Swanigan ... Hearing good things
- Thread starter C8TS
- Start date
In what world? LOL! I live on Earth. I hate having to elaborate on this kind of thing, because it requires specifics about limitations of 1 of our players. I don't like to do that. But some people see 5 stars, and that's the end of their assessment. Marcus Lee is a Wildcat. He is a great young man who gets better every year as a basketball player. I am glad Lee is on our team. But it must be clear to most people by now that Lee is basically a 1 tool type of player at this level. He has long arms and exceptional leaping ability, which is why he is an excellent shot blocker and rebounder. But after 2 college seasons, Lee has no scoring skills whatsoever outside of dunks and offensive rebounding. He has no jump shot, no hook shot. He can't create his own shot unless he dunks off a lob pass. He shoots 40% from the free throw line. He has skinny legs, so he gets pushed around in the post by stronger players. That's why he is so foul prone. Lee is the kind of player who looks very promising when he plays on a deep team like last year's team, where his weaknesses can be hidden by situational substitution. Calipari is a master at this. If Lee had to play 30 minutes in a starting role, his limitations would be exposed. Swanigan is a much more skilled player than Lee. Although Swanigan will never have Lee's leaping ability, Swanigan is a better rebounder and a much better scorer. If you can't see that, maybe you watched Swanigan in 1 ASG and formed your opinion on only that basis. I don't know anything about Swanigan's idiosyncrasies, but he is 1 of the better post players Calipari has recruited in recent years. Sort of a smaller version of DeMarcus Cousins. I would take Swanigan over Zimmerman in a heartbeat.
The talk shows in Indianapolis and ESPN say it is Purdue! He likes attention from all the major schools, but he could only play for one. lololololoololololololololololololoolollo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Purdue is filled up with him and are holding a recruit back for him. lolololololoololololoolololol
Lee is a high motor athlete with decent shot-blocking ability. love the guy but he is a role player at UK. Do not care about how many stars he has. I'll be shocked if he is not a 4 year guy AND be shocked if he gets drafted in 1st rd.
Some people read too much instead of using the eye test.
Some people read too much instead of using the eye test.
The talk shows in Indianapolis and ESPN say he is going to Purdue. He loves attention from the majors schools. lolololoolololololololol!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Purdue is loaded and filled up with him and are holding back a recruit for him.
Except I really thought we were going to get Brown the last day or so of his recruitment. I have no expectations of Swanigan.
I meant that he wouldn't start at Kentucky because he needs work. "At the D1 level anywhere" was definitely hyperbole. I should have said "at the high D1 level," and I stand by that.
But as I said, I haven't seen a whole lot so I may be wrong. As others have pointed out, Marcus Lee needs a lot of work too.
But to me the whole discussion is "stupid." Way (way, way) too much is made on this forum about starting.
The truth is that we need somebody like Swanigan. Badly. Whether he starts, whether he plays a role, whether he just comes along slowly as a bit player--we need him. This team needs bodies in the worst way.
In that context Swanigan is necessary. But my over-arching point was simply that I don't think this is a guy who's going to roll in and start laying down 30+ minutes per. From the little I've seen, he's not that sort of player.
His comment wasn't clear and was misunderstood.
I guess my comment was as well.
The point is, at some places, 5-stars do not automatically start.
I guess he should have said, "outside of the blueblood programs, a 5-star will start for any school."
I think I should have just kept it at Kentucky and any program with some talent in place in the frontcourt. I don't see Swanigan starting over Poythress or even Lee, but as other posters have pointed out Lee needs to be in the gym virtually all summer to be in any way a breakout player.
At this point though I want options. Kentucky doesn't have enough options so our margin for error is going to be basically infinitesimal.
Well luckily for us, Lee said he hasn't left the gym since the final four. I truly believe that both he and Poythress will have terrific seasons. That said, there are other options at the 4. We could use Willis as long as he plays like he did in the Bahamas, or we could even go kinda small and use Charles Matthews or Mychal Mulder in the way that Duke used Winslow at the 4 last year, or like UK used MKG on occasions in 2012 (Only when it's necessary or convenient though).
Can't see us going that small. Winslow was 6'7 and strong. We don't have a guy like that.
But 80 minutes at the 4 and 5 spots split among three guys comes out to be between 25-30 minutes per game each.
No reason to think we need a lot of minutes from Willis or anyone else unless there is an injury or major foul trouble.
Swanigan would easily start ahead of Lee. Predicting how Poythress will play next November and December is difficult at this point because of the health X factor.
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First off I didn't mean to offend you in any way I just hit the quote button by mistake on this thread. Your post stands I apologize for my mistake. I can however confirm I don't think Lee will be a lottery pick next year either!
So you've already given up on Lee improving at all? After 2 years and limited playing time, you think you've seen all that Lee has to offer? I disagree.
You specifically said Swanigan has higher upside, which I can't agree with at all. While Swanigan is a much more skilled player at this point than Lee, his upside is similar to that of a Jarnell Stokes - shorter, big-bodied post players with very good rebounding abilities. Lee, on the other hand, is a long, freakish athlete that lacks offensive basketball skills. If he improves simple things (free throws, post moves), he will be highly coveted by almost every NBA team.
Lee is similar to WCS in a lot of ways. Both grew up playing other sports and they both are freakish athletes. WCS has improved, especially in his Junior year, so to think Lee can't is kind of silly. Remember, Lee has been on stacked rosters where his role was probably to provide energy, rebounding and defense while in the game.
I hope we land Swanigan and appreciate c8ts for sticking his neck on the line again. Like it or not he did tell us (through this same source) we most likely wouldn't land any of the remaining recruits and he was right. This Swanigan situation is an odd deal, but I don't see why we couldn't get him.
On another note, a lot of ppl in this thread are forgetting how crucial Lee and Poy were in our '14 run to the title game. NBA aside we don't get to the title game without those two. Even if we don't get Swanigan, I don't see why those two couldn't help lead us back to that point. They have done it before
On another note, a lot of ppl in this thread are forgetting how crucial Lee and Poy were in our '14 run to the title game. NBA aside we don't get to the title game without those two. Even if we don't get Swanigan, I don't see why those two couldn't help lead us back to that point. They have done it before
If he is healthy, I don't see why we would see a lesser version. Be has progressed every year and I see no reason to think he wouldnt next year as long as his knee is healthy, which I'm sure should be unless there has been a setback that we haven't heard. Other than that, I don't see why anyone should expect to see a lesser version of Alex. I'm more excited to see him than I am anyone on the team next year.
Poythress will not play the 3, but if his ball handling and jumpshooting improved (which is virtually all he has been able to work on since late January), it's not a terrible move. If for no other reason, do it because of his size, and defensive capabilities. Before his injury, he was holding his man to 12.8% from the field, which is absolutely insane, considering that he more often than not defended small forwards. Having a PF with his versatility and athleticism is huge.
He may not set the world on fire offensively, but he will produce at least. Where he will set the world on fire at the 3 is defensively. Of course, I'd prefer having him at the 4, never say never.
He may not set the world on fire offensively, but he will produce at least. Where he will set the world on fire at the 3 is defensively. Of course, I'd prefer having him at the 4, never say never.
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anon_9qtxg60vqzy0y
Guest
Easy there wordsmith, we're still trying to wrap our minds around fast paste, pre madonna and goody tssues.
When people begin to lose arguments here, they sometimes twist what the other poster said. Where did I say that Lee cannot improve? Give me a break. I said Lee is an exceptional leaper who has not demonstrated scoring skills in his 2 years at Kentucky. Swanigan has a higher upside than Lee because he is a much stronger player with more elite skills. That doesn't mean Lee is a bad player. But you make it sound like Lee can just get into the gym for a couple of months and come out next November with an effective jump shot. You are saying Lee is similar to WCS, but that shows a blind spot. The only similarity between Lee and WCS is that both are long players who struggle to score. The similarity stops there. If learning to score is so easy, then why didn't WCS? WCS played 26 minutes a game this year. He can guard all 5 positions on the floor effectively, but he is not foul prone. He shot 61% from the free throw line. WCS's weaknesses have already been exposed, and he is about to be a lottery pick. Lee played 11 minutes a game. His weaknesses have largely been hidden by situational substitutions. He often gets pushed off the post by stronger players, and he is very foul prone. He shot 32% from the free throw line. Lee will improve. He is a pretty good player, with certain limitations that require situational substitutions. He is no WCS. You can believe whatever you want. I doubt Swanigan will come to Kentucky. But if Swanigan does, I believe he will play more minutes than Lee next year. Let's just see what happens. Okay?
Mock drafts are very reliable, ask the Harrison's and Cliff Alexander and a ton of others.
If Lee resembles Willie it may not bode well, it may mean he still cannot play a lick of offense outside of put backs without the crazy WCS measurements.
I love Lee's hustle, but the kid has a long way to go before he sees the Lottery.
I heard a radio interview a few days ago about Lee.
They reported that Lee had "lived" in the gym since the final four, said he was working
really hard on his offensive game. Guy also said you could see the difference in his play
already.
Maybe the light came on for him and he has decided to become a better player after all his
teammates went pro and he's still at UK.
They reported that Lee had "lived" in the gym since the final four, said he was working
really hard on his offensive game. Guy also said you could see the difference in his play
already.
Maybe the light came on for him and he has decided to become a better player after all his
teammates went pro and he's still at UK.
Not to diminish your post and I hope Lee improves incredibly over the summer, but we heard the same things about Dakari all last year.
You're right bro, what was I thinking.... He wanted to come here the whole time, that's why he chose MSU? Or wait, now he wants to play at CAL but they have to free up a scholarship and if they do, he goes there. Or there was talk about Purdue because of a certain individual. If that doesn't work out, I guess he can go to UK? Wouldn't that make UK the third option? I played division 1 ball... So as far as that goes, I know a hell of a lot more about recruiting and playing than you..
That's why I had "maybe" in that last line, I too understand that hype doesn't equal play.
I also got the impression that Lee hadn't worked that hard since he has been at UK.
Who knows?
I'll admit that I might have twisted what you said a little, but you did say that Lee was essentially a 1 tool type of player on this level, which means you really don't think he will improve very much. You say that Lee's weaknesses were hidden because he didn't play very much, but I look at it like he hasn't had an opportunity to showcase his skills. Yes, he hasn' t shown much offensive game, but that's probably because that's never been his role. Cal always says people have to buy into their role, which for Lee has been a substitute big to provide defense, rebounding and energy. He's been behind players like WCS, Randle, and KAT (all lottery picks) while competing for minutes with Dakari (another likely first round pick). There just hasn't been enough minutes for him to really get comfortable on the floor.
Look at a player like Harrellson. All he needed was minutes on the floor to show what he was capable of. Lee, more so than most players, needs time on the court to really improve. He hasn't grown up playing basketball. The only way he'll truly improve is to work through his mistakes and find a rhythm, which he's never had the opportunity to do. Cal himself even said people are going to wonder why Lee hasn't played much his first 2 years after seeing him this coming year.
It kills me when people label players after only two years of limited playing time. If this was 20 years ago, Lee would be following the normal course of development for most players, especially bigs. The culture today writes players off after one or two years because we're in the one-and-done world, and players are expected to be ready once they step on campus. That's not the case for a lot of players, and Lee is one of them. What else do you expect from a guy who has limited basketball experience?
While I don't put much stock into mock drafts, seeing someone mentioned in the first round typically means he's very much on the radar of many GMs. It's not like he's unheard of and coming out of nowhere.
While Lee isn't as tall as WCS, he's every bit the freak athlete that WCS is, and maybe even a better one. He has the raw abilities to be great. Whether or not he ends up great depends on how hard he works, but he certainly has the tools.
Lee has some things that DJ would never have and the things that DJ has Lee will be better than. I think he puts up 12 and 8 with about 2 blocks a steal and 1.5 assist.
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anon_9qtxg60vqzy0y
Guest
Act like you know what you're talking about and you'll be taken more seriously. Otherwise, throwing out generic crap makes you look foolish.you just sit at home and continue beating a scab on it broJesus, people can't get on here and throw an opinion out there without some tool getting worked up because it's not what they wanna hear. Sound desperate as hell to me for players to commit..
I'm not really sure why it matters if UK wasn't his first choice? You only want kids who have only wanted to play for UK their whole lives?
As to playing D1, there are a countless number of inarticulate, low IQ, pathetically stupid people who have played D1.
But since you brought it up, who and when did you play?
No offense taken. I was just confused and thought maybe you had thought I had said what I quoted or something. GBB
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