ADVERTISEMENT

Matt Jones comments on Dilly

Dilly is not just any 170lb guard
Sorry, I'm not going to do it. We do this every year. We build these new recruits up like they're super heros, but they usually end up being unpolished players doing on the job training as we lose 10 games.

Anyone watching the NCAAT and seeing the physicality and incredible playmaking, should not assume these high school kids are going to just come in and win on the highest stages, especially with Cal playing favorites and not wanting to take players hearts.
 
Dilly is my favorite player in the class. But I said months ago before any reports came out that it is being questioned as to whether or not he’ll end up here. I argued someone months ago I’ll have to find it, saying it is in question and I had serious doubts as to whether or not he’ll play here.

This changes my opinion zero. It is questionable and people in the program are uncertain as of right now. Take it for what I’m worth, which according to my father, isn’t much.
 
Livingston is being an idiot if he leaves.Started all season at the position he wanted and still unhappy.Find a guy in the portal who fights and wants to be here.
Agree. I was a huge Livingston fan and wanted him back very much. So sick of these guys who leave for NBA who obviously aren't anywhere close to being ready. And, you are so right, he was given tons of playing time at his desired position so what would he be so upset about if he chooses to transfer instead of staying in the draft. Makes no sense, unless he just fears the incoming freshmen so much.
 
I still think Dillingham is an awful fit for how Cal plays. DJ Wagner is a prototypical Cal guard.
I’ve thought this the entire time as well. Not to mention his fit WITH Wagner. You’ve got two totally ball dominant and ball dependent guards trying to coexist. One is the obvious lifelong family friend and favorite of the head coach with lofty draft goals and the other is the less well regarded, well traveled teammate who comes with handlers who may or may not even want him in college and full expectations on being one and done. What could go wrong?
 
  • Like
Reactions: Cowtown Cat
He also said he feels better but it could still happen to where he doesn’t end up here.
Also said Kentucky adds a portal shooter and a big
- if Livingston leaves who is the replacement for him?
-
Hopefully, a true stretch 4, whomever that may be. It’s a necessity to have shooting at the 1 & 4 to truly compete in today’s game (especially with a center who is limited, offensively) & it’s been a glaring weakness for a while. Having the right personnel at those positions would’ve done wonders for Oscar & the team as a whole, the past two seasons. But, Calipari has never really prioritized shooting & I don’t expect that to change.
 
Sorry, I'm not going to do it. We do this every year. We build these new recruits up like they're super heros, but they usually end up being unpolished players doing on the job training as we lose 10 games.

Anyone watching the NCAAT and seeing the physicality and incredible playmaking, should not assume these high school kids are going to just come in and win on the highest stages, especially with Cal playing favorites and not wanting to take players hearts.
Idk our high ranked guards usually translate pretty well. Wallace was not the problem at all this year. I think the position we generally hype up that doesn’t translate is the 3. Boston, Whitney, Fletcher, and even poythress to an extent. They are normally athletic freaks that don’t have the handles and aren’t polished enough to score in college
 
  • Like
Reactions: catlogic15
I will just play the wait and see game this year. We need a solid portal guy like the kid from Princeton. We do not need a head case from another team (Love) or (Johnson). Cal does not do well with head cases. Give them to Bill Self (he seems to get the most out of them). Cal needs guys that can come in and be mature players. Reeves took a while to acclimate to the program but worked out fairly well this year (except the last game). I would like to have Livingston back as well but if he does not want to be here then " dont let the door hit you where to good Lord split you". Ugo if he comes back will not be what Cal is saying he will and we will be disappointed in him. He seems to have to think on the court on his next move. To be a big in traffic in the lane you have to be 2 steps ahead of the play. We do not need a slow big. Maybe look at one of the portal guys. Or maybe go after one of these big strong mobile bigs that can play above the rim. Then bring in 2 more shooters (one that is a combo) and one that is a 6'7" type wing shooter like the guy for Creighton that played at South Dakota. We need smart ball control guys. We will most likely be short on roster again (since Cal has only had 2 teams that were truly deep). Hoping I am wrong. I usually am. lol
 
That’s good news, but I'm trying to figure out how a 170lb guard is going to survive in the SEC and NCAAT.

