Jason Kidd on the 1993 UK team.

[Son_Of_Saul]

Kidd has gone on record saying how if he had left California, he was going to Kentucky.

I've always wondered about what that would have done to the roster construction for that team. Obviously, Kidd would have been enough for UK to beat Michigan and UNC in the Final Four games, but how do you think the roster would have looked? Does Pitino keep Ford at the point guard spot and play Kidd off the ball? Would Ford have come off the bench?

 

[UK-chulo]

Ford’s size was a huge difference in that Michigan game.

 

[Philstat]

At this stage and point, who cares, one can what “if” to infinity.

 

[Spica Orbit]

And what if Robert E. Lee had a wing of B-52s & the 101st Airborne?

 

[blackcat714]

And what if Robert E. Lee had a wing of B-52s & the 101st Airborne?

If the south would have won we would have it made

 

[UK90]

Does Pitino keep Ford at the point guard spot and play Kidd off the ball?

I’d say exactly the opposite …at least offensively. Why take the ball out of the hands of one of the greatest playmaking/passing point guards of all time?

Keep Kidd at the point and have Ford play off the ball where he can focus on what he does best ...finding openings to launch that killer three.

 

[Son_Of_Saul]

At this stage and point, who cares, one can what “if” to infinity.

And what if Robert E. Lee had a wing of B-52s & the 101st Airborne?

"What ifs" make up about 10-20% of the conversations we've had on this message board. If you don't want to participate, you certainly don't have to.

 

[Son_Of_Saul]

I’d say exactly the opposite …at least offensively. Why take the ball out of the hands of one of the greatest playmaking/passing point guards of all time?

Keep Kidd at the point and have Ford play off the ball where he can focus on what he does best ...finding openings to launch that killer three.

That makes sense.

I've also always wondered why Pitino only played Rodrick Rhodes 3 minutes in that Michigan game. I've rewatched it a number of times and come away wondering what Rod did to piss off Pitino.

 

[Dontworryboutit23]

Kidd has gone on record saying how if he had left California, he was going to Kentucky.

I've always wondered about what that would have done to the roster construction for that team. Obviously, Kidd would have been enough for UK to beat Michigan and UNC in the Final Four games, but how do you think the roster would have looked? Does Pitino keep Ford at the point guard spot and play Kidd off the ball? Would Ford have come off the bench?

Wouldn’t dirk nowitzki been on one of those teams to if he came to college

 

[Son_Of_Saul]

Wouldn’t dirk nowitzki been on one of those teams to if he came to college

Dirk would have been on the 1999 team.

 

[Cowtown Cat]

That makes sense.

I've also always wondered why Pitino only played Rodrick Rhodes 3 minutes in that Michigan game. I've rewatched it a number of times and come away wondering what Rod did to piss off Pitino.

This right here! He was in Rick’s doghouse for a long time. Rod got some run against Wake and FSU and played very well. IMO, he should’ve gotten more PT against Michigan. I’ll never understand that either.

EDIT: Rick ruined Rod and his confidence. It’s been well documented here.

 

[Catluv]

This right here! He was in Rick’s doghouse for a long time. Rod got some run against Wake and FSU and played very well. IMO, he should’ve gotten more PT against Michigan. I’ll never understand that either.

EDIT: Rick ruined Rod and his confidence. It’s been well documented here.

I talked to RR roommate. I asked him if RP told RR to bak off his aggression. He told me that RP told RR that this team was Mashburns and let him lead the team. RR looked great in NY. RR never got his confidence back up. RP should of let them both shine.

 

[BlueWhite21]

No. I'd never trade any UK players for any other player no matter how good they would later becomes n the league. I'm speaking mainly of those Pitino teams. I know I sound crazy to most by making that statement, but the chemistry was there most of the time, as was the heart of those players on those teams. Everyone had a role and everyone knew what it was that they should be doing .

It's odd how you can be a good to great college basketball player like an Epps or Ford or even Turner who were all just floor generals that was never gonna play in the NBA but yet in Ford's case he may have been the most important piece of that 93team. Mash was by far the best player but Travis was very important to that run. He was SEC Tournament MVP over Mash that year. Also, Epps ran the point on a team where a number of NBA guys could've brought the ball up the floor. Yet he plays in 2 FF. Kidd was a nice player, Ray Allen was a nice player, but I think we had some teams I rather not tinker with for anyone else.

