On paper, really...have you looked at Michigan st and Arizona on paper? If so, I don't see how you could possibly say they are head and shoulders above them.On paper, and in ratings of players, observed performance, experienced players that have produced, Duke looks head and shoulders above everyone including us now. Awful news and you have to be honest about it with Bagley stupidly going there, no two ways about it. We would be crowning ourselves if he had come here. What we have to hope is that our players do develop during the season especially in the front court. If SKJ and Richards, maybe even Wynyard become the players they are thought to be capable of then I agree, we have a very good team too.
One other factor that few every like to mention, is injuries. If Bogans hadn't been injured, if Dale Brown hadn't been injured, if Bowie hadn't been injured, if Anderson hadn't been injured, if Cauley-Stein hadn't been injured, etc. etc. etc. Often in college sports survival also plays a part in eventual championships, so the Kentucky team like Duke has plenty of talent and we can certainly win it all but Duke is now at present the absolute favorite.
On paper, and in ratings of players, observed performance, experienced players that have produced, Duke looks head and shoulders above everyone including us now. Awful news and you have to be honest about it with Bagley stupidly going there, no two ways about it. We would be crowning ourselves if he had come here. What we have to hope is that our players do develop during the season especially in the front court. If SKJ and Richards, maybe even Wynyard become the players they are thought to be capable of then I agree, we have a very good team too.
One other factor that few every like to mention, is injuries. If Bogans hadn't been injured, if Dale Brown hadn't been injured, if Bowie hadn't been injured, if Anderson hadn't been injured, if Cauley-Stein hadn't been injured, etc. etc. etc. Often in college sports survival also plays a part in eventual championships, so the Kentucky team like Duke has plenty of talent and we can certainly win it all but Duke is now at present the absolute favorite.
Unfortunately, I can't disagree with your last sentence in theory, based on our history of draws and refs under Cal. I swear, if UK draws Higgins as a ref in the NCAA tournament next spring, I will officially jump aboard the tin hat conspiracy crew. And this coming from someone who thinks talking about refs is lame and a worthless excuse. However, Higgins is the one exception- there is simply too much evidence.Duke has two guys more talented than anyone we have, and another two that are just as good as anyone we have.
We're deeper, but we're younger, and we lack transcendent talent. This recruiting class as a whole is weak, but grabbing 4 of the top 8 and returning Grayson Allen is a pretty darn good haul.
The best hope is that this class provides a foundation for a monster next season. Bring a handful of guys back, add 3-4 elite '18 guys and let's go get it.
We *can* win it this year, it's just not likely. Arizona, Duke and Michigan State are either more talented or more experienced or both. And we're definitely not good enough to overcome the draw and whistle we'll apparently get.
Arizona and Michigan St. have way more experienced players that have produced on the college level than Duke.
Duke has two guys more talented than anyone we have, and another two that are just as good as anyone we have.
We're deeper, but we're younger, and we lack transcendent talent. This recruiting class as a whole is weak, but grabbing 4 of the top 8 and returning Grayson Allen is a pretty darn good haul.
The best hope is that this class provides a foundation for a monster next season. Bring a handful of guys back, add 3-4 elite '18 guys and let's go get it.
We *can* win it this year, it's just not likely. Arizona, Duke and Michigan State are either more talented or more experienced or both. And we're definitely not good enough to overcome the draw and whistle we'll apparently get.
Way too early to have even a clue as to how the freshmen will play.UK basketball always has heart, toughness and chemistry. They play without fear and are tournament ready come March. Can't measure that in recruiting. From what I've seen this group has it. Those traits win games and our fan base inspires those characteristics to be max.
Bagley makes Duke really good. But this is a year where Duke being good isnt as threatening. Michigan St and Arizona are also loaded with talent, and talent that has experience as opposed to Duke for once, outside of nutcase Allen.
Many teams have proven you don't need to go deep into a rotation to win a championship. 7 primary players will do. That being said, we have so many long, tall, athletic talented bodies, I cant imagine us not being someone they don't want to face either. Yeah they have 2 of the 10 best big men in the countrt next year, but we have 3 of the best forwards as well as 2 or 3 very good back ups. Between the 4 and 5 position, Richards, SKJ, Washington, Gabriel, Vanderbilt and even Wynyard mixed in for 5 fouls is plenty to handle them. All it takes is an injury or early foul trouble for one of them and theyre sunk. We have 6 bodies and 30 fouls to give. Lets do this. And while they worry about dealing with our stable of 5 star forwards, Diallo is going to be force feeding Allen his jock with dunks while Knox drains 3s from the corner.
who besides allen is proven talent?Come on, we can hate Allen, but he was a MVP, a top college player, and a real candidate as a Senior to be college player of the year. We don't have Lee in the post to block him and what I watch with Richards, he has a lot of work on defense to be in the right position. Maybe SKJ might be what he was supposed to be this season, but we have unproven talent, Duke has some proven talent. Let's hope our unproven are all we hope them to be.