Would rather have Johnson with the incoming crew. Someone who takes pride in defense, is more experienced, has played in the title game, and is more physically mature. Haven’t we all said Cal needs more of that?
Keshad Johnson visiting Kentucky today
- Thread starter Smashcat
- Start date
At least Johnson looks like a hustler. Livingston always looked like he was loafing. Probably saving his energy for the draft.
Hopefully Grant Nelson is one of the guys he’s talking too 😬
True but the deadline to decide to withdraw is May 31st. After Combine, you'll line up some individual workouts and from all things we've seen with UK, these guys go to that deadline. Take the bird in hand and if Livingston wants back in-welcome that competition.
This is a no brainer. Take his commitments and who gives a flying eff what Livingston says.
For starters, Manning-Fuimaono reconfirmed that Johnson will make his decision on Saturday, May 20 during the latter’s graduation party. Johnson actually graduated from SDSU on Sunday but is hosting a party with friends and family next weekend in his hometown of Oakland, CA, where he’ll officially break the news of his next college stop.
As you might have seen already if you’re following this recruitment closely, Johnson raved about his visit to Kentucky on social media, particularly enjoying his tour of Calipari’s office at the Joe Craft Center. Manning-Fuimaono was equally as impressed with Calipari’s endless number of trophies and hardware
As you might have seen already if you’re following this recruitment closely, Johnson raved about his visit to Kentucky on social media, particularly enjoying his tour of Calipari’s office at the Joe Craft Center. Manning-Fuimaono was equally as impressed with Calipari’s endless number of trophies and hardware
Spacing was not the problem the past 2 years. We scored plenty. It was defense, we couldn't get stops when we needed them.
I think Wagner has enough dog in him to buy into defense. Dillingham has the quickness to stay in front of his man. Onyenso and Bradshaw have the length and shot blocking ability to protect the rim. So adding someone like Johnson could be a bigger addition than stats imply.
But as far as spacing goes, you don't have to make 5 3's a game to provide spacing. Just be enough of a threat 15+ ft that your man has to go out there and guard you. Toppin was. Livingston was. Even Oscar was. Ware was NOT. I think Collins could have been, but didn't play enough to show that skill, so he was not.
Some argue that Toppin "clogged the lane". Ignoring the fact that he spent most of his time in that left corner (guarded).
I think Bradshaw can, even if he is making 18' shots instead of 3's. Same for Johnson, who hopefully can improve on his 26% from 3 and get it into the 30's.
Johnson will not commit to UK until he knows what Livingston is choosing. It has nothing to do with Calipari. I'm sure the offer has been extended from Calipari to Johnson.
Our offense was as much to blame as our defense.
NBA teams score well over 100 ppg, is it because defenses suck, or is it because the offenses are just that good?
In today's college basketball, you aren't going to hold good offensive teams to 65ppg, you have to score and the last 3 years, UK has struggled to score in crunch time, because we have 1 go-to play and it's too easy to defend, because we don't spread the court.
You have to score to win and Cal's old school offense struggles to do that too often.
Putting a bunch of guys on the floor that can't hit outside shots, is a good way to contine our offensive struggles.
Regarding CL. I imagine Cal (or assistants) have said to him basically something like this:
"If you decide it's not the time yet to go to the League, we would love to have you come back. Just be aware, we are bringing in Edwards and he plays SF also. PT is earned not given, so you 2 can battle it out. Also, as you know Reeves plays some SF, but also some (more) 2G, and may return. There will probably be some minutes at the PF available, if you want to increase your PT by also playing there and help the team in that way. But we can't wait on you to decide indefinitely. Things will happen quickly with a lot of players after the combine, and for Kentucky to be KENTUCKY we have to "Eat First"."
"If you decide it's not the time yet to go to the League, we would love to have you come back. Just be aware, we are bringing in Edwards and he plays SF also. PT is earned not given, so you 2 can battle it out. Also, as you know Reeves plays some SF, but also some (more) 2G, and may return. There will probably be some minutes at the PF available, if you want to increase your PT by also playing there and help the team in that way. But we can't wait on you to decide indefinitely. Things will happen quickly with a lot of players after the combine, and for Kentucky to be KENTUCKY we have to "Eat First"."
Watch the St. Peter’s game and tell me how spacing and offense wasn’t the problem, I know injuries but teams know what to do to beat Kentucky when it comes to late in the season
Disagree. You don’t win games by hitting 15 footers in fact it’s what the opponent wants.
Defense may have been an issue but that’s in part bc of how the offenses are.
But I’ll agree you can’t have non shooters and weak defenders no matter what the metrics test at
Johnson is better than Livingston. Why would he balk? Because he knows how Cal operates, that’s why.
I think Cal got his answer from Livingston last week when he flew to LA to see him.
And considering we went through with the visit the following weekend, I am going to guess that Livingston is keeping his name in the draft.
Just a guess, but I am assuming Cal already has the answer.
