The 2020-21 Kentucky basketball team is still trying to right the ship in time for a late push in the SEC tournament, but realistically most Wildcat fans realize that a real fix for the program is more likely next season.
But even then, it's not a given.
The Cats Illustrated staff offers four different takes -- none excluding the significance of the others -- on things that could help the 'Cats get back on track next season.
Travis Graf: Kentucky adds a transfer or a grad transfer point guard
All of Kentucky’s best teams under John Calipari have had a point guard who has no problem breaking down their defender with or without a ball screen and getting paint touches on every drive. Cal’s system hinges a lot on point guard play and that’s clear as day this year when there’s not one on the entire roster. Devin Askew and Davion Mintz can return, but I don’t believe either will ever be a true point guard, let alone run the show to the standards of Kentucky basketball. They’re quality rotational pieces next season, but if either is your primary ball handler, you have a limited ceiling yet again.
Kentucky needs to work tirelessly to find a grad transfer or transfer point guard. Someone who is actually a point guard, not a combo guard. They have plenty of pieces on the wing and in the paint next season, but nobody that can run the show out top. The ‘Cats definitely need a veteran facilitator to round out next year’s roster.
Justin Rowland: Oscar Tshiebwe plays at an All-SEC level
While I think there's a good chance that Kentucky brings back a couple of frontcourt pieces from this year's team, getting West Virginia transfer Oscar Tshiebwe to play to his potential would dramatically change the forecast for next year's Wildcats. Nobody doubts his potential. He's now practicing with UK so by the time next year rolls around he will have had plenty of time working with Calipari and the staff.
Kentucky needs a guy who can keep a strong position on the block and score with his back to the basket. I know it's the rage to say Calipari needs to change the offense and he definitely needs to make some tweaks, but even if the 'Cats play more four out they still need someone strong down low. They're missing that. Whenever they have lacked that (2017-18, 2015-16 come to mind) it has been a glaring weakness for that team.
This is a guy who averaged 11.2 points and 9.3 rebounds, shooting 55% FG and 71% FT as a freshman for Bob Huggins. It's entirely possible he could be one of the nation's better big men next season, and he's going to be a mature 22 year old for most of the campaign.
Jeff Drummond: Keion Brooks sticks around for a junior season
A common denominator between all of John Calipari's best teams at Kentucky has been the presence of at least one upperclassman who played a key role. The 2010 team had Patrick Patterson. The 2012 champs had Darius Miller back as a senior. Willie Cauley-Stein and Alex Poythress were juniors on the 2015 team. And then there was the 2017 Cats, who had the rare collection of three seniors in Derek Willis, Dominique Hawkins, and Mychal Mulder.
I don't think it's any coincidence.
Keion Brooks Jr. could be that guy for Kentucky in 2021-22. Since coming back from his preseason injury, Brooks has shown flashes of the five-star potential he brought to Lexington as a top national prospect. With another year in the gym (and the weight room) it's not a stretch to envision Brooks as an All-SEC type performer next season, a guy who can give you a steady 14 points and seven rebounds per game and help serve as an anchor when your next batch of young newcomers experience their inevitable slumps, or -- as we learned the hard way this season -- don't pan out at all. Perhaps more importantly, he'd be a respected leader on the floor and off of it.
David Sisk: The 'Cats find a wing who can put the offense on his back
John Calipari constantly laments the fact that he doesn't have a player who can create for himself and get a bucket when the need arises. There has also been an interesting thread on Twitter this week about Kentucky's excessive use of the two. The bottom line is that there is not a player on the roster who puts stress on the defense and gets others open. The result is that this season's go-to shot is the traditional mid-range jumper off the old pin down screen.
So Coach Cal's wish list for next year needs to begin with a wing who is a bucket-getter in the mold of a Devin Booker, Jamal Murray, Malik Monk, Tyler Herro, and others. There are a couple of ways to accomplish this. In a perfect world I would take Jaden Hardy. That's probably not going to happen, but this is a wish list so reality doesn't come into play. But realistically there could be a route to obtain Trevor Keels. He can really shoot the ball, and put up huge scoring numbers in the ultra-competitive Washington D.C. Catholic League. I can almost guarantee there will be very good transfers who will be available to play next season. These names will start dropping in the next few weeks.
There is also one other option that should be considered. Terrence Clarke needs to give serious consideration to returning to Kentucky for his sophomore season. The 6-foot-6 wing was a five star coming out of high school and was easily in the top ten in 2020 class. Before his injury most people thought he was playing better then B.J. Boston. Clarke may not shoot it as well, but he has a gear and physicality that Boston does not possess. His draft stock fell some early in the year, but he has missed the last ten games due to a lower body injury, and it has plummeted in the past few weeks. According to Jonathan Givony of ESPN, Clarke now sits in the second round at No. 44 in his latest NBA mock draft. That means no guaranteed money and no assured roster spot.
If Clarke returns he could put himself back into the first round. He has the talent and the God given gifts to do that. If he spends the off-season developing a more consistent jump shot then I see no reason why that shouldn't happen. The difference in a first round selection to a second round is potentially millions of dollars. He would be provided the platform at Kentucky to get back into the top thirty picks. That need for a scoring wing is critical within the program, and there is no bigger stage in the college basketball world than being the lead scorer at Kentucky. NBA scouts would take notice, and Calipari has the league ties to make it work. Terrence Clarke returning to Kentucky next season would go a long way in immediately turning this ship around.
