Since 2016, Cal is 0 for 10 on Top 5 recruits

[CROCAT]

I used the 247 recruiting rankings because they are the most popular site covering recruiting. Not the most scientific method, I know ( DeAaron Fox was a Top 5 recruit on the ESPN list ). The only recruits which count as a " miss " are those UK recruited seriously - made the final list of a recruit. Not those like Josh Jackson and Deandre Ayton who had their offers rescinded early on, or were not offered at all like Nassir Little. I also included news sources of Kentucky offering and recruiting said players so you know I am not talking some random crap here. Keep in mind that according to 247, Cal had grabbed 10 top five players in the 2009-2015 period, which is crazy good. What changed ?


Class of 2016

1. Josh Jackson
2. Harry Giles - https://www.sbnation.com/college-basketball/2015/7/20/9007343/harry-giles-recruiting-duke-kentucky-north-carolina-wake-forest-kentucky
3. Lonzo Ball
4. Jayson Tatum - http://kentuckysportsradio.com/basketball-2/jayson-tatum-commits-to-duke/
5. Markelle Fultz

Class of 2017

1. Marvin Bagley-https://www.aseaofblue.com/2017/8/14/16141834/marvin-bagley-recruiting-update-final-predictions
2. Michael Porter
3. Mohamed Bamba - https://www.cbssports.com/college-b...med-bamba-picks-texas-over-kentucky-and-duke/
4. Deandre Ayton
5. Collin Sexton

Class of 2018

1. RJ Barrett - https://usatodayhss.com/2017/duke-k...is-king-immanuel-quickley-krzyzewski-calipari
2. Cam Reddish - https://courier-journal.com/story/sports/college/kentucky/2017/09/01/cameron-reddish-kentucky-wildcats-uk-basketball-2018-recruiting-next-cats/626893001/
3. Nassir Little
4. Bol Bol - https://courier-journal.com/story/sports/college/kentucky/2017/11/20/bol-bol-oregon-ducks-kentucky-wildcats-uk-basketball/881782001/
5. Zion Williamson - https://www.daytondailynews.com/spo...es-kentucky-visit-out/T7A7zJEsEn92kVL5xZF6yH/

Class of 2019

1. James Wiseman - https://www.kentucky.com/sports/college/kentucky-sports/uk-recruiting/article221927810.html
2. Anthony Edwards
- https://www.aseaofblue.com/2019/1/2...nthony-edwards-georgia-bulldogs-fsu-seminoles
3. Vernon Carey
4. Cole Anthony
5. Jaden McDaniels ( has not committed yet, Kentucky still in play )

 

[FrankUnderwood]

The recent FBI probe which concluded cheating and $$$ being exchanged solidifies the reasons as to why imo

That in addition to a plethora of schools now recruiting O&D elites as opposed to just UK, KU and sorta Duke

 

[ManitouDan]

Somebody getting paid .

 

[CROCAT]

The recent FBI probe which concluded cheating and $$$ being exchanged solidifies the reasons as to why imo

That in addition to a plethora of schools now recruiting O&D elites as opposed to just UK, KU and sorta Duke

I am leaning towards the former

The discrepancy is unreal, the GOAT recruiter at a blue blood school suddenly cannot get any cream of the crop players ? It does not make any sense...Until you add Nike + Adidas and their dirty money into equation

 

[cats#1again]

Cal is doing exactly what he is wanting to do.. a head start on the end of one n done. Recruiting gym rats that have a high skill set but may come back for another season.

 

[dlh331]

Not one player from the 1st three classes made a final 4

 

[Fitch44]

Ya, that makes total *##%**#*#*# sense.

 

[kybassfan]

Have to fire him then. Cal should have gotten dirty like Self, Pearl, Pitino, etc etc. WIn at all costs. Cheating is expected. Cal probably should start lying too. Making players play when they are hurt. Threatening players to stay at Kentucky. We probably could have gotten another 5 championships if Cal had been a lying cheating scumbag.

