Shagari Alleyne - What Could have been..

[HoptownCat93]

This COVID-19 stuff has me looking at old numbers...and it made me look at some old stats. Shagari Alleyne actually put up some promising numbers. I think his attitude and grade held him back...but look at these numbers from the 2005 season.

9.2 Minutes
2.8 Points
1.9 Rebounds
1.5 Blocks
70% Free throw

Per 40
12.1 Points
8.2 Rebounds
6.6 Blocks (wow)
2.7 Fouls

-He had the highest win/shares per 40 minutes on the team, total 2.4 win shares...crazy considering he played only 9 minutes a game.

-He was the #48 RCSI Ranked recruit in the 2003 class, so there was talent.


I'll never forget going to the UK/Iona game in Freedom Hall in 2005-06...they asked Tubby about Shagari and he said "Don't ask me that, because it will ruin my Christmas"

 

[Mr_GG]

I remember when Sam Malone was averaging 245 PPG per 40 minutes for most of the season in 2012

 

[HoptownCat93]

I remember when Sam Malone was averaging 245 PPG per 40 minutes for most of the season in 2012

Yeah, but averaging 1.5 blocks a game playing less than 10 minutes is beyond some walk on getting mop up minutes.

 

[CELTICAT]

Favorite moment was when he was put in against Indiana late, and proceeded to dominate their scrubs.

He used to poop in the toilet tanks, not bowls, the tanks. Called it a double decker, I believe. Probably needed a little more maturity. I was a believer in him though.

 

[Flipflopsandsocks]

His dunk over Jason Maxiell and Cincinnati in the 2004 NCAA tournament in Indy is one of my favorite UK plays of all time.

 

[UKFan32065]

I wonder if KP could have developed Shagari into a lottery pick. I mean come on he was 7'3 y'all.

 

[STL_Cat]

Counting Shagari’s per 40 totals ... haaaa

 

[jgraf_1]

i like how that highlight video showed a rondo alley oop dunk. lol

shagari had a bad work ethic and bad grades and couldn't move. he wasn't terrible and was also misused by the coaching staff. all of that combined made it a situation where success for him was just about impossible.

 

[seccats04]

I wonder if KP could have developed Shagari into a lottery pick. I mean come on he was 7'3 y'all.

7'3 but as stiff as a board. Very awkward just to watch him run. He was not coordinated enough to play in the NBA.

 

[KyFaninNC]

I liked him, but 6 foot guards could block him and he would fall down, had no lower body strength.

 

[HoptownCat93]

I wonder if KP could have developed Shagari into a lottery pick. I mean come on he was 7'3 y'all.

That's kind of my point. Per 40 numbers don't tell the full story of a player...but it showed he could block shots at a crazy without fouling and hitting free throws at a 70% rate shows there was a good shot form from a 7'3 guy.

But like everything, it all comes down to the player..he didn't want to be great.

 

[Slowwalker]

Favorite moment was when he was put in against Indiana late, and proceeded to dominate their scrubs.

He used to poop in the toilet tanks, not bowls, the tanks. Called it a double decker, I believe. Probably needed a little more maturity. I was a believer in him though.

Upper Decker. I lack maturity as well

 

[JFCats22]

He was never going to play in the NBA or be a great college player. He didn't care enough to work hard to get better. He was tall, not athletic in any way.

I was at UK and worked at UKAA when Shagari was there. He loved the attention and the "celeb" life WAY more than he cared about playing basketball. It had nothing to do with coaching or teaching.

 

[HagginHall1999]

I think per 40 is fine if a guy is playing 15-20 mpg + because they are actually playing a lot already. It was something I used with Nick and it panned out pretty well.

Shag never averaged more than 9mpg.

Hard to judge extended performance on less than a quarter of a game played.

 

[bigblueinsanity]

Woo was the much better of the two. He actually had tons of tools to work with especially at his size. Under KP/Cal I legit think he could've been a first rounder.

 

[bradscats]

Favorite moment was when he was put in against Indiana late, and proceeded to dominate their scrubs.

He used to poop in the toilet tanks, not bowls, the tanks. Called it a double decker, I believe. Probably needed a little more maturity. I was a believer in him though.

To be fair, the top of the toilet was a more appropriate height for him. Maybe it was out of necessity.

 

[UK90]

Yeah, but averaging 1.5 blocks a game playing less than 10 minutes is beyond some walk on getting mop up minutes.

Except that a disproportionate number of those blocks came against the other teams' "walk ons getting mop up minutes." Stats can be quite misleading for players who primarily play during garbage time.

 

[HoptownCat93]

I think per 40 is fine if a guy is playing 15-20 mpg + because they are actually playing a lot already. It was something I used with Nick and it panned out pretty well.

Shag never averaged more than 9mpg.

Hard to judge extended performance on less than a quarter of a game played.

The 2.4 TOTAL win-shares, which was 6th on the team, showed that even in such short spurts on the court that he did make an impact win he played.

I think if anything it showed his 7'3 length and shot blocking made a large difference when he was on the court.

 

[UK90]

Woo was the much better of the two. He actually had tons of tools to work with especially at his size. Under KP/Cal I legit think he could've been a first rounder.

They both sucked and there is no coach anywhere who could've made either of them a first rounder.

The only difference under Cal is that they never would've played at UK, because Cal never would've recruited such immobile stiffs.

 

[Titpwhami2014]

I have gathered two things from this thread. One, Shagari was a huge waste of talent that could have actually been something under the current regime.

Two, I will never look at long homeruns the same way ever again.

 

[BlueWorldOrder74]

One time, as the team was in hotel prior to game, Shagari was still in the room after his roommate left for pregame practice. I believe it was Ravi maybe, can’t be sure. Shagari went to toilet, took a dump, left it in bowl, left lid open, and turned the heat up in the room to max hot, then left.

 

[UK90]

I have gathered two things from this thread. One, Shagari was a huge waste of talent that could have actually been something under the current regime.

The first thing you're gathering is wrong. Pure revisionist history.

Shag was too immoblie and awkward to ever be much under any regime. In fact, he'd probably be even worse in Cal's system, because he was incapable of defending man to man outside the paint, and that's an absolute necessity (even for bigs) in Cal's system.

 

[bigblueinsanity]

They both sucked and there is no coach anywhere who could've made either of them a first rounder.

The only difference under Cal is that they never would've played at UK, because Cal never would've recruited such immobile stiffs.

Woo was incredibly agile for someone that size.

 

[hamidousvertical]

If you know you are only getting a couple of minutes you can come in and try to block every damn thing thrown up. Who cares if you foul? Makes guys play differently.

 

[seccats04]

Except that a disproportionate number of those blocks came against the other teams' "walk ons getting mop up minutes." Stats can be quite misleading for players who primarily play during garbage time.

This.

 

[BlueWorldOrder74]

Remember “The Shagari Safari!”

 

[drainthatub]

Yea and Jared Carter could have been a lottery pick too

 

[BlueWorldOrder74]

https://kentuckysportsradio.com/1/skyscraper-is-coming-to-town/

 

[BlueWorldOrder74]

This from KSR....

The Shagari Safari finally ended as the tallest, most awkward player in the history of Kentucky basketball decided to take his abnormally large adam’s apple away from Lexington to pursue his Quixotic attempt at averaging 5 points a game at another school. The usual niceties were mentioned in the press release, but the decision came down to this. Shagari didnt go to class, he was lazy and Tubby had given him many more chances than he deserved and finally said, “enough is enough.” Shagari is a likeable guy with a good personality, but his work and school ethic was non-existent. When you are a star, you can get away with that….when you are Shagari, you find yourself sitting behind Woo….that is the difference.

 

[kywildcatsfannumber1]

 

[king of cali]

Woo was the much better of the two. He actually had tons of tools to work with especially at his size. Under KP/Cal I legit think he could've been a first rounder.

Stop it lol

 

[UK90]

Woo was incredibly agile for someone that size.

"Incredibly agile"? Man, we were watching different things.

I will concede that Woo was certainly more mobile than Shag and Jared Carter (the other two parts of that "nearly 22 feet of sucks!" threesome), but that sure ain't saying much.

 

[Elliott Tim]

Favorite moment was when he was put in against Indiana late, and proceeded to dominate their scrubs.

He used to poop in the toilet tanks, not bowls, the tanks. Called it a double decker, I believe. Probably needed a little more maturity. I was a believer in him though.

And turn up the thermometer.

 

[Rush2112 UK]

7'3 but as stiff as a board. Very awkward just to watch him run. He was not coordinated enough to play in the NBA.

Dead on. There was a play against Kansas in 2006- yes, that game- where a UK shot went up and caromed off. Several players rushed to the ball while Alleyne was turning towards the basket. By the time he got turned around, everyone else was heading the other way. There are redwoods who are quicker.

Great recruit.

 

[saxonburgcat]

"Incredibly agile"? Man, we were watching different things.

I will concede that Woo was certainly more mobile than Shag and Jared Carter (the other two parts of that "nearly 22 feet of sucks!" threesome), but that sure ain't saying much.

I was on this board after the FIRST midnight madness event featuring the 7 footers. There were two camps...sunshine pumpers and realists. I think most were realists but the sunshine pumpers made the discussions fun. I still laugh every time someone says, "You can't teach 7 feet."

 

[YardCat]

It really hurt to watch him lumber up and down the court

 

[kyups01]

This COVID-19 stuff has me looking at old numbers...and it made me look at some old stats. Shagari Alleyne actually put up some promising numbers. I think his attitude and grade held him back...but look at these numbers from the 2005 season.

9.2 Minutes
2.8 Points
1.9 Rebounds
1.5 Blocks
70% Free throw

Per 40
12.1 Points
8.2 Rebounds
6.6 Blocks (wow)
2.7 Fouls

-He had the highest win/shares per 40 minutes on the team, total 2.4 win shares...crazy considering he played only 9 minutes a game.

-He was the #48 RCSI Ranked recruit in the 2003 class, so there was talent.


I'll never forget going to the UK/Iona game in Freedom Hall in 2005-06...they asked Tubby about Shagari and he said "Don't ask me that, because it will ruin my Christmas"

View embedded media

I would rather forget he even played here. Embarrassing....Woo even more so.

 

[ruppcat]

This COVID-19 stuff has me looking at old numbers...and it made me look at some old stats. Shagari Alleyne actually put up some promising numbers. I think his attitude and grade held him back...but look at these numbers from the 2005 season.

9.2 Minutes
2.8 Points
1.9 Rebounds
1.5 Blocks
70% Free throw

Per 40
12.1 Points
8.2 Rebounds
6.6 Blocks (wow)
2.7 Fouls

-He had the highest win/shares per 40 minutes on the team, total 2.4 win shares...crazy considering he played only 9 minutes a game.

-He was the #48 RCSI Ranked recruit in the 2003 class, so there was talent.


I'll never forget going to the UK/Iona game in Freedom Hall in 2005-06...they asked Tubby about Shagari and he said "Don't ask me that, because it will ruin my Christmas"

View embedded media

Would be better without the Ocean's Eleven soundtrack.

 

[bigblueinsanity]

"Incredibly agile"? Man, we were watching different things.

I will concede that Woo was certainly more mobile than Shag and Jared Carter (the other two parts of that "nearly 22 feet of sucks!" threesome), but that sure ain't saying much.

I will concede it's entirely possible my opinion was relative given the comparable talent brought in at the time lol.

 

[loublue22]

This from KSR....

The Shagari Safari finally ended as the tallest, most awkward player in the history of Kentucky basketball decided to take his abnormally large adam’s apple away from Lexington to pursue his Quixotic attempt at averaging 5 points a game at another school. The usual niceties were mentioned in the press release, but the decision came down to this. Shagari didnt go to class, he was lazy and Tubby had given him many more chances than he deserved and finally said, “enough is enough.” Shagari is a likeable guy with a good personality, but his work and school ethic was non-existent. When you are a star, you can get away with that….when you are Shagari, you find yourself sitting behind Woo….that is the difference.

Ironic that Tubby's laziness was the reason he got a scholly in the 1st place.