Prospects Simply Don't Want to Play CBB: SI Article

[UKMKG]

Highlighting what I posted yesterday regarding Kentucky being the prime example of the NCAA's failure to keep CBB relevant:

But Montgomery is the latest in a long line of Wildcats who viewed college basketball as something to be endured, not embraced, ready to get out as fast as possible. John Calipari has built and sold his program as a drive-thru on the way to the pros — exactly what top prospects want to hear — so it’s no shock when players treat it as exactly that. Ready or not, they’re leaving.


After losing 94 percent of their 2019-20 scoring, Kentucky fans at least have another raft of blue-chippers to get excited about next season. But as hard as those fans cheer for the name on the front of the jersey, it won’t mean as much to the guys wearing them. And the next group isn’t planning on staying any longer than the last group.

https://www.si.com/college/2020/04/16/nba-draft-prospects-g-league-college-basketball

 

[Ron Mehico]

Good ole Pat Forde. But he’s right quite frankly, this year makes it more obvious than ever.

 

[KyFaninNC]

I think this is true.

 

[KA4Prez]

He's 100% right. Finding the best "value" players who are coachable and blend both talent and loyalty will become even more important. Coaches who have a system and can get the most out of their personnel will matter more than before.

If there are any complaints about Coach Cal in the last 11 years, it's been two things. Maximizing personnel to their strengths and not his system and adjustments when things don't go as planned. It's painful to look back at just how many close calls and missed opportunities we've had in this era and every season there is a game, or a half, or a stretch of time we can point out to see these glaring weaknesses.

Look no further than the 2019 Final Four loss to Auburn. An inferior Auburn team who Kentucky already smashed 3 weeks earlier. An Auburn team missing one of their best players and maybe top pro prospect. And Auburn team who was undersized and full of 3-4 year players. An Auburn team that went right at Kentucky, who had the top PG recruit and the top defensive PG in the country, and drove past them time after time after time, and then exploited a UK team that lacked an elite protector inside.

 

[Baller Cal]

People are free to spend their winters doing puzzles, building snowmen or whatever and not watching the games. I for one will never miss a UK game the rest of my life unless it's for a good reason and I couldn't care less who suits up. It's freaking ENTERTAINMENT, no more or less.

 

[MdWIldcat55]

An Auburn team missing one of their best players and maybe top pro prospect. And Auburn team who was undersized and full of 3-4 year players. An Auburn team that went right at Kentucky, who had the top PG recruit and the top defensive PG in the country, and drove past them time after time after time, and then exploited a UK team that lacked an elite protector inside.

You left out: "An Auburn team that thrashed 4-seed Kansas and ran 1-seed North Carolina out of the gym two days before the Kentucky game...."
Should Kentucky have beaten Auburn? Probably, even with PJ having only come back the game before. Was it some earth-shattering upset to lose to a veteran team the third time you have to play them, especially when you can't get one foul called your way for a 9.30 stretch to end regulation? Not really.

 

[Mojocat]

Look no further than the 2019 Final Four loss to Auburn. An inferior Auburn team who Kentucky already smashed 3 weeks earlier. An Auburn team missing one of their best players and maybe top pro prospect. And Auburn team who was undersized and full of 3-4 year players. An Auburn team that went right at Kentucky, who had the top PG recruit and the top defensive PG in the country, and drove past them time after time after time, and then exploited a UK team that lacked an elite protector inside.

5 Auburn 89
4 Kansas 75

5 Auburn 97
1 UNC 80

Everything you say is true.....yet misses the essence of what happened. Auburn was inferior over the course of the year. But, as sometimes happens in the tournament, they peaked at the right time, caught fire, and were playing at a much much much higher level than when they were "smashed" by UK weeks earlier. Beat the 1 seed by 17, after beating KU by 14.

We lose in OT in a regional final, and instead of saying something positive about the opponent, folks want to find someone to blame. Never understood it.