All this would make the CLOD a lot happier. For myself, I would rather lose every single game than resort to this sort of scumbaggery. This is the kind of crap The Filth did for 20 years. Who knows what sort of crap Ratface did to get that last class and he did no better than Cal in the tourney.

 

[Mr_GG]

Yeah, Coach Cal magically can't get any top 5 talent after having 4 overall #1 picks in 9 seasons and just having much more success with one and done talent than any other coach. Makes perfect sense!

 

[TFCats11]

I used the 247 recruiting rankings because they are the most popular site covering recruiting. Not the most scientific method, I know ( DeAaron Fox was a Top 5 recruit on the ESPN list ). The only recruits which count as a " miss " are those UK recruited seriously - made the final list of a recruit. Not those like Josh Jackson and Deandre Ayton who had their offers rescinded early on, or were not offered at all like Nassir Little. I also included news sources of Kentucky offering and recruiting said players so you know I am not talking some random crap here. Keep in mind that according to 247, Cal had grabbed 10 top five players in the 2009-2015 period, which is crazy good. What changed ?


Class of 2016

1. Josh Jackson
2. Harry Giles - https://www.sbnation.com/college-basketball/2015/7/20/9007343/harry-giles-recruiting-duke-kentucky-north-carolina-wake-forest-kentucky
3. Lonzo Ball
4. Jayson Tatum - http://kentuckysportsradio.com/basketball-2/jayson-tatum-commits-to-duke/
5. Markelle Fultz

Class of 2017

1. Marvin Bagley-https://www.aseaofblue.com/2017/8/14/16141834/marvin-bagley-recruiting-update-final-predictions
2. Michael Porter
3. Mohamed Bamba - https://www.cbssports.com/college-b...med-bamba-picks-texas-over-kentucky-and-duke/
4. Deandre Ayton
5. Collin Sexton

Class of 2018

1. RJ Barrett - https://usatodayhss.com/2017/duke-k...is-king-immanuel-quickley-krzyzewski-calipari
2. Cam Reddish - https://courier-journal.com/story/sports/college/kentucky/2017/09/01/cameron-reddish-kentucky-wildcats-uk-basketball-2018-recruiting-next-cats/626893001/
3. Nassir Little
4. Bol Bol - https://courier-journal.com/story/sports/college/kentucky/2017/11/20/bol-bol-oregon-ducks-kentucky-wildcats-uk-basketball/881782001/
5. Zion Williamson - https://www.daytondailynews.com/spo...es-kentucky-visit-out/T7A7zJEsEn92kVL5xZF6yH/

Class of 2019

1. James Wiseman - https://www.kentucky.com/sports/college/kentucky-sports/uk-recruiting/article221927810.html
2. Anthony Edwards
- https://www.aseaofblue.com/2019/1/2...nthony-edwards-georgia-bulldogs-fsu-seminoles
3. Vernon Carey
4. Cole Anthony
5. Jaden McDaniels ( has not committed yet, Kentucky still in play )

Class of 2016
1. Paid
2. Paid
3. NM
4. “Maybe” legit
5. Paid
Class of 2017
1. Paid
2. Paid
3. Paid
4. Paid
5. Paid
Class of 2018
1. Shoot 30+ shots a game
2. LBJ/ Nike, likely paid
3. Likely legit
4. Paid
5. No Comment! Lol
Class of 2019
1. Penny, possibly an incentive as well
2. Home school
3. Thought Wiseman was a lock
4. WGAF!
5. To be cont...

 

[Smashcat]

Class of 2018

1. RJ Barrett - https://usatodayhss.com/2017/duke-k...is-king-immanuel-quickley-krzyzewski-calipari
2. Cam Reddish - https://courier-journal.com/story/sports/college/kentucky/2017/09/01/cameron-reddish-kentucky-wildcats-uk-basketball-2018-recruiting-next-cats/626893001/
3. Nassir Little
4. Bol Bol - https://courier-journal.com/story/sports/college/kentucky/2017/11/20/bol-bol-oregon-ducks-kentucky-wildcats-uk-basketball/881782001/
5. Zion Williamson - https://www.daytondailynews.com/spo...es-kentucky-visit-out/T7A7zJEsEn92kVL5xZF6yH/

Loaded. Duke won it all with ease, right?

