This was a #1 recruiting class

[Untouchables22]

and we are 5-11. Why?

Because Oklahoma State employs Cade Cunningham’s brother and we don’t.

There is a much more nuanced answer about how the lack of practice time this summer crushed all the young teams around the county and favored older teams that have continuity of playing together previously (it’s not just UK). And almost the entire team outside Mintz and maybe Brooks has underperformed relative to there talent. (With Sarr, Boston, Clarke, & Askew being the main culprits) But the main inflection point that got us here was Cunningham picking OK State over us coupled with Cal’s poor roster management and failure to retain multi-year non 1st round draft pick players on the roster to supplement the green freshmen.

 

[Bigblueamdyou]

All that so called talent, and we are 5-11.
Does Kenny Payne play a part of this?

No

 

[Bigblueamdyou]

Our pg play has been our biggest down fall

 

[Ron Mehico]

Would we have been number 1 without Clarke, who hasn’t played?

 

[cornbreadnmilk]

Would we have been number 1 without Clarke, who hasn’t played?

We still sucked when Clarke played.

 

[Bigblueamdyou]

We still sucked when Clarke played.

Just my opinion if Clarke would haven’t got hurt I think we could have won a few more games but that’s about it.

 

[germuk]

Missing out on a better point guard and Askew being rated higher then he should have has really hurt this team. Its not Askew’s fault for what he was rated coming out of high school and I think that he has potential to be a good point guard. He just wasn’t ready to be the top pg yet and it sucks that he has to be in that position right now. Cals never been a strong coach offensively, and his style of play relies more on playing tough defense. Honestly, Cal needs to adapt offensively going forward and we should all agree on that. If he wants to run a NBA farm league then he needs to run more of an NBA offense. Eventually, opposing coaches are going to use our style of play as a way to hurt us in recruiting.

This. Cade would have this team looking completely different, but it’s easy to say that with how he’s playing at OSU, and who knows if he would be given free reign here like he has there. If you can’t run a decent offense without an elite PG, it’s time to make some changes because elite PGs don’t grow on trees.

 

[megablue]

Cal and his staff done a piss poor job putting a roster together, they’ve done a crappy job last 5 years. Mitch giving Cal a lifetime extension was a terrible knee jerk decision, Cal has became complacent! This year has been hard to watch and next year won’t be any easier poor recruiting with No impact players coming in will lead to another down year.

I agree. This is a poorly-constructed roster.

 

[Blueathletics]

Next year start from scratch again like every year. And Cal will hit us with the “my team is young we are getting better blah blah.

--It's a process

--They're barely 18

 

[UK90]

and we are 5-11. Why?

Number one rated recruiting class AND the number one rated transfer. Who imagined this?

 

[chevyman 50]

This class was very overrated, and so is our coach.

 

[reggis1]

I would like to know who scouted these players for uk

 

[Madcat62]

and we are 5-11. Why?

my question is when did they start ranking them on nba potential solely
over the last 50+ years i have seen a lot of great collage players that didn't
last in the nba.

 

[Kyhoward]

I agree. This is a poorly-constructed roster.

One and done - You need a balanced roster, freshmen thru seniors. A roster of freshman and first year players in the program (Saar and Mintz) regardless of how many stars are next to their name cannot be expected to defeat a team with a veteran and maybe less talented roster. Our team this year is not only new to college basketball but also to each other.

 

[Kyhoward]

One and done - You need a balanced roster, freshmen thru seniors. A roster of freshman and first year players in the program (Saar and Mintz) regardless of how many stars are next to their name cannot be expected to defeat a team with a veteran and maybe less talented roster. Our team this year is not only new to college basketball but also to each other.

. Type of skills recruited - Cal recruits athletes with a prerequisite on “long”. Need to recruit basketball players who have the individual skills but also basketball IQ. Names that come to mind include Ulis, Quickley, the Unfogettables, Sheppard, Scott Padgett, Chuck Hayes, Kyle Macy, Roger Harden etc. It is wonderful when you can get players like Mashburn and Davis who are great atheletes but also skilled basketball players but they are few and far between. Maybe you recruit a player who has a predominant skill like Cameron Mills (shooter), a shot blocker/rebounder like Isaiah Jackson who may develop his offensive skills in time, a shut down defender like Gilchrist who did not have much of an offensive game, but without him in 2012, we don’t win the championship.

 

[kywildcat41086]

Next year start from scratch again like every year. And Cal will hit us with the “my team is young we are getting better blah blah.