 

[jace2012]

People are free to spend their winters doing puzzles, building snowmen or whatever and not watching the games. I for one will never miss a UK game the rest of my life unless it's for a good reason and I could care less who suits up. It's freaking ENTERTAINMENT, no more or less.

My thoughts exactly

 

[Mojocat]

Forde with the obligatory shot at Calipari: "John Calipari has built and sold his program as a drive-thru on the way to the pros — exactly what top prospects want to hear — so it’s no shock when players treat it as exactly that."

Sounds right, huh? Nope. You think that's the way he sells it - shortest route to the league?

Erik Spoelstra: "We love what Cal does. I’ve been up there a few times, just to see how he does his program. We like talking shop and everything. But he’s going to coach you hard. They’re going to spend a lot of time with player development. They’re not going to treat you with kid gloves because of whatever you were ranked in high school."

Does that sound like 2 different people describing the same thing? It does not. That's what you get from Pat Forde - drive-by cheap shots. Unless he likes you.

 

[anon_9qtxg60vqzy0y]

Look no further than the 2019 Final Four loss to Auburn. An inferior Auburn team who Kentucky already smashed 3 weeks earlier. An Auburn team missing one of their best players and maybe top pro prospect. And Auburn team who was undersized and full of 3-4 year players. An Auburn team that went right at Kentucky, who had the top PG recruit and the top defensive PG in the country, and drove past them time after time after time, and then exploited a UK team that lacked an elite protector inside.

You don’t know much about basketball do you? That “inferior” Auburn team crushed Tennessee to win the SEC Tourney. Then they beat Kansas double digits and smoked North Carolina in the Sweet 16. After beating us they got screwed on an over and back non call in the Final 4 vs eventual champ Virginia. Auburn could have very well been the National Champs. Your ignorance is on display.

 

[UK90]

https://www.si.com/college/2020/04/16/nba-draft-prospects-g-league-college-basketball

That's a good article that nails the situation precisely.

First thing that needs to happen is to get rid of the one and done rule. The days of trying to force players who have absolutely no interest in college to play CBB need to end. It's reached the point where we can't even fake the illusion where we pretend they want to be there.

But we need the NBA's cooperation to do that. C'mon, NBA, help us out...

 

[Tummygoat]

True article. The most absurd thing is how much money there is in sports where you can have a junior league of 18 year old kids that pays more than doctors that go to school for 10 years. We value sports as a culture and will pay anything for it.

 

[UKMKG]

The NCAA has to approve players profiting off of their likeness ASAP. A kid like Jalen Green would make WAY more money at Kentucky that way then he would with a year in the G-League.

 

[BostonCat2001]

That's a good article that nails the situation precisely.

The first thing that needs to happen is to get rid of the damn one and done rule. The days of trying to force players who have absolutely no interest in college to play college basketball anyways need to end. It's reached the point where we can no longer even fake the illusion where we pretend they do want to be there.

But we need the NBA's cooperation to do that. C'mon, NBA, help us out...

what about the 800+ transfers....is that more important than the 10-15 1 and done players or no?

here is a secret for everyone...athletes (pro or college) will never care about your team as much as you do. stop trying to make them and stop think it only works if they do

 

[Cowtown Cat]

You left out: "An Auburn team that thrashed 4-seed Kansas and ran 1-seed North Carolina out of the gym two days before the Kentucky game...."
Should Kentucky have beaten Auburn? Probably, even with PJ having only come back the game before. Was it some earth-shattering upset to lose to a veteran team the third time you have to play them, especially when you can't get one foul called your way for a 9.30 stretch to end regulation? Not really.

Yeah, the way Auburn plays defense (grab, smack, hold, etc), there’s zero possibility they didn’t foul a UK player the last 9:30 of that game. I don’t even think it’s a remote possibility. IIRC, our bigs were mugged on our last two possessions in regulation. No doubt about it, Auburn got a very friendly whistle. It was very inconsistent.

 

[UK90]

Sounds right, huh? Nope. You think that's the way he sells it - shortest route to the league?

Yes, I do.

