Has any previous incoming class received this much praise?

[downthehatch]

Usually I'm one of those who doesn't take the preseason predictions too seriously; we've had our share of disappointments and I'm sure we'll have more. So when I read about this year's team before December, I'm, well, I'm interested but I don't want to make a big deal of it.

But, it seems that this year we just have so many potentially great players that it's hard not to wonder if this really will be an amazing team. I just finished reading Seth Greenberg's tweets where he praises five players by name. A few days ago Kevin Durant was raving about Diallo and Richards. And Quade Green and Washington are supposed to be "two of the SEC’s most impactful freshmen this coming season." And we're always hearing about what Vanderbilt can do. And Knox is, well Knox may be as good as Michael Porter.

And Wenyen Gabriel and Sacha Killeya-Jones are both a year older and wiser and bigger and showed signs of great potential last year.

If you believe what you read, we've got five or more guys as good as Monk and Fox.

So help me get some perspective here. Does every incoming class get this much praise?

 

[bucsrule8872]

I think they are being overhyped a bit.

They are going to be a good team, but I think we struggle with 8 of our 11 players being Freshmen.

In the end, it's a Sweet Sixteen team, maybe Elite Eight. A Final Four would be an overachievement, IMHO.

I'm good with that.

 

[Aike]

I don't think we have anyone coming in as good as Fox or Monk.

I'm always excited for the season, but I've been more hyped about several classes than I am about this one.

 

[westerncat]

I have been following UK for a long time and I have learned to look past all the expectations that fans put on the new kids coming in each year. I have just learned to sit back and enjoy the games. Especially since Cal has been here.

 

[DerekMcPwn]

Every class gets hyped like this, but that's because Cal brings in a ridiculous class every year. The hype is completely justified 75% of the time. The other 25% of the time we get a big man like Skal, or a backcourt like Harrow/Goodwin. There isn't a single a reliable way to predict which way each individual player will go, and what that will mean for the class as a whole. If you'd said Alex Poythress would be at UK as a senior, most people would have laughed.

With little exception, you can bank on players ranked in the Top 10 to be as good as advertised - by way of example from last year, Bam, Fox, and Monk. It's the 11-30 guys that are often a coin flip. Half the time they're Ulis and Booker, the other half they're Gabriel and Sacha Killeya-Jones. What makes this class the toughest to predict is that nearly all of our new guys are in that second tier.

My prediction is that we'll get excellent production out of Knox and Diallo (and even those two will go ice cold in a few games and make us want to claw our eyes out), but outside of that, the roster is a giant question mark.

I'm of the opinion that unless several of our guys turn out to be tragically underrated, Sweet 16 is this group's probable destination.

 

[GonzoCat90]

What hype are you seeing?

I think this group is being pretty fairly evaluated near the bottom handful of incoming classes Cal has had. I'm not seeing any kind of otherworldly praise.

 

[dstroya]

I think we had more hoopla with the Wall, Cousins and Bledsoe class. Also Davis, MKG, and Teague, think AD and MG were #1 and 2. Then the twins with Randle and Young spurred the 40-0 talk. So I think since this is a bigger than usual class and praise is spread around it may seem that way but in fact is not.

 

[EvilMD]

This class doesn't have the upper level talent of most of the other classes, but it's ridiculously deep, and ridiculously long. The one thing we don't have that is going to kill us is a steady veteran. 2010 had PPat. 2011 had Liggins. 2012 had Miller, Lamb and Jones. 2013 had no one and it showed. 2014 had Willie and Alex. 2015 had many players. 2016 had Alex. 2017 had a few guys. This team has no one. We could be looking at 2013 all over again.

 

[BlueSince92]

Yeah the praise this group is getting is actually pretty mellow. In fact most of it is overinflated reactions to people like Durant who said essentially nothing ("bouncey"?) and probably only said that much so as not to be rude. Compared to last year's class which we kept hearing had a faster John Wall and which Cal himself actually told preseason had the tools to be his best defensive class ever (or something along those lines; I'm too lazy to look it up) this crew has heard next to nothing.

The actual dynamic here is that it has been a loooooooooooong offseason with much less than usual in the recruiting news/practice report/sleeping drunk in the street department. So any little scrap someone does throw us feels like bigger news than it really is.

