ESPN Makes Case For Bradshaw Return

[Runnin'Ramel]

Guys, don't forget you can get second round contracts to the tune of 4 years, $7.5 million ... look at Chris Livingston, who was NOT GOOD last year.

These guys are convinced they need to go if they can get a contract, and then bust their asses to get that big second contract. Staying in school just delays that plan and adds the injury risk, per people who want them on their rosters (referring to agents and handlers, not NBA execs).

 

[Son_Of_Saul]

He absolutely needs another year.. but not sure it will be here. And I wonder even if he did come back, what does that mean for Ugo, BigZ (in the event BigZ doesn't go to the NBA) and our incoming recruits.

Honestly, I'm not really sure where Edwards and even DJ think they are going. Edwards aint getting drafted as of now, and DJ is playing his way off the board.

We might have 3 top5ish recruits who go undrafted in June.. that'd be insane. (Edit: although I think some team will grab DJ by the mid 40s regardless)..

Klutch will make sure that Edwards and Bradshaw get drafted with meaningless end-of-the-draft picks, just like Livingston. Then they'll both average 1 to 3 points/game in their first three NBA years, before they spend the rest of their careers in the g-league or overseas.

 

[WildcatNC]

Bradshaw, Edwards, DJ, Reed, and Z should all be back if they are late first rounders or second round.

Feel like Rob will be a lottery pick so it's a no brainer. If anyone else gets into the lottery I'd understand. Think Reed and Z are the only ones that have a shot.

But this is KY. All are most likely gone no matter what.

 

[the nail at the foul line]

Terry is kind of long in the tooth.

 

[UKBB4Ever]

There has always been a case for UK players to come back but it just doesn’t happen.

It just does happen. And it’s worked out quite well for the ones that did return for a year or two.

 

[Son_Of_Saul]

It just does happen. And it’s worked out quite well for the ones that did return for a year or two.

So we've had other former top 10 kids who came back under Cal? Which ones came back in the last few years? I know Dakari and the Harrison twins did back in 2014, but who did so that we a recent player?

Did you mean g-league scrubs like Toppin, Wheeler, and Brooks?

 

[westerncat]

I know the NBA drafts on potential but I don't see any in Bradshaw.

 

[true blue1]

He definitely needs to comeback for another season but that won’t happen.

 

[wccat2969]

So we've had other former top 10 kids who came back under Cal? Which ones came back in the last few years? I know Dakari and the Harrison twins did back in 2014, but who did so that we a recent player?

Did you mean g-league scrubs like Toppin, Wheeler, and Brooks?

Agree. Far more players who should have stayed left.

 

[jwphelps]

Right now I don't see Bradshaw doing anything in the NBA but you know some team will take a chance on a 7ft who can shoot the perimeter shot.

 

[Son_Of_Saul]

Bradshaw should call Skal and ask him what types of suitcases he would recommend, because he's going to be moving a lot over the next few years.

 

[YardCat]

He absolutely needs another year.. but not sure it will be here. And I wonder even if he did come back, what does that mean for Ugo, BigZ (in the event BigZ doesn't go to the NBA) and our incoming recruits.

Honestly, I'm not really sure where Edwards and even DJ think they are going. Edwards aint getting drafted as of now, and DJ is playing his way off the board.

We might have 3 top5ish recruits who go undrafted in June.. that'd be insane. (Edit: although I think some team will grab DJ by the mid 40s regardless)..

Why do you think some team would waste a pick on. 6’4” guard that is very limited offensively and only a decent defender. There are 100 better player's out there with more potential.

 

[DeerTurkHunter1]

IMO:
The NBA GM's draft on potential an elite skills, not on 2-year old recruiting rankings.
TWENTY of the players drafted in the 2023 NBA draft have played LESS than 100-minutes so far this year (+53 games), SIX of them drafted in 1st round, ONE pick from lottery!!!
So most of these college kids who go to the NBA will be much happier to just play little and sit the NBA bench, travel through the G-League arenas. The NIL has delayed this path of some players.................
Dilly: Lottery, has too many skills that make him usefull in the NBA.
Shepherd: Late lottery to late 1st Round, his best bet, a decent team takes him to be a rotational player.
Z: Some team will use a pick on him for potential to be useful 2-3 years down road, after his strength and maturity have grown.
Bradshaw: Excluding the Klutch Konnection, teams will take a shot based on some length metrics potential, definitely not on per 30-mpg/ 9.1-pts/ 7.5-rbs/ 1.0-blks/
UGO: Late 1st through 2nd round due to his size, shot blocking and pick-n-roll ability. Also, he is just 19, 315-days younger than Bradshaw, for example.
Edwards: Not sure of his Klutch Konnection but that is his only hope, I don't see an elite metric the NBA would grab him, even in 2nd round, G-League. Maybe the NBA would get him in better physical condition???
Wagner: Alot of 6-4 guards who are NOT in the NBA because they can't shoot nor are they an elite athlete, G-League.

