Yeah he’s good at retaining the poor and mediocre guys. Wheeler, Ware, Toppin, Collins. And I’ll keep going on record to say that if he retains Reeves - to be a big minute starter - it will be another bad move.
This season was lost the moment Cal didn't attempt to bring Ty Ty back.
- Thread starter Son_Of_Saul
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He needs to be a pick and pop big not down low battling it out with big guys. Collins will be a good small ball five at a smaller school
I just have no idea how guys like Ware, Toppin, and Collins make their way to a UK roster. Goes for Wheeler and Reeves too. That’s a roster built for Western, KY to have a good year, not Kentucky in the SEC.
I’ve thought for years - he doesn’t evaluate unless it’s specific for some reason. Most of these players are just throwing darts to a 5 star list. No way you study Collins effectiveness at UK and scout, and it says yes, sign him. Collins is a mid major project. Maybe a guy who sits on UK’s bench for 2-3 years and toughs it out to get minutes as a senior. Nothing more.
Calipari was allowing Collins to put his back to the basket today and had offense running through him. Imagine that. Worst coaching I’ve ever seen.
Collins has skill. He’s not a complete stiff. I haven’t given up on him.
Yeah TyTy woulda benefitted from returning but cal wanted wheeler for whatever reason. The other issue is cal is completely opposed to depth. He’s gotta fill out that roster with guys who can play. It shouldn’t be hard at UK. He sold it before in 2015 but ratface cursed him.
That’s what I’m saying, he’s not a dude that is gonna make a difference in big time basketball and he doesn’t have the frame or skills to play Cal ball, that’s for sure.
Reeves is good, I know he suckers today, but he is good if he is your third scoring option or a 6th man. But the others I agree I have no idea how they are on the roster. Toppin you can maybe convince me, but he shouldn’t be a major starter he is a 7th man
A school like furman or something similar to that situation would be good for him
I just don’t see it. Like I said maybe as a senior project, but he just doesn’t have any basketball skills. He’s weak, can’t shoot, can’t dribble, doesn’t appear to be high court IQ, what exactly is he?
At Kentucky you should be able to play basketball.
Maybe as a project for senior year I guess, but to
Me we have too many guys (not their fault) that are equipped for a program like Western not UK.
And I’m not slamming these guys. They’re doing what they can and Calipari doesn’t utilize them correctly, but wouldn’t you rather have guys like Flopkowski or Dick?
Those players all made/make a lot of money playing professional basketball. 🤷🏾♂️
Agree. I will say that damn it was nice to see a guy attempt to block a shot today even if it was called a goal tend. This team needed a rim defender BAD.
You may be right, but I’m not sure Reeves comes because we have Fredrick and his reputation. Similarly, I am not sure Livingston comes if Hopkins returns.
Not making judgments about who’s better, I just feel the kids are all making moves in anticipation of where they feel they can get the most minutes. They all want to play.
Just like in the postgame presser today, Cal SURE sounded like he was PUSHING all of the SR's out the door. He said he didn't expect ANY of them to return.
Now he is not only pushing One-and-Done kids out, he's also pushing our AA NPOY out!!!
I will say that I would suspect that TyTy would have been a HARD sell to return for a Soph season, especially after his injury. It would have helped him and UK both, but like Wallace this year, TyTy was READY to leave the MOMENT he arrived at UK.
Now he is not only pushing One-and-Done kids out, he's also pushing our AA NPOY out!!!
I will say that I would suspect that TyTy would have been a HARD sell to return for a Soph season, especially after his injury. It would have helped him and UK both, but like Wallace this year, TyTy was READY to leave the MOMENT he arrived at UK.
Wheeler was the black hole spot on the roster. Any solid PG in the portal would have lifted this team up tremendously. Sadly out of the top ones we probably could have landed most. But instead we just went without after Wheels quit.
Before the sharpe fiasco and the Ty Ty injury Kentucky beat the two teams who played for the national championship by like 60 points.
Not sure if that qualifies as world beaters but gotta figure he would be even better this season.
Unfortunately all the eggs were in the wheeler basket.
They already have one foot out the door before they get here. Wallace played hard while injured. You could see the brace on his knee underneath that stocking. But he all but said he was gone in that preseason interview.
Not having anyone in front of them guarantees playing time but also means no development of the bench.
Livingston signed an LOI before Hopkins ever played a game at UK.