...and ambiguous praise is about the only scrap we've been thrown

 

[brianpoe]

This class doesn't have the upper level talent of most of the other classes, but it's ridiculously deep, and ridiculously long. The one thing we don't have that is going to kill us is a steady veteran. 2010 had PPat. 2011 had Liggins. 2012 had Miller, Lamb and Jones. 2013 had no one and it showed. 2014 had Willie and Alex. 2015 had many players. 2016 had Alex. 2017 had a few guys. This team has no one. We could be looking at 2013 all over again.

Delete your last sentence and you have a legitimate post...

 

[cal=8]

If this class can play defense at the level Cal expects they will be really good.

 

[wromanp7]

If it's being overhyped (not saying it is) I'd say it's more so the excitement of the multiple long players with near complete skill sets. We just haven't had many highly skilled SF types.. and we seem to have at least 3 and as many as 5 in a single season.

So the versatility has many excited to see the possibility of many different looking lineups.

I personally can't wait to see Knox, Washington, and Vanderbilt on the court together.

 

[hotelblue]

the '13 team did not have a knox or a vanderbilt. poythress didn't slash enough. the only guy who did was goodwin, and everyone knew it was coming because he couldn't shoot and our offense was the dribble drive. the '13 team also did not have a green who is strong with the ball. harrow had handles but no strength. green/diallo > harrow/mays/goodwin imo. diallo could be a defensive star and already is a high flying act with scoring ability and green can shoot off the dribble like those three could only dream. the '13 team did not have the length, athleticism and versatility that this team has. i get it with the lack of leadership. there's no denying it. but some of you are just seeing ranking numbers and not a simple eye test. our best offensive player in '13 was probably wiltjer and he accomplished that with basically one performance. the only thing that team had over this one was a rim protector the likes of nerlens.

 

[Hoopcatjc]

I'm not sleeping on this team or putting a ceiling at the Sweet 16. This should be deep, long and versatile team. This is the type of roster that I believe Cal likes the best.
Knox an Diallo are as talented as any duo in the country. This is a team of high-motor guys that our coaching staff will mold into a defensive beast. We have a championship contender, no less.

 

[ORCAT]

I have been following UK for a long time and I have learned to look past all the expectations that fans put on the new kids coming in each year. I have just learned to sit back and enjoy the games. Especially since Cal has been here.

This is pretty much my attitude as well. There may be some on this board who always get way over excited and feel no one can touch us just about every season. I don't pay much attention to those types of posters and just pretty much do what Cal suggested awhile back, just enjoy the ride. Whatever happens will happen and we know we normally have a very fun team to watch who has the potential to compete with anyone. As for the main topic, I agree with the majority in here that this is not a truly exceptional group as it doesn't have that super extra start power that has you waiting with great anticipation to see him or them perform (Fox, Monk, Davis, Wall, Towns, etc.) but I think they will be a fun group once they have played together for awhile out there. Let's just sit back and enjoy whatever they are able to accomplish this season.

 

[Ocornett]

Number 9 this year, book it Dano.

 

[jrpross]

This class doesn't have the upper level talent of most of the other classes, but it's ridiculously deep, and ridiculously long. The one thing we don't have that is going to kill us is a steady veteran. 2010 had PPat. 2011 had Liggins. 2012 had Miller, Lamb and Jones. 2013 had no one and it showed. 2014 had Willie and Alex. 2015 had many players. 2016 had Alex. 2017 had a few guys. This team has no one. We could be looking at 2013 all over again.

I don't see the potential of being a 2013-like team at all. Quade is a smart pass-first point guard and we're loaded with versatile forwards. I'm confident we'll find a mix that works well together and wins games. But I agree with the rest of your post.

This is a very deep recruiting class but one without the star power of an AD or a Wall. And not having a junior or senior contributor will be a challenge. We'll lose some games for sure. But they'll be a good team, especially by season's end.

 

[Blue Decade]

What hype are you seeing?

I think this group is being pretty fairly evaluated near the bottom handful of incoming classes Cal has had. I'm not seeing any kind of otherworldly praise.

Correct. If anything, there was some disappointment over Bamba signing with Texas and Bagley to Duke.

 

[shutzhund]

It kind of depends on the 5 spot. If someone can rebound and be a stopper there then every other position is stronger and more solid than advertised. If the 5 is weak then the season may be long and I, for one, won't enjoy it at all.

I'm not in the "sit back and enjoy the season" group. I want to beat the living daylight out of everyone we play. Some/most of you guys, in this thread, are underestimating this team's strength.

