Boom. Huggins did have some clowns on his team, Martin wasnt one. Dude played hard. You must be oneof the old guard types clearly.
Kenyon Martin - "Rick Pitino went to the Celtics, so I went to UC...."
- Thread starter TankedCat
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The 97 recruiting class took a huge hit because the Pitino to the NBA rumors were so strong (and correct) at the time. UK likely would have signed Elton Brand and William Avery. Both guys backed off because it was assumed that Pitino was leaving.
But people who criticize Pitino for only signing Magloire in 96 aren't being particularly realistic. When Pitino was recruiting the 96 class, he was looking at a roster that would likely include Nazr Mohammed, Antoine Walker, Scott Padgett, Jared Prickett, Oliver Simmons, Ron Mercer, Derek Anderson, Allen Edwards, Jeff Sheppard, Wayne Turner, and Anthony Epps. LOADED. Simmons transferred, and Walker went pro (a decision he didn't make until May of 96, and certainly NOT something predictable in the summer and fall of 95, when recruiting for the 96 class was kicking into high gear), but still- how many guys would you expect Pitino to sign with what he already had in place?
UK that year went hard after Jermaine O'Neal, and not much else (which made perfect sense, because center was the obvious weak spot, as no one had any idea that Nazr would amount to anything). There wasn't room or need for much else.
What's funny is I remember being a young kid during that time and myself and others would call him a thug. But I called a LOT of UC players thugs. It's probably because he was the most well known player out of Cincinatti.
Hell I like Bob Huggins and still call him Thuggy bear.
Yeah I remember the catcalls. Although there was some talent left, 1998 was shocking to say the least. Loved those guys. Turner, Evans, Padgett, Sheppard and Nazr. But no lottery picks and only Magloire became an all star.
Because back then most champions were made up of great college players, not OAD NBA all stars.
The fact that that team had Nba talents like Magloire and Nazr was huge. Then you've got another NBA guy with a good tenure in Padgett. Sheppard was a college beast who would have started anywhere. The team was actually pretty loaded.
Contrary to popuar opinion, luck doesn't win titles. The best and most determined teams do. Over half of NCAA champions over the years came out of Kentucky, Kansas, North Carolina, Duke, Indiana, Uconn and UCLA. It's not luck.
1998 is the most underrated team in our history as far as I'm concerned because of the perception that they were under talented. When pressed however, people can usually only call Duke as a team with better players. Looking back especially, I wouldn't trade rosters with even them.
You must not be remembering 1998 then. Arizona returned all 5 starters from their 97 title team, the one that beat a more talented UK team the year before. UNC had Antawn Jamison, Vince Carter, and Brendon Haywood. Kansas had Paul Pierce, Raef Lafrentz, and Kenny Greggory I believe. Duke was loaded, all 4 of those teams would be preseason #1 most years and were clearly more talented than UK. I know it pains you to have to give Tubby credit, but we had no business winning in 98 given the number of absolutely loaded teams that year.
He'll, even UConn was loaded but their team was too young back then. College basketball was a different world in 98.
I wouldn't trade rosters with Arizona in 97. Unc and Duke might have been more talented on paper but we were returning older guys with final four and championship experience.
The way that team is diminished by some is ridiculous. 1998 Kentucky would win titles today with ease. People simply overlooked them because the previous years were so dominant.
I'm not going to give Tubby credit for things underserved. Those were not his players, and tubby to this day has not fielded a final four team while running his OWN system and style. In 98 we didn't play Tubby ball, so I do givr him credit for holding off on his methods and letting them play Pitino ball. He also coached a good tournament, even though the Duke game that year is overblown. Those players won that game, Tubby didn't get in their way.
Yea I'm no Tubby apologist. He's what he is. A mediocre coach that was lucky to land at UK. It's just truth.
What does any of that nonsense have to with the fact that he did a great job with that team, we had no business winning the title that year, and there were 4 teams clearly better than us?
I firmly believe Pitino would have more titles and possibly more wins than K, had he stayed at UK. I also believe Duke doesn't climb the mountain (where they are today) had Pitino stayed. Those 95, 96 and 97 Duke teams weren't very good at all. We lost several recruits to them due to the Pitino/NBA rumors. He had a chance to step on the throat of Duke and left for Boston. Still burns my ass.
Who are you talking to? Hopefully not me. Because yeah, I'm well aware that UNC, Duke, Kansas, and Arizona were a big 4 in 98, ahead of UK in terms of talent.
But you're trying to claim that UK's recruiting fell off because Donovan left. That wasn't it. UK's recruiting fell off in 96 and 97 because of a combination of a loaded roster and constant speculation about Pitino going to the NBA. Remove the second part, and UK is highly likely to be recruiting just fine in 97 (like, take William Avery and Elton Brand off that 97-98 Duke team and put them at UK).
One name you and I both forgot is Heshimu Evans. He came with Magloire for the 96-97 season, but of course had to sit out that year.
Martin was a fun player to watch play. The dude would attempt to dunk everything near the rim hard every time he got a touch in the post. I don't remember anything K-Mart done in college that would make him a thug, but if you were playing for Bob Huggins at UC, you were going to get labeled a thug no matter what. He had a few dirty post players that would seem to try and hurt someone and Bob wouldn't do anything to make the dirty play stop. This story seems odd, but who knows if the dude made it up or just not remember well things that happened a while ago.
Is that yearly or over a lifetime.......the answer will determine if Im impressed or not
I was talking to the person I quoted in my post. IMO, recruiting took a huge dip in 96 and 97 for multiple reasons. Yes, we were loaded, and there were Pitino/NBA rumors, but losing our #1 ace recruiter was the main reason. Just my opinion tho.
Fun Fact: Cincinnati has not beaten UK in basketball since 1939! We have won the last 17 meetings in a row. Is there a longer win streak?
During the 96-97 season Pitino offered H.S. jr JP Blevins a scholarship so there was his backup pg beginning the 98-99 season. However Blevins had to play behind Saul for 3 years