Who knows, maybe his slender size paired with his quickness and ball handling, will give him an advantage.
He can create his shot at an elite level. Now whether he converts them at a high percentage or gets teammates involved will be the issue.
Watching McDAA scrimmage made me feel better about Wagner. Kid has been working hard and obviously hitting the weights.
 
  • Like
Reactions: kyjeff1
Idk our high ranked guards usually translate pretty well. Wallace was not the problem at all this year. I think the position we generally hype up that doesn’t translate is the 3. Boston, Whitney, Fletcher, and even poythress to an extent. They are normally athletic freaks that don’t have the handles and aren’t polished enough to score in college
I think cal gets captivated by athletic freaks. I agree with your above statement. Bad handles and they can't use their athleticism in college to get by. Now Edwards is not that. That is why I'm hoping next year could be a little better freshman class than usual.
 
  • Like
Reactions: CincinnatiWildcat
Dilly is my favorite player in the class. But I said months ago before any reports came out that it is being questioned as to whether or not he’ll end up here. I argued someone months ago I’ll have to find it, saying it is in question and I had serious doubts as to whether or not he’ll play here.

This changes my opinion zero. It is questionable and people in the program are uncertain as of right now. Take it for what I’m worth, which according to my father, isn’t much.

I mean there were UNC fans on here close to a year ago or maybe more that lived close to where Dillingham is from that were saying he would never play here.

The questions around his academic issues have not been a secret, they have been out since before he even committed to NC State the first time around.

But Cal & Staff apparently felt good they could get him cleared, and Kyle Tucker said in the fall that they believed those issues were behind him.

So we shall see.

IMO, I agree with you that he is maybe my favorite player in our class, so I hope this is much ado about nothing.
 
Sorry, I'm not going to do it. We do this every year. We build these new recruits up like they're super heros, but they usually end up being unpolished players doing on the job training as we lose 10 games.

Anyone watching the NCAAT and seeing the physicality and incredible playmaking, should not assume these high school kids are going to just come in and win on the highest stages, especially with Cal playing favorites and not wanting to take players hearts.
Name a year we lost more then 5 games a season with 2 or more top 10 players ranked out of high school in the same class? Yet you like guys like CJ, Mintz, and Grady. Hmmm are you a troll or not know much?
 
Sorry, I'm not going to do it. We do this every year. We build these new recruits up like they're super heros, but they usually end up being unpolished players doing on the job training as we lose 10 games.

Anyone watching the NCAAT and seeing the physicality and incredible playmaking, should not assume these high school kids are going to just come in and win on the highest stages, especially with Cal playing favorites and not wanting to take players hearts.

Cal has lost 10 or more games only 4 times in his 14 years at Kentucky.

And the vast majorities of his seasons have been freshman-led.

Duke was a 2 seed and went to the Final Four last year with 3 freshman starters.

But don't let facts get in the way of a good narrative.

Part of the issue these past 2 years (including last year when were were a 2-seed) was that we just didn't have the top-end talent that we needed to truly be a threat.

Give me this Freshman class with a senior Reeves and 2 high-ranking veteran transfers and let's rock and roll.

But yes, we'll still have Cal coaching so I have major doubts if he'll be willing to change his system, but the talent should not be the issue this year.
 

Someone told me Fox was the first transitioned female athlete into mens college basketball.

I thought he was joking around but he was dead serious. Says not many know about it. I still don’t know what to make of that conversation.

Don’t believe it myself - some men are feminine. And how could she have possibly made
It to Kentucky and the NBA if it were true. No way.

I’m just saying what I heard.
 
Someone told me Fox was the first transitioned female athlete into mens college basketball.

I thought he was joking around but he was dead serious. Says not many know about it. I still don’t know what to make of that conversation.

Don’t believe it myself - some men are feminine. And how could she have possibly made
It to Kentucky and the NBA if it were true. No way.

I’m just saying what I heard.

Haha that is the absolute craziest thing I have heard. Zero chance that could ever happen and result in someone as athletic and explosive as Fox.