If this is true, I would expect Johnson to commit on May 20. Either player will be fine. I think CL has more upside and is a better offensive player. I would prefer to have CL.
#scratchingmyhead
Even if Johnson is better than Livingstong (he is not), Johnson would balk coming here because of competition with CL for minutes. I doubt he is transferring out of SDSU to get 15-20 mpg anywhere.
CL has more upside, but, like so many of our previous players that had potential, that potential doesn't come to fruition until they are long gone from UK.
Give me the proven player given our situation and I'd rather stay away from CL's handlers.
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The PROBLEM was 2 of our best 3 options were injured to the point they couldn't move well enough to get open.
You make 15 footers at a good rate, than they can be as good or even better than 3's.
For example, 2 years ago, before he got hurt, I would have been thrilled w/ Tyty taking his 15' pull-ups & floaters all day long. He was "money" on those.
But we did not have "non-shooters". 2 years ago Grady (even after his injury brought his % down) made 41.5% from 3 * 51.6% from 2, Tyty (even after his injury brought his % down) made 35% from 3 & 49.6% from 2. Mintz 34.4% from 3, Brooks made 52.4% from 2, Oscar 60.6% from 2.
Last year Reeves made 39.8% from 3, Wallace 34.6% from 3 & 51.4% from 2, Livingston 30.5% from 3 & 48.8% from 2, Oscar 56% from 2, Toppin 30.5% from 3, 49.7% from 2.
Neither were outstanding, but both were good enough.
Just as big an issue if not bigger was in both years we did not get to the FT line enough (a much more efficient way to score than mid-range OR 3's). That was the only 2 years since 2006 where we attempted <20 FT/gm.
Agree. It's not an all-or-none situation where the better player gets all the minutes. It is how many other good players will you be sharing them with.
That played a role, but Kentucky also had terrible spacing and didn’t put the right pieces on the floor to insure players are put in the best position
Cal's been running the same stuff on offense and defense since he was at Memphis. His offense is so one dimensional and basic that even legit NBA players struggle to score against average D1 defenses.
Against good teams, you have to score, but when you watch what happened in crunch time in our losses, you see, plain as day, that we labored to score.
Good teams know how to score and it doesn’t matter how good your defense is. They will make you foul them, they will spread you out by banging 3's, then, they will drive the ball when your 5 has to leave the paint to guard his man.
That’s fine… .until you can't score on them to at least stay within reach.
Put all stats you want but if we have less than 30% shooting at 3 spots we won’t be worth much given our inexperience on top of it .. don’t fall for this crap again — kinda like the Toppin can shoot rumors.
Thank you. It’s just unbelievable that some continue to say offense is the problem. Guys not being able to put the ball in the basket is and has been the only problem on offense yet we still score plenty but can’t get stops.
It sure feels like Klutch is making sure the NBA takes Livingston one way or another and, presumably, Cal has communicated that to Johnson.
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IF Livingston is taken by an NBA team, he will spend all of his time in the minor league as he just does not have the talent to play with the big boys. He can't handle the ball, he can't shoot & he doesn't rebound that well. Not to mention his defense. The NBA guys will blow past him like a hurricane.
Looks like a little Keldon a little PJ and alot of motor. I'd take a bunch of his type at UK.
I hear you. UK needs a serious defensive stopper on every team.
While I do stick to saying defense has been our bigger problem.
I do agree that you can't have 3 of your 5 making < 30% from 3. At most 2 of the the 5, so you need 3 of the 5 I think 33% or higher (preferably 35%+). But we don't know, maybe enough of Wagner, Dillingham, Bradshaw, Edwards, Johnson can make 3pt shots (along w/ Reeves who we know can). And I think even Onyenso can make 15' jumpers at a good enough clip to draw the C away from the basket for drives.
As for Toppin. Was he as good as summer led us to believe? No! But once we hit 2023 he made 40.5% of his 3's (to pull 13.5% up to 30.5%). He had a 15 out of 16 game stretch, 17 out of 20 games where he scored double-digits. He shot 49.8% overall the last 21 games.
I always ask- what is a players strengths- and if say mid range shooter I’m not a fan.. every team that advanced in the tournament had guys that released the ball with confidence 1-4.
Jacob Toppin is like his brother in the NBA- will make a few but in that moment he needs one- it’s normally a bad miss.
We need more of PJ Washington yr 2 4 for once. And just roll out 3 guards.
Mid range is a valuable part. You need a complete game though. Look at Booker, he’s a 3 point sniper but his mid range game may be his best asset in the league. Same with KD.
Our offense is a problem. We score enough during the regular season most of the the time but our average is blown up by 2-3 games we got hot from 3 and non conference cupcakes. After the SEC and into the Tourney we bog down because Cal stops some things that worked and goes back to post basketball with no movement. He is what he is. Yes defense is a huge concern lately because we rely on that to win big games under Cal, because we have problems scoring.
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