I agree with TyTy being next to impossible to convince to return.
He actually fell on draft night. I'm sure he was convinced he was middle of first pick when he declared.
Of all the guys you mentioned, Teague was Calipari's best ball handler. He could have dribbled better blindfolded compared to the Harrison twins.
I think of all the players Calipari has recruited the last 14 years and some fans, especially our rivals think we're being to harsh on Calipari. I differ because we should have had at least 3 titles under Cal.
As much as I dislike Williams or Coach K, I wonder if they would have won more than Calipari. I'm not trying to start any argument here, but just something I thought of just now.
1. Are you who you say you are?
2. Do you have any other accounts?
3. Was your pray post the other day meant to be a signal to me?
It seems to me that guys leave because thats what Cal is selling when he recruits them. That's his pitch, come to Kentucky for a year and I'll get you to the NBA.Its what he sells. He doesn't sell them on playing for UK or winning a title, it's just a 1 year way station till they can go to the league. That's why he tells them all to go ready or not because his entire recruiting pitch collapses if he doesn't It's why I hate him as our coach and why I believe he will NEVER win big here again, it simply isn't his main goal. He has TOLD US THIS many times, and is to Barnhart and UKs eternal shame that he has been allowed to do it for so long.
If he doesn't hang it up next year and we have another poor season UK is going to have to negotiate something. Whether it is a deferred payout or reduced bulk sum. They will have to settle for a lesser known coach or up and comer at that point.
It is a mess. Mitch should be fired first- like now.
Yet Oubre was OAD at Kansas after a less than stellar year.
I think pops was FOS, he was all in on his son being OAD.
Kinda like a sure fire OAD going to Duke and his parents talking about the stellar academics.
Maybe. But they also should've taken into account that CJ is always hurt and maybe UK needs to fill all their scholarships?
Do what?
We had 2 un used schollies. Plus even if Wheeler didn't crash and burn (as many called out would happen)...you need a viable backup PG and Wallace who was the starting SG was never a good idea.
THere was plenty of room for TyTy back. And if it pissed off Wheeler so be it.
Absolutely 💯. For all the talk about guys obtaining that second contract in the league things don't line up.
Heck for me the writing was on the wall his very first season when Jodie Meeks left. Imagine his shooting to go along with that team. As you pointed out, the list just goes on and on.
Cal's next item up on the key talking points of deflection- Upgrading facilities.
You’re kidding right? Tyty made 4.5 million signing bonus and over 11 million guaranteed over 4 years. A lot of players play in the g league their first few years. Why would any coach try to “convince “ someone to come back when the kid is making that much money . Not that he could’ve convinced him anyways.
It all starts with what he sells and promises and the mindset of kids that attracts.
John Calipari is now more concerned about getting his recruits into the NBA than building a winning championship level team. He achieved his goal of winning a NC. Now, he appears to be focused on getting as many of his players into the NBA as possible. He has gone from being a winning college coach to being a personal guide and NBA agent for his players.
Time for him to get back to being the coach he was hired to be. If next years team flames out in the NCAA again, Barnhart needs to fire Calipari on breach of contract.
He has ceased being the UK coach at this point and is now an agent for his players which is antithetical to what he signed on to do.
Time for him to get back to being the coach he was hired to be. If next years team flames out in the NCAA again, Barnhart needs to fire Calipari on breach of contract.
He has ceased being the UK coach at this point and is now an agent for his players which is antithetical to what he signed on to do.
While I agree that we could’ve used TyTy and other guys on this list in other seasons, this season ended when Cal let Sharpe chill on the bench last year and then leave instead of being here this year to play. If Sharpe was here, Wallace would’ve been able to play point the whole year and Sharpe would’ve been the type of top player we were missing.. the John wall type. Instead we struggled to score all year long. We were never going to have some great year without sharpe being in the plans. We tried to convince ourselves otherwise as fans but it’s the truth.
You are correct. Livingston signed before Hopkins left. Thanks for the correction.
I knew someone would posit the whole "take the money when it's there" contrarian routine.
You realize that lottery picks from last signed for anywhere between $51 million to $19 million?
Ty Ty is only guaranteed that money for the first two years. The club has an option after year two, at which point they can offer him a buyout for a fraction of his "guaranteed" money.
Bottom line, he comes back and he's making double the guaranteed money. You may not see the worth there, but I guarantee you guys like Marquis Teague and Dakari Johnson now do.
