Starting Lineup

[Galbpt02]

Now that Bamba is gone, lets assume Diallo stays in the draft (likely) and Cam goes to Arizona (also likely). If we get Diallo or Cam the below would change (hopefully we get one of them).

Here is what I think will be our starting lineup, which might surprise some. It would be deadly!!

G - Quade Green
G - Shai Alexander
F - Kevin Knox
F - Jared Vanderbilt
F - PJ Washington

This group can rebound fine without a true center, score in a variety of ways and would be extremely athletic and versatile.

Primary Bench Players
G - Baker
F - Gabriel
C - Richards, SKJ

 

[ib4ky]

G-Green
F-Knox
F-Vanderbilt
F-Washington
C-Richards

 

[catfan in loserville]

Knowing Cal there is a good chance Gabriel starts at the beginning of the season. Until Diallo says he is gone, he is still a wildcat.

Green
Diallo
Knox
Gabriel
Richards

Alexander
Baker
Vanderbilt
Washington
SKJ

If we could add Johnson and/or keep Diallo, no reason we aren't preseason #1.

 

[USSLair]

Green
Calipari
Konx
Washington
Richards

Book it.

 

[kevin823]

Now that Bamba is gone, lets assume Diallo stays in the draft (likely) and Cam goes to Arizona (also likely). If we get Diallo or Cam the below would change (hopefully we get one of them).

Here is what I think will be our starting lineup, which might surprise some. It would be deadly!!

G - Quade Green
G - Shai Alexander
F - Kevin Knox
F - Jared Vanderbilt
F - PJ Washington

This group can rebound fine without a true center, score in a variety of ways and would be extremely athletic and versatile.

Primary Bench Players
G - Baker
F - Gabriel
C - Richards, SKJ

I agree from spots 1-4 but Cal will start either nick or skj at C because we will need an inside defensive presence. I do agree however that there will be LOTS of times Cal goes to a small lineup and the one you have will be it. The only other possible change I see to the above is Wenyen breaking the starting 5. Cal may not want to or be able to start 5 frosh.

 

[caneintally]

I don't think you are right about Diallo and Johnson being elsewhere. I think it is very likely one of those 2 are here . Most likely Johnson IMO but as of this second

Green/Knox/Vanderbilt/PJ/Richards would be the starters. Maybe Knox comes off the bench and Alexander starts but Green, JV , PJ and Richards are locks IMO.

 

[kevin823]

I don't think you are right about Diallo and Johnson being elsewhere. I think it is very likely one of those 2 are here . Most likely Johnson IMO but as of this second

Green/Knox/Vanderbilt/PJ/Richards would be the starters. Maybe Knox comes off the bench and Alexander starts but Green, JV , PJ and Richards are locks IMO.

No way Knox comes off bench. He is easily our top scorer next year.

 

[kevin823]

Knowing Cal there is a good chance Gabriel starts at the beginning of the season. Until Diallo says he is gone, he is still a wildcat.

Green
Diallo
Knox
Gabriel
Richards

Alexander
Baker
Vanderbilt
Washington
SKJ

If we could add Johnson and/or keep Diallo, no reason we aren't preseason #1.

Like the lineups and yes we will ne special if Diallo returns. However we will be special if he doesnt return. But even if he returns i dont think we are preseason No 1. Arizona, Mich st and UNC are going to have something to say about that. We are 2-4 with diallo or johnson. We are 5-8 w/o diallo/Johnson.

 

[BigBlueFanGA]

SKJ has a lot of skill and the talk around him has been pretty good lately. At least early I think its:

Green
Knox
Vanderbilt
Washington
SKJ

 

[AF Cat]

SKJ has a lot of skill and the talk around him has been pretty good lately. At least early I think its:

Green
Knox
Vanderbilt
Washington
SKJ

I agree!!

 

[Gametown_baller]

Green
Knox
Vanderbilt
Gabriel
Richards

Shai
Baker
Washington
Tai
SKJ

 

[bluesundown]

G-Green
F-Knox
F-Vanderbilt
F-Washington
C-Richards

I think this is a likely starting five

 

[track42]

Green
Knox
Vanderbilt
Gabriel
Richards

 

[G-PIP]

SKJ has a lot of skill and the talk around him has been pretty good lately. At least early I think its:

Green
Knox
Vanderbilt
Washington
SKJ

I think that predicting a starting line-up for next season is probably more difficult than any other upcoming season I remember. But, if I were forced to bet on it, I think I would go with your guess. Although I still wouldn’t want to bet on it unless I was getting something like 8:1 odds.

 

[DerekMcPwn]

Green
Calipari
Konx
Washington
Richards

Book it.

"Konx" is now my favorite nickname for Kevin Knox.

 

[MbergCat]

Green
Calipari
Konx
Washington
Richards

Book it.

Konx? That name would carry a similar backstory to Bam. Lol

 

[MbergCat]

Konx? That name would carry a similar backstory to Bam. Lol

Dang it, @DerekMcPwn beat me to it!

 

[kevin823]

SKJ has a lot of skill and the talk around him has been pretty good lately. At least early I think its:

Green
Knox
Vanderbilt
Washington
SKJ

Agree about skj especially since richards may take time to grasp system/plays.

 

[ThroughBlue]

I can't imagine the OP starting five playing against a team like A&M.m next year. Geezeus

 

[TBCat]

Now that Bamba is gone, lets assume Diallo stays in the draft (likely) and Cam goes to Arizona (also likely). If we get Diallo or Cam the below would change (hopefully we get one of them).

Here is what I think will be our starting lineup, which might surprise some. It would be deadly!!

G - Quade Green
G - Shai Alexander
F - Kevin Knox
F - Jared Vanderbilt
F - PJ Washington

This group can rebound fine without a true center, score in a variety of ways and would be extremely athletic and versatile.

Primary Bench Players
G - Baker
F - Gabriel
C - Richards, SKJ

I'm betting we either get Diallo back or get Johnson. It appears to me that Johnson is waiting on Diallo's decision. At any rate there's no way Washington starts at the 5. He's really a SF that can play PF. Put Richards or SKJ in the lineup and move Knox to a guard.

 

[Jbapp1978]

Now that Bamba is gone, lets assume Diallo stays in the draft (likely) and Cam goes to Arizona (also likely). If we get Diallo or Cam the below would change (hopefully we get one of them).

Here is what I think will be our starting lineup, which might surprise some. It would be deadly!!

G - Quade Green
G - Shai Alexander
F - Kevin Knox
F - Jared Vanderbilt
F - PJ Washington

This group can rebound fine without a true center, score in a variety of ways and would be extremely athletic and versatile.

Primary Bench Players
G - Baker
F - Gabriel
C - Richards, SKJ

I like that lineup.

 

[Jbapp1978]

Knowing Cal there is a good chance Gabriel starts at the beginning of the season. Until Diallo says he is gone, he is still a wildcat.

Green
Diallo
Knox
Gabriel
Richards

Alexander
Baker
Vanderbilt
Washington
SKJ

If we could add Johnson and/or keep Diallo, no reason we aren't preseason #1.

im not sure if transfer count by being able to come in with Cal knowing but Cal still raps his class up, i really dont. With the line up i see your point with having experience out there to calm the freshman down....I dunno, i do have a hard time with a lineup without Vandy, and PJ. It will be exciting to find out no matter what though!

 

[bucsrule8872]

I think we will see a lot of different lineups this season. Especially compared to last season. Last season four of the five starting spots were locked up before the season started. The only variable was the 4 spot.

This year, I think only Knox and maybe Green are locks to start. The other three spots are up in the air.

I wouldn't be surprised to see Cal start some experience to begin with:

G Green
G Knox
F Vanderbilt
F Gabriel
F Killeya-Jones

Gabriel is the only player on the roster who has ever started a game. He is a 5-star top 15 player in a strong class. He competed everyday last season against some of the most talented players in the country. Yet we think he is going to ride the pine because of guys coming in that are ranked about the same as he did in a much weaker class. I think many our selling him short.

The same can be said of SKJ, to a lesser degree. He doesn't have much playing experience, but he is a year older and has competed all season, every day in practice with some of the best players in the country.

Both of these guys have a year's head start on the guys coming in. I wouldn't be surprised if they are starters early on.