 

[Smashcat]

Shouldn’t the title of this thread be Duke has had a startling number of top 5 recruits since 2016 and not won a championship?

 

[irishcat1965]

Money money money.

 

[silentsaregolden2.0]

Not one player from the 1st three classes made a final 4

I bet they would if they come to UK. No way we don't make the FF this past season if we had Zion.

 

[GonzoCat90]

Duke threw their hat into the OAD game and Nike started sending guys there. It actually started sooner, but it took a while for the effects to show.

We already had a loaded roster and the previous relationship with KAT for 2015, or else more folks would have talked about KAT, Lyles, Booker, Ulis being a weak (by rankings) class.

From there, look at who we missed and where they went. They were either the Nike/Team USA U17 Duke guys, guys who had a family member or some connection to a coaching staff, or they were the guys who got paid and went somewhere like KU, Arizona, Oregon, or a random school no elite player would choose.

 

[billCgmx]

How many of top 5 recruits did Duke offer between 2009-2015?

 

[502 Wildcat]

A good portion of those names we never even seriously recruited.

Kahlil Whitney and Tyrese Maxey are both top 10 on the 247 composite: https://247sports.com/Season/2019-Basketball/CompositeRecruitRankings/?InstitutionGroup=HighSchool

 

[Jumpercat]

The damn corruption led by the shoe companies is what changed.

 

[Sparkaces1]

I mean Fox was top 5 in some rankings and clearly a top 5 pick, but regardless Nike clearly steered kids to Duke the last couple of years. The Wiseman deal was just bad luck.

 

[SpamburgerHamburger]

This means nothing. 98% of coaches are 0-fer all time. Just adding to the stupid narrative recruiting is slipping. Don't worry about it unless he starts only getting 1 to 25 a year. That would be slipping.

 

[KyCatFan]

With all of the cheating going on in college basketball now, if I were Coach Cal I would negatively recruit the hell out of other teams. When we were getting top 5 players we went to 2 Final Fours, and also had a runner up and won a championship. Since other schools like Duke for instance, started getting all of the top 5 recruits, none have made a Final Four or better relying on one and done elite recruits.

 

[Xception]

Cal was repeatedly going to the f4 when we landed recruits in the top five, haven’t been back since we stopped. We aren’t running a true one and done model, the next tier is leaving early too but they aren’t good enough to close the deal in one year.

 

[frettyb]

Man think of all the blessings in disguise/UK getting players though, not to mention the ones who simply were locked in to coaches at different schools.

Giles sadly was never the same after his ACL tear.

Fox was better than Ball and Fultz by the time the NCAA Tournament began.

Shai and Sexton were basically a wash in terms of who was better. Same deal with Herro and Reddish.

I'm certain Bagley would have brought UK grief whether it was being ineligible or violations later on, but those don't exist at Duke. Same with Ayton and potentially Zion in terms of future NCAA issues.

Porter/Wiseman were basically tied to coaches who ended up at the schools they picked.

Bol missed most of his lone season.


Yeah, it stinks to miss on guys like Bamba, Barrett and the guys in this class, but it's not all bad.

 

[Hoskins91]

I bet they would if they come to UK. No way we don't make the FF this past season if we had Zion.

There’s no way to say that, because the roster is likely very different if Zion comes here. Now, with hindsight, would I have rather had Zion here, regardless of result? Maybe.

 

[UKWildcats#8]

I think everyone on here knows that de'aaron fox was a top five college player. I don't care what the ranking said. The NBA has proven that even more so. Malik monk was also an amazing college player and Bam was a great college player. We've had a couple of really good teams the last four years but they've just come up short and gut-wrenching Elite 8 losses. I think 2017 wins the national title if they beat North Carolina and Higgins. This year is a bit murkier with the luck of Virginia but you never know. I don't think you can say that just because Calipari got a few more players ranked number 6 through 10 in the class instead of top five that that's the reason we dropped and our level of postseason success. I mean most of the recruits have been going to Duke and they haven't done any better than Kentucky the last 4 years.