That was the market inefficiency that Cal brilliantly exploited when the one and done rule was first enacted in 06. Other coaches were still selling the old rah rah student-athlete bullshit recruiting pitch that 21st century stars no longer cared for, ...whereas Cal honestly gave them exactly the message they really wanted to hear: I will provide you the fastest path to pro riches.

And it worked unbelievably well for the first decade of the one and done era, when he dominated recruiting like no coach in the sport's history. But not so much the last few years after other coaches figured it out and copied what he was doing.

 

[Smashcat]

We lose in OT in a regional final, and instead of saying something positive about the opponent, folks want to find someone to blame. Never understood it.

Auburn did peak at the right time but it still took the refs not calling a foul on them the last 9 mins of the game for them to nip us.

 

[jof2]

You don’t know much about basketball do you? That “inferior” Auburn team crushed Tennessee to win the SEC Tourney. Then they beat Kansas double digits and smoked North Carolina in the Sweet 16. After beating us they got screwed on an over and back non call in the Final 4 vs eventual champ Virginia. Auburn could have very well been the National Champs. Your ignorance is on display.

I think it was a missed double dribble call.

 

[FrankUnderwood]

The NCAA has to approve players profiting off of their likeness ASAP. A kid like Jalen Green would make WAY more money at Kentucky that way then he would with a year in the G-League.

Im not so sure. After endorsements Green could be making $1-$2 million in the G league.

 

[FrankUnderwood]

what about the 800+ transfers....is that more important than the 10-15 1 and done players or no?

here is a secret for everyone...athletes (pro or college) will never care about your team as much as you do. stop trying to make them and stop think it only works if they do

Which is why they should allow kids to go straight to the NBA. I don’t blame them for not caring. They wanna get paid. If that is the case though then fans shouldn’t be called “haters” for not caring about the players and their figure $ prospects.

 

[Smashcat]

No doubt about it, Auburn got a very friendly whistle.

It was more than friendly.

 

[trueblujr2]

It’s an unfortunate trend, one that I think will ultimately end up with a variation of the baseball rule. If the G League is successful pulling top talent away from colleges, it will grow and simply become the NBA minor leagues. It is to an extent already. But they will eventually need to add additional rounds to the draft to accommodate the influx of new draftees and the league will need to expand. Guessing that’s their hope. The unfortunate result for College BB will be that what we will see is a lot of kids that would be playing mid-major ball will be elevated to higher levels. The mid-major players of today will be the blue-blood players of tomorrow.

 

[Son_Of_Saul]

Let the players be compensated (through endorsements) or watch the sport you love bleed to death within five years.


It's as simple as that.

 

[know1]

If I was coming out of high school now and good enough that being drafted was a possibility at all, I would go to the G league instead of college and it wouldn't be a tough decision.

 

[Son_Of_Saul]

Im not so sure. After endorsements Green could be making $1-$2 million in the G league.

After state legislative changes, Nike could give him the same deal if Green went to Kentucky. They might actually give him more money since Kentucky is a Nike school.

Then either UK boosters or a regional business conglomerate could match or exceed whatever the G-League offer is.

The solution isn't that complicated. It would just take a few first steps to make it happen.

 

[UKWildcatT]

Which is why they should allow kids to go straight to the NBA. I don’t blame them for not caring. They wanna get paid. If that is the case though then fans shouldn’t be called “haters” for not caring about the players and their figure $ prospects.

this. I posted this a couple days ago, but I’m completely ok with not getting guys like Davis and Wall if they put in the straight to high school or stay X years.

there’s only a few die hards who really enjoy it anymore. Most fans don’t

 

[Son_Of_Saul]

If I was coming out of high school now and good enough that being drafted was a possibility at all, I would go to the G league instead of college and it wouldn't be a tough decision.

I agree.

And just think about how much easier that decision will be for kids and families that have no vested rooting interest in a school like we do.

The game is changing so fast. I don't think many of our fans realize what it will take to keep our sport alive in a thriving way.

 

[rick64]

OMG!!!! The world must be coming to an end. People on the board agreeing with Pat Forde?!?!

