I actually felt much better about the state of the program because we were keeping guys. SKJ and Gabriel were in line to be juniors.
Washington/Vanderbilt/Richards/Green were going to be sophomores. Now I’m expecting to keep hemorrhaging experience
Jones saying he's hearing Gabriel may be gone soon
- Thread starter SilentsAreGolden
- Start date
I actually felt much better about the state of the program because we were keeping guys. SKJ and Gabriel were in line to be juniors.
Washington/Vanderbilt/Richards/Green were going to be sophomores. Now I’m expecting to keep hemorrhaging experience
Let's be real about this year,we lucked out to get where we did in the NCAAT,the bracket fell apart for us and we promptly pissed it away vs Kansas St. This group under achieved yet are all ready to hit the door as soon as possible.
Not if I know going in this was four years max...you seem entitled in your responses and posts. I always believe you work for what you get out of life. Doesn't matter if person a gets this or person x doesn't. I put my head down a work. If my performance has been above standard and I missed no work, I guess I would ask for a raise not expect one. I would ask what will it take for me to get said raise. We live in a capitalist society not socialist. Fair market value. For a guy who wanted to leave early because he was homesick, don't imagine him doing well half a world away.i think WG needs realize that he is a multi year player at UK, and that isn't a bad thing. (Apparently at RR, it is thought that if you are here at UK you are a failure)
Same
Florida won back to back, Villanova 2 out of three years, UNC title game two years straight, and 3 over the last decade, UK title game two years straight, all teams that kept a good portion of their team. You can dominate in college basketball, not win a title every year but have a good chance. You don't have much of a chance starting over with a new team.
He cant and never has....If you remember 2012 even with Davis and the Kidd, UK would have never won without Sr. Darius Miller on that team....
So do you ever stop to wonder why Quade would be considering leaving? Maybe it's because even after what any reasonable person would consider an excellent freshman year it's obviously not good enough for the coach who originally recruited him? I'm not sure how you could determine that a freshman who averaged 9 points and 3 assists a game playing behind a future lottery pick isn't going to cut it. I know it's a crazy concept for this program now but players can develop and get better over multiple years. In fact, that's generally how championship teams are built.
The culture that surrounds this program and resulting roster turnover is not conducive to winning championships IMO.. and let's best honest.. with Cal here and the amount of money we're paying him, there's no reason he shouldn't win more of them. I don't think his current model is going to achieve that.
Getting sick of it! I mean I love the kid, another year could do more for him than most we have seen in blue and white, but if you want to go, go and let us replace you.
I'm not sure why Cal hasn't figured out the only way to get some guys on this team who will stick around and not transfer if they are not one and done is to keep a couple of KY guys on the team. There are usually 2-3 high level D1 kids in KY every year and there is no reason we shouldn't be getting one every year or every other year to keep 2-3 on the team at all times.
I wonder if this would make SKJ rethink his decision to leave. Gabriel and PJ could be gone, that equates to more minutes for SKJ.
I'm an advocate of players staying and putting in their work and earning their name. Not sure why you took a subtle shot at me.
Anyways, my response was directed at today's kids mentality which is why stick around, Everyone is a free agent? Our head man has even said it, focus on the team during the year, then during the off season, we'll re-evaluate your goals and where you stand. It's a year-to-year commitment.
interesting concept but I suspect the dye is already cast. SKJ would still be fighting for minutes against the incoming class just as he did against Richards, Vando and Washington
Last edited:
Yeah, I don't know if they'd take him back, if bridges we're burned or this was already set in motion.
But with Gabriel out of the way, everyone else is either a freshman or hasn't played. SKJ had a promising final 3rd of the season. So he'd be the only veteran which should get him some minutes. He also wouldn't have to sit out a year.
Meh, I still think we make the sweet 16 even without the upsets. Arizona wasn’t anything special.
Has there been any KY kids besides Hawkins, Miller and Willis that were good enough to sniff playing time on any of Cal's teams?
I mean yeah, it would be great to keep homegrown talent, but if that homegrown talent is Brad Calipari type talent then it doesn't do us any good.
What Kentucky kids did Cal miss out on?
It’s either Quade is leaving period, or the new guys are good enough that Cal would be going after them regardless. Maybe even both. I don’t blame Cal for not promising Quade the starting pg spot, and trying to put together the best team he can. If we were nothing special again next year, and the reason was we went all in on Quade, I doubt you would still feel the same way.
I agree with your take, alot of responses come to mind -
this seems like ancient history now but it wasn't too long ago that Tom Izzo was praised as an elite coach because every player on his team during a number of consecutive years had been to a final four.
That's not to say its a model UK should or needs to adopt because its mostly anecdotal to the current era of college basketball
but it really highlights the conflict in the fan base versus the player definition of being successful. To a fan, if the team underachieves, then their goals as a college player aren't met - I want to compete for a national championship - well you didn't, matter of fact the entire team came up short and really had no realistic chance, but next year you could really do something special at UK - now... how committed are you in achieving that goal?
