ESPN Way Too Early Top 25 for 2015-16. Guess who's #1?
- Thread starter Mojocat
- Start date
UK's current roster is solid. There are a ton of question marks, though. Teams that have as many as UK typically don't compete for Final Fours. Maybe next year's UK team is one of the exceptions.
Obviously, Brown or Murray would change the wing question in a nanosecond.
Obviously, Brown or Murray would change the wing question in a nanosecond.
I agree that year can just as easily be an example of a fluke. I'm not really comparing 2012-13 team to this one; just pointing out that was an example of a ranking being way off, which it was. I feel this ranking is also way off, for different reasons. We should have better guard play than that team, absolutely. However I see about 5 other teams, as the rosters stand, that should easily be ranked preseason #1 over us. I believe we are a top 10 team... but #1 is pretty far off IMO. Meaning I think there's a significant gap between a couple of teams and the rest of the field anyhow. It is an overall down year talent wise for college basketball.
The reason it is called the Too Early Preseason Poll is because it is just that, Too Early. I have no problem putting UK at #1, because at this point, you just have to guess anyway, and make assumptions, which the author is clearly doing. It appears that they are expecting UK to get at least one of the remaining prospects in Brown or Murray. Which, I'm sure that most on here would say they could see UK ranked #1 if that happened. And if they get both, which isn't likely, but still possible, they would be heavy favorites to cut down the nets next year. A lot of fans are sleeping on the guys coming back, and to a degree, the guys we currently have coming in. They will be really good, and will have a chance to compete for a championship. If this past year taught us anything, it should be that nobody is a lock to win it. Couple that with the fact that we went to the championship game as an 8 seed the year before, and I am surprised at the number of people who think we have no shot at a title with the way the team is constructed right now.
Don't want to sound preachy, but maybe we all have to lower our standards. Fact is, because of early entry into the NBA, the college game has been picked over, there just aren't many great or even really good players left, so there aren't many very good teams. We're watching the evolution of the game before our eyes into something less than what it's been. And next year looks to be particularly mediocre, even by the mediocre standards of this era. If you're very old at all, even in your 30s, you developed a sense of what a good team looks like. We all have to throw that standard out the window, it doesn't apply anymore. If it's 1985 or 1995 or maybe even 2005, then next year's team has too many question marks to be taken seriously. In 2015, I don't think it's true.....
College basketball will be down next year, waaaay down. Think Louisville winning in 2013 down. Duke will have good guards and wings, but nothing inside. Mich St will have a few good bigs, but light on outside scoring. Indiana will have experience, but nothing inside that concerns me. North Carolina will have the best combo of talent and experience but they aren't world beaters. Cal will have to do what Cal does, get freshmen to play like soph's by the time March rolls around. I agree Brown is the X Factor. He can make the difference. Skal, Poy, and Lee will be a formidable group to deal with. UK will have as good a chance as anyone next year.
If we add Brown we have unquestionably the best starting five in the nation, and have an 8-man rotation that would be very, very good. They'll have just as good of a chance to cut the nets next April as anyone except Duke due to the free ride they get to the FF every year.
As long as Cal is our coach,Kentucky will always be a top 5 pre-season team..No one out recruits Cal. We our truly blessed to have Coach Cal at Kentucky..