Why can’t you spell Reeds last name???????

 

[LineSkiCat14]

Why do you think some team would waste a pick on. 6’4” guard that is very limited offensively and only a decent defender. There are 100 better player's out there with more potential.

Well you have to think, if you're a team that's already in the top10-12 teams in the NBA, you likely will be close to the salary cap and their picks will be late in round 1 and 2 (some might not even have a 1st, such as Philly and Mil last year). Most of those late 1st round and into the 2nd round picks rarely pan out. If you can land a quality player from 25th-60th, that's a nice win. So why not gamble on the 50th pick, which almost never is worth much, on a player who is "supposedly" an elite recruit? You'd get someone who might otherwise have been a top10 pick, and you wouldn't have to pay him. Contenders rarely get a chance to draft such high potential players.

Of course, DJ might be a bust, but if he does, you're no worse off than if you drafted some guy 5th year player from Oregon St who is out of the NBA within 3 years anyways. It's high reward with arguably little risk.

The other angle here is, if people think that Cal is the absolute worst coach in college, then the argument could be made that these players are being held back by him due to bad coaching. If that's the case, then guys like DJ and Bradshaw would likely be immediate impact players when they get to a proper coach in the NBA.

 

[Jamal Sunburn]

Guys, don't forget you can get second round contracts to the tune of 4 years, $7.5 million ... look at Chris Livingston, who was NOT GOOD last year.

These guys are convinced they need to go if they can get a contract, and then bust their asses to get that big second contract. Staying in school just delays that plan and adds the injury risk, per people who want them on their rosters (referring to agents and handlers, not NBA execs).

Stop making sense. Nobody likes that here. Emotions only.

 

[JonathanW]

Guys, don't forget you can get second round contracts to the tune of 4 years, $7.5 million ... look at Chris Livingston, who was NOT GOOD last year.

These guys are convinced they need to go if they can get a contract, and then bust their asses to get that big second contract. Staying in school just delays that plan and adds the injury risk, per people who want them on their rosters (referring to agents and handlers, not NBA execs).

Yes you can.
BUT....2nd rounders can also get no contract, and go play in the G-league for $75K.

If you go too soon, you can make it more difficult to get that 2nd contract, or a delayed contract, because you are not given a long enough chance to develop. Bradshaw may be in this boat, because he obviously needs to develop physically which he could make significant progress in 1 year, OR it could take 2-4 years. And his skills also need to develop. And as his body develops, he will also probably need to adjust his skills to his new bigger, stronger, possibly slower body.
So going too soon, can lessen your chances at making significant future $. Every player is not the same, some should go sooner than others. Skal should have either stayed or transferred (if he thought Cal wouldn't play him as a stretch 4).
But yeah, if you are pretty sure you can get a $7M contract, then it makes sense to go. But I don't think many 2nd round picks get anything close to that.

 

[Fox2monk]

Honestly all of them need to return. Maybe DJ and Rob should go. Reed may go because of his status but honestly I feel only Rob is ready.

 

[Fox2monk]

Guys, don't forget you can get second round contracts to the tune of 4 years, $7.5 million ... look at Chris Livingston, who was NOT GOOD last year.

These guys are convinced they need to go if they can get a contract, and then bust their asses to get that big second contract. Staying in school just delays that plan and adds the injury risk, per people who want them on their rosters (referring to agents and handlers, not NBA execs).

Those are the facts.

 

[Fox2monk]

Why do you think some team would waste a pick on. 6’4” guard that is very limited offensively and only a decent defender. There are 100 better player's out there with more potential.

DJ should return to work on his game but he’s got potential.

 

[Fox2monk]

Klutch will make sure that Edwards and Bradshaw get drafted with meaningless end-of-the-draft picks, just like Livingston. Then they'll both average 1 to 3 points/game in their first three NBA years, before they spend the rest of their careers in the g-league or overseas.