 

[Son_Of_Saul]

Cal was repeatedly going to the f4 when we landed recruits in the top five, haven’t been back since we stopped. We aren’t running a true one and done model, the next tier is leaving early too but they aren’t good enough to close the deal in one year.

I totally agree. We need to return guys like Herro and Johnson if we're ever going to cut down the title nets again.

 

[miracle7s]

OP are you implying Cal didn't recruit Fultz, Sexton, Carey, or Anthony? He certainly did.

 

[rick64]

Fire Cal!!!

 

[TFCats11]

Shouldn’t the title of this thread be Duke has had a startling number of top 5 recruits since 2016 and not won a championship?

Ouch!! But only for Duke fans! Haha

 

[kl40504]

I used the 247 recruiting rankings because they are the most popular site covering recruiting. Not the most scientific method, I know ( DeAaron Fox was a Top 5 recruit on the ESPN list ). The only recruits which count as a " miss " are those UK recruited seriously - made the final list of a recruit. Not those like Josh Jackson and Deandre Ayton who had their offers rescinded early on, or were not offered at all like Nassir Little. I also included news sources of Kentucky offering and recruiting said players so you know I am not talking some random crap here. Keep in mind that according to 247, Cal had grabbed 10 top five players in the 2009-2015 period, which is crazy good. What changed ?


Class of 2016

1. Josh Jackson
2. Harry Giles - https://www.sbnation.com/college-basketball/2015/7/20/9007343/harry-giles-recruiting-duke-kentucky-north-carolina-wake-forest-kentucky
3. Lonzo Ball
4. Jayson Tatum - http://kentuckysportsradio.com/basketball-2/jayson-tatum-commits-to-duke/
5. Markelle Fultz

Class of 2017

1. Marvin Bagley-https://www.aseaofblue.com/2017/8/14/16141834/marvin-bagley-recruiting-update-final-predictions
2. Michael Porter
3. Mohamed Bamba - https://www.cbssports.com/college-b...med-bamba-picks-texas-over-kentucky-and-duke/
4. Deandre Ayton
5. Collin Sexton

Class of 2018

1. RJ Barrett - https://usatodayhss.com/2017/duke-k...is-king-immanuel-quickley-krzyzewski-calipari
2. Cam Reddish - https://courier-journal.com/story/sports/college/kentucky/2017/09/01/cameron-reddish-kentucky-wildcats-uk-basketball-2018-recruiting-next-cats/626893001/
3. Nassir Little
4. Bol Bol - https://courier-journal.com/story/sports/college/kentucky/2017/11/20/bol-bol-oregon-ducks-kentucky-wildcats-uk-basketball/881782001/
5. Zion Williamson - https://www.daytondailynews.com/spo...es-kentucky-visit-out/T7A7zJEsEn92kVL5xZF6yH/

Class of 2019

1. James Wiseman - https://www.kentucky.com/sports/college/kentucky-sports/uk-recruiting/article221927810.html
2. Anthony Edwards
- https://www.aseaofblue.com/2019/1/2...nthony-edwards-georgia-bulldogs-fsu-seminoles
3. Vernon Carey
4. Cole Anthony
5. Jaden McDaniels ( has not committed yet, Kentucky still in play )

So.

 

[uky8unc5]

Clearly, Cal has not lost "IT"
Rather Cal has stayed out of "IT"
And frankly, "IT" ain't worth "IT"

 

[Cowtown Cat]

Shouldn’t the title of this thread be Duke has had a startling number of top 5 recruits since 2016 and not won a championship?

Or a Final Four.

