How much does that make up for the misses?

[jrpross]

So yeah missing on Newman, Brown, Diallo, Zimmerman, and Swanigan sucked. But in your opinion, how much does this make up for it? Personally, I would have liked to have another big but it's not really a need unless someone gets hurt, God forbid. In my mind, despite the misses, this class has to be considered a success. Even for Cal's standards.

 

[caneintally]

100% as long as Tai is here in Decemeber as we needed a 3 and a big and both are here with Murray , Tai and Mulder is a shooter.

 

[Lob2Davis]

Yeah, I'd say the #1 recruiting class in the country should probably be considered a success

 

[UK_Johnny24]

Pretty much everything. We could have really used Zimmerman or Diallo, but now I'm thinking Lee will really step up and break out.

 

[UK_fan_41102]

Considering where we were before Calipari, this class was a success even before today. Adding Murray is just like putting a cherry on top of it.

 

[Jkwo]

I am healed by the holy waters.


No, seriously - it couldn't have turned out any better if we were going to get one guy in the spring.

Well, besides Ingram (who was always going to Duke) I don't think anybody would have been a better fit.

- Brown overlaps a bit with Poythress functionally and we don't need a so-so shooter filling the 3.

- The big guys would be nice, but we already have plenty of talent there

- I feel like adding 6'2 score-first guard Newman, for all his talent, would have made it tough to have our best 5 on the floor - running him, Ulis, and Briscoe at the same time would be a compromise in many ways

Instead, we get a 6'5 guy who is a great shooter and passer but who doesn't have to be scoring constantly to be contributing.

Perfect scenario, imo.

 

[buckkiller]

Best backcourt in country hands down without a doubt!

 

[wcc31]

Been saying it for awhile, he fits our needs more than any other spring recruit.

Do yourself a favor and Youtube his Nike Summit highlights.

 

[Kycatspaws]

It made a tremendous difference. I feel so much better.

 

[songsungblue]

He was exactly what we needed, and we got him. What's very important to me is that Alex gets to play the 4, his natural position, and we get to see him shine like he can (and will).

 

[loublue22]

he's better than anyone we missed on

 

[ganner918]

So yeah missing on Newman, Brown, Diallo, Zimmerman, and Swanigan sucked. But in your opinion, how much does this make up for it? Personally, I would have liked to have another big but it's not really a need unless someone gets hurt, God forbid. In my mind, despite the misses, this class has to be considered a success. Even for Cal's standards.

Wipes away all the bitterness. We only really needed one more high level player. Another role player would be nice but not vital. We have the top class in the nation again, with three high level impact players and 2-3 role players to go along with a nice returning group of Ulis-Poythress-Lee. Anything we get from Hawkins/Willis is gravy.

 

[W_Heisenberg]

he's better than anyone we missed on

No, he's not...very good but not better than a few guys we missed

 

[Brando Mac]

From a momentum stand point I look at it like this: we were in the bottom of the 9th down 3 runs with 2 outs, 3 men on base, a full count and Cal hit a grand slam.

This was a huge commitment.

 

[kyisinmyblood]

Don't want to overhype or be a victim of the moment, but could this be Cals best ever back court? UKs best ever backcourt?

It very well could be.

 

[jrpross]

No, he's not...very good but not better than a few guys we missed

Probably true. Whether he's better than Brown or Newman will certainly remain to be seen but I expect him to be similar in impact, even if a bit less. We'll see.

 

[uky8unc5]

Don't want to overhype or be a victim of the moment, but could this be Cals best ever back court? UKs best ever backcourt?

Wall and Bledsoe (plus Liggins) is a tall mountain to climb.

 

[ZZBlueComet]

We needed Murray worse than Newman - I think Murray is longer, a more consistent player and much better ball-handler than Newman. Wish we would've landed one more PF/SF type like Brown or Diallo - who knows, the Tai shows up and plays, we get something fall in our lap late (a big body) or Willis and Lee drastically improve - something will work out, it's Cal.

 

[ZZBlueComet]

Wall and Bledsoe (plus Liggins) is a tall mountain to climb.

Yeah, Brandon Knight and Lamb weren't too shabby either. Lamb was lights out down the stretch in 2012 and Teague really improved that year. Nice comparisons to have!

 

[UKWildcats#8]

Wall and Bledsoe (plus Liggins) is a tall mountain to climb.

Liggins didn't even start that season and was not that good in 2009-2010. It was his last season when he had put in the work in the previous off-season that he really improved his play.

This group this year is definitely the best passing group we will have had under Cal as far as a unit of 3 at the PG, SG, and SF positions. I'm not sure long term into the past, but purely on passing alone these guys should be good at creating scoring opportunities for the big guys and each other.

 

[kyisinmyblood]

Wall and Bledsoe (plus Liggins) is a tall mountain to climb.

Yes it is. The only backcourt that could be better.
Only time we'll tell, but in my mind having 3 excellent guards trumps having 2 excellent guards.Guard play is extremely important come tournament time. Idk who will have better guards than us.
Ohh and with the projected #1 pick in the draft.. And with our boys AP and ML .. Matthews/Mulder/Hawkins/Willis will all be an important part of next season as well.
I am just ecstatic right now.

 

[ganner918]

Don't want to overhype or be a victim of the moment, but could this be Cals best ever back court? UKs best ever backcourt?

It very well could be.

How about Harrison/Harrison/Ulis/Booker?
Wall/Bledsoe/Miller/Liggins has already been mentioned.
Epps/Delk/Anderson/Turner has something to say as well.
Knight/Lamb/Miller/Liggins
Turner/Sheppard/Edwards/Mills

We've had a lot of great backcourts even in only my ~20 years of watching. Yeah, you're a victim of the moment.