I believe that will be how it goes. Those two should be 100% no doubt returnees to work and get stronger. Prove themselves a second year.

 

[ABLCommenter]

Livingston contributed more than Bradshaw has. He was at least playable.

He is represented by Klutch lol we said the same thing about Livingston and look how that ended up. Bradshaw won’t return because Klutch will not allow that to happen, a team will take him in the draft

 

[CB3UK]

Of course he needs to return

 

[CUJO_1970]

Of course he needs to return

There should be no doubt whatsoever of his returning - but with JonCal being our coach it's not only likely that he leaves - it is to be expected.

 

[ManitouDan]

Smootchie going pro guys . Time to move from his stellar college career . I do think he’s missing out , surely no one has a lipstick NIL yet ??

 

[TFCats11]

Wow, that must take some next level basketball guru wisdom from ESPN to come to that conclusion!😭

 

[ck-2]

Another thread full of posts that show a lot of people still haven’t accepted what this program has become under Cal. Most if not any of the players mentioned will return next season. It really shouldn’t be a shock anymore.

 

[IrishMike409]

Then Klutch can continue to hurt it's business model. Chris Livingston was barely drafted, and he has no place on the MilWaukee Bucks at the moment. Same thing is going to happen to Bradshaw. He might not EVEN get drafted, bounce around the league, and wind up playing in Yugoslavia for $30k/year.. and I'd say he'd be lucky to get that at this time, tbh.

Maybe someone needs to point out that Klutch is hurting these recruits. If I was UK/Cal, I would make the statement: "We are no longer recruiting Klutch players as we don't align with their philosophy towards college basketball". You ahve a few big programs do that and you can kiss Klutch goodbye.

This. Really well said.

I don’t think Cal has the guts to do it though. He’s too dumb to recognize that Klutch guys will no longer help him or the program. It’s an absolute waste of UK resources to keep bringing these guys in.

 

[Runnin'Ramel]

Yes you can.
BUT....2nd rounders can also get no contract, and go play in the G-league for $75K.

If you go too soon, you can make it more difficult to get that 2nd contract, or a delayed contract, because you are not given a long enough chance to develop. Bradshaw may be in this boat, because he obviously needs to develop physically which he could make significant progress in 1 year, OR it could take 2-4 years. And his skills also need to develop. And as his body develops, he will also probably need to adjust his skills to his new bigger, stronger, possibly slower body.
So going too soon, can lessen your chances at making significant future $. Every player is not the same, some should go sooner than others. Skal should have either stayed or transferred (if he thought Cal wouldn't play him as a stretch 4).
But yeah, if you are pretty sure you can get a $7M contract, then it makes sense to go. But I don't think many 2nd round picks get anything close to that.

Point is, they have the right agent. The one who is more powerful than anyone not named Lebron in the NBA. He calls a front office exec who owes a favor, and boom, contract for Edwards, contract for Bradshaw.

 

[bucsrule8872]

Sheppard, Thiero, and Burks are probably the only ones returning. And they are all maybes.

Sheppard might return because of his strong ties to UK through his parents.

Thiero and Burks are going to play next season, but could transfer.

We really need those three back. Then get some transfer portal guys.

I can’t see any of the others coming back. They will jump at any chance to get to the NBA, no matter how slime it is.

 

[bnewt]

I won't be shocked to see Ugo playing well for UConn next year.

Great a repeat of last off season

 

[ukfan1622]

People on this board really can't grasp how the NBA or its draft works.

DJ, Rob, Big Z, Justin are locks to all be gone and get drafted. The sooner y'all realize that now, the less surprised you can be in June.

The NBA draft works on potential. That's why Edwards would have gotten drafted out of high school but will go undrafted now. He has shown that he doesn't have the potential we thought. He is not an NBA caliber athlete and he isn't highly skilled. The others will get drafted because they still show potential, though DJ no longer has a 1st round chance.

 

[bnewt]

Bradshaw needs to return to high school. Might be ready for UK in 2026

Exactly, learn to dominate high school kids first.
He can go along with edwarda and dj.
Just wish z would stay to give Reed someone else that can shoot

 

[yes_takeaside]

Wagner, Edward's and Bradshaw are leaving. If you don't think they are then you haven't paid any attention the last 15 years.

May be leaving but they’re not going anywhere