James Wiseman information

[morgousky]

I spoke with a guy this morning who's working with the Memphis coaching staff (former player) and he made a few comments that I thought maybe people would like to know.

He said Penny is using Skal as ammo against Calipari and also saying Kentuxky will have a bunch of returnees that James would have to battle through. He also told me (which I already knew and said so before KSR reported similar) that we were prepared to offer Penny the assistant coaching position...which is why Memphis made their move. Penny and his coaching staff are playing dirty, I've heard this from more than one person connected to the staff.

I've known this guy for years. He's a friend of the family and actually likes Cal and Kentucky. He left me with a message to BBN....(I told him I was going to post this and all he asks is I don't use his name.) Maybe I'll throw his initials out there down the thread.

"Today's bluegrass is tomorrow's horse shit"

Anyway, thought some of you might like to know.

 

[Smashcat]

actually likes Cal and Kentucky.

Okay. LOL

 

[WildcatfaninOhio]

The Skal example is easily offset with Cousins, Davis, KAT, and others. And Wiseman is the number one player in the class, and will not play behind anyone on any roster.

 

[morgousky]

Okay. LOL

Believe it or not he does. He was a Kentucky fan growing up according to him, just a Memphis guy.

 

[Zakk Wyldcat]

Good info.

Hardaway to Wiseman - "We don't think you're good enough to beat out out who will be at Kentucky so come here instead." Pretty lame, which a confident kid would be pissed off at.

 

[Ron Mehico]

Is that the worst “playing dirty” ever or what? Skal and the fact we’re going to return who? Richards maybe? Travis is a senior, Washington almost left this past year, not sure I’m really seeing what Penny is talking about.

 

[morgousky]

Is that the worst “playing dirty” ever or what? Skal and the fact we’re going to return who? Richards maybe? Travis is a senior, Washington almost left this past year, not sure I’m really seeing what Penny is talking about.

I guess he's taking the approach that Skal was "misused" and using the Capel attack that seemed to work for Duke. That's how I took it but ....

That's the only decent crap I could get out of him.

 

[BBUK]

Good info.

Hardaway to Wiseman - "We don't think you're good enough to beat out out who will be at Kentucky so come here instead." Pretty lame, which a confident kid would be pissed off at.

But, for some, it works. What do you want to hear?

 

[Montana81]

Skal was misused but although Skal is doing well in the nba he’s not exactly dominating. If there was a redraft I’m not even sure he goes lotto.

Skal’s biggest issue here wasn’t how Cal played him though. He played soft. And cal pressed all of the buttons he could. Ulis even tried getting in his face in game once to motivate him. Nothing. Only great games he had was early in the season against directional U and against Ben Simmons at Rupp.

He hasn’t done that in the league in the times I’ve watched him. I think it was more the product of him not having played organized ball for nearly 2 years when he showed up or he had people in his ear telling him not to get hurt.

 

[morgousky]

Is that the worst “playing dirty” ever or what? Skal and the fact we’re going to return who? Richards maybe? Travis is a senior, Washington almost left this past year, not sure I’m really seeing what Penny is talking about.

Also it's dirty when you add the fact that Cal and Penny are friends and Cal has done nothing but uptalk Penny to everyone.

 

[BBUK]

I guess he's taking the approach that Skal was "misused" and using the Capel attack without "maybe" the perks "yet" that seemed to work for Duke. That's how I took it but ....

That's the only decent crap I could get out of him.

fify

 

[UK_fan_41102]

Calipari's rebuttal to the Skal comment:

 

[stenchymouse]

I have felt that it'll be hard to get Wiseman away from Memphis ever since Penny was hired.

Obviously he may still come to UK, but if not, we have a few other great options in Carey, Bacot, etc...

As you've stated, Memphis is a weird place when it come to their H.S. basketball scene.

 

[Montana81]

fify

Yeah. Duke has Nike pitching these kids and in some cases(Bagley, probably others) funneling money to them as well.

 

[morgousky]

Yeah. Duke has Nike pitching these kids and in some cases(Bagley, probably others) funneling money to them as well.

That's another angle to this that isn't talked about much. Penny and his relationship to Nike. They might try and steer him a few as well. Time will tell.

 

[shaudyshaud]

I’m kind of shocked that people on this board thought that Penny going to Memphis meant nothing in terms of our chances at getting Wiseman.

I never had any worry about Jefferies but I was never sold on Wiseman would definitely commit to Kentucky. It’s always been a toss up to me.

