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Scott Padgett thinks reed returns

It happened in 2014 when the Harrison twins went from projected preseason lottery picks in 2013 to virtually undraftable by the summer of 2014.

Edwards, Wagner, and Bradshaw are in a similar spot, and all three of them stand much more to gain by returning than the twins did.
They were not lottery picks going through the draft process. In fact they were fringe first rounders at best.

Also, you had to go back 10 years to find an example. Sorry, I don’t stand corrected.
 
Reed is a projected top 5 pick. There’s going to be a lot of upset people for thinking he’s going to return to UK. It’s almost like people are going all in on his return so that they have something to complain about when it happens.

Reed will not be at UK next season, even with a first round exit in the tournament. Mark my words…
 
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Count me among those who, selfishly, hope he returns for one more season.
I honestly believe he returns to work on his defense, and have another year to grow, develop, and perhaps most importantly, work on his strength and conditioning. He'll be going up agaonst grown men in the NBA, and getting stronger before going pro would be very benificial to the young man.
 
How are the risks high?

Can you think of a kid who came back and got injured and it cost him his NBA riches?

Are his skills going to diminish to the point where he loses his draft value?

If the answer is "no" to the last two questions, then what are the risks?
Yeah, I'll accept your argument. I hope the Sheppards will as well. I was referring to the risk of injury. It's definitely not likely, no doubt, but it's possible. Although, some who are truly worried about injuries when returning to school have taken out an insurance policy as a safeguard of sorts.
 
It’s in the Atlantic I don’t have a link. Anyone?

Pretty much what I keep reiterating legendary status over quick money.



I’m not saying he’ll stay four years, but I would still be shocked if his career lasted one,” said Padgett. “If there are weaknesses they think he can work on and improve in a year, I could see him staying another year. They’re going to look at this differently than most, for one because the NIL is probably crazy, but also because education is huge to them and he’d be another year closer to a degree, where he could then come back and finish it in the summers. And, to be honest with you, there’s an unknown factor.

“They are such a close, close, close family, and Reed has lived his whole life in London and Lexington, so I don’t know that there’s a real rush to get out of there unless you’re 100 percent ready. Plus, if he comes back, he’s a rock star. He’s Michael Jordan and Muhammad Ali. In that state, he would be that.”
Cal said last night he gives Shep a little leeway with his defense because he does many other thing well. So defense getting better would be a big deal in the pro's.
 
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Reed is a projected top 5 pick. There’s going to be a lot of upset people for thinking he’s going to return to UK. It’s almost like people are going all in on his return so that they have something to complain about when it happens.

Reed will not be at UK next season, even with a first round exit in the tournament. Mark my words…
Bluster ... sounds like all you can say at this point is to tell us what "you" would do. Got it.
 
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Bluster ... sounds like all you can say at this point is to tell us what "you" would do. Got it.

Me, you and every other person projected in the top 5 of the draft. There is zero percent chance he’s back for another year, not even 0.00000000000000000000001% chance. I’ll make sure to come back to this post to say, I told ya so.
 
Maybe I talked myself into it, but I am at the point where I fully expect Reed to return. I just don't think the shepperds are anything like what we are used to seeing. He didn't run off to play in any of the basketball academies in high school. He stayed at North Laurel. He didn't come in with handlers, agents, and an entourage. He just has him family who is a legacy family. He's scooping up more NIL opportunities by the day. If his parents feel he isn't ready then he wont declare. Jeff has been adamant in his disapproval of the OAD culture and he has been public about it

Its a different situation than what we are used to with Cal
 
Me, you and every other person projected in the top 5 of the draft. There is zero percent chance he’s back for another year, not even 0.00000000000000000000001% chance. I’ll make sure to come back to this post to say, I told ya so.
... more bluster? Will you also come back to say that I was correct? I'm not the only one, you know, that thinks there's a chance he returns for year two. You're looking at only the money angle ... which is so predictable, but there could be many other factors to consider. You don't know and I don't know what he will decide. At least we know what decision "you" would make and that's all we know. So, to continue with foolish bluster is foolish. Wouldn't you agree?
 
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Of course you have to be the first guy to crap all over the floor and ruin the vibe in this thread.

You're a terrible poster.
Ruin what vibe? Stop being brainless and look at the facts… he’s now projected 5th in the draft. There is zero chance he would turn down that.
 
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They were not lottery picks going through the draft process. In fact they were fringe first rounders at best.

Also, you had to go back 10 years to find an example. Sorry, I don’t stand corrected.
Andrew was projected top 10. Aaron was projected top 20.

WCS turned down top 25 pick status to return. So did Patterson. So did Jones.

It's not our fault Calipari has created an atrocious retention culture here, but it's has been done before. If any of these comes back, I know you'll be one of those happy fans who says, "I'll gladly eat crow," but how about you just consider leaving the door open right now instead of being so definitive. NIL has changed a lot, as has the fact that all of these guys could use another year.

Do I expect them back? No. But I wouldn't be surprised if they returned either.
 
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Reed is a projected top 5 pick. There’s going to be a lot of upset people for thinking he’s going to return to UK. It’s almost like people are going all in on his return so that they have something to complain about when it happens.

Reed will not be at UK next season, even with a first round exit in the tournament. Mark my words…
Wanna bet?
 
Reed doesn’t have to worry about wealth. You are crazy if you think otherwise and you don’t know ish about old money.Londonis full of it. He’s fine with wealth… now and from now on. The question becomes what he and his parents want for his future. That’s up to all of them and I will surely support their decision… as a UK fan, we all should too. I thank him, and his parents for being special athletes to represent my team.
 