 

[Cowtown Cat]

I talked to RR roommate. I asked him if RP told RR to bak off his aggression. He told me that RP told RR that this team was Mashburns and let him lead the team. RR looked great in NY. RR never got his confidence back up. RP should have let them both shine.

Yep. Rod was the MVP of that early season tournament. I think Rick killing Rod’s confidence that season cost us a national title. It is what it is

 

[bucsrule8872]

I remember thinking back then that Pitino should have signed that Anderson kid from Louisville instead of Rhodes. It took Pitino a few years to figure that out.

 

[gojvc]

If the south would have won we would have it made

I’d probably run for president of the southern states.

 

[MbergCat]

If the south would have won we would have it made

Yikes.

 

[wildcat_bigd]

What if Germany had won WW2? Lincoln hadn’t been shot by an actor? Pete Best stayed as drummer of the Beatles? The worst Oscar winning move ever made, Shakespeare in love would’ve never been inflected on the world? Sorry, last night’s game really pissed me off

​

 

[HagginHall1999]

That makes sense.

I've also always wondered why Pitino only played Rodrick Rhodes 3 minutes in that Michigan game. I've rewatched it a number of times and come away wondering what Rod did to piss off Pitino.

I don't think that is accurate. You sure about that SoS? IIRC he played a lot more than that but was in foul trouble. Pretty sure Mash and Prickett fouled out. Was a terribly officiated game. Brown was hurt. I think Rod played closer to 15-20 mins.

 

[Son_Of_Saul]

I don't think that is accurate. You sure about that SoS? IIRC he played a lot more than that but was in foul trouble. Pretty sure Mash and Prickett fouled out. Was a terribly officiated game. Brown was hurt. I think Rod played closer to 15-20 mins.

You're right. He played 14 minutes. I was going by an interview where Rhodes said he only played 3 minutes. Thanks for the fact check. Helps me with future reference.

 

[Cowtown Cat]

I don't think that is accurate. You sure about that SoS? IIRC he played a lot more than that but was in foul trouble. Pretty sure Mash and Prickett fouled out. Was a terribly officiated game. Brown was hurt. I think Rod played closer to 15-20 mins.

Seemed like he only played 3 minutes lol he should’ve played more than the 14 IMO. Was a good matchup for those Michigan guys.

 

[HagginHall1999]

You're right. He played 14 minutes. I was going by an interview where Rhodes said he only played 3 minutes. Thanks for the fact check. Helps me with future reference.

I was completely obsessed with that team as a kid.

 

[Cowtown Cat]

I was completely obsessed with that team as a kid.

Same! Never forget I was a NERVOUS WRECK that whole entire week, leading up to that matchup with Michigan. Ugh! What a letdown! 😑

 

[UK-chulo]

Same! Never forget I was a NERVOUS WRECK that whole entire week, leading up to that matchup with Michigan. Ugh! What a letdown! 😑

My memory may be off a bit but seems Dale Brown was one of the few on the team up to the task until he got hurt.

 

[HagginHall1999]

Same! Never forget I was a NERVOUS WRECK that whole entire week, leading up to that matchup with Michigan. Ugh! What a letdown! 😑

To make matters worse for me at the time one of my best friends was a Michigan fan. We were only 11-12 years old but we watched game together. What a nightmare. Same guy is now a UK fan!

 

[BlueSince92]

Travis Ford may not have created too much, in the modern sense, as well as he managed and took advantage of opportunities. But some of the opportunities he could take advantage of were insane. He wasn't nearly just a sharpshooter. Sometimes it seemed like he could pass a basketball through seven feet of solid concrete.

I would definitely want Kidd on that team. But in my opinion locking either of those guys out of the point position is a poor man's choice. Just let them share it. Exploit matchups and style differences to advantage.

 

[FtWorthCat]

People like to criticize Pitino for the way he handled Rodrick Rhodes, but there was no way Rhodes would have been a First Round pick and gotten a guaranteed contract had Pitino not talking him up to his NBA contacts. Obviously Rhodes was a bust as a first round pick.

Rodrick Rhodes Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft Status and more | Basketball-Reference.com

Checkout the latest stats of Rodrick Rhodes. Get info about his position, age, height, weight, draft status, shoots, school and more on Basketball-Reference.com

www.basketball-reference.com

 

[ukfan041]

Yep. Rod was the MVP of that early season tournament. I think Rick killing Rod’s confidence that season cost us a national title. It is what it is

Yep! He was dominating at the ECAC tournament! Rick was definitely a tyrant back in those days!