 

[Mike-D]

So essentially the pitch is don’t go to UK. They have too many good players. Come to Memphis, get a guaranteed starting spot, and fight to make the NCAA tournament.

 

[Smashcat]

As you've stated, Memphis is a weird place when it come to their H.S. basketball scene.

Not only weird but also all kinds of influences. Bottom line he stays home or comes here. I love Wiseman but don't think he really becomes his best for at least three years. Wont hut my feelings if we get Carey first, a kid who won't be pushed around and can also make 3s.

 

[EliteBlue]

If he isn't smart enough to counter the "Skal" argument in his own head with all the info available and if he is scared away by a returning Richards and what should be a solid incoming class, then I'd prefer he go to Memphis and play in the NIT.

Give me Carey, Jeffries, Whitney, Mcdaniels and a potential returning Richards and I'm set in the Frontcourt. Especially since we likely add Bacot or somebody else in addition to that.

 

[Col. Angus]

If Wiseman is the puss that Skal was he can go to Memphis and I won’t bat an eye.

UK will be fine.

Cal used Labissiere wrong. Admitted it. Instead of playing him back to the basket he was always gonna be best used catching the ball 15 feet out and operating. I never understood Cal’s fascination with trying to turn him into a banger and that’s maybe my biggest criticism of his time at UK.

That team with Labissiere confident and working how he wanted was a Final Four team.

 

[morgousky]

If Wiseman is the puss that Skal was he can go to Memphis and I won’t bat an eye.

UK will be fine.

Cal used Labissiere wrong. Admitted it. Instead of playing him back to the basket he was always gonna be best used catching the ball 15 feet out and operating. I never understood Cal’s fascination with trying to turn him into a banger and that’s maybe my biggest criticism of his time at UK.

That team with Labissiere confident and working how he wanted was a Final Four team.

I still don't believe he used him wrong. He might have played away from some fo his strengths, but for Kentucky to be effective we needed Skal to block shots and rebound. Playing Skal away from the basket would have doomed UK for sure, eventually. Cal did what he was supposed to, put Kentucky in the best chance to win.

 

[Sawnee Cat]

I have had a feeling for some time the key to the recruitment of Wiseman is mama and daddy. If they think James can benefit more from staying with Penny I think he is Memphis bound. Of course I do not have any inside information just a hunch as to how it often goes down when narrowed to two teams. The coach who recruits mama the best usually wins out

 

[JohnBlue_]

If the worst you can throw at a coach is a current NBA player, you don't have much ammo.

 

[Col. Angus]

I still don't believe he used him wrong. He might have played away from some fo his strengths, but for Kentucky to be effective we needed Skal to block shots and rebound. Playing Skal away from the basket would have doomed UK for sure, eventually. Cal did what he was supposed to, put Kentucky in the best chance to win.

And it didn’t work. I said in November that year, after his big 25 point 15 rebound game or whatever it was against Dipstick U that Cal was trying to plug a square peg into a round hole and it wouldn’t work. That wasn’t Labissiere’s game. Cal agreed with me by the end of the year. Team wasn’t gonna be a defensive juggernaut. Wasn’t gonna happen. Best bet was gonna be to try and out score teams and with Ulis/Briscoe/Murray/Poythress and Labissiere working the mid range... was the best bet. Lee and Humohries off the bench, spelling Poythress and Labissiere, wasn’t a bad bet considering the pieces fit.

 

[gracetoyou]

So essentially the pitch is don’t go to UK. They have too many good players. Come to Memphis, get a guaranteed starting spot, and fight to make the NCAA tournament.

You forgot to add "but come up short & play in NIT"

 

[morgousky]

And it didn’t work. I said in November that year, after his big 25 point 15 rebound game or whatever it was against Dipstick U that Cal was trying to plug a square peg into a round hole and it wouldn’t work. That wasn’t Labissiere’s game. Cal agreed with me by the end of the year. Team wasn’t gonna be a defensive juggernaut. Wasn’t gonna happen. Best bet was gonna be to try and out score teams and with Ulis/Briscoe/Murray/Poythress and Labissiere working the mid range... was the best bet. Lee and Humohries off the bench, spelling Poythress and Labissiere, wasn’t a bad bet considering the pieces fit.

Nah, working Skal away from the basket would have given us no chance. Cal said what he said because Skal was going into the draft so he took the blame for Skal not being ready (injury) and not very good. This isn't the NBA.