Plus, here is him playing as a 12 year old. http://www.bballspotlight.com/2010/07/one-on-one-feat-deaaron-fox-defenders.html

But that's a wild conversation haha idk how I'd react
 
Cal has lost 10 or more games only 4 times in his 14 years at Kentucky.

And the vast majorities of his seasons have been freshman-led.

Duke was a 2 seed and went to the Final Four last year with 3 freshman starters.

But don't let facts get in the way of a good narrative.

Part of the issue these past 2 years (including last year when were were a 2-seed) was that we just didn't have the top-end talent that we needed to truly be a threat.

Give me this Freshman class with a senior Reeves and 2 high-ranking veteran transfers and let's rock and roll.

But yes, we'll still have Cal coaching so I have major doubts if he'll be willing to change his system, but the talent should not be the issue this year.
I would have took any freshmen to replace Mintz and Grady in Feb last year even 3 star. Or just the St Peter's game. All Oscar needed was someone else for 2 mins in that game and he'd would have won that one himself.
 
Name a year we lost more then 5 games a season with 2 or more top 10 players ranked out of high school in the same class? Yet you like guys like CJ, Mintz, and Grady. Hmmm are you a troll or not know much?
2013 (Noel, Poythress) 12 losses
2014 (Randle, D. Johnson, Aaron & Andrew Harrison, Young was #11) 11 losses
2016 (Skal, Murray, Briscoe) 9 losses
2017 (Fox, Monk, Bam) 6 losses
2021 (Clarke, Boston) 16 losses
 
Last edited:
happy dance GIF by Woodblock
 
Hmm, heard the same stuff about Shaedon Sharpe. Even after he declared for the draft. Nothing from staff sources on this subject makes me feel any better.
They'll repeat the same line until the trigger is pulled.
All seniors are leaving. Anyone with an inkling of nba potential is headed to the draft. Anyone else is staying. Wheeler will play next week.
I'm not pretending to know Dillingham academics or Ugonna.
I'm just saying that this didn't put the subject to rest in the least for me.
 
Last edited:
That’s good news, but I'm trying to figure out how a 170lb guard is going to survive in the SEC and NCAAT.

Who knows, maybe his slender size paired with his quickness and ball handling, will give him an advantage.
He’s a guy who can break down a defender so that’s good. I think he’s a great Cal PG honestly. Maybe his frame will be a detriment but we just got roasted by a dude who was 5 feet tall.
 
  • Like
Reactions: University-6
That’s good news, but I'm trying to figure out how a 170lb guard is going to survive in the SEC and NCAAT.

Who knows, maybe his slender size paired with his quickness and ball handling, will give him an advantage.

I get your point and also get frustrated that Cal brings in undersized guys so frequently, but Kentucky just got bounced from the tournament by a member of the Lollipop Guild.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Random UK Fan
They wasn't top 10 recruits there was teens mix in with a top 10

You got told - and by facts. Just learn from it and move on.

Next year’s team has 22-9 literally embedded in its DNA. When the season is finally and mercifully over, the loss count will stand at 11 minimum. No SECT champ and a S16 absolute ceiling.

How people can’t see this coming baffles me. This is exactly who we are now.
 
You got told - and by facts. Just learn from it and move on.

Next year’s team has 22-9 literally embedded in its DNA. When the season is finally and mercifully over, the loss count will stand at 11 minimum. No SECT champ and a S16 absolute ceiling.

How people can’t see this coming baffles me. This is exactly who we are now.
I looked at the recruiting rankings when they came out that year they were released .I may have forgot one year of Fox Monk Bam were all top 10 I think. They were some list on the poster like briscoe Murray out the top 10. One of the twin's was outside of it. Poy was outside 10th.
 
I looked at the recruiting rankings when they came out that year they were released .I may have forgot one year of Fox Monk Bam were all top 10 I think. They were some list on the poster like briscoe Murray out the top 10. One of the twin's was outside of it. Poy was outside 10th.
Pretty sure all those guys were top 10 recruits.
 
That’s good news, but I'm trying to figure out how a 170lb guard is going to survive in the SEC and NCAAT.

Who knows, maybe his slender size paired with his quickness and ball handling, will give him an advantage.
Howell says hello, you know Cal’s little kid played decent.
 
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT