BigKari]

Now do Teague.

Teague is super underappreciated too. He was tough to watch at times during the regular season. He wanted to be a scorer so bad and it was hurting us. He sacrificed for the team and played how Cal wanted him to as a pure point guard. He was brilliant in the tournament, picked his spots to shoot/drive and made some big baskets.

 

[UK90]

Teague is super underappreciated too. He was tough to watch at times during the regular season. He wanted to be a scorer so bad and it was hurting us. He sacrificed for the team and played how Cal wanted him to as a pure point guard. He was brilliant in the tournament, picked his spots to shoot/drive and made some big baskets.

Agreed. In fact, I think Teague is even more underappreciated than Lamb.

Teague took a really unfair amount of heat from our fans that season. It's like this bunch needs some whipping boy every year, but the 2012 team was just so perfect that we couldn't find a deserving one, so folks here instead unfairly tried to put that tag on Teague.

Every time I re-watch games from 2012 that's a thing that jumps out to me--Teague was a lot better than our fans gave him a credit for. An absolutely bulldog tough defender--one of the best defensive guards we've ever had--yet not nearly enough of our fans noticed it when it was happening. And after he worked out the freshman kinks, he ran the offense like an ace from around mid-season onward.

I think our 2012 freshmen starters (AD, MKG and Teague) were unique from our other stud classes in some distinct ways. It's not just how good they were, instead it's how all three put defense ahead of offense; all three were willing to defer scoring to the upperclassmen (ie. TJ, Lamb and Miller)--which helps explain why that team had such good chemistry, and all three played with maniacal motor and energy.

You often hear our fans note these things about MKG and AD, but not enough mention that Teague was also the same way. That was such a special class almost for the way they played more than how good they were.

 

[kats23]

I agree. In fact, I think Teague is even more underappreciated than Lamb.

Teague took a really unfair amount of heat from our fans that season. It's like this bunch needs some whipping boy every year, but the 2012 team was just so perfect that we couldn't find a deserving one, so folks here instead unfairly tried to put that tag on Teague.

Every time I re-watch games from 2012 that's a thing that jumps out to me--Teague was a lot better than our fans gave him a credit for. An absolutely bulldog tough defender--I think he's one of the best defensive guards we've ever had--yet not nearly enough of our fans noticed it when it was happening. And after he worked out the freshman kinks, he ran the offense like an ace from mid-season onward.

I think our 2012 freshmen starters (AD, MKG and Teague) were unique from our other stud classes in some distinct ways. It's not just how good they were, instead it's how all three put defense ahead of offense; all three were willing to defer scoring to the upperclassmen (ie. TJ, Lamb and Miller)--which helps explain why that team had such good chemistry, and all three played with maniacal motor and energy.

You often hear our fans note these things about MKG and AD, but not enough mention that Teague was also the same way. That was such a special class almost for the way they played more than how good they were.

Agree on Teague...I had to defend him what felt like all season. People were so sure he was going to blow that title run. Instead his defense late against KU helped win the title. That's what I love about that team. If one of the starting 6 guys aren't on the team we lose

 

[78Gooses]

Teague had more to learn, as a point guard, than the other players. But we all watched him get it and get it done very admirably. Broke out a can of Wayne Turner and popped the top, so to speak.

 

[bigbluelou]

Now do Teague.

By tourney time, Teague was solid and steady. He was the straw that stirred the drink. He didn't need to be spectacular or score points...he was extremely efficient and effective. Probably undervalued and unappreciated as a PG.

EDIT: I posted this before reading your longer post about Teague, and I agree with everything you wrote. The more I think about it, I did fail to mention his defense, which was stellar as you and others have pointed out. He turned in some pit bull defensive performances in the tourney. Agree he is greatly under appreciated based on the number of mentions he gets (or doesn't get).