Not sure how it all pans out, but I think Cal starts those two Sophs the first few games at least.

Just my guess.

 

[Rupp'sRunt]

Green
Diallo
Knox
Washington
Richards
6th man Vandy

 

[bookerfan66]

Green
Diallo
Knox
Washington
Richards
6th man SKJ/WG

What about Vanderbilt?

 

[Rupp'sRunt]

What about Vanderbilt?

It's late. We're good, guess Vanderbilt is the 6th man in my book

 

[mebeblue2]

SKJ has a lot of skill and the talk around him has been pretty good lately. At least early I think its:

Green
Knox
Vanderbilt
Washington
SKJ

agreed

we are going to have a lot of mix and match parts
i think we see a lot of combinations throughout the year
but i think that will be the starters

 

[anon_dge1vx8o0wnm7]

Part of me thinks Gabriel and SKJ are both starters to begin the year. Probably not, but hey who knows.

 

[missouriseminole]

Looks like an Elite 8 team at best. Bad on depth, and no elite level freshmen like a Monk or Fox this year.

 

[Ryan Lemonds Diary]

A friend of mine went to the open practice in Memphis during the NCAA tournament and said that SKJ was one of the best players on the floor and he played college ball so he, unlike most of us, knows what he is talking about. He said an older gentleman in front of him turned around once and asked who that kid was, when he told him the guy said that guy is good why doesn't he play? SKJ might be right and people may be sleeping on him. I have no idea but he may not have been playing for other reasons than skill level. For some reason I was thinking he had some health issues during the season that kept him out of games.

 

[C8TS]

Green
Knox
Vanderbilt
Washington
SKJ

 

[RickyAllen19]

Without Diallo:
Green
Knox
Vanderbilt
Gabriel
Washington

Diallo returns:
Green
Diallo
Knox
Washington
SKJ

 

[JoeBeeHall]

im not sure if transfer count by being able to come in with Cal knowing but Cal still raps his class up, i really dont. With the line up i see your point with having experience out there to calm the freshman down....I dunno, i do have a hard time with a lineup without Vandy, and PJ. It will be exciting to find out no matter what though!

Cal is a famous rapper .

 

[G-PIP]

A friend of mine went to the open practice in Memphis during the NCAA tournament and said that SKJ was one of the best players on the floor and he played college ball so he, unlike most of us, knows what he is talking about. He said an older gentleman in front of him turned around once and asked who that SKJ was, when he told him the guy said that kid is good why doesn't he play? SKJ might be right and people may be sleeping on him. I have no idea but he may not have been playing for other reasons than skill level.

Yeah, the actual factors leading to SKJ’s lack of playing time simply aren’t known to us. But, I know it wasn’t because Calipari didn’t like him or doesn’t recognize talent. There were good reasons - whether those were all basketball related or not, I don’t know.

But I did see a huge basketball issue with SKJ before the season even started that I felt like was going to severely limit his playing time. Offensively, to me SKJ was easily the best looking big on UK's roster last preseason. Defensively, however, when I watched him in person, he was absolutely lost on defense. And it certainly didn’t appear to be due to athletic ability or effort. He just looked like he had literally never played defense against another decent Center. I mean he was the worst by far. Again, the effort appeared to be there, but he was an absolute fouling machine like I have never seen before at UK.

 

[Jbapp1978]

Cal is a famous rapper .

Haha dang, wraps duh lol. I dunno sometimes thanks.

 

[kevin823]

Yeah, the actual factors leading to SKJ’s lack of playing time simply aren’t known to us. But, I know it wasn’t because Calipari didn’t like him or doesn’t recognize talent. There were good reasons - whether those were all basketball related or not, I don’t know.

But I did see a huge basketball issue with SKJ before the season even started that I felt like was going to severely limit his playing time. Offensively, to me SKJ was easily the best looking big on UK's roster last preseason. Defensively, however, when I watched him in person, he was absolutely lost on defense. And it certainly didn’t appear to be due to athletic ability or effort. He just looked like he had literally never played defense against another decent Center. I mean he was the worst by far. Again, the effort appeared to be there, but he was an absolute fouling machine like I have never seen before at UK.

This.