 

[know1]

I agree.

And just think about how much easier that decision will be for kids and families that have no vested rooting interest in a school like we do.

The game is changing so fast. I don't think many of our fans realize what it will take to keep our sport alive in a thriving way.

I'm not worried about the fans. I'm more worried that our coach isn't going to make the drastic changes necessary to keep us as the premier program in college basketball.

 

[jace2012]

Im not so sure. After endorsements Green could be making $1-$2 million in the G league.

Who’s buying his shoes and apparel? Friends and family? I would think most people won’t even know who Jalen green is. I may be way off base but that’s what I believe anyway.

 

[FrankUnderwood]

Who’s buying his shoes and apparel? Friends and family? I would think most people won’t even know who Jalen green is. I may be way off base but that’s what I believe anyway.

I dunno, there just have been reports of Nike and Adidas targeting Green for endorsement deals.

 

[BostonCat2001]

Who’s buying his shoes and apparel? Friends and family? I would think most people won’t even know who Jalen green is. I may be way off base but that’s what I believe anyway.

instagram/youtube fans > college fans

 

[LineSkiCat14]

All because the Swim team and the Field hockey team want equal pay. It really would be nice if college athletes could just get paid what they're worth. A guy like John wall was easily worth $50-$100k..

 

[Son_Of_Saul]

I'm not worried about the fans. I'm more worried that our coach isn't going to make the drastic changes necessary to keep us as the premier program in college basketball.

He's already pushing for legislative changes and has spoken to state congressmen about eliminating the endorsement constraints.

 

[Son_Of_Saul]

Who’s buying his shoes and apparel? Friends and family? I would think most people won’t even know who Jalen green is. I may be way off base but that’s what I believe anyway.

The same phantom crowd that bought MKG's shoes when he signed with Nike in 2012 when he finished his year at Kentucky.

They're hedging their bets on Green developing in much the same way they were hoping MKG would.

If he does develop into an All-Star, they already have his signature and own his likeness for the duration of the contract.

 

[Son_Of_Saul]

All because the Swim team and the Field hockey team want equal pay. It really would be nice if college athletes could just get paid what they're worth. A guy like John wall was easily worth $50-$100k..

Keep the schools directly out of it. That prevents any confrontations with the Title 9 crowd.

Boosters and businesses supply the endorsements outside of the university.

 

[know1]

He's already pushing for legislative changes and has spoken to state congressmen about eliminating the endorsement constraints.

That's not nearly enough. It's not just about the money. It's the practice and development, exposure to the systems and contacts, not having to keep grades up, more games, etc.

 

[bucsrule8872]

Let the players be compensated (through endorsements) or watch the sport you love bleed to death within five years.


It's as simple as that.

I think this is a little overdramatic.

I am not worried about “quality of play.” As long as the rest of college basketball is at a comparable level, then I am good. As long as Duke and KU and UNC are in the same boat and everything is competitive, I am good.

As long as there is a team with “KENTUCKY” across the front of their jerseys, I am good. I don’t care if they can’t dunk or make a 3 point shot as long as the rest of college basketball is in the same boat, I will watch the games. It’s all about the name on the front of the jersey for me.

Even if the “game as we know it” changes, as long as the Kentucky Wildcats play, I will watch.

 

[UK90]

Who’s buying his shoes and apparel? Friends and family? I would think most people won’t even know who Jalen green is. I may be way off base but that’s what I believe anyway.

He'll still get sweet endorsement offers based the player he's projected to later become.

That's a time-honored strategy with the shoe companies, sign the kid as early as possible so that he'll already be under contract when he has his breakout moment and becomes famous.

 

[bucsrule8872]

The SEC should break away from the NCAA and start paying players. The big money maker is football and SEC football is far superior to any of the other conferences. If the SEC is no longer part of the NCAA, the playoffs become a joke. The SEC championship will become more important than the BCS title. I would bet it has more viewers. The SEC already has the best players in football and if they leave the NCAA and pay their players, then the NCAA will be forced to pay players or fold.

Just my opinion.