 

[UK_fan_41102]

I used the 247 recruiting rankings because they are the most popular site covering recruiting. Not the most scientific method, I know ( DeAaron Fox was a Top 5 recruit on the ESPN list ). The only recruits which count as a " miss " are those UK recruited seriously - made the final list of a recruit. Not those like Josh Jackson and Deandre Ayton who had their offers rescinded early on, or were not offered at all like Nassir Little. I also included news sources of Kentucky offering and recruiting said players so you know I am not talking some random crap here. Keep in mind that according to 247, Cal had grabbed 10 top five players in the 2009-2015 period, which is crazy good. What changed ?


Class of 2016

1. Josh Jackson
2. Harry Giles - https://www.sbnation.com/college-basketball/2015/7/20/9007343/harry-giles-recruiting-duke-kentucky-north-carolina-wake-forest-kentucky
3. Lonzo Ball
4. Jayson Tatum - http://kentuckysportsradio.com/basketball-2/jayson-tatum-commits-to-duke/
5. Markelle Fultz

Class of 2017

1. Marvin Bagley-https://www.aseaofblue.com/2017/8/14/16141834/marvin-bagley-recruiting-update-final-predictions
2. Michael Porter
3. Mohamed Bamba - https://www.cbssports.com/college-b...med-bamba-picks-texas-over-kentucky-and-duke/
4. Deandre Ayton
5. Collin Sexton

Class of 2018

1. RJ Barrett - https://usatodayhss.com/2017/duke-k...is-king-immanuel-quickley-krzyzewski-calipari
2. Cam Reddish - https://courier-journal.com/story/sports/college/kentucky/2017/09/01/cameron-reddish-kentucky-wildcats-uk-basketball-2018-recruiting-next-cats/626893001/
3. Nassir Little
4. Bol Bol - https://courier-journal.com/story/sports/college/kentucky/2017/11/20/bol-bol-oregon-ducks-kentucky-wildcats-uk-basketball/881782001/
5. Zion Williamson - https://www.daytondailynews.com/spo...es-kentucky-visit-out/T7A7zJEsEn92kVL5xZF6yH/

Class of 2019

1. James Wiseman - https://www.kentucky.com/sports/college/kentucky-sports/uk-recruiting/article221927810.html
2. Anthony Edwards
- https://www.aseaofblue.com/2019/1/2...nthony-edwards-georgia-bulldogs-fsu-seminoles
3. Vernon Carey
4. Cole Anthony
5. Jaden McDaniels ( has not committed yet, Kentucky still in play )

This is a big part of it:

 

[Rideordiewildcat]

Yet Cal still wins and gives us a chance every year and we aren't being brought up in these play for play accusations. Pretty good when you are going up against people that are clearly cheating.

 

[kybloo92]

No one's crying over missing out on Lonzo & the Carnival Barker LaVar Ball.

 

[502 Wildcat]

Cal was repeatedly going to the f4 when we landed recruits in the top five, haven’t been back since we stopped. We aren’t running a true one and done model, the next tier is leaving early too but they aren’t good enough to close the deal in one year.

Apparently getting the top 3 players in the class (Duke) isn’t enough these days either.

 

[Looksbetterinblue]

A lot of those guys had massive egos and aren’t a good match for what we do. You have to be willing to play for the team so getting a top 5 only works when they have AD type attitudes.
I believe Cal has just missed on a few and passed on some others, but has still brought in some great kids and talent in the last 4 years.
Don’t underestimate the power of the Rat joining Team USA as well.
I’ll let the courts sort out the money trail.

 

[TFCats11]

Man think of all the blessings in disguise/UK getting players though, not to mention the ones who simply were locked in to coaches at different schools.

Giles sadly was never the same after his ACL tear.

Fox was better than Ball and Fultz by the time the NCAA Tournament began.

Shai and Sexton were basically a wash in terms of who was better. Same deal with Herro and Reddish.

I'm certain Bagley would have brought UK grief whether it was being ineligible or violations later on, but those don't exist at Duke. Same with Ayton and potentially Zion in terms of future NCAA issues.

Porter/Wiseman were basically tied to coaches who ended up at the schools they picked.

Bol missed most of his lone season.


