Has anyone heard any updates on Cam Johnson?
- Thread starter bookerfan66
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Hes waiting to see what happens at UK and Arizona roster wise. UCLA is a player as well.
He's waiting for Diallo. It would basically be the difference between maybe being a starter to being a 15 minute a game guy at best (and that is dependent on how good Alexander is). If Diallo leaves then go ahead, we're desperate. Otherwise, I don't get the excitement for a guy who wasn't anything special on a terrible team. I get wanting decent depth and that's what he'd be. You seem to be expecting more though.
I read that Corey Evans (Rivals guy) said that if both Alkins from Arizona leaves and Diallo leaves, he thinks he ends up at Arizona and to expect an announcement in the "coming days."
https://basketballrecruiting.rivals...al&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer
https://basketballrecruiting.rivals...al&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer
That's an odd statement. If he is leaning Arizona, and it's contingent on Alkins leaving, what does Diallo's decision have to do with anything? Basically, he's saying if Alkins leaves, CJ goes to Arizona.
Evans doesn't seem to like our chances with Johnson or Bamba.
The statement from Evans came about due to a question from a UK fan (?) on Twitter asking Corey where Johnson would go if both Alkins and Diallo left (Evans said in the same, linked article that he believes both will stay in the draft) and that is why I believe he phrased the statement the way he did. Otherwise, I agree with you, that the decision seemingly would only center on Alkins' decision.
I think he is a fairly new hire for Rivals, but by the looks of Twitter, it seems as if he has garnered some respect. However, I think he is merely guessing on Bamba.
KSR was saying today that he said he likes UK but was waiting for another guy to decide which you would assume is Hami.
That's because he was their best player and the defense was able to snuff him out. They can't do that to him with our roster.
He's long, NBA 2 long, has a seer stroke with 3 years ACC experience.
Sometimes I wonder what people are looking at. We don't have any reliable outside threads. There's a guy with experience who is one.
I think some may believe Knox is a better outside shooter than he actually is.
People are looking at the fact that his defense is questionable, doesn't appear to be able to create for himself or others, and his limited quickness. Why do they look at this?? Because you have to be able to do a couple of those things for Cal to play you. What good does a 40%+ shooter do you if he is sitting on the bench?
I saw terrible defense all year from Kentucky. Briscoe has to be the most overrated defender ever. He wasn't a good defender.
Cam will be surrounded by great players. But ok, let's pass on him. We've got no reliable outside threats for next season.
Deep run? Maybe. Title? Probably not.
He was their 3rd leading scorer(the gap between him and the guy in 2nd is pretty big) and he was definitely not one of their two best all around players. He averaged 11, 4, and 2 on a sub .500 team. If Diallo comes back he is not starting and I think it's legitimate to question if he would even be in our top 8.
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Have you watched any Pitt games?
He was easily their best player. He was the main target of ACC defenses.
At Kentucky it won't happen. He's gonna be open a lot. We've got too many studs.
Put Jodie Meeks on that Pitt team, he'd also be the third leading scorer.
I think we need him. But the way this works is we undervalue experience and outside shooting, go deep, and pay for it late.
Rinse. Repeat.
Again he was the third leading scorer on a losing PITT team. I don't think defenses were designed to stop him.
He will likely come off the bench at UK if he comes here, regardless of what Diallo does.
Well, great, you picked one of the 3 items I listed. The good news is you picked the most important of the 3. Problem is, last year there wasn't anybody any better. That is not likely to be the case next year. And honestly, shooting may be the most overrated quality in the sport. Murray was probably one of our better shooters during the Cal era, and exactly how did that work out for him when the athletic 6'6" guy from IU guarded him. It's one thing if you are other worldly, like Curry, but Johnson is no Curry.
I think you are way off with the "terrible defense all year" from UK part. Finished 7th in defense, held UCLA (#2 offense) to 15 below their average in the S16 game, and eventual champs and #9 offense to 9 below their average in the EE game. Not sure what you are talking about.
We will see a ton of zone next season and could use 1 shooter.We just honestly don't have that now.
I'm sure Baker appreciates the confidence. And by the way, I don't think he has signed yet, and I wonder if bringing Johnson in will push him out.
I would honestly like a guy who has had some experience in college.Like Baker but not sure he is ready.Gabriel as our only college experience is a concern.
What does being the third leading scorer have to do with it? Nothing.
He was on a crappy team and was a huge part of the defensive attention last year in the ACC.
He's a damn junior who shoots at a 42% clip. We don't currently have that at all. Actually not even close to that.