I can only imagine Skal taking 12 jump shots per game. We needed Skal to be something he couldn't be, but we tried and I still think it was the best approach at the time. Unless we could have somehow made Humphries be that guy, which wasn't going to happen.

We missed on assessing what Skal could be, the whole year was gone at that point. Nothing could have changed it.

 

[BBUK]

Allow me to paraphrase....a BILLION dollars....


Dude don't come, dude's a fool. How can I state that? Getting to the NBA is about getting dollars...lots of dollars. I will state it by the best... "Chump don't want no help, Chump don't get no help"-Beaver's Mom

(Figure out that convoluded approach.)

 

[chroix]

Cal: “Are you the next Skal or the next Anthony Davis?”

 

[Tyblue22]

I spoke with a guy this morning who's working with the Memphis coaching staff (former player) and he made a few comments that I thought maybe people would like to know.

He said Penny is using Skal as ammo against Calipari and also saying Kentuxky will have a bunch of returnees that James would have to battle through. He also told me (which I already knew and said so before KSR reported similar) that we were prepared to offer Penny the assistant coaching position...which is why Memphis made their move. Penny and his coaching staff are playing dirty, I've heard this from more than one person connected to the staff.

I've known this guy for years. He's a friend of the family and actually likes Cal and Kentucky. He left me with a message to BBN....(I told him I was going to post this and all he asks is I don't use his name.) Maybe I'll throw his initials out there down the thread.

"Today's bluegrass is tomorrow's horse shit"

Anyway, thought some of you might like to know.

Morgousky, .....what did he mean by todays bluegrass is tomorrows horse sh!t ?? what did he mean by that, I dont get it. I know what that horses eat the grass and crap it, lol, but what did he mean by sending that as a message to BBN?

 

[morgousky]

I think some of you are missing what the Skal dirt is used for. Skal played in Memphis and top players out of Memphis are all sort of connected through different people. Wiseman watched Skal because he was a top 5 guy from his city. Wiseman is a teenager who thinks he's an NBA all star so I completely understand why they're trying to go down that road. Then you have Cal saying (essentially) the reason Skal wasn't drafted higher is because he miss-used him. I don't know how much the family will bite on it, but I don't know why it's a shock to so many when it's pretty clear as to why he's doing it.

Also I don't assume these parents understand what we do. I think by now some of you would realize that most of these parents haven't been following college basketball inside and out the way you do. That's why some of these decisions don't make sense and we "call it early" while the parents walk into an oblivion.

Just because we understand this is a bunch of horse shT doesn't mean they do and I think it's pretty funny that Penny is just another in a long line of Cronin type douchebags that needs to lower himself to find a way.

 

[morgousky]

Morgousky, .....what did he mean by todays bluegrass is tomorrows horse sh!t ?? what did he mean by that, I dont get it. I know what that horses eat the grass and crap it, lol, but what did he mean by sending that as a message to BBN?

He's a really funny dude, he was just joking around......I told him I'd post it.

 

[DerekMcPwn]

I spoke with a guy this morning who's working with the Memphis coaching staff (former player) and he made a few comments that I thought maybe people would like to know.

He said Penny is using Skal as ammo against Calipari and also saying Kentuxky will have a bunch of returnees that James would have to battle through. He also told me (which I already knew and said so before KSR reported similar) that we were prepared to offer Penny the assistant coaching position...which is why Memphis made their move. Penny and his coaching staff are playing dirty, I've heard this from more than one person connected to the staff.

I've known this guy for years. He's a friend of the family and actually likes Cal and Kentucky. He left me with a message to BBN....(I told him I was going to post this and all he asks is I don't use his name.) Maybe I'll throw his initials out there down the thread.

"Today's bluegrass is tomorrow's horse shit"

Anyway, thought some of you might like to know.

Thanks for sharing. I have a message for your friend:

“Today’s Memphis barbecue is tonight’s multiple homicide.”

 

[Montana81]

I still don't believe he used him wrong. He might have played away from some fo his strengths, but for Kentucky to be effective we needed Skal to block shots and rebound. Playing Skal away from the basket would have doomed UK for sure, eventually. Cal did what he was supposed to, put Kentucky in the best chance to win.

We needed someone to block shots and rebound. Poythress still wasn’t 100% I don’t think and really could have used that year he lost. He was better as a senior but still pretty inconsistent.

Marcus Lee couldn’t stay on the court because of foul trouble. He played okay until the concussion though. He just didn’t seem like the same player after that.

