KyKy Tandy
- Thread starter LXWildcat
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I do think Rick Pitino could've turned him into the best version of himself.
He saw himself as a Rondo/Westbrook.....but that wasn't his game. I played against a lot of Wheeler type....guys that just dominated the high school and pick-up games. His speed and handle just got by everyone. He could make crazy passes. He just couldn't be bottled up.
The problem was that on the next level...he was undersized and couldn't take his foot off the gas. There were guys just as quick, but 4-6 inches taller. There were big men that could guard him out on the perimeter. He couldn't just run run run by everyone....which Cal loved. He envisioned himself being a De'Aaron Fox type player without the hops and scoring ability.
Rick would've really showed him what he needed to become as a DEFENDER first. Pressing and getting steals....running in a fast break to get easy points. And Rick wouldn't have tolerated him bouncing the ball and dominating. He would've got him to focus on running the actual offense and moving. Pitino's work with Peyton Siva was the best example. Steph Curry doesn't have the most assists....but he's a great PG because he knows how to keep the ball moving and get everyone involved.
But there are many guys like Wheeler everywhere who do dominate their HS/MS teams....make crazy highlight tapes and have crazy skills. But what you're seeing is a generation of coaches not knowing how to take that talent and highlight it.
Example is one we look at negatively....but Rondo and Tubby Smith. Rondo couldn't shoot well at all....but he was a true floor general. Tubby slowing him down probably led to a lot of his success later on....because he had that passing ability and such and had he just pushed it quick it wouldn't have been as effective. But Tubby slowing him down....which sometimes he did too much....but slowing him down made him learn more about ball movement and how to really control a game.
I think Ky Ky tries to be more of a Kyrie Irvin type guard. Quick, takes tough, off balance shots, doesn't guard. I can't see the comparison to Rondo (lack of size), nor does he have the defensive chops Rondo had (better scorer though). If he could reel in the sloppy, out of control play, not try to do more than he is capable of, cut down on the turnovers, and take better / less shots, he would be a very good player that can help you win. But, he won't, he thinks he is a lot better than he actually is. It is great to have confidence in your game (all good / great players have it), but the confidence needs to actually match the production. He is over confident which leads to the bad shots and careless play.
Wheeler's biggest problem, I agree with you. He doesn't have the ability to change speed. it is always wide open throttle with him, no change of pace. He had the good upper body strength also, which should help him with getting to the rim, but for some reason, he shies away for physical play.
Wheeler's biggest problem, I agree with you. He doesn't have the ability to change speed. it is always wide open throttle with him, no change of pace. He had the good upper body strength also, which should help him with getting to the rim, but for some reason, he shies away for physical play.
Personally, it sounds like there are many better options out there right now to offer scholarships and NIL to than this guy.
Yes he was. Daddy made a statement "Ky Ky ain't coming to UK to ride the bench, he is not a bench player" or something similar to that. He appeared to be one of those "parent is way too involved" and would have been a coaches / team nightmare to deal with. "My son ain't getting enough playing time" "my son should start", more or less think he is a coach because his son plays on the team and think he can give input. MOST of the time, when parents are that vocal about their kid, it is best to just pass on them. PJ Washington SR. is / was an exception to the rule. He was vocal, but let the coaches coach and determine how his son should be used.
His dad that got brought up was close to him but had 0 to do with the process. Notice Kyky's last name is Tandy and that's his mom's last name. His dad's last name is Torian. So that tells you who was in charge of Kyky's situation.
IT was Keith Torian...who played at New Mexico State in the mid 90s who was a big part of his life but had 0 to do with Kyky's recruitment....Kyky himself and his mom were in control. Keith is a great guy but just got interviewed and the media ran with it.
I know Keith Tandy, my son played high school football / friends with him. Great kid, do not know Ky Ky personally.
His dad said that in the media. Read my post above...
Kyky Tandy's mom's last name is Tandy.
Kyky's dad's last name is Torian.
His dad wasn't the one calling the shots at all. He was there in support of his son, but he was just talking to the media to get attention. That's all. He wasn't the one helping Kyky.
Scotty Hopson, his cousin, and his mom were the ones advising him on his recruitment.
And turns it over a helluva lot. 2.5 turnovers per game. He would not come here as a bench / role player, he THINKS he is Kyrie Irvin. Only reason he averaged 17 per game is he took all the shots he wanted and played on a team that had a -3.25 SOS. At Xavier (Power 5 conference) he didn't hardly play and Xavier was not that good. He has never seen a shot he doesn't like. Huge difference in his production in CUSA and Big East. He is actually the opposite of what the studs do, leave a smaller conference where they was stars and transferred to a Power 5 and proved they can do it there also. he went from a Power 5 where he couldn't get clock, to a lot lesser quality of competition to shine.