He's a very important recruit right now. A guy like that off the bench to knock down the outside jumper could be huge.
I use my eyes. I don't care about those statistics. We had no lock down defender and for most of the year had trouble containing the paint. Briscoe was supposedly this teams best defender and that's laughable. He had a strong motor but was never a very good on ball defender.
The last 8-10 games they started becoming more of a defensive unit but nothing in the way of great.
Trending Arizona, but Oregon making a strong push. Oregon selling him on really, really needing him. Haven't heard if it's working at all.
Zona visit went well. Still really likes uk but seeing how roster plays out.
Zona would be the pick now, but still some hesitancy on going that far from home.
Zona visit went well. Still really likes uk but seeing how roster plays out.
Zona would be the pick now, but still some hesitancy on going that far from home.
Well looks like no Diallo or Johnson.I really hope Knox can play the 2 but have my doubts.We shall see I guess.
And why is experience a concern?? It is a concern at a lot of schools, but not at UK, and not with the players Cal brings here. I hear people say this a lot, but there an almost exact relationship to team success and lottery picks since Cal has been here. We have had older players chip in, but mainly at positions that we didn't have ultra talented freshmen. For instance, hawkins, Willis and mulder were great, but Josh Jackson and miles bridges were better, and could have been here. Experience is great when you lack talent, but talent is clearly better. I'd almost bet that even if Johnson comes to UK, he won't start, and his minutes will not be that of a starter either. Right now, among a lot of people, he is becoming Bolden. A good player that happens to be one of the last available options, thus the hype is running wild. I would love to get him because I'm greedy, not because I think he makes a huge difference to the end result.
"Nothing in the way of great" is pretty far from "terrible all year". Just saying.
Also, I think most considered Hawkins a better defender than Briscoe.
They had two guys who averaged nearly 20 a game with good shooting percentages and put up superior all around numbers. I understand the stats don't say everything, but unless you are trying to say he is an amazing defensive player you are making no sense.
Jodie Meeks put up an efficient 20 a night for a team that was basically just him and Patterson. You replace Johnson with Meeks that Pitt team wins at least a few more games.
I like how some are assuming all the freshmen will live up to the hype and none will have any trouble adjusting.We heard the same about Gabriel and SKJ last season.I say this not to be a Debbie downer because I am very excited about this team but some of the expectation seem very unrealistic and if the team struggles some will go nuts.
This is absolutely correct.
And maybe more true this year than other more recent ones. This team has some high ceiling kids coming in, but not impact ready guys like monk or fox.
People get mesmerized by these star ratings. Hell, Shai got bumped up to 5-stars-- and I can tell you that he is NOT sec ready.
Yet.
He and others will be great--- in time.
Hopefully BBN affords them that time.
I tend to agree.
I see this as a bit of a transition year.
The class of '17 is supposedly one of the weakest in a while and when you rely heavily on Freshmen and you have a weak class, it likely means a down year.
On the upside I expect a lot of pieces to return for 18-19. I can see Gilgeous-Alexander, Baker, Killeya-Jones, and Wynyard likely back plus a couple of guys who are thinking OAD, but might not be ready. Generally speaking the only sure fire OAD guys year in and year out are the top 10 guys. We only have one of those presently (Knox, since Diallo is likely staying in the draft). I think two of Vanderbilt, Richards, Washington, and Green will return.
I think 17-18 is going to be a round of 32 or Sweet Sixteen team at best, but 18-19 is going to be a Final Four squad with a real chance to cut down the nets.
You out Patterson on Pitt and I assure you that would have changed a lot of things. Pitt is worse, way worse, than Jodie Meeks Kentucky team.
I've watched a handful of Pitt games this season. I went back and watched one after we were on him. Defenses were absolutely aware of Johnson.
And that's not saying much. Hawkins was constantly grabbing his man because he had trouble keeping guys in front.
Kentucky was pretty bad defensively this year. There were games early where it was terrible, yes. This was one of Cals worst defensive teams I've seen, from guard to paint.
If there's data that doesn't single that out, fine. It wouldn't be the first time statistical data and basketball didn't produce the same result.
If UK adds Bama and Johnson or UK, a Sweet 16 would be embarrassing. As of now, I suppose that is possible...but no one else has a better team that I can see.
Those are the big ifs right now. I am not counting my chickens before they hatch. Getting Bamba and Johnson would be huge for us and puts us in the Final Four discussion.
Right now, with what we have, we are a Sweet Sixteen team at best, IMHO.