Just watched KSR Sources Say .....they said Reed is mocked as a top 5 NBA pick and if true zero chance he stays...hope they are wrong and hope he stays
 
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There is a huge risk other than injury by coming back. If CCC doesn't surround Reed with enough talent to prevent opponents from exclusively focusing on him defensively, his number could plummet as well as his draft status.
 
You aren’t Reed, so what you would do has no relevance here. And for the record, no, I wouldn’t leave if I were Reed, and if I were Jeff I wouldn’t want him to. He’s not going to end up with an injury so bad his career is gone. This is the most laughable nonsense the money grab crowd comes up with. You couldn’t probably name one person that’s even happened to.

Anyone that knows anything about the Sheppards understand they love Kentucky and they raise their kids better than “ get the money”. Jeff loves UK probably more than any player who’s ever played here. Have you read his book? That family loves this, and they even told UK to limit crowd control because “these are our people”.

Reed is set to make historical NIL money and he actually could work on a few things before going, and I bet you Jeff thinks just this way.

Some of you have to accept the fact that Calipari’s”money grab as fast as you can” does not apply to everyone and certainly doesn’t apply to the Sheppards. Reed might be the most popular guy in the entire state, it holds a ton of weight.

I’m much more concerned that Calipari doesn’t want him back than I am he leaves after 1 year. This isn’t touched on enough, but I wouldn’t doubt he’d love to send Reed pro after 1 year so he doesn’t have to deal with it, and to “show the bennies” that Reed is no different than any other player.
Excellent post. I believe Reed will listen to his parents rather than Cal if Cal is pushing him to go pro. For some reason, my gut is telling me that the fact that Reed is so much better than most including Cal, thought, that Cal didn't seem to like that his "plan" for his 5 stars got a little off balance. I'm not usually a conspiracy theorist, but could that be why Cal insists DJ starts? That he needs him to be drafted high? I wonder if Cal is upset that Reed is so much higher in the mock drafts than DJ or Justin. See, this is what happens when I let my mind wander in the middle of the night.🤣🤣
 
There is a huge risk other than injury by coming back. If CCC doesn't surround Reed with enough talent to prevent opponents from exclusively focusing on him defensively, his number could plummet as well as his draft status.
“Huge risk”? How many players have had an injury that significantly affected their playing in the NBA? Very few. Bowie, Oden ( or was his after got there), uhhh Gathers.
 
Sheppard might stay. Sheppard might go.

Those who are talking in absolutes (he will definitely leave/he will definitely stay) are the silly ones, regardless of which way it turns out.

At this point, it is undecided and no one including the Sheppards know what he will do.

To say he will go or stay is just a guess and all the blustering on either side of the debate is wasted breath really.

I am hoping he stays. Is that silly? Maybe. But I would hope every UK fan is hoping he returns. Wouldn’t it be silly not to hope for that?
 
On the clip in another thread where Wall and Cal are on some podcast, Cal says some of his team he thinks isn’t ready and should return. Not “physically ready”. I think. That is definitely Bradshaw, but may also be Reed. Then Cal and Wall talk about what will happen if other coaches see you can’t guard. I think that was talking about Reed.
There is a huge difference between getting drafted high and playing at a high level in NBA. Reeds goal isn’t just getting drafted, it is to be very good at that level and to maximize his future earnings. Yet it’s not all about the money.
Not to mention you can only be a kid once. Once you leave there is no getting that back. We have a past top 5 pick saying I wish I had stayed.
 
Sheppard might stay. Sheppard might go.

Those who are talking in absolutes (he will definitely leave/he will definitely stay) are the silly ones, regardless of which way it turns out.

At this point, it is undecided and no one including the Sheppards know what he will do.

To say he will go or stay is just a guess and all the blustering on either side of the debate is wasted breath really.

I am hoping he stays. Is that silly? Maybe. But I would hope every UK fan is hoping he returns. Wouldn’t it be silly not to hope for that?
Excellent post!!!
 
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The most surprising thing to me would be if he actually is drafted Top 10, let alone Top 5 like he's projected now.

It's mid-season projects. Not the combine. Not the live events. Not even the end of the season.

Even if it's a "weak" draft, some of these GMs could absolutely lose their job by drafting - in the lottery - a 6'2 white kid with just 1 year of college tape.

I think Reed ABSOLUTELY is an NBA player - no doubt in my mind. And I'm not saying he's 1-and-done. But I'd be pretty surprised if these current projections turn out to be realistic
 
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People are dreaming and not living in reality. If Reed stays projected as a lottery pick there is 0.0% chance he returns.

This draft is WEAK, next year is not. He’d be passing up millions, taking a chance of injury or that next year’s team doesn’t work out like he thought, losing one year towards the second NBA contract, etc…

No way he returns if he’s in the top 10-12 picks.
If reed doesn’t enter the draft he won’t know if he’s 5 or 25. And that’s the route I expect him to take. You guys think projections mean anything haven’t paid attention to the many who were sold a bill of goods only to fall. Reed very easily could be that guy. Nike, clutch, others they have a tremendous impact on who is drafted and when. And yea next year is just as weak. If Shepard is top 5 now he will be top 5 next year. You guys say tha every year “it’s a weak draft” they’re all weak now since reclassifies.
 
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People are dreaming and not living in reality. If Reed stays projected as a lottery pick there is 0.0% chance he returns.

This draft is WEAK, next year is not. He’d be passing up millions, taking a chance of injury or that next year’s team doesn’t work out like he thought, losing one year towards the second NBA contract, etc…

No way he returns if he’s in the top 10-12 picks.
Dear God. Just stop.
 
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