I know it's the same worn out stupid phrases/excuses he uses every year I'm so damn sick of it I just want him gone

 

[DeerTurkHunter1]

and we are 5-11. Why?

Just think, if it were the #2 recruiting class, we'd be 4-12 or worse. Always a bright side, haha.

 

[DeerTurkHunter1]

. Type of skills recruited - Cal recruits athletes with a prerequisite on “long”. Need to recruit basketball players who have the individual skills but also basketball IQ. Names that come to mind include Ulis, Quickley, the Unfogettables, Sheppard, Scott Padgett, Chuck Hayes, Kyle Macy, Roger Harden etc. It is wonderful when you can get players like Mashburn and Davis who are great atheletes but also skilled basketball players but they are few and far between. Maybe you recruit a player who has a predominant skill like Cameron Mills (shooter), a shot blocker/rebounder like Isaiah Jackson who may develop his offensive skills in time, a shut down defender like Gilchrist who did not have much of an offensive game, but without him in 2012, we don’t win the championship.

Gilchrist was also the best I've ever seen at UK in the open floor, on the break.

 

[DeerTurkHunter1]

The “#1 recruiting class” doesn’t mean much really. I mean yeah if we had a coach who actually coached and had an offense we would be better but the only reason we are #1 is because of the sheer volume. Cal these days just casts out a wide ass net and scoops up as many 2nd tier 5 stars and 4 stars/ transfers as he can without really recruiting based on needs or to field a TEAM. He has absolutely zero cohesive offense so he just scoops up a bunch of 10-40 ranked players and hopes they can out- athlete the other team. Unfortunately when he’s not getting the Walls, AD, KATS, Cousins, Knights etc along with multiple returning and serviceable veterans he can’t win.

Great observation. Don't get good players = Don't win. That's a concept that's new. Dang, wish I had thought of that first.

 

[the nail at the foul line]

Gilchrist was also the best I've ever seen at UK in the open floor, on the break.

Derek Anderson and Ron Mercer say hello. Cal has never had a player get in the open court.

 

[Whoppercat]

Number one rated recruiting class AND the number one rated transfer.

This is worth repeating and emphasizing.

 

[kyjeff1]

The “#1 recruiting class” doesn’t mean much really. I mean yeah if we had a coach who actually coached and had an offense we would be better but the only reason we are #1 is because of the sheer volume. Cal these days just casts out a wide ass net and scoops up as many 2nd tier 5 stars and 4 stars/ transfers as he can without really recruiting based on needs or to field a TEAM. He has absolutely zero cohesive offense so he just scoops up a bunch of 10-40 ranked players and hopes they can out- athlete the other team. Unfortunately when he’s not getting the Walls, AD, KATS, Cousins, Knights etc along with multiple returning and serviceable veterans he can’t win.

This is the correct answer. Very well stated. When you have to recruit an entire roster, you’re easily going to be in the top 3 in the recruiting rankings even if you land a few 4* kids. Nobody else needs that many players.

Cal offers almost every kid in the top 25 (casts a wide net as you said) and some will bite, afterall, this is Kentucky.

Baylor, Michigan, Gonzaga, Iowa, Villanova, Florida State, Texas, Texas Tech etc… dont care about recruiting rankings, they care about winning titles, they care about building veteran rosters with kids that play for the name on their chest.

People need to realize, these recruiting services rank the top 10-15 kids based on their nba potential (length and athleticism) and they put the most developed ones (body & skill) in the top 3-5 depending on class depth. So if you don’t get any of those top 3-5 kids, you are in trouble.

If your best recruit is outside that top 5, you’re getting a kid that is a project and is gone after 1 season, regardless of what he does or doesn't accomplish.

If that kid is also supposed to be your best player, you're in deep shit and I don’t make much beyond the the money Cal has in the center console of his BMW, but I realized this shit a long time ago. If he didn't, well, he ain’t worthy of this job, if he did know it, then it tells me he doesn't care about winning games, he only cares about draft picks.

 

[DeerTurkHunter1]

Derek Anderson and Ron Mercer say hello. Cal has never had a player get in the open court.

Yep, Anderson and Mercer were great. Pretty true about Cal and the open court too lol.

 

[Disappointed Cat]

I think that is our main problem. Askew wasn’t ready to be the main point guard yet. He will be really good if he will stay long enough, IMO

He don't have 10 years of eligibility left!!!

 

[FrankUnderwood]

Because Oklahoma State employs Cade Cunningham’s brother and we don’t.