 

[minjo]

No, he's not...very good but not better than a few guys we missed

For the simple reason that he picked UK, is enough for me to say yes he is better than the ones we missed.
The others were not as smart as JM. That is obvious.

 

[bookerfan66]

Probably true. Whether he's better than Brown or Newman will certainly remain to be seen but I expect him to be similar in impact, even if a bit less. We'll see.

I think he's a much better shooter than either Brown or Newman but they are more explosive.

 

[.S&C.]

How about Harrison/Harrison/Ulis/Booker?
Wall/Bledsoe/Miller/Liggins has already been mentioned.
Epps/Delk/Anderson/Turner has something to say as well.
Knight/Lamb/Miller/Liggins
Turner/Sheppard/Edwards/Mills

We've had a lot of great backcourts even in only my ~20 years of watching. Yeah, you're a victim of the moment.

Do not underestimate the difference of a player like Ulis. He is going to be one of the most efficient guards in Cals time here. Ulis can be as decorated as any guard you mentioned when he departs UK..

 

[bigc45157]

Ullis, Briscoe, Murray, Mulder, Matthews, Hawkins is still a legit lineup.

I don't care if it's the best of tenth best in our history; relatively, it's gonna be the best in the nation.

 

[UKDUNK]

Murray is best case scenario for this team. We needed a guy on the wing who can shoot from deep and score and Murray may be the best scorer in the whole class. He made Newman look like a scrub in the Hoop Summit game. If we add Wynyard in December to add some beef to the frontline this team will have zero weaknesses.

 

[Smashcat]

We needed Murray worse than Newman - I think Murray is longer, a more consistent player and much better ball-handler than Newman. Wish we would've landed one more PF/SF type like Brown or Diallo - who knows, the Tai shows up and plays, we get something fall in our lap late (a big body) or Willis and Lee drastically improve - something will work out, it's Cal.

I like Murray a lot more than Newman, but must say I'd take Ingram over both Brown and Diallo every time. His upside is unlimited and he ain't bad now.

 

[calamitybone]

I'd take Murray over Newman all day, every day. The only misses that hurt were Diallo and Brown.

 

[RKulmer]

Best backcourt in country hands down without a doubt!

From the best front court to the best back court. Not too shabby. This team is going to light it up.

 

[Teachable Moe]

I think there's a bit of wounded pride more than actual need going on here.

 

[Fancatstik]

It doesn't make up for the miss's but Cal finds a way to still get great ones one way or another.

 

[anon_q409idbs5m40a]

This is huge. College Basketball is a guard's game and UK now has what is arguably the best backcourt in the nation.

 

[kyisinmyblood]

How about Harrison/Harrison/Ulis/Booker?
Wall/Bledsoe/Miller/Liggins has already been mentioned.
Epps/Delk/Anderson/Turner has something to say as well.
Knight/Lamb/Miller/Liggins
Turner/Sheppard/Edwards/Mills

We've had a lot of great backcourts even in only my ~20 years of watching. Yeah, you're a victim of the moment.

What If I throw Matthews in the mix, because he will get 20+ mpg and will get drafted .. How many pros does that make? Four?

 

[.S&C.]

Wall and Bledsoe (plus Liggins) is a tall mountain to climb.

No offense to those boys, they were great. But at the end of the day, a final four climbs that mountain plus some. IMO our current guards are better equipped for college.

 

[kyups01]

No, he's not...very good but not better than a few guys we missed

Yes he is, and you will soon see!

 

[KWilt43atbuzz]

From a momentum stand point I look at it like this: we were in the bottom of the 9th down 3 runs with 2 outs, 3 men on base, a full count and Cal hit a grand slam.

This was a huge commitment.

Similiar to what the Todd Father did to Detroit. Great Comparison.

 

[GOING FOR #9]

We needed something to go our way since Wisconsin loss. This was that moment...I expect there to be domino effect now for 2016 guys.

 

[KWilt43atbuzz]

Regarding UK backcourts from a purely hs ranking standpoint the 3 of Ulis Briscoe and Murray have to be way up there top 3 in UK history for sure.

 

[bucsrule8872]

I said even before Brown decided that Murray was the key.

I stand by that statement.

I thought he was a better fit than Brown or Newman on the wing because of his combination of size (bigger/longer than Newman) and skills (better shooter, ballhandler, and passer than Brown).

As for bigs, we are set.

Three 5-star players to rotate at the 4-5 spots.

All three are excellent at the defensive end. All three are good rebounders. Two of the three are potential double digit scorers.

None of the three have to be fed the ball inside, which works to our strengths, which should be driving the ball.

With Wynyard coming in second semester, we have a kid that should not take away minutes from the three guys we have, but provide foul trouble relief when needed. That is ideal. Finding minutes for those three plus Zimmerman or Diallo would have been pushing us toward the dreaded "platoon" again.

(I honestly think that once Poythress decided to come back, the need for another stud big was not there, but Cal had been recruiting Zimmerman and Diallo for a long time and he couldn't turn down the opportunity to get those big guys, but they were not a necessity like a wing shooter/scorer was.)

Also, Wynyard isn't taking up scholarship space that we might want for 2016, since he was originally recruited in that class anyway. Getting him in a semester early just gives him bonus time in the system, which will help him in 2016-17.

Exceptional recruiting haul for us. Getting Murray set everything right again, IMHO.