If you could do recruiting all over...

[MdWIldcat55]

Let's say you were starting all over way back in the Fall and you somehow knew that you had Alex Poythress, Marcus Lee and Tyler Ulis to build around. You could add any six recruits -- BUT: Only one starter for each position could be a 5-star because you have to presume 5-stars want to start. And if you take a recruit for a position, you have to bench the returnee.

Who would you take?

I think Skal for the 5 is a no-brainer.

I think after the Nike Summit game Jamal Murray is close to a no-brainer for the 2 or 3.

That might give you latitude to take a Newman or Ingram or Brown for the other Guard/Wing, but then you give up Isaiah Briscoe, who might have a special chemistry with Ulis.

Or you could take Briscoe AND Newman, for example. But that would mean benching Ulis -- remember, you are being honest about recruiting 5-stars only to start.

That leaves the 4: Do you take Diallo and put Poythress and Lee both on the bench?

It is interesting to me after all the hand-wringing of the Spring that the Cats aren't far off what most of us would have done given 20-20 hindsight, no competition and a free hand to take anyone we want. Maybe you take Diallo, and maybe you consider Newman or Ingram over Briscoe or Murray.

And to add Muldar, Matthews and Wynyard from the ranks of sub-5 stars for the bench is remarkable. To do it when you couldn't know until early April what your returning line-up would be is amazing.

 

[ThroughBlue]

I want more skill than Diallo possesses. I am glad with who we have.

 

[BlueBlood66]

Impossible to say now. Ask the same question after we see how recruits pan out in college.

 

[UKWildcats#8]

I'd take Brown, Briscoe, Murray, Skal, Matthews and Mulder.

I'd start Briscoe, Murray, Brown, Poy and Skal. Ulis came off the bench last year, can play big minutes doing it this year, along with Lee, Matthews and Mulder off the bench.

 

[UKWildcats#8]

Interesting line-up. A potent one, but very young and maybe not as strong in wing shooting as I'd prefer. Obviously, no right or wrong answer, but I love the idea of this being Ulis' team. Hate to put him on the bench.

I'd have Ulis in there at the end of the games...I really put him on the bench because of your rules in the OP lol.

I'd rather put one of the frosh guards on the bench to play big minutes as the 6th man.

 

[bucsrule8872]

I think it worked out perfectly.

We needed a couple of elite guards/wings, we got them (Briscoe/Murray).

We needed a stud inside, we got him (Labissiere).

We needed quality depth, we got it (Matthews, Mulder, Wynyard).

Murray was the missing piece I was afraid we would not get. I wanted him more than Newman or Brown. Better skill set, better fit, IMHO.

 

[twocoach]

Let's say you were starting all over way back in the Fall and you somehow knew that you had Alex Poythress, Marcus Lee and Tyler Ulis to build around. You could add any six recruits -- BUT: Only one starter for each position could be a 5-star because you have to presume 5-stars want to start. And if you take a recruit for a position, you have to bench the returnee.

Who would you take?

I think Skal for the 5 is a no-brainer.

I think after the Nike Summit game Jamal Murray is close to a no-brainer for the 2 or 3.

That might give you latitude to take a Newman or Ingram or Brown for the other Guard/Wing, but then you give up Isaiah Briscoe, who might have a special chemistry with Ulis.

Or you could take Briscoe AND Newman, for example. But that would mean benching Ulis -- remember, you are being honest about recruiting 5-stars only to start.

That leaves the 4: Do you take Diallo and put Poythress and Lee both on the bench?

It is interesting to me after all the hand-wringing of the Spring that the Cats aren't far off what most of us would have done given 20-20 hindsight, no competition and a free hand to take anyone we want. Maybe you take Diallo, and maybe you consider Newman or Ingram over Briscoe or Murray.

And to add Muldar, Matthews and Wynyard from the ranks of sub-5 stars for the bench is remarkable. To do it when you couldn't know until early April what your returning line-up would be is amazing.

There is ZERO chance that you go after Murray as a wing. He's a PG or at best a SG. There were several other options at the wing you would taken at the wing before you ever got to Murray. He is the best available option considering there are no other options but with ALL the options available he wouldn't be close to the first choice.

 

[dezyDeco]

Diallo might be the only real change (from what we have) that I'd make...

mostly because I fear the possible frontcourt injury situation, and all of the posts that keep asking if Poy is fully recovered.

 

[ganner918]

I want the guys who want to be here. Give me what we got.

 

[UKWildcats#8]

There is ZERO chance that you go after Murray as a wing. He's a PG or at best a SG. There were several other options at the wing you would taken at the wing before you ever got to Murray. He is the best available option considering there are no other options but with ALL the options available he wouldn't be close to the first choice.

Kansas sucks. Yeah, you will beat UK this year with your crooked home town officiating. UK will then whip your ass in the NCAA on a fair neutral floor in March...if you do not get upset by some podunk mid-major like you usually do.

Sorry to everyone else in the thread, but this KU troll that is obsessed with UK basketball and trolling threads is annoying. I guess I"ll put his trolling behind on ignore.

 

[C1180]

I like what UK ended up with but wish they could have gotten one more big bruising inside player for added depth.

 

[ORCAT]

I want the guys who want to be here. Give me what we got.

Very good take and post. I echo your thoughts. I'm very happy with what we now have and am very excited about the upcoming season. I think this is going to be a real fun team to watch. No, I don't think they are going to breeze through the schedule and, in fact, I foresee several losses this season compared to what we were used to last year. But, come Spring, this team will be one that I don't think many will want to see in their bracket. Going to be a fun year following this group.

 

[bucsrule8872]

I'd take Brown, Briscoe, Murray, Skal, Matthews and Mulder.

I'd start Briscoe, Murray, Brown, Poy and Skal. Ulis came off the bench last year, can play big minutes doing it this year, along with Lee, Matthews and Mulder off the bench.

In that scenario, I start Ulis, Briscoe, Murray, Brown, and Labissiere. That works best for the DDMO. All five can handle the ball. Brown has the size to defend the 4 in college and can blow by most 4's in college. He is a good rebounder as well.

Poythress and Lee are my top reserves.

 

[bucsrule8872]

There is ZERO chance that you go after Murray as a wing. He's a PG or at best a SG. There were several other options at the wing you would taken at the wing before you ever got to Murray. He is the best available option considering there are no other options but with ALL the options available he wouldn't be close to the first choice.

Disagree, I absolutely would rather have Murray than Brown or Newman. Better ball handling, better passing, better shooting. I'd rather have a big PG that can shoot (Murray) than a smaller SG that wants to be a PG (Newman) or a forward that can't shoot (Brown). The only reason I would even think about Brown is his size and rebounding.

Murray is the best case scenario for us, IMHO.

 

[WildMoon]

If you knew you had Ulis, Poythress, and Lee back.

1. Ulis
2. Murray
3. Briscoe/Brown
4. Poythress
5. Skal

Back up of Mulder and Mathews. Pretty much how it turned up.

 

[mj2k10]

Are we talking only players that UK had a shot at, or any players in the class?

If it's players that UK had a shot at, then I take Brandon Ingram (not Brown) instead of Mulder, and call it a day. I leave the backcourt right where it is.

If it's any 2015 player. I take Ben Simmons and Ingram, and say "sorry, Alex, you won't be starting. Now please breathe fire off the bench.".

Simmons is really, really good, and he and Skal were an absolutely electric combo in the Nike Hoop Summit game, playing off each other exceptionally well. In fact, I would say that any team that trots out Skal and Simmons is the title favorite, assuming the rest of the roster is even semi-competent. I'd go as far as saying that I think Skal and Simmons are talented enough that they theoretically could be the starting 5/4 on a 50 win NBA team in 5 years.

 

[UK_Johnny24]

Any 6??? OK

Skal Labissiere PF
Jamal Murray SG
Isiah Briscoe PG
Diamond Stone C
Charles Mathews SF
Mychal Mulder SG

I would say Luke Kennard obviously. I absolutely loved him, but you said only 1 5star per position, and Murray can shoot pretty good too. But Kennard will always be one of those "Oh hell we should've had him guys" I mean I really, really, really wanted Kennard so bad. I want a guy like him every year. I didn't pick a guy like Ingram because then it would be crowded as hell. Skal and Stone would be the most dominate front court known to man. A guy like Malachi Richardson would be tempting instead of Mulder, but i stuck with out boy. The starters would be.......

Tyler Ulis
Isaiah Briscoe
Jamal Murray
Skal Labissiere
Diamond Stone

With Mychal Mulder, Charles Mathews, Alex Poythress, and Marcus Lee off the bench.

 

[mj2k10]

If you take Ingram who do you bench? Ulis, Briscoe, Murray? Remember, you can't sign a 5-star to ride the bench.

Under those rules, Briscoe. I like Briscoe, but I go with what I know at PG in Ulis, and surround him with monster talent. Ulis, Murray, Ingram, Simmons (or Poy, depending on the rules of the game here) and Skal just strikes me as absolutely killer.

 

[docholiday51]

Skal
Briscoe
Murray
Ingram
Mulder
Matthews

 

[bucsrule8872]

I would not trade our guys for anyone. Period. I am happy it turned out like it did.

 

[UK_Johnny24]

To kind of stray away a bit, here's what I wish had happened.

Briscoe
Murray
Kennard
Labissiere
Stone
Mathews

STACKED...STACKED....STACKED to the freaking rack son!!! We'd have everything you could want. Shooters, guys who can create their own shot, guys who can get into the lane at will, great passing, great ball handling, a true leader and floor general, rebounders, shot blockers, a true big time low post scorer, We'd roll with this lineup.

Ulis
Briscoe
Murray
Skal
Stone

Kennard, Mathews, Poythress and Lee off the bench. Kennard would be the 6th man, and play big time minutes. We'd probably have mainly an 8man rotation. Mathews would probably only get 5-6 minutes a game if that. But could you imagine that team. Does everyone agree that would be a better team than we had last year? It would truly be an offensive juggernaut. I wish we had gone after Stone harder. A lot of people wasn't big on him because everyone wants the big freak athletic bigs like AD, NOEL, WCS, etc now days, and don't get me wrong I absolutely love those type of bigs too, but I'd prefer one of each. Stone is like a Demarcus Cousins type. Absolute Monster!!! Stone and Skal would be unlike anything we've seen at the college level. Well hell, it'd be just like having Davis and Cousins on the same team. But anyone remember why we didn't make a harder push for Stone?

 

[stoneycat_20]

I think id trade Briscoe for Ingram
1. Ulis
2. Murray
3.Ingram
4. Poythress
5. Skal

bench
Lee
Mulder
Matthews
Willis
Hawkins

 

[ukfan03]

I don't know that I would change anything. I'd like to see another quality big on the roster but other than that....

 

[ZaytovenCat]

My class would be this:

PG: Murray
SG: Newman
SF: Brown
PF: Ingram
C: Skal
SF: Matthews

Yes I drop Briscoe for Newman and I'd do it everyday of the week. No offense but Briscoe can't touch Newman. I think he's a bit overhyped by many on here. A lot of those moves he did to get open in the Allstar games won't work or will be called for palming in college. I'd take Newman over Murray also.

So under the OP's rules I'm starting 5 freshmen. The first 5 listed above. Ulis, Alex and Lee would get the most minutes off the bench with spot time to the others.

With no rules I start:

Ulis
Newman
Brown
Poythress
Skal

6th man: Murray to take the backup pg and sg min.
7th man: Ingram to take the backup SF and PF minutes.
8th: Lee to take backup PF And C minutes.