How 14 ex-UK players are faring as college players this year....

[TopCatCal]

Devin Askew and Lance Ware have turned out to be far better players than I ever thought they would.
https://www.courier-journal.com/sto...hn-calipari-stats-2024-25-season/76525136007/

 

[bbncal02]

Askew has finally found a level of comparison he can play well against. Ware is doing good.

Allen is just sad to see. I’m not sure what happened to him but man he’s just tanked.

 

[The_Answer1313]

Askew is kind of surprising considering he did absolutely nothing at UK, Texas and California.

Good for him tho.

Maybe it just took a bit longer for him for the light to go on compared to others.

 

[crawfords corner]

That's good for Lance. He's playing against competition more suited for his level of ability. Probably also more freedom than he had under Cal.

 

[the nail at the foul line]

How about Lance? The ball can go through the hoop.

Most of those guys I could not pick out of a lineup.

 

[Usmcincy]

During the 2021 debacle I used to strictly
watch Allen on the defensive end.

He was so bad that if he shot 50% from 3pt he would still be completely unplayable. He would be so far out of position he would damn near foul every single time down the court, and some of the times it looked like it was his first time playing basketball.

Cal put all of his eggs in the Cade Cunningham basket that season, and ruined his legacy.

 

[UK90]

Yikes at Dontaie Allen. A horrific 6 for 37 on three attempts this year …and threes are pretty much his only skill.

Seems that dude just wasn’t cut out for division one ball.

 

[JFCats22]

A few notes -

I totally forgot Jordan Burks even existed
Allen shooting 16% from three this year...wow
Fredrick - woof
Hopkins is a dude I wish would have stayed at UK
Adou has been a stud this year

 

[KAB Cats]

Happy as hell for Lance. Love that guy.

 

[Someguywhodoesntlikeyou]

If Allen could have played Miss State his entire career he would be an All American.

Happy for Lance

 

[BlueBomb]

I forgot about half of those guys. My biggest complaint about Cal's system. A revolving door.

 

[ukfan1622]

Ware's production does shock me; maybe he's been getting coached.

With regard to Askew he came in with a reputation of a shooter and I distinctly remember reading a story before his freshman year that the staff was tinkering with his shot, to get a quicker release. I think they messed him up and he's finally unlearned what Cal's staff did to him.

The only one whose lack production surprised me is Allen. I guess he really was only good against Miss. State.

 

[NociHTTP]

During the 2021 debacle I used to strictly
watch Allen on the defensive end.

He was so bad that if he shot 50% from 3pt he would still be completely unplayable. He would be so far out of position he would damn near foul every single time down the court, and some of the times it looked like it was his first time playing basketball.

Cal put all of his eggs in the Cade Cunningham basket that season, and ruined his legacy.

Cal ruined his legacy way before that.

 

[The_Answer1313]

Ware's production does shock me; maybe he's been getting coached.

With regard to Askew he came in with a reputation of a shooter and I distinctly remember reading a story before his freshman year that the staff was tinkering with his shot, to get a quicker release. I think they messed him up and he's finally unlearned what Cal's staff did to him.

The only one whose lack production surprised me is Allen. I guess he really was only good against Miss. State.

Except he's only hitting 36% from 2 this season so the shot still isn't good lol.

He's just taking a huge bulk of them. His shot % on Kenpom is 33.5%. That's 28th among all D-1 players lol.

Looks like he still kind of stinks........he just finally found a school willing to let him take all the shots lol.

 

[bbncal02]

How about Lance? The ball can go through the hoop.

Most of those guys I could not pick out of a lineup.

KSR did that one morning. Between us not seeing them all the time, getting a bit older, and just different team jerseys, they had trouble doing it too. Crazy how that can happen.

 

[UK90]

The only one whose lack production surprised me is Allen. I guess he really was only good against Miss. State.

Guess he actually would’ve been better off staying at UK. At least he would’ve banked some solid NIL money and could’ve claimed he was a benchwarmer only because of UK’s blueblood talent being ahead of him …plus he would’ve gotten to play Mississippi State again.

But instead his time at WKU and Wyoming has basically proven that he simply isn’t any good.

 

[bbncal02]

A few notes -

I totally forgot Jordan Burks even existed
Allen shooting 16% from three this year...wow
Fredrick - woof
Hopkins is a dude I wish would have stayed at UK
Adou has been a stud this year

Fredrick just hasn't been the same since his injury. And now I think he's injured his ankle. Poor guy is just made out of glass.

I wish Hopkins had stayed as well. Cal really screwed him over.

 

[bbncal02]

Guess he actually would’ve been better off staying at UK. At least he would’ve banked some solid NIL money and could’ve claimed he was an benchwarmer only because of UK’s blueblood talent being ahead of him …plus he would’ve gotten to play Mississippi State again.

But instead his time at WKU and Wyoming has basically proven that he simply isn’t any good.

I think he has dealt with some personal crap (but who hasn't), and yeah, seemingly just hasn't cared about his craft. I hate to see that, because I've been there. Life just sometimes punches you in the stomach and you just hate everything. I hope he's not falling victim to that permanently.

