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Top 5 best UK players during the calipari era?

screwduke

Junior
Mar 23, 2015
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1. Anthony Davis
2. John Wall
3. Nerlens Noel
4. KAT
5.Terrance Jones

What's your top 5?
 
1)AD
2)Wall
3)KAT
4)Cousins
5)Randle

Just can't convince myself to put Cousins over Karl.

I also struggled with the 5th spot. Came down to Knight, Randle, MKG.
 
I'm not so sure you can really name a top FIVE. 1 and 2 go to AD and Wall, I think - but after that it's malleable. You also have to decide on your criteria for best - does it have to include the NC? Or the group that put UK back on the map? Or what about the ones who have represented Kentucky well in the NBA?

We have had players on each team in the Cal era that could be considered in the top - regardless of how the seasons turned out.
 
1)AD
2)Wall
3)KAT
4)Cousins
5)Randle

Just can't convince myself to put Cousins over Karl.

I also struggled with the 5th spot. Came down to Knight, Randle, MKG.
Based on pro potential I agree. But Cuz was just an absolute nightmare underneath in college, more unstoppable than even Karl. He was 2010's version of Jahlil Okafor. I always felt if you didn't have the "character issues" he may have gone right after Wall.

I go
1. Davis
2. Wall
3. Cousins
4. Towns
5. Noel

5 was tough. Knight, Jones, and MKG all make a case. But when Noel was on the floor, he was always the best player. With him I think we were looking at a 5-6 seed in the tournament. 17-6 and won 5 in a row when he went down. Without him we finished 4-6 and miss the tournament.
 
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1. Davis
2. Wall
3. Cousins
4. Towns
5. Jones Go watch the 2012 NCAAT he was a monster in that run,,
6 Knight/Noel
I think the list after the season will have Skal on it..
No way Bledsoe is top 5
 
1. Davis
2. Wall
3. Cousins
4. Knight
5. Randle
6. Towns

Davis, Wall, and Cousins should be the easy 1-3. Then I just picked the best players on the teams that made it deep in the tournament.
 
I have a different take as I think both wall and Cousins had better UK careers than Davis although I like Davis
more.

Cousins
Wall
Davis
KAT
Jones (two years got him extra points for me) Would have gone Knight if not.
 
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AD
Wall
Cousins
Jones
MKG

I think Jones is the most underrated player if the Cal era. MKG is one of the top 3 perimeter forwards we've ever had, imho.
 
Anthony Davis
John Wall
Demarcus Cousins
Brandon Knight
Doron Lamb

It's not easy to make this list with so many great players to choose from.
 
1. AD
2. John Wall
3. Boogie
4. KAT
5. MKG

Not knocking any of the others because they were some great ones!

My 2nd list:
1. B. Knight
2. T. Jones
3. Bledsoe
4. Noel
5. Randle
 
The first 3 (Wall, Cousins, Davis) are easy for me. I have a hard time picking 4 and 5.

So my personal preference would be
1. Wall
2. AD
3. Cousins
4. Knight
5. MKG
 
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Cousins and Towns weren't particularly close as college contributors IMO.

Karl was nasty by the end, but I'd still take March Cuz over March Karl, and October Cuz >>>>>> October Karl.

per 40:
Cuz: 25.8 and 16.8
Towns: 19.5 and 12.7

Towns significantly better on blocks and slightly better on assists, Cuz significantly better on steals, both shot the same FG% and the same number of fouls (this surprised me - I thought Cuz fouled more for sure).

Cuz was just as dominant on that '10 team as Wall was. Wall got all the hype, but Cuz had one of the best per-minute seasons of any big in CBB history - he'd have been Beasley-esque if he didn't have to share a backcourt with Pat - he just had too much foul trouble (but again, not more than Karl).

So to me, it's

1. Davis
-
2. 3. Wall/Cousins in some order
-
4. 5. Towns/Knight in some order, but I could also see arguments for MKG, Jones, Randle, Willie, Noel
 
Cousins was the best player in the nation the year he played. Yes. Better than wall.
IMO it was a 3 horse race between Cousins, Wall, and Evan Turner.

Sadly, Cousins didn't get his proper consideration for it because Wall was such a media star.
 
1. AD (there is no other answer)
2. Wall (how did they not win a title!?)
3. Cousins (foul trouble took him down a notch, but HOW DID THEY NOT WIN!?)
4. KAT (came late, but came hard)
5. Knight (final four baby)

6. Randle (final four baby)
7. Noel (always gave 110%)
8. Terrence Jones (we don't win without him playing hard on defense)
9. Doron Lamb (50% on threes)
10. Willie Cauley-Stein (final four baby)
 
Actually, I think this is kind of easy. he's had many really good players, and 5 that separated themselves.

Davis #1
Wall #1
Cousins #5
MKG #2
KAT #1

all top 5 draft picks. those are the superstars. there are other good ones - Jones, Nerlens, Knight, etc. - who might even become better pros than the first 5. but those are the superstars....
 
Davis
Wall
Cousins
Bledsoe
Kidd-Gilchrist

We could all get into a real argument over which criteria should be used and who best met those criteria. Heck, I argued with myself about the top five. I picked five I'd start.

Tough task.
 
I have a different take as I think both wall and Cousins had better UK careers than Davis although I like Davis
more.

Cousins
Wall
Davis
KAT
Jones (two years got him extra points for me) Would have gone Knight if now.
How in the world do you think that?
 
How on earth could anyone leave Cousins and MKG out of the first 5?!

1. Anthony Davis
2. John Wall
3. DeMarcus Cousins
4. MKG
5. KAT
 
1 - Davis
2 - Wall
3 - Cousins
4 - Towns
5 - Randle

I believe Randle was an insane talent. I just don't think Cal ever really fully figured out how to use him effectively. Plus, he always drew a double.
 
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