Jacksonville St had 14 wins....... and Kyky couldnt do squat at Xavier for 3 years. if he's willing to be the 11th - 13th man and play very little , sure. other than that there are going to be so many better options.
Well no matter who was calling the shots, was the dad's statement not moms /Ky Ky's thoughts ? That he wasn't "no bench player and would not come to UK to ride the bench ?" It sure seemed as though that was the exact sentiment they felt. Dad may not have had any input, but it doesn't make what he said not true in the eyes of the shot callers. Maybe the dad needed to have more input, maybe he could have told him, "you are not going to get any guarantees at UK (playing time / starting role), you will have to and take it / earn it."
No matter who had what input, he had some bad advice / was propped up to be better than he was. Which is why he went to Xavier, failed miserably, and ended up in the CUSA on a very bad Jax. State team where he could play all the minutes, get all the shots he wanted. He RAN from competition, he figured out at Xavier, he was just another high school star that didn't have the talent / mental game to make it on the big stage. You do not transfer from a Xavier to a Jax. State because you are as good as you think you are, you do it because reality smacked your ass square in the face.
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Not to be rude, but that's just conjecture. I know the family situation and just because you read and assume something doesn't mean it's true.. Not even being biased because I also didn't think he was on Cal's level at the time, but blaming a kid for his dad talking to a paper....a dad that wasn't really advising the process. The dad was there to help and support, but he didn't make the decisions on raising him. He just talked to a newspaper...but to you that's an indictment of him and his whole character because his dad made a smart-*ss remark to a reporter.
No. They were not his dad's thoughts. Kyky was a great hardworking kid that did everything he could to become a D1 basketball player on the court and in the classroom. You'll notice so many kids from here don't make it or get kicked off....off the court stuff.....Kyky had none of that in his life. He had great mentors and advisors helping him every step of the way. He's been academically eligible at a good school like Xavier and UHA where he went to school was tough academically. Never been around anything bad in his life and had a great attitude. I'm not going to let you just run some kid down.
I'm sorry to be rude, but you're talking about a kid YOU DO NOT KNOW based on his dad who didn't even have the same last name as him ranting to a reporter. His dad played college ball and has a big personality...but he wasn't the one calling the shots. But because his dad makes a comment....the kid is bad and you're implying he's a punk kid that got humbled and you think he deserves it? Go re-read your post.
What the dad said wasn't cool, but again Kyky didn't think or say that. Kyky dreamed of playing at Kentucky and knew he wasn't getting an offer. His dad knew he was hurt and just spouted off to a newspaper
Exactly. I think you and I were on here when he was coming out of high school singing his praises. I'm old and over the years have watched Darrell Griffith, Winston Bennet, Rex, Scotty Hobson, Allen Houston, Travis Ford, Travis Perry, and countless others play high school ball in person and I will always say that KyKy was as impressive in person as anyone Ive ever watched. He had unlimited range and crazy athletic ability. Highlight reel dunks. I will have to say I was wrong in predicting him becoming a star, but I know at Xavier he was doing well as a freshman on a senior loaded team. Then got hurt his soph year and if Im not mistaken, they had a coaching change and he didnt fit in the new coaches system, but I could be wrong about that. But in high school, the times I watched him, the kid had a great attitude, seemed humble, just balled out.
And not being at UKs level during the Cal years isn't a bad thing like some put it, because Cal only recruited guys with NBA intangibles. That made it hard.
Like Anthony Hickey from here....he wasn't on Cal's level....but he still started at LSU/OK State for 4 years. Led the nation in steals for a point in time. But he just wasn't on Cal's level.
The only ones from WKY I remember in the last 15-20 years on that level would've been Scotty Hopson & Chane Behanan.
Damn man, I know you are from Hopkinsville (I am from Madisonville), and love your hometown guys, but relax. I simply said he is a one dimensional player who needs tons of shots. To me watching him play, he didn't put team first, he was trying to "get his" which with the LOW assist #s and HIGH turnover #s reflects that. There is a reason he transferred from Xavier to Jax, State, it wasn't about winning and playing better competition, it was about going somewhere he can do his thing. Maybe his team didn't really feel (say it to coaches) he would not come to UK if he wasn't promised minutes, doesn't really matter now. I actually wanted Hickey when he hit the portal, same type of player as Ky Ky, just had a little more under control / better rounded game.
I never said anything about him being a good player or not. You're the one saying he got humbled and implied his dad's newspaper comments were his thoughts and he got humbled.
And that's how you know 0 about either. Hickey and Kyky were 2 totally different players. Like you couldn't find 2 more opposite players than Kyky and Hickey other than size and hometown....you just see small guards and assume they're the same. I watched probably 60 combined games of both players in person and several college games. Hickey could've been a great role player, but other issues kept him from Kentucky that I won't get into on here.
I mean we don't really have a team right now so everyone should be an option but I just don't see how this one helps us all that much.
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