Optimal recruiting strategy

[UKCats24]

I'm not claiming to be a recruiting or basketball expert, let alone a basketball coach. I'm just passionate about UK basketball like all of you all. I also don't bash our recruiting on here, as I believe Cal to be the best coach we could possibly have right now. Keep that in mind.

For a long time, I have believed that there is an optimal recruiting strategy that Cal should implement. I know it wouldn't be easy, but this is Cal we are talking about. He is arguably the best recruiter in the history of college basketball.

1) Continue to recruit the "best of the best". Get players, as needed, that are sure-fire elite one and dones every year. We do this already. Focus more-so on players like Bamba, Monk, Fox, Davis, Cousins, Wall, etc. This part is obvious. The players that are so good, they aren't worried about PT or stats. There is a max # of this type of player.

2) Recruit 1+ players from Kentucky every 1-3 years to supplement the team for 3-4 years. Players that have specific skill sets. Maybe not the biggest and most athletic, but players that will grind/defend (Hawk) and/or can shoot (Willis). If they bleed blue like many in this state, they will come here and stay without the promise of instant playing time and will stay the course.

3) Recruit "tweeners". Players that are destined to be great college players but won't leave after one year due to not having the measurables that the pros covet. I understand that we have had tweeners in the past that have gone pro earlier than expected, but I would expect it to come back to the mean if implemented yearly.

4) "Tweak" the culture/Cal's message. Cal has built a culture of one and done players. As much as we hate to say it, some/many players believe they are a failure if they don't go pro after one year. Cal is good enough and has enough sample data to where he doesn't have to preach the NBA to kids.


Anyway, just some thoughts.

Haven't posted much in years for whatever reason, but just believe that with Cal there is always room for improvement. To reiterate, LOVE Cal and don't even want to think about the future without him at this point.

 

[chattanoogawildcat]

Best recruiter in the business and absolutely nothing needs to be adjusted.

 

[harlancatfan]

Best recruiter in the business and absolutely nothing needs to be adjusted.

You are very wrong about that, this is an excellent post.

 

[WildMoon]

1. Agreed

2. doesn't matter. You gave two example, and with those two examples we still only got to elite eight. Which, btw, i did enjoy. But for Coach Cal, it's actually the 5th best performance.

3. No thanks. You can win with 5 OAD as a starter, but more importantly we need those 5 to be real NBA sized/athlete/skill of NBA position.

4. He doesn't preach NBA to the kids. The failure notion started happening because of sheer success coach cal has accomplished, which overshadowed the exaggeration that every player Coach Cal got was OAD. Perception is a nasty thing, and we need to communicate reality. Which Coach Cal has done for past few years. "Everyone has their OWN path."

I would love to see Coach Cal get complete position 1-5 in each recruiting class. Definitely not a tweener. I do like local athletic kids who just doesn't have skill sets. They can stay and contribute in the future.

 

[chattanoogawildcat]

You are very wrong about that, this is an excellent post.

Wrong again newbie. All those E8's and FF's prove my point.

 

[UKCats24]

1. Agreed

2. doesn't matter. You gave two example, and with those two examples we still only got to elite eight. Which, btw, i did enjoy. But for Coach Cal, it's actually the 5th best performance.

3. No thanks. You can win with 5 OAD as a starter, but more importantly we need those 5 to be real NBA sized/athlete/skill of NBA position.

4. He doesn't preach NBA to the kids. The failure notion started happening because of sheer success coach cal has accomplished, which overshadowed the exaggeration that every player Coach Cal got was OAD. Perception is a nasty thing, and we need to communicate reality. Which Coach Cal has done for past few years. "Everyone has their OWN path."

I would love to see Coach Cal get complete position 1-5 in each recruiting class. Definitely not a tweener. I do like local athletic kids who just doesn't have skill sets. They can stay and contribute in the future.

2. Go back to the pre-Cal era. Of course there aren't a lot of examples, I'm suggesting a new method.

3. Give me a team that has won the championship with all one and done starters? Updated (see below)

4. Look, no offense, but if you don't think he preaches the NBA to kids during their recruitment, you aren't following closely enough. He doesn't guarantee playing time, he doesn't guarantee starting spots, but he absolutely tells players he can get them to the next level asap.