 

[kev69]

Usually I'm one of those who doesn't take the preseason predictions too seriously; we've had our share of disappointments and I'm sure we'll have more. So when I read about this year's team before December, I'm, well, I'm interested but I don't want to make a big deal of it.

But, it seems that this year we just have so many potentially great players that it's hard not to wonder if this really will be an amazing team. I just finished reading Seth Greenberg's tweets where he praises five players by name. A few days ago Kevin Durant was raving about Diallo and Richards. And Quade Green and Washington are supposed to be "two of the SEC’s most impactful freshmen this coming season." And we're always hearing about what Vanderbilt can do. And Knox is, well Knox may be as good as Michael Porter.

And Wenyen Gabriel and Sacha Killeya-Jones are both a year older and wiser and bigger and showed signs of great potential last year.

If you believe what you read, we've got five or more guys as good as Monk and Fox.

So help me get some perspective here. Does every incoming class get this much praise?

Usually I'm one of those who doesn't take the preseason predictions too seriously; we've had our share of disappointments and I'm sure we'll have more. So when I read about this year's team before December, I'm, well, I'm interested but I don't want to make a big deal of it.

But, it seems that this year we just have so many potentially great players that it's hard not to wonder if this really will be an amazing team. I just finished reading Seth Greenberg's tweets where he praises five players by name. A few days ago Kevin Durant was raving about Diallo and Richards. And Quade Green and Washington are supposed to be "two of the SEC’s most impactful freshmen this coming season." And we're always hearing about what Vanderbilt can do. And Knox is, well Knox may be as good as Michael Porter.

And Wenyen Gabriel and Sacha Killeya-Jones are both a year older and wiser and bigger and showed signs of great potential last year.

If you believe what you read, we've got five or more guys as good as Monk and Fox.

So help me get some perspective here. Does every incoming class get this much praise?

5 or more guys as good as Monk and Fox? Wow, that's some serious hype.

 

[Cawood86]

I haven't seen all that much hype for this team either. I do think the potential is there for them to be very good, but they are so young. The 5 spot worries me for lack of depth and experience.

 

[Cardsstink]

Football season and soon basketball are HERE. All is good.

 

[Deli owl]

This class doesn't have the upper level talent of most of the other classes, but it's ridiculously deep, and ridiculously long. The one thing we don't have that is going to kill us is a steady veteran. 2010 had PPat. 2011 had Liggins. 2012 had Miller, Lamb and Jones. 2013 had no one and it showed. 2014 had Willie and Alex. 2015 had many players. 2016 had Alex. 2017 had a few guys. This team has no one. We could be looking at 2013 all over again.

I'll take that bet all day long. Zero chance we go to the NIT.

 

[cbrwalt]

KSR just gave them some really good praise, Matt said he was really impressed, he got to watch them this weekend

Basic take away
-athleticism and length really stand out
-the team is fast and is always going, and going, and going
-Gebriel and SKJ seem to have improved a lot
-shooting may be an issue

But overall Matt sounded very impressed

 

[irishcat1965]

We could be looking at 2013 all over again.

No.

 

[UKrazycat2]

If it's being overhyped (not saying it is) I'd say it's more so the excitement of the multiple long players with near complete skill sets. We just haven't had many highly skilled SF types.. and we seem to have at least 3 and as many as 5 in a single season.

So the versatility has many excited to see the possibility of many different looking lineups.

I personally can't wait to see Knox, Washington, and Vanderbilt on the court together.

Bingo.....

 

[Mojocat]

All of Cal's classes have been hyped to some degree, because they have all been ranked first or second if memory serves. I don't know that we can possibly have more hype than what accompanied the 2013 class. The twins, Randle, DJ, Marcus - I forget the exact rankings, but it seems like we had half of the top 10 kids, and that was supposed to be the best high school class in forever. Sometimes the kids end up exceeding the hype - the 14' class, with KAT and Ulis and Booker, comes to mind. And sometimes they underachieve - the '12 (Noel, Archie, Poythress) and '15 (Murray and Skal) come to mind. I don't get the impression this particular class has gotten a bunch of hype.....

 

[Cindog28]

Could go either way, but I don't think either would be a bad thing.