There is a much more nuanced answer about how the lack of practice time this summer crushed all the young teams around the county and favored older teams that have continuity of playing together previously (it’s not just UK). And almost the entire team outside Mintz and maybe Brooks has underperformed relative to there talent. (With Sarr, Boston, Clarke, & Askew being the main culprits) But the main inflection point that got us here was Cunningham picking OK State over us coupled with Cal’s poor roster management and failure to retain multi-year non 1st round draft pick players on the roster to supplement the green freshmen.

this sounds like a great big ball of excuses. It sounds that way because it is.

Excuses.

 

[FrankUnderwood]

Would we have been number 1 without Clarke, who hasn’t played?

We started the season 1-6 which is the worst a century even with Clark playing, so...

 

[KyFaninNC]

Gilchrist was also the best I've ever seen at UK in the open floor, on the break.

When did you start watching UK basketball? Had to be when Cal got here, because that is dumbest thing I have read on here in a long time.

 

[Ron Mehico]

When did you start watching UK basketball? Had to be when Cal got here, because that is dumbest thing I have read on here in a long time.

Who you got? He’s the best I’ve seen in my 22 years of watching. Literally an automatic layup, he would never miss.

 

[Lempface]

It's a combo of a lot of things. Completely new roster, only carry over injured. No summer practice, no exhibition games. Got in a spiral early, confidence tanked. Players frustrated never being in this spot before causing turmoil. No fans to give them any boost at all. Covid protocols taking young kids first time on their own into uncharted territory with minimal contact with old friends/family to ensure they don't get sick and miss games.

I think in a normal year the record would be vastly different.

 

[jace2012]

and we are 5-11. Why?

Watch Jai Lucas presser from yesterday and you will know why and it’s been posted I’m guessing a thousand times on this board but some are to hard headed or just do not want to believe it. And they want Calipari gone from the start. There is your answer

 

[track42]

Watch Jai Lucas presser from yesterday and you will know why and it’s been posted I’m guessing a thousand times on this board but some are to hard headed or just do not want to believe it. And they want Calipari gone from the start. There is your answer

None of it is Cal's fault of course.

 

[AzubuikeandFitch]

It shows that Cal does not just roll the ball out. Cal does an amazing job of taking one and dones and turning them into a very good team every year (not saying that is the best approach). But if you do not have a summer or fall to practice and gel they are not very good. So when he has the chance to coach them he does a great job of turning them into a team. Once again, that may not be the best way to coach or what we want at Kentucky but he does what he does well when he gets the chance.

I think it's just the opposite. Cal seems to yields better results when he doesn't over coach or muck up the flow of a game. Even with the lead coaching dominant teams he takes the air outta the ball. His teams seem to play not to lose rather than to win. Just roll the ball out.

 

[KyFaninNC]

Who you got? He’s the best I’ve seen in my 22 years of watching. Literally an automatic layup, he would never miss.

James Lee
Winston Bennett
Jeff Shepherd
Kenny Walker
Kyle Macy
Tony Delk
Larry Conely
Mike Pratt

I could go on and on.

UK basketball didn’t just start 22 years ago

 

[HagginHall1999]

Quit trying to steal my joy OP. My heart is already gone, not my joy too.

 

[Ron Mehico]

James Lee
Winston Bennett
Jeff Shepherd
Kenny Walker
Kyle Macy
Tony Delk
Larry Conely
Mike Pratt

I could go on and on.

UK basketball didn’t just start 22 years ago

No shit it didn’t start 22 years ago, why the hell do you just argue all the time? Was just sharing my experience of who’s best in my short time watching and was curious from your perspective. Thanks for sharing either way.

 

[AzubuikeandFitch]

Combination of the top guys being overrated and the class missing valuable pieces (ie a PG) and then throw in the lack of prep time with a young team and you get a team with no confidence that underperforms.

It was the beginning of the end when the staff missed out with Cade, Shariffe, and Suggs. Cal has been forced to recruit high school juniors to keep his recruiting rank near the top. Reclassifications at PG don't seem to be a good idea.

 

[jace2012]

None of it is Cal's fault of course.

Roster management is his fault but not worth firing him since it can be fixed next year. Everyday it’s the same post complaining over the same thing. Cal is going to be here at least another year so to the ones complaining, you may want to find a winter hobby till he decides to hang it up.

 

[DeerTurkHunter1]

When did you start watching UK basketball? Had to be when Cal got here, because that is dumbest thing I have read on here in a long time.

You know NOTHING about basketball if you didn’t see that. Makes us set here and laugh. You have no clue lol. I started watching in the early 80’s by the way. In the King Rex days, little before

 

[HenryMuto]

Apparently the ability to hit a jump shot is no longer part of the recruiting process.