 

[WildMoon]

2. Go back to the pre-Cal era. Of course there aren't a lot of examples, I'm suggesting a new method.

3. Give me a team that has won the championship, or even made it to the final four, with all one and done starters?

4. Look, no offense, but if you don't think he preaches the NBA to kids during their recruitment, you aren't following closely enough. He doesn't guarantee playing time, he doesn't guarantee starting spots, but he absolutely tells players he can get them to the next level asap.

2. Nah, we don't need new method. Improve the current.

3. Final four? Our own went to 2014...Championship game...

4. Most of it is implied.

 

[UKWildcats#8]

2. Nah, we don't need new method. Improve the current.

3. Final four? Our own went to 2014...Championship game...

4. Most of it is implied.

Yeah what real UK fan would not remember the incredible 2014 run.

 

[ram1955]

Best recruiter in the business and absolutely nothing needs to be adjusted.

Agree x infinity

 

[UKCats24]

Message boards...lol. Take out the "or final four" portion of my response. We're all on the same team here.

 

[Son_Of_Saul]

2. Go back to the pre-Cal era. Of course there aren't a lot of examples, I'm suggesting a new method.

3. Give me a team that has won the championship, or even made it to the final four, with all one and done starters?

4. Look, no offense, but if you don't think he preaches the NBA to kids during their recruitment, you aren't following closely enough. He doesn't guarantee playing time, he doesn't guarantee starting spots, but he absolutely tells players he can get them to the next level asap.

#3. Only two team in history have recruited the type of talent to make a serious run at a title with five elite freshmen starters: Michigan's class of '91 and UK's class on '13. Both groups made the NCAA title game.

I'm not sure if that helps your point very much.

Substitute Bridges/Tatum this year for Willis/Briscoe and UK starts five freshmen. Do you think UK wins it all? I do.

 

[UKCats24]

#3. Only two team in history have recruited the type of talent to make a serious run at a title with five elite freshmen starters: Michigan's class of '91 and UK's class on '13. Both groups made the NCAA title game.

I'm not sure if that helps your point very much.

Substitute Bridges/Tatum this year for Willis/Briscoe and UK starts five freshmen. Do you think UK wins it all? I do.

See what you are saying, but the Bridges/Tatums are not coming here with our other one and done players. There is a maximum of that type of player (#1 type player).

 

[Son_Of_Saul]

See what you are saying, but the Bridges/Tatums are not coming here with our other one and done players. There is a maximum of that type of player (#1 type player).

But how do you know Cal can’t land a group like that? He was inches from landing Bridges, and Tatum chose what was perceived as one super team over another (Duke was loaded, at least on paper). That doesn't really back up your claim that Tatum was unwilling to play with other elite guys.

I think Cal will pull in a few classes like this before he’s done at UK – the type where five starters are lottery-level guys. He’s almost done it a few times before. Duke’s resurgence isn’t going to last much longer, not with Coach K turning 71 next winter. Between Duke’s gradual downslide and Cal’s coaching of the Under 19 USA Team, UK’s recruiting will only continue to grow.

We’ll see some truly transcendent classes in the near future, the type that will make the 2013 class look pedestrian in retroactive comparison.

 

[UKCats24]

But how do you know Cal can’t land a group like that? He was inches from landing Bridges, and Tatum chose what was perceived as one super team over another (Duke was loaded, at least on paper). That doesn't really back up your claim that Tatum was unwilling to play with other elite guys.

I think Cal will pull in a few classes like this before he’s done at UK – the type where five starters are lottery-level guys. He’s almost done it a few times before. Duke’s resurgence isn’t going to last much longer, not with Coach K turning 71 next winter. Between Duke’s gradual downslide and Cal’s coaching of the Under 19 USA Team, UK’s recruiting will only continue to grow.

We’ll see some truly transcendent classes in the near future, the type that will make the 2013 class look pedestrian in retroactive comparison.

But how do you know Cal can’t land a group like that? He was inches from landing Bridges, and Tatum chose what was perceived as one super team over another (Duke was loaded, at least on paper). That doesn't really back up your claim that Tatum was unwilling to play with other elite guys.

I think Cal will pull in a few classes like this before he’s done at UK – the type where five starters are lottery-level guys. He’s almost done it a few times before. Duke’s resurgence isn’t going to last much longer, not with Coach K turning 71 next winter. Between Duke’s gradual downslide and Cal’s coaching of the Under 19 USA Team, UK’s recruiting will only continue to grow.

We’ll see some truly transcendent classes in the near future, the type that will make the 2013 class look pedestrian in retroactive comparison.

Again, I see what you are saying, but we were not "inches away" from getting Bridges and Tatum. Wishful thinking imo. There is a limit to the number of elite one and done players you can get. I would much rather supplement than try to get the best 5 players in every class.

 

[Bluegrassking]

I think the evolution of the game puts some demand to put a little more premium on three point shooting and I think he has already moved on that but I think even more weight in the evaluation mix has to be considered.

Five on the roster that can get some run that can shoot 35%+ means you have some cold proofness and should be able to always be able to spread the floor with two or even three guys that you have to stay home on which gives the bigs room to work and helps them on the boards.

Other than that on a domino theory I'd like to see him to no less than eight is enough rotation wise and preferably nine or ten.

Not necessarily "platooning" though that is fine too but a little more spreading the wealth I think would most organically balance things out.

Guys will still be one and done but maybe one rather two. Three not five. Five not eight. That kind of deal.
I also think the six or seven man rotations put you into low margin for error territory on all fronts and you are already overcoming comparatively low experience even if more guys hang around a couple years..

 

[Cats192]

The recruiting strategy is fine.

Cal is looking at 4-star guards.

The problem is we get these guys who seem to stay 3-4 years at Louisville Duke and UNC. At UK they leave. There is a sense that you go to UK to be one and done.

 

[UKCats24]

The recruiting strategy is fine.

Cal is looking at 4-star guards.

The problem is we get these guys who seem to stay 3-4 years at Louisville Duke and UNC. At UK they leave. There is a sense that you go to UK to be one and done.

#4 from the original post.

 

[Crankdatmustard]

249-53 (83%)
National Title
National Runner-up
4 Final Fours
6 Elite Eights
Undefeated in the Sweet 16
8-2 against Louisville

5 SEC Regular Season AND Tournament Champions

All due respect, GTFO for questioning John Calipari and how he runs our program.

 

[lkc1234]

I'm not claiming to be a recruiting or basketball expert, let alone a basketball coach. I'm just passionate about UK basketball like all of you all. I also don't bash our recruiting on here, as I believe Cal to be the best coach we could possibly have right now. Keep that in mind.

For a long time, I have believed that there is an optimal recruiting strategy that Cal should implement. I know it wouldn't be easy, but this is Cal we are talking about. He is arguably the best recruiter in the history of college basketball.

1) Continue to recruit the "best of the best". Get players, as needed, that are sure-fire elite one and dones every year. We do this already. Focus more-so on players like Bamba, Monk, Fox, Davis, Cousins, Wall, etc. This part is obvious. The players that are so good, they aren't worried about PT or stats. There is a max # of this type of player.

2) Recruit 1+ players from Kentucky every 1-3 years to supplement the team for 3-4 years. Players that have specific skill sets. Maybe not the biggest and most athletic, but players that will grind/defend (Hawk) and/or can shoot (Willis). If they bleed blue like many in this state, they will come here and stay without the promise of instant playing time and will stay the course.

3) Recruit "tweeners". Players that are destined to be great college players but won't leave after one year due to not having the measurables that the pros covet. I understand that we have had tweeners in the past that have gone pro earlier than expected, but I would expect it to come back to the mean if implemented yearly.

4) "Tweak" the culture/Cal's message. Cal has built a culture of one and done players. As much as we hate to say it, some/many players believe they are a failure if they don't go pro after one year. Cal is good enough and has enough sample data to where he doesn't have to preach the NBA to kids.


Anyway, just some thoughts.

Haven't posted much in years for whatever reason, but just believe that with Cal there is always room for improvement. To reiterate, LOVE Cal and don't even want to think about the future without him at this point.

Thanks for your input. I will pass it on to Cal.