Interesting stat Re Freshmen (C Fisher)

[JST390-2]

The transfer portal and NIL has made college basketball older than it's been in quite some time. Of the top 100 scorers in college basketball last season, only Alabama's Brandon Miller, who was SEC Player of the Year and is projected as a top-3 pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, was a freshman.

So, whether Calipari can recreate his old magic in what absolutely feels like a make-or-break season after several mediocre ones remains to be seen.

Kentucky still stuck on seven scholarship players after latest recruiting miss

Time is running out for John Calipari to round out his roster.

247sports.com

 

[track42]

That was a very interesting article so thanks for posting.It almost seems like Cal wants to go all in on the freshmen way to prove everyone wrong.

 

[deep3]

That was a very interesting article so thanks for posting.It almost seems like Cal wants to go all in on the freshmen way to prove everyone wrong.

Or it almost seems like he is purposely imploding the program just a thought

 

[Chitown Terry]

Or it almost seems like he is purposely imploding the program just a thought

It's a really stupid thought. You Cal haters are so ridiculous it's amazing sometimes.

 

[CatsFanIL]

The transfer portal and NIL has made college basketball older than it's been in quite some time. Of the top 100 scorers in college basketball last season, only Alabama's Brandon Miller, who was SEC Player of the Year and is projected as a top-3 pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, was a freshman.

So, whether Calipari can recreate his old magic in what absolutely feels like a make-or-break season after several mediocre ones remains to be seen.

Kentucky still stuck on seven scholarship players after latest recruiting miss

Time is running out for John Calipari to round out his roster.

247sports.com

I didn't read the article, but Miller was NOT the only freshman in the top 100 of scoring. There was also the leading scorer from Lamar University. But obviously the point still stands.

 

[Padsfs07]

I disagree with the premise as just two seasons ago, Holmgren, Smith, and Banchero were the 3 best players in college, talent-wise. Also, other than Miller, there were some very productive freshmen this year like George, Filipowski, Dick, Black, Howard, Bailey, Walker, and our own Wallace.

The 2022 class had some issues though, where 3 of the best re-classified - Sharpe, Bates, and Duren. 2 others were injured - Whitehead and Smith. And 3 others - Henderson, Thompson, and Thompson - went the pro route, which is more than usual.

All together, that's roughly 8 of the top 10. Compared to the previous year, when just Hardy went the pro route - only Terrence Clark re-classified in 2020, while Sharpe was the only one that didn't play.

Looking at the 2023 class, only Buzelis has gone the pro route among the top 10-15, and none of the top players re-classified into 2022 (Onyenso may have been the best re-class guy). Plus the class may add Cadeau and Ian Jackson after peach jam.

 

[bucsrule8872]

Cal has been struggling the last few years and the common denominator on the teams is the lack of truly ELITE level talent. He brought Antigua back to make sure we got that type of talent to come here. Now that he has the talent, it’s do or die.

Now, it’s a gamble, and one that most fans are rolling their eyes at, but when someone has his back against the wall, a person usually draws on what has brought them success in the past. For Cal, that’s super athletic Freshmen. That’s teams that out athlete everyone.

Will it work? It’s unlikely that in today’s climate, with guys staying in college until they are old enough to draw social security, that Freshmen will be able to win at a high level.

But will it be any worse than the past 3 seasons? Probably not any worse, unless the Freshmen are just way overrated. I can’t imagine Wagner, Edwards, Bradshaw, and Dillingham being as underwhelming as Askew, Boston, Clarke(RIP), and Jackson were in 2021. I would think that we should at least make the tourney, if these kids are as good as advertised.

Still, it’s a big time gamble. But Cal gambled and failed with transfer and Senior led teams the last few seasons. I guess he feels he might as well go back to what brought him success in the past: ELITE Freshmen talent.

 

[Ukgold]

It looks like Cal is making promises to the top ranked 5 stars to get then here. Then he will use guys draft process as a way to miss on guys in the portal. This insures those incoming freshman spots and minutes.

 

[FinancialPlannerZac]

Or it almost seems like he is purposely imploding the program just a thought

Yeah, that's why you go out and get the #1 recruiting class. Really trying to stick it to BBN! This thought process has zero logic. Zero.

 

[UKBB4Ever]

It looks like Cal is making promises to the top ranked 5 stars to get then here. Then he will use guys draft process as a way to miss on guys in the portal. This insures those incoming freshman spots and minutes.

How does it look like that?

No player under Cal has ever said he was promised anything. Even the ones that left mad didn’t say that.

What is the basis for those allegations of promises?

 

[Ukgold]

Bradshaw the 4 ????

 

[YardCat]

That was a very interesting article so thanks for posting.It almost seems like Cal wants to go all in on the freshmen way to prove everyone wrong.

And if it doesn’t work I can hear the excuses.
But, we will hear them early in the year to cover all situations, that’s what we are good at lately. Young, old, soft, playing for themselves, missing shots

 

[Oboro3]

Bradshaw the 4 ????

That is his natural position. Where do you think Bradshaw will play in the NBA? He is a prototypical NBA power forward so promising to play a person in his natural role is promising anything? Good grief...