Yeah, it stinks to miss on guys like Bamba, Barrett and the guys in this class, but it's not all bad.

Very good post Sir! Thanks

 

[caneintally]

I think most understand how silly this argument is . Bam , Fox , Whitney , Maxey , Murray , Herro , KJ , and more have all been top 10 players in actuality or damn near close . You need to get elite talent . Who cares if you get the 6th , 8th , 11th and 25th player instead of the 3rd , 5th, 30 , 80th . It is just a number. Sure once in every 10 years there is an AD or Zion but those don't count for better or worse since they come along so rarely in the grand scheme . You need elite talent . Who cares what number is assigned to it.

On the flip side of the coin guys like Skal and EJ have been ranked elite and have been less then that. Now I think EJ will eventually be a lotto pick but it is important to talk about Herro was a top 5 freshman and was ranked in the 30's in the same breathe as EJ being ranked 6th and not being a top 25 freshman in actuality. You can't pay too much attention to rankings. IF you are bring in elite talent you bring it in . Cal brings it in.

 

[Rideordiewildcat]

I used the 247 recruiting rankings because they are the most popular site covering recruiting. Not the most scientific method, I know ( DeAaron Fox was a Top 5 recruit on the ESPN list ). The only recruits which count as a " miss " are those UK recruited seriously - made the final list of a recruit. Not those like Josh Jackson and Deandre Ayton who had their offers rescinded early on, or were not offered at all like Nassir Little. I also included news sources of Kentucky offering and recruiting said players so you know I am not talking some random crap here. Keep in mind that according to 247, Cal had grabbed 10 top five players in the 2009-2015 period, which is crazy good. What changed ?


Class of 2016

1. Josh Jackson
2. Harry Giles - https://www.sbnation.com/college-basketball/2015/7/20/9007343/harry-giles-recruiting-duke-kentucky-north-carolina-wake-forest-kentucky
3. Lonzo Ball
4. Jayson Tatum - http://kentuckysportsradio.com/basketball-2/jayson-tatum-commits-to-duke/
5. Markelle Fultz

Class of 2017

1. Marvin Bagley-https://www.aseaofblue.com/2017/8/14/16141834/marvin-bagley-recruiting-update-final-predictions
2. Michael Porter
3. Mohamed Bamba - https://www.cbssports.com/college-b...med-bamba-picks-texas-over-kentucky-and-duke/
4. Deandre Ayton
5. Collin Sexton

Class of 2018

1. RJ Barrett - https://usatodayhss.com/2017/duke-k...is-king-immanuel-quickley-krzyzewski-calipari
2. Cam Reddish - https://courier-journal.com/story/sports/college/kentucky/2017/09/01/cameron-reddish-kentucky-wildcats-uk-basketball-2018-recruiting-next-cats/626893001/
3. Nassir Little
4. Bol Bol - https://courier-journal.com/story/sports/college/kentucky/2017/11/20/bol-bol-oregon-ducks-kentucky-wildcats-uk-basketball/881782001/
5. Zion Williamson - https://www.daytondailynews.com/spo...es-kentucky-visit-out/T7A7zJEsEn92kVL5xZF6yH/

Class of 2019

1. James Wiseman - https://www.kentucky.com/sports/college/kentucky-sports/uk-recruiting/article221927810.html
2. Anthony Edwards
- https://www.aseaofblue.com/2019/1/2...nthony-edwards-georgia-bulldogs-fsu-seminoles
3. Vernon Carey
4. Cole Anthony
5. Jaden McDaniels ( has not committed yet, Kentucky still in play )

I mean the only ones I really see as misses, where we were all in, are Bamba, Zion, Bol Bol, Wiseman, and Carey. Zion and Bol Bol might have very well been paid. Wiseman was the Penny hire/ AAU Hometown thing or I think we land him. Bamba and Carey are the ones I feel like we just missed on. Bama seemed like ours the longest time so to me that one still stings pretty bad because I thought we had him for sure. A lot of these other guys have been mentioned in pay for play scams or never really seemed like they had any intention on coming to UK.