GYERO

[wcc31]

My point was to his coaching, Besides maybe Mashburn(I don’t remember him as a top tier recruit) who did Pitino have that was top level recruits or transfer?

I’m not putting us down as much as I am trying to make the point of the kind of coach he was.

Edit:

Mashburn wasn’t a high ranked recruit from what I read. Basically known locally in NY due to his efforts at Rucker Park.

Ford seemed to be a solid transfer but wasn’t highly thought of out of high school.

McCarty made Indiana all star team but also was not highly thought of.

Dent I can’t find much in out of High School.

Rhodes was the most highly ranked recruit we had in the early years and then Tony Delk.

After that the flood gates opened with Walker, Mercer, DA, Turner.

To add to the mystique of Pitino I’ll submit Nazr Mohammed. A complete project turned 18 year pro! He came to UK looking like out of shape Oliver Miller and became one of the center pieces of that 1998 run.

1991 class- Mash was Top 10ish, Martinez Top 30, Brown Top 5 juco, Ford a bigtime transfer
1992- Best class in the country- Rhodes Top 3, McCarty Top 20, Delk Top 15, Dent the best JUCO big
1993- Walker Top 5
etc etc

No one sans Dean Smith, Wooden or K had Cal level talent but Pitino got amazing talent. Also developed well. Hoping Pope does the same- think that’s his blueprint.

 

[Century Cat]

On the subject of "what if":

I've seen 4 UK titles in my lifetime (all in person - ##blessed), and 3 of those were basically a coronation. All of those were must-have, and critical to maintain our program's legitimacy at the top.

Still, three of the most joyous nights of my life, but also coupled with huge relief.

98, unexpected as it was, and only 2 years after #6, was pure crack. Made even sweeter with the prohibitive favorite UNC losing in the semis, after we had already taken care of business. (The Quiz was born).

So far in all my years, THAT was the mountaintop. And since then I've always felt better about 97, because if we had won that year, we don't win in 98. (Ask Shep, Edwards, Padgett or Mills).

 

[VernHatton52]

Mash was definitely a high recruit.

 

[thabigbluenation]

1991 class- Mash was Top 10ish, Martinez Top 30, Brown Top 5 juco, Ford a bigtime transfer
1992- Best class in the country- Rhodes Top 3, McCarty Top 20, Delk Top 15, Dent the best JUCO big
1993- Walker Top 5
etc etc

No one sans Dean Smith, Wooden or K had Cal level talent but Pitino got amazing talent. Also developed well. Hoping Pope does the same- think that’s his blueprint.

Pitino managed to get guys to redshirt that would have never seen yr 2 at Cal's UK.

 

[PTI (pti)]

#defiantLs

 

[cut_itloosedoubledeuce]

I’d argue Pitino is the greatest player development coach ever. Those early UK teams had some average players on the roster and he coached em up big time. He did it al Lville too (hurts me to say that).

 

[m080470]

Mashburn was NY Mr. Basketball and was Parade 2nd team All-American in 1990. Parade had their teams in groups of 10 so first team was the Top 10, 2nd team was 11-20, etc. It just seems like Pitino just completely surpassed Denny Crum in recruiting (he definitely did on the court) but Louisville had two first teamers that year with Dwayne Morton and Clifford Rosier and a 3rd teamer with Greg Minor, Indiana had two first teamers with Damon Bailey and Alan Henderson.

 

[VernHatton52]

Rozier was a transfer from UNC so UL didn't get him in that class.

Also, it's silly to me to rank UK losses in the 90s. Like most of you, those were my teenage years so every loss was terrible. At the time, I may have taken the '95 loss to UNC in the E8 the hardest considering we were a 1 seed and they were UNC. F those hoes!

 

[Ron Mehico]

Pitino at Kentucky had 2 huge advantages that will be difficult to top: most of you were little kids or teenagers when he was coach so everything was the greatest, and he left on top.

 

[TriangleUKCat]

I lived in France growing up and my Owensboro grandpa would send me VHS of UK games he found worth watching.

This is very esoteric but Nazr shot a baseline 12 footer I think against Vandy (might have been his buzzer beater game actually) and it was probably the most hilariously terrible shot I had ever seen at the time. Airball that ended up like 4 feet in front of the basket in the lane. I rewound that sucker a ton howling in laughter.

I love Nazr and his transformation. Great dude, too. But that shot. Good Lord

 

[FearThe Blue]

I lived in France growing up and my Owensboro grandpa would send me VHS of UK games he found worth watching.

This is very esoteric but Nazr shot a baseline 12 footer I think against Vandy (might have been his buzzer beater game actually) and it was probably the most hilariously terrible shot I had ever seen at the time. Airball that ended up like 4 feet in front of the basket in the lane. I rewound that sucker a ton howling in laughter.

Hell, his game winner that game was kind of ridiculous in its own right.

 

[ukwizard]

My favorite part of that Nazr buzzer beater was how the UK players and staff almost immediately peaced out and sprinted to the locker room. Like "later losers!!"

 

[PTI (pti)]

I remember Jamal Mashburn being a good basketball player.

 

[PTI (pti)]

#defiantLs

 

[thabigbluenation]

I remember Jamal Mashburn being a good basketball player.

I remember Jamal mashburn fouling out in his 2 most important college games.

But he still my favorite all time wildcat

 

[bradyjames]

How about start a thread for all of Cole’s trolling/awful takes. The hook he has in some of you is disturbing.

 

[thabigbluenation]

How about start a thread for all of Cole’s trolling/awful takes. The hook he has in some of you is disturbing.

Well I'm a STL life long fan that doesn't hate the reds.

When is the next time your outfit will be in Lexington? I have a cousin with 3 boys 5th grade and under that would love it. The oldest is into baseball cards big time right now.

 

[Geese Feeder]

How about start a thread for all of Cole’s trolling/awful takes. The hook he has in some of you is disturbing.

Forreal.

Who effing cares?

Grief.