Golden St. Warriors

OR

Preseason rank: #5
5. Kentucky

• Who’s gone: De’Aaron Fox, Malik Monk, Bam Adebayo, Isaiah Briscoe, Derek Willis, Mychal Mulder, Dominique Hawkins
• Who do they add: Hamidou Diallo, Quade Green, Kevin Knox, Nick Richards, P.J. Washington, Jarred Vanderbilt, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jemarl Baker
• Projected starting lineup: Quade Green, Hamidou Diallo*, Kevin Knox, Jarred Vanderbilt, Nick Richards
• Kentucky is a tough team to peg for next season. They should be really good defensively — Hamidou Diallo and Jarred Vanderbilt are elite defenders — and insanely athletic, but it’s going to be another year where we don’t know who shoots it for Kentucky. Adding Knox is big.
  
  

 

[Dablueman]

In mid-April, after Briscoe and Hump left, and we saw the All Star games, this looked like a bridge year to me, with no clear 1-and-Done talents and lots of question marks. I figured the Sweet 16 was the ceiling and an 8-10 seed the floor. Adding Knox, Diallo returning, the APPARENT improvement of Gabriel, and I'm more optimistic. I see the team in a Regional Final with a shot to advance, based on match-ups and officiating. I think the pessimists are underselling the defensive potential of this team, and the optimists are exaggerating its scoring potential.

I disagree if anything Vanderbilt's performance in the hoop summit and the Jordan game saw ESPN take him from undrafted to 10 in there mock draft. With ford saying and that as is if Vanderbilt were to show a consistent jump shot he could go much higher. Diallo who didn't perform in any all star games. Was projected end of the first round with no college game experience in a very strong draft this year. There is 2. now consider this. Washington is between 6ft7 and 6ft8. Its the only reason he isn't a top 5 player. Put 2 inches on him and he is lottery. Now he doesnt need the extra height to put up numbers in college just to get drafted. Now throw in everyone saying at the u19 that knox was far and away the best player and Cal himself saying Knox was the best basketball player in the class. He will be a one and done. Gabriel has been turning heads as well so not understanding the difference in a soph performing at a level to get drafted and a fresh it all goes in the same stat column regardless of class. Most consider Richards a top 20 draft prospect as well.

So Diallo will be drafted first round probably lottery, Vanderbilt a former top5 talent who only slipped in the rankings cause of an injury is mosy likely going to go at least first round if not lottery. I trust cal on player evaluation Knox is going to go lottery on fact All the no one and done bs was started By biancardi before Knox signed.Biancardi had to be reminded Sexton was a pg by Miles Simon at the Jordan game. Hr also laughed at Biancardis take on several players that Simon coached at the hoop summit. If Gabriel who I've seen as high as 23 in one mock draft performs at a level where he could go pro then we are looking at potentially 4 or 5 first rounders. So no this class is not overhyped I can see Vanderbilt Knox and PJ outperforming several kids ranked higher than them.

S

 

[kev69]

I disagree if anything Vanderbilt's performance in the hoop summit and the Jordan game saw ESPN take him from undrafted to 10 in there mock draft. With ford saying and that as is if Vanderbilt were to show a consistent jump shot he could go much higher. Diallo who didn't perform in any all star games. Was projected end of the first round with no college game experience in a very strong draft this year. There is 2. now consider this. Washington is between 6ft7 and 6ft8. Its the only reason he isn't a top 5 player. Put 2 inches on him and he is lottery. Now he doesnt need the extra height to put up numbers in college just to get drafted. Now throw in everyone saying at the u19 that knox was far and away the best player and Cal himself saying Knox was the best basketball player in the class. He will be a one and done. Gabriel has been turning heads as well so not understanding the difference in a soph performing at a level to get drafted and a fresh it all goes in the same stat column regardless of class. Most consider Richards a top 20 draft prospect as well.

So Diallo will be drafted first round probably lottery, Vanderbilt a former top5 talent who only slipped in the rankings cause of an injury is mosy likely going to go at least first round if not lottery. I trust cal on player evaluation Knox is going to go lottery on fact All the no one and done bs was started By biancardi before Knox signed.Biancardi had to be reminded Sexton was a pg by Miles Simon at the Jordan game. Hr also laughed at Biancardis take on several players that Simon coached at the hoop summit. If Gabriel who I've seen as high as 23 in one mock draft performs at a level where he could go pro then we are looking at potentially 4 or 5 first rounders. So no this class is not overhyped I can see Vanderbilt Knox and PJ outperforming several kids ranked higher than them.

