One Recruit/Transfer you wish we didn’t miss on
- Thread starter PapaNooch
- Start date
Not getting Zion kept the Cal myth from becoming reality. Missing Quaintance feels like a similar instance where he was the longtime favorite and found a way to botch the relationship.
Yup and another one recently is Dalton Knecht. Add him instead of Edwards, and I think he could have handled the scoring load when Reed went to crap the last 2 weeks. I think Cal was so out of it, and probably wouldn’t have played the right guys anyway, but having those 5(Dilly, Reed, Reeves, Dalton, Mitchell) on the floor probably could have scored enough to win us a 3-4 games at least. Maybe the added iso scorer with Reeves would have allowed Sheppard to be more comfortable and the defense couldn’t key on him as much.
Xavier Henry has always been the biggest what if to me...he signed with Memphis and we needed a shooter on that Wall/Cousins team. I think we win the title with Henry playing instead of Darnell Dodson
Ralph Sampson
Ralph and Sam would have been a brutal tandem last minute change of heart to Virginia
Ralph and Sam would have been a brutal tandem last minute change of heart to Virginia
Yes he left Leonard Hamilton behind to watch Ralph announce and Joe b always thought if he would have stayed to watch he would not have chosen Virginia huge miss
Tubby really never looked at Lofton even though he saw him play in person multiple times. He was offered by UofL but was asked to give up FB (he was an all-state receiver) but wouldn’t so Pitino pulled the offer. UT was a very late offer. Most everyone was afraid of his size. Generously 6’1”.
If the items he stole was not the coaches son (sean sutton) he probably would not have been kicked off but I am glad Eddie kicked him off
Totally disagree on this. If you steal from teammates, you should be gone.
You gotta understand, Calipari had pure intentions, he didn’t know Sharpe wouldn’t play. Heart of gold that Cal, innocently swindled by that savvy 18 year old.
It was either Tom Heitz or Chuck Verderber who told a friend of mine when that happened "that stuff's been going on (at Wildcat Lodge) for years."
Cal, with 40 years of experience dealing with handlers, posses, shady AAU coaches etc. And kids in general. Got “played” by Shaedon Sharpe and his father.
It’s up there with it doesn’t matter who starts. Kobe actually should’ve came off the bench for a spark plug.
You could probably add “he’s getting Edwards ready for March” to the list. Not about clutch and promises or anything. We can’t be good until Edwards is March ready.
“Reed and Dilly know this and don’t mind”.
Then Edwards has 1 decent game - “SEE!!! CAL a genius!!!!
Followed by a flameout the rest of the way. Always enjoyed these.
Ralph Sampson, bar none.
Honorable mention, Gunther Behnke.
Honorable mention, Gunther Behnke.
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Guys we had a legit shot at:
#1. Larry Bird - we win two titles with him. He wanted to be here.
#2. Allen Iverson - if not for the bowling alley brawl, he's on our '95 team, and we quite possibly win it all in 1995. Plus, he would have been the face of UK basketball for generations.
#3. Dirk Nowitzki - wanted to come to UK.
#4. Tracy McGrady - was UK-bound if not for the insane Adidas offer. He recently said that if there was NIL back then, he definitely would have come to UK.
#5. Shawn Kemp - for all the obvious reasons.
#6. Ralph Sampson.
#7. Ray Allen - Had Pitino kissed up to him just a bit more, he's UK bound.
#8. Chris Duhon - a weird selection, but I believer our early 2000s teams were a point guard away from contending for titles.
#9. Trae Young - he said Quade beat him to the punch, otherwise he was coming here.
Iverson, Bird, and McGrady transform this program and help us win an additional title (at least) and probably two. McGrady would have been part of the 1998 title team, and he would have made it even better.
#1. Larry Bird - we win two titles with him. He wanted to be here.
#2. Allen Iverson - if not for the bowling alley brawl, he's on our '95 team, and we quite possibly win it all in 1995. Plus, he would have been the face of UK basketball for generations.
#3. Dirk Nowitzki - wanted to come to UK.
#4. Tracy McGrady - was UK-bound if not for the insane Adidas offer. He recently said that if there was NIL back then, he definitely would have come to UK.
#5. Shawn Kemp - for all the obvious reasons.
#6. Ralph Sampson.
#7. Ray Allen - Had Pitino kissed up to him just a bit more, he's UK bound.
#8. Chris Duhon - a weird selection, but I believer our early 2000s teams were a point guard away from contending for titles.
#9. Trae Young - he said Quade beat him to the punch, otherwise he was coming here.
Iverson, Bird, and McGrady transform this program and help us win an additional title (at least) and probably two. McGrady would have been part of the 1998 title team, and he would have made it even better.
People not saying Ralph Sampson don't understand. 1980-1983 was a tough time for UK. We won one tournament game total those first three years, then lost to Louisville in 83. Louisville won a title and had three Final Fours in those years. UNC won a title. Indiana won a title. Get Sampson and all of that goes away. Imagine being able to keep Crum and Smith from winning their first titles. Both of them were hearing "he can't win the big one."
Agree with about all of this but you are SERIOUSLY underestimating the effect Ralph Sampson would have had on this program.
Nowitzki decided to go pro instead of college don't know if you can call that a miss it arguable
If I recall correctly, Webber reported he received around $250,000 to attend Michigan.
University of Michigan basketball scandal - Wikipedia
I have him at #6, behind a top 7 all-time great (Bird), a top 25 all-time great (Iverson), a former MVP (Dirk), a perennial all-star (McGrady), and a six-time all-star (Kemp).
I can see a case for Sampson over Kemp, but the others hold their ground rather nicely.
Iverson helps us win the '95 and '96 titles. +1 in titles. Makes the '96 team the indisputable best team of all time, not just the modern era.
Bird helps us win the '78 and '79 titles. +1 in titles.
McGrady helps us win the '98 title, but more importantly, his coming to UK helps convince Pitino to stay.
All three of those players were guys we legitimately had a chance at.
We'd be at 10 titles right now, and our '78 team would be known as one of the best all-time.
Adidas' offer to T-Mac, Joe B. Hall's oversight on Bird, and a bowling alley brawl changed a lot.
Bird helps us win the '78 and '79 titles. +1 in titles.
McGrady helps us win the '98 title, but more importantly, his coming to UK helps convince Pitino to stay.
All three of those players were guys we legitimately had a chance at.
We'd be at 10 titles right now, and our '78 team would be known as one of the best all-time.
Adidas' offer to T-Mac, Joe B. Hall's oversight on Bird, and a bowling alley brawl changed a lot.