 

[bigbluedon]

That is his natural position. Where do you think Bradshaw will play in the NBA? He is a prototypical NBA power forward so promising to play a person in his natural role is promising anything? Good grief...

But he was recruited to play at Uk. You do what’s best for our school. Worry about the nba when you leave UK. Cal has put the nba first for far too long. I don’t give a shit if Bradshaw plays in the restroom in the nba. Whatever UK needs him for is where he should play. And screw Cal too.

 

[NociHTTP]

But he was recruited to play at Uk. You do what’s best for our school. Worry about the nba when you leave UK. Cal has put the nba first for far too long. I don’t give a shit if Bradshaw plays in the restroom in the nba. Whatever UK needs him for is where he should play. And screw Cal too.

I believe that no matter who replaces Cal, that it's going to take YEARS for the disease of "players first NBA draft" to be ridden from the program. It's going to take a coach who maybe *says* "yeah, we'll definitely get you looks at such and such position", but then on the fly decides that player needs to something different, play a different role or position, for the betterment of the team.

 

[DreadLox]

It looks like Cal is making promises to the top ranked 5 stars to get then here. Then he will use guys draft process as a way to miss on guys in the portal. This insures those incoming freshman spots and minut

To whom does "it look like" that? People who want to see it like that.

 

[Son_Of_Saul]

Cal has been struggling the last few years and the common denominator on the teams is the lack of truly ELITE level talent. He brought Antigua back to make sure we got that type of talent to come here. Now that he has the talent, it’s do or die.

Now, it’s a gamble, and one that most fans are rolling their eyes at, but when someone has his back against the wall, a person usually draws on what has brought them success in the past. For Cal, that’s super athletic Freshmen. That’s teams that out athlete everyone.

Will it work? It’s unlikely that in today’s climate, with guys staying in college until they are old enough to draw social security, that Freshmen will be able to win at a high level.

But will it be any worse than the past 3 seasons? Probably not any worse, unless the Freshmen are just way overrated. I can’t imagine Wagner, Edwards, Bradshaw, and Dillingham being as underwhelming as Askew, Boston, Clarke(RIP), and Jackson were in 2021. I would think that we should at least make the tourney, if these kids are as good as advertised.

Still, it’s a big time gamble. But Cal gambled and failed with transfer and Senior led teams the last few seasons. I guess he feels he might as well go back to what brought him success in the past: ELITE Freshmen talent.

Cal has never won with just freshmen. He's won with elite freshmen and solid, NBA-level veterans. Miller, CDR, Dozier, WCS, Jones, Lamb, Dorsey. All of those guys played in at least the Elite Eight before their final season under Calipari.

That's the problem with this upcoming team. We don't have any experience. You keep omitting that point in your recent narratives.

 

[Ukgold]

To whom does "it look like" that? People who want to see it like that.

yes, how do you see it

 

[Ukgold]

That is his natural position. Where do you think Bradshaw will play in the NBA? He is a prototypical NBA power forward so promising to play a person in his natural role is promising anything? Good grief...

still when has cal told a 7 footer hes playing the 4. Then again maybe he was thinking of Skal

 

[Montana81]

That is his natural position. Where do you think Bradshaw will play in the NBA? He is a prototypical NBA power forward so promising to play a person in his natural role is promising anything? Good grief...

 

[Wildcats1st]

If all else fails cal can probably get the top player from transy, Georgetown and asbury.

 

[G-PIP]

Cal has never won with just freshmen. He's won with elite freshmen and solid, NBA-level veterans. Miller, CDR, Dozier, WCS, Jones, Lamb, Dorsey. All of those guys played in at least the Elite Eight before their final season under Calipari.

That's the problem with this upcoming team. We don't have any experience. You keep omitting that point in your recent narratives.

I think the narrative that Calipari has failed with an approach of using transfer talent and therefore what he needs to do is go back to bringing in a new team of freshmen (mainly) every year is incorrect. It’s misleading as to how Calipari has actually used the transfer portal and wrong, in my opinion, about the value of 5-star freshmen vis-à-vis the best transfers from the portal.

Calipari has never embraced the transfer portal and never really tried to use it to bring in the best college players. He has basically dabbled in the Graduate transfer market. You can get some good solid role players there, but Graduate transfers are a different thing than what is going on with the transfer portal. Now a lot of the best players in CBB are entering the portal for bigger stages and/or NIL opportunities.

Calipari has made it pretty clear that he does not like the current transfer portal and suggested in the past that he really only wanted to take Graduate transfers. He’s suggested the transfer portal hurts smaller schools by treating mid-majors like the minor leagues in that when players develop into really good players they are “called up” by the P5 schools. So Calipari has basically only looked at the transfer portal for the purpose of finding role players and bench depth, while either failing to really pursue or get commitments from the best transfer portal players (which either are or will be some of the best players in CBB year-in-and-year-out). Meanwhile teams like TN and Ark. – programs I feel like we should be able to out-recruit for transfers – are really doing great with the portal.

 

[DreadLox]

yes, how do you see it

I don't think about it any more than I think about what my neighbors are having for dinner.