S

Who gives a crap about the draft?

Let's win a title.

 

[morgousky]

I think people are under selling this group. There are not five teams better on paper than Kentucky. There may not be three. Any talk of youth I ignore at this point. We are intentionally young so that Cal can attract NBA talent. If its a problem then stop doing it. Being young yearly is a choice. So since no one here would vote for it to end and some actually mock the idea of upperclassman, let's not turn to it as an excuse. Youth isn't what it used to be, or so I've heard over and over.

This team has the ability to win a title. A sweet 16 shouldnt be acceptable with this roster. Quade is going to turn heads. Vanderbilt might be a top 5 player in this class, and Knox IS a top 5 player in this class. Richards is IMO one of the most underrated players I've seen in a long time. He's better than Carter. Diallo will be a highlight reel all season.

Wait for it.

 

[Cowtown Cat]

To everyone pointing out the "highly skilled/versatile" forwards, this is the key. I know that @wromanp7 did. We haven't had even ONE since 2012. We now have at least THREE.

 

[trenupe2k2]

which team is better this team or last year?

 

[EvilMD]

I'll take that bet all day long. Zero chance we go to the NIT.

We only went to the NIT because Nerlens got hurt.

 

[EvilMD]

Let me clarify what I meant by my 2013 comment. I meant in terms of what to expect from the freshmen. Alex was brilliant one game, invisible the next. Same with Willie. Archie tried to do too much. Nerlens was consistent defensively but wasn't really an offensive threat. Those guys played great against Louisville. They sucked against Baylor. It was like that all season long.

That's what we should expect this year. Players who will look like world beaters one game, then struggle during stretches. And the reason for this is we won't have any real veterans around to steady the ship. Don't expect Knox to shoot it well every game. Don't expect Diallo to get to the rack whenever he wants. The key words for this season will be growing pains. There will be losses this season where the usual suspects will come on here and swear Cal has to go.

 

[trenupe2k2]

yes there will be losses but we are 9 to 10 deep. that team in 2013 was like 4 deep and only 3 offensive threats in wiltjer goodwin poythress...this team anybody can go off any given night and give u double digits points. trust this team is no joke. will be better than last yr

 

[downthehatch]

First of all, let me thank all of the above posters who took the time to share their (often incisive and well reasoned) insights. While there is some disagreement, there seems to be some consensus that:

We don't have anyone the caliber of Anthony David, etc.
Our defense is more likely to be amazing than our offense
We have too many freshmen, not enough veterans
We especially don't know what we have at the 5
Many teams have been hyped and over-hyped; this year is no exception

Just as I was thinking this out, I saw the following from KAT

https://www.seccountry.com/kentucky/kentucky-uk-basketball-karl-towns-prediction-2017-18

“I got a chance to see them. I think they’re going to be very good and I think they’re one of the best fast-break teams I’ve ever seen from a Kentucky team,” said Towns, who played on a 38-1 UK team in 2014-15 before becoming the No. 1 overall pick and NBA Rookie of the Year. “They have so much athleticism that’s just pure. That’s not even understanding how to truly use their bodies fully — just so much athleticism.”

So maybe this team will be the best ever.

So my conclusion as of now is I'll enjoy the heck out of the hype and the mix tapes and the talk of 40-0 shirts. I just won't bet more than $10 on any game.

 

[bucsrule8872]

which team is better this team or last year?

Hard to say just yet.

This team has more length. Last year had more experience.

Fox, Monk, and Adebayo are better than anybody on this team, IMHO.

We haven't seen this team play, though, so who know?

 

[Deli owl]

We only went to the NIT because Nerlens got hurt.

Yeah i saw that.

 

[weatherbird]

I don't know about hype, but I do think a lot of people are selling this team really short. They have enough high end players that if a couple don't pan out, it will be OK. The talk about experience is tiring, as some have already made their mind up that experience plays a pivotal role in the season, though there is no concrete evidence that supports that theory. How good this team is will depend on how well their talents mesh together, as well as how well their egos mesh together.

In terms of things you can control, it's about the sum, not the individual parts. We have had teams where the individual talent has likely been better (No Davis, Cousins, Wall), but we have also had teams that the sum didn't reach the parts (2010,2015). Each team is different. This team is talented, long, athletic, and may have more top end talent than people think. May look back at the end of the year and realize that this team wasn't hyped enough preseason.