Skal was probably the least likely to be that guy in hindsight because he was so soft and just completely lost at times.

 

[Col. Angus]

I can only imagine Skal taking 12 jump shots per game.

Me too. Would’ve probably made 7 of em.

 

[4UK]

And it didn’t work. I said in November that year, after his big 25 point 15 rebound game or whatever it was against Dipstick U that Cal was trying to plug a square peg into a round hole and it wouldn’t work. That wasn’t Labissiere’s game. Cal agreed with me by the end of the year. Team wasn’t gonna be a defensive juggernaut. Wasn’t gonna happen. Best bet was gonna be to try and out score teams and with Ulis/Briscoe/Murray/Poythress and Labissiere working the mid range... was the best bet. Lee and Humohries off the bench, spelling Poythress and Labissiere, wasn’t a bad bet considering the pieces fit.

Skal was a bust, not doubt, so it's easy to second guess. But it's just as easy to look at history and understand what Cal was trying to do. Some may call it fitting a square peg into a round hole, and I get that. But others may look at it as a coach doing what he's supposed to do -- actually develop a player by improving upon weaknesses.

Boogie was known in high school as a guy who liked to spend too much time on the perimeter. Cal parked him down low and that worked pretty well. Anthony Davis was a guy known for his perimeter skills (he used be be a guard, I've been told) and Cal parked him down low and that worked out pretty well. Same with KAT. The knock on him was he was soft and wouldn't bang down low. Cal parked him down low and once he proved he could do that, he went from a mid-lottery pick to No. 1 overall. The difference is that these guys embraced the coaching and flourished, while Skal rejected it, became even more passive and decided to just check off the days on the calendar until his year was up. I choose to believe that's more on Skal than Cal.

 

[morgousky]

 

[Montana81]

Nah, working Skal away from the basket would have given us no chance. Cal said what he said because Skal was going into the draft so he took the blame for Skal not being ready (injury) and not very good. This isn't the NBA.

I can only imagine Skal taking 12 jump shots per game. We needed Skal to be something he couldn't be, but we tried and I still think it was the best approach at the time. Unless we could have somehow made Humphries be that guy, which wasn't going to happen.

We missed on assessing what Skal could be, the whole year was gone at that point. Nothing could have changed it.

That team was actually really good on offense. Finished 5th in Kenpom and were #1 late in the season. We stunk it up versus IU thanks to Ulis and Murray missing shots they had made all year. Credit anunoby somewhat for his d on Murray, Ulis just had an off game though.

That tells you just how good Ulis and Murray were however. They basically carried that team on offense and were a top 5 O Efficency team.

But I don’t think outscoring teams will ever be Cals strength. He’s an underrated coach in terms of offense but we’ll never put points on the board like UNC, Duke and UCLA and we’re never going to chuck 3’s like Nova.

Frankly I don’t care how we play as long as he wins.

 

[Aike]

I still don't believe he used him wrong. He might have played away from some fo his strengths, but for Kentucky to be effective we needed Skal to block shots and rebound. Playing Skal away from the basket would have doomed UK for sure, eventually. Cal did what he was supposed to, put Kentucky in the best chance to win.

Yep. That’s why we were manhandled in the second round by Thomas Freaking Bryant.

 

[DerekMcPwn]

Haha. Morgousky knows what I’m talking about.

 

[Mike-D]

Just because we understand this is a bunch of horse shT doesn't mean they do and I think it's pretty funny that Penny is just another in a long line of Cronin type douchebags that needs to lower himself to find a way.

Because it’s his only chance at landing Wiseman. Point at Skal, and trash Cal.

It really should be a no contest, family relationships or not. Kentucky is the the gold standard for getting kids to the league. Sure, there are other ways to do it. But Cal has proved over and over that UK is the most sure thing when you consider going to a school to have the best chance at playing in the league.

Penny has proved absolutely nothing. Cal has won and sent kids to the league at every stop, including Memphis. Pointing at one kid that still went in the first round is laughable to me, but whatever.

But I still feel like Wiseman will wind up at Memphis. Rumblings that one family member in the Wiseman camp is all in on Memphis. We typically lose that battle every time. But it’s whatever. We will still land a good class. If we win the title this year, I’m good for a year regardless. Even with that said, deep down inside of me, it does piss me off. Kentucky should never lose a kid they truly want to Memphis. But it looks like the stars aligned just right for Memphis on this one.