But even then, it's not a given.
The Cats Illustrated staff offers four different takes -- none excluding the significance of the others -- on things that could help the 'Cats get back on track next season.
Travis Graf: Kentucky adds a transfer or a grad transfer point guard
All of Kentucky’s best teams under John Calipari have had a point guard who has no problem breaking down their defender with or without a ball screen and getting paint touches on every drive. Cal’s system hinges a lot on point guard play and that’s clear as day this year when there’s not one on the entire roster. Devin Askew and Davion Mintz can return, but I don’t believe either will ever be a true point guard, let alone run the show to the standards of Kentucky basketball. They’re quality rotational pieces next season, but if either is your primary ball handler, you have a limited ceiling yet again.
Kentucky needs to work tirelessly to find a grad transfer or transfer point guard. Someone who is actually a point guard, not a combo guard. They have plenty of pieces on the wing and in the paint next season, but nobody that can run the show out top. The ‘Cats definitely need a veteran facilitator to round out next year’s roster.
Justin Rowland: Oscar Tshiebwe plays at an All-SEC level
While I think there's a good chance that Kentucky brings back a couple of frontcourt pieces from this year's team, getting West Virginia transfer Oscar Tshiebwe to play to his potential would dramatically change the forecast for next year's Wildcats. Nobody doubts his potential. He's now practicing with UK so by the time next year rolls around he will have had plenty of time working with Calipari and the staff.
Kentucky needs a guy who can keep a strong position on the block and score with his back to the basket. I know it's the rage to say Calipari needs to change the offense and he definitely needs to make some tweaks, but even if the 'Cats play more four out they still need someone strong down low. They're missing that. Whenever they have lacked that (2017-18, 2015-16 come to mind) it has been a glaring weakness for that team.
This is a guy who averaged 11.2 points and 9.3 rebounds, shooting 55% FG and 71% FT as a freshman for Bob Huggins. It's entirely possible he could be one of the nation's better big men next season, and he's going to be a mature 22 year old for most of the campaign.
Jeff Drummond: Keion Brooks sticks around for a junior season
A common denominator between all of John Calipari's best teams at Kentucky has been the presence of at least one upperclassman who played a key role. The 2010 team had Patrick Patterson. The 2012 champs had Darius Miller back as a senior. Willie Cauley-Stein and Alex Poythress were juniors on the 2015 team. And then there was the 2017 Cats, who had the rare collection of three seniors in Derek Willis, Dominique Hawkins, and Mychal Mulder.
I don't think it's any coincidence.
Keion Brooks Jr. could be that guy for Kentucky in 2021-22. Since coming back from his preseason injury, Brooks has shown flashes of the five-star potential he brought to Lexington as a top national prospect. With another year in the gym (and the weight room) it's not a stretch to envision Brooks as an All-SEC type performer next season, a guy who can give you a steady 14 points and seven rebounds per game and help serve as an anchor when your next batch of young newcomers experience their inevitable slumps, or -- as we learned the hard way this season -- don't pan out at all. Perhaps more importantly, he'd be a respected leader on the floor and off of it.
David Sisk: The 'Cats find a wing who can put the offense on his back
John Calipari constantly laments the fact that he doesn't have a player who can create for himself and get a bucket when the need arises. There has also been an interesting thread on Twitter this week about Kentucky's excessive use of the two. The bottom line is that there is not a player on the roster who puts stress on the defense and gets others open. The result is that this season's go-to shot is the traditional mid-range jumper off the old pin down screen.
So Coach Cal's wish list for next year needs to begin with a wing who is a bucket-getter in the mold of a Devin Booker, Jamal Murray, Malik Monk, Tyler Herro, and others. There are a couple of ways to accomplish this. In a perfect world I would take Jaden Hardy. That's probably not going to happen, but this is a wish list so reality doesn't come into play. But realistically there could be a route to obtain Trevor Keels. He can really shoot the ball, and put up huge scoring numbers in the ultra-competitive Washington D.C. Catholic League. I can almost guarantee there will be very good transfers who will be available to play next season. These names will start dropping in the next few weeks.
There is also one other option that should be considered. Terrence Clarke needs to give serious consideration to returning to Kentucky for his sophomore season. The 6-foot-6 wing was a five star coming out of high school and was easily in the top ten in 2020 class. Before his injury most people thought he was playing better then B.J. Boston. Clarke may not shoot it as well, but he has a gear and physicality that Boston does not possess. His draft stock fell some early in the year, but he has missed the last ten games due to a lower body injury, and it has plummeted in the past few weeks. According to Jonathan Givony of ESPN, Clarke now sits in the second round at No. 44 in his latest NBA mock draft. That means no guaranteed money and no assured roster spot.
If Clarke returns he could put himself back into the first round. He has the talent and the God given gifts to do that. If he spends the off-season developing a more consistent jump shot then I see no reason why that shouldn't happen. The difference in a first round selection to a second round is potentially millions of dollars. He would be provided the platform at Kentucky to get back into the top thirty picks. That need for a scoring wing is critical within the program, and there is no bigger stage in the college basketball world than being the lead scorer at Kentucky. NBA scouts would take notice, and Calipari has the league ties to make it work. Terrence Clarke returning to Kentucky next season would go a long way in immediately turning this ship around.