The answer is not at all. It doesn't factor into the decision making process. After the completion of the first season of a one and done, the discussion of reaching a national championship doesn't even come up. A kid doesn't return because he wants to win a national championship for UK, he returns because his other options are less lucrative than another season here.
So the issue comes up that these kids jump to the NBA - and our program is framing it, encouraging it, depending on it -
and if they don't have a successful college career, its just ancillary to going pro, its not a primary objective.
Somewhere along the line we have convinced ourselves thats how college basketball should be, how it has to be for us to be in the national conversation.
And with Cal having the youngest team and achieving some unflattering milestones with them this year, I thought he'd re-evaluate how that happened and what he could do to prevent it. Instead he double downed on his approach.
honestly I think there was more to it. I think SKJ and Cal has some personality clashes that weren't going to be overcome.
That’s how it is everywhere. The only way you get juniors and seniors is by getting guys who likely don’t have a professional future in basketball, and it’s hard to consistently be as good as we’ve been relying on those guys.
Didn't agree that it's on Cal. Everyone has their chance to impress. If they put the work in Cal notices, I was disagreeing with blaming Cal for a players shortfalls. Unless I read your post wrong, first you claim that it's on Cal, gave me an example of people getting raises, I responded and now we both agree that players have to put in the work, nothing is given, it is earned. Now we agree. Not on Cal. His job is to recruit new talent, fill roster needs, manage egos(he is best at this) and put out a team that is competitive not only on conference but nationally. All of this while insuring his players become servant leadership and make life changing choices that improves not only the players lives but players families as well kids who yet to come. To make the communities his players are from better, to give back is the only true way to receive anything
I believe that would be a more valid argument if OAD focused or led teams were winning a higher percentage of final fours and national championships.
Again, we're in this mindset thats how it has to be under the belief we'd be worse if we didn't.
If some people had considered the possibility of this when it was brought up rather than blindly attacking, then maybe there wouldn’t be so much surprise right now. The culture is a real thing
SKJ is leaving because Cal has been using him as a back-up center when every scout says he is a traditional PF.
But not dominant enough to overcome having no experience.
Shusshh, you're not supposed to admit that renting a roster annually won't win a title. Some people will need to see it fail for 10 years before acknowledging its a problem.
I think it’s because the minutes he wants haven’t been there.
Kids think they belong in the NBA, but wanna run off when they cant get minutes here.
Do I think they are John Wall or AD? No but Cal is doing a great job of getting those guys
Do I think they are good enough to be solid contributors by their JR year at this level. Yes I do.
The Beverly kid that went to NC St could contribute by his Jr year if not sooner. So could the kid at Xavier.
I am not talking about the Wall's, Cousins, KAT type of players who are one and done type talent. I am talking about kids who will give you experienced players by their Jr and Sr seasons. That is what we need.
Two or three Kentucky players a year. I sure missed those players in reports I have read. I'm not a recruiting guru but the last decent UK material player I have seen mentioned is the KyKy kid...First in a couple years at least.
You are misunderstanding what I am talking about. I am not necessarily talking a top 25 kid just guys who will stick around and be a solid contributor with experience like Miller, Dom and Willis.
Thank you! I was thinking hard on what Kentucky players I missed UK getting the last few years and drew a blank. This KyKy kid must become a Cat if for no other reason, he was born to it....
No, I understood I think. I was thinking Mr. Basketball types but who was the last one for Kentucky? I could see that type getting a scholarship as long as the pick was legitimate.
I am just saying having 2-3 guys who are experienced to go along with one and done talent is a good thing and the only ones that evidently will stick with us are KY guys who love the school.
I’m not sure that would matter. Gotta change the name across the jersey to something that reads “Indiana” or something along those lines.
If only Richards and JV return from last years team of guys who actually played I say it will probably be cals last in Lexington. Brad will probably graduate next summer and another season like this one full of excuses from a preseason top 5 will turn a lot of people quick. I think it’s simple. UK fans want championships if cal continues to go this route. What happened 3-4 years ago is ancient history now and fans either want titles or watch our program and players grow over time. I wanted cal to come to uk. I fought like a dog when people said he would never be considered. If what is being predicted comes true every fan will begin to question what the hell we are doing. Imo PJ Gabriel JV Richards green all need to return or you will see an upheaval.
I can see it now. This forum will be full of cal defenders saying March is when it matters blah blah blah. We ll go into the season top 3 but people here will say “what did you expect with such a young team? We ll lose 10 games and end up with an unfavorable seed and an early flame out. All along fans will be saying most of the guys will come back. Season will end and most will leave.
With the current model the way it is I say two years tops and we will be looking for a new coach.
Latest posts
-
-
-
-
-
BB Recruiting Mark Pope's first blockbuster recruiting weekend- Latest: Bradleja9508