 

[The_Answer1313]

You know looking at this more, a lot of this is a matter of guys just having more volume.

Like in 2022, Lance actually shot well for UK. He's actually shooting it a bit worse at UT Arlington. The rebounding has been pretty similar throughout his entire career.

One thing with Lance is he's massively upped the assist rate and massively reduced the turnover rate. So that's a positive.

 

[BigKari]

Will be interesting to see if Askew tries to transfer up for his last year since there’s likely to be interest from lower level P4 programs. If he does, it’ll be his 5th school!! Would just be really funny to see.

 

[nickhorvathsuxazz]

You know looking at this more, a lot of this is a matter of guys just having more volume.

Like in 2022, Lance actually shot well for UK. He's actually shooting it a bit worse at UT Arlington. The rebounding has been pretty similar throughout his entire career.

One thing with Lance is he's massively upped the assist rate and massively reduced the turnover rate. So that's a positive.

The thing I remember making Lance unplayable was his f.t. shooting...dude had a scrapper's game, you know you're gonna draw some fouls, so live in the gym until you get to the point you can knock them down at a respectable 70-ish% and now you're a weapon. Instead of walking up there at 40-ish% hoping to hit the rim and making yourself unplayable

 

[The_Answer1313]

The thing I remember making Lance unplayable was his f.t. shooting...dude had a scrapper's game, you know you're gonna draw some fouls, so live in the gym until you get to the point you can knock them down at a respectable 70-ish% and now you're a weapon. Instead of walking up there at 40-ish% hoping to hit the rim and making yourself unplayable

That's a good point and he's definitely doing that this season

21 = 56%
22 = 44%
23 = 33%
24 = 56%

25 = 76%

He's still not getting there very often but at least he's making them when he does.

 

[FirewithFire]

Ware always had a great motor. I guess he just needed time, patience, and someone to actually teach him.

 

[Fox2monk]

Devin Askew and Lance Ware have turned out to be far better players than I ever thought they would.
https://www.courier-journal.com/sto...hn-calipari-stats-2024-25-season/76525136007/

Nah they are both just playing at the level they should be, they were both the exact same players at power schools.

 

[Fox2monk]

Askew has finally found a level of comparison he can play well against. Ware is doing good.

Allen is just sad to see. I’m not sure what happened to him but man he’s just tanked.

He’s just not that good. Flat out he had one hot stretch in his career and that’s why he didn’t play much overall.

 

[Fox2monk]

Will be interesting to see if Askew tries to transfer up for his last year since there’s likely to be interest from lower level P4 programs. If he does, it’ll be his 5th school!! Would just be really funny to see.

I bet he will but he is still terrible. I feel bad for a school that will rely on him being a good player. His best bet is to stay at the small mid major level and put up numbers so his college career doesn’t like like a total failure. Still no idea how he was a five star player.

 

[bbncal02]

I bet he will but he is still terrible. I feel bad for a school that will rely on him being a good player. His best bet is to stay at the small mid major level and put up numbers so his college career doesn’t like like a total failure. Still no idea how he was a five star player.

This. Stay at the mid major. Try and get better. Take a shot at overseas ball. Never know.

 

[king of cali]

Cal ruined his legacy way before that.

Whatever you say Ms. Allen. He sucked at UK, minus 2 games against Miss. State and he sucks now

 

[anonymous_2011]

I dipped out for about a decade and came back Oscar's final season. I only heard of about half these dudes lol

 

[UKBrassowTipIN]

Forgot about all these ppl pretty much.

I thought CJ Frederick was done, so he actually can't shoot?

 

[DraftCat]

Thiero and Big Z is the only dudes from that list that I wished stayed at UK..

Everyone else were busts or bench fodder that Cal recruited.

 

[bbncal02]

Forgot about all these ppl pretty much.

I thought CJ Frederick was done, so he actually can't shoot?

He hasn’t been the same since he basically shredded his hamstring. And now his ankle is injured.

 

[bbncal02]

Thiero and Big Z is the only dudes from that list that I wished stayed at UK..

Everyone else were busts or bench fodder that Cal recruited.

I wouldn’t call Hopkins a bust. Dude has been plying decent since he went to Providence.

 

[DraftCat]

I wouldn’t call Hopkins a bust. Dude has been plying decent since he went to Providence.

I mean that's fair... more speaking to UK standards. Perhaps he'd of been a solid Junior/Senior but I'd have to look at his numbers vs legit P4 teams.

 

[NociHTTP]

Whatever you say Ms. Allen. He sucked at UK, minus 2 games against Miss. State and he sucks now

Read the room. I'm as anti-Cal as they come, but your username suggests you ride a different breed of horse.

 

[bbncal02]

I mean that's fair... more speaking to UK standards. Perhaps he'd of been a solid Junior/Senior but I'd have to look at his numbers vs legit P4 teams.

Hard to say. He balled out against a good LSU team and cal was like “I should’ve played him more!” And he never played again. If there ever was a potentially good four year player that got screwed over here it was def. Hopkins.