Update: back to March 23: Keeping Cal because of the recruiting class is fools gold
- Thread starter DrH. Lecter
- Start date
Agree those guys did little.
Who would you rather have on the floor for next season’s 1st game?
1. Our incoming freshmen class? - (5) 5 Stars with a veteran CCC coaching
Or
2. The 1998 starting 5 - (0) 5 stars with a 1st year coach in Tubby Smith
The less talented 1998 team would demolish next years team either in the first game of the season or the last game. Experience, more strength, and playing together for a few years would be the reason.
I am not advocating that you do not need talent to win and not belittling these kids coming to UK, I wish them much success!
Same old hype every year , how great are freshman class is lol. Same old story
I think the death-spiral was worsened by being so gradual. A slow descent from 2016 to 2020 (with a outlier bump in 2017) then a sharp descent from 2021 onward. So the descent was largely unnoticed by BBN until the disastrous 2021 season.
I'd rather have juniors and seniors. Not the juniors and seniors Cal built the 22/23 team with, there are better developed upperclassmen than what we have had the last few years.
My issue is, Cal is going to run the same iso and post up offense he has always ran, no matter who he has on his team. Cal is the issue, always has been.
My issue is, Cal is going to run the same iso and post up offense he has always ran, no matter who he has on his team. Cal is the issue, always has been.
What does that have to do with anything being discussed in my post?
I don’t know what qualifies as a disaster at the University of Kentucky for men’s basketball anymore…
1) 9-16 season ( worst season ever in the history of the school).
2) 1st round loss to 15 seeded Peacocks ( worst tournament loss in program history).
3) 2nd round loss to Kansas St the 2nd time we have lost to them in the last 2 out of the last 3 tournaments we participated in.
4) Losing the all time wins lead to Kansas( just last year).
5) UNC over taking us last year for the most NCAA tournament wins.
What did those guys win?
Ulis got to a FF as a backup, but even as good as he was, he never won anything, because Cal's system is shit.
Saw a stat tonight. Of all the elite 8 teams and their starters, only 1 true freshman was starting and 1 redshirt freshman. 28 Seniors starters.
His offense has always been garbage.. back in 2011/12 our fans were so obsessed with the young studs very few acknowledged how great Darius miller was. If not for miller knowing how to manipulate a zone defense, that 12 team loses multiple games early on. Darius was the most complete player , he would be a super star this day n time on UK team
I can't disagree with you. The only time I would take a freshman over a veteran, is if we're talking about Wall, AD, Fox, Bam, Cuz, Randle and/or Towns type guys, if they aren't top shelf, game changing, polished players, they aren't going very far in todays game.
Watching the NCAAT tournament the last few years, it's become very clear to me that you better have a team full of veteran dogs that have developed games and developed bodies.
The thought of HS kids coming in and getting on the same court to compete against the teams we've seen from the sweet 16 and beyond the last several years, is deflating, but, Cal is getting more draft picks, which is what he's really after.
What 40 wins are you referring to? Regular season wins against who? How did those teams do in the tournament? Who did they lose to? Did UK have the most talent? Did they have more talent than the teams they lost to?
KSU only had 2 players when Tang took over this time last season and they sent us home. We would have a better season if Cal takes his recruits and leaves so we can get a real coach in here…FACT!
You keep referring to the 2015 season but keep neglecting to say how we won those 40 straight games in that season...
And yet k-state was sent home by a team that played non-transfers...what is your point
His point is, we're behind everyone with a pulse.
If you see good basketball when you watch a Cal coached team play, well, you don't know what good basketball is.
Eh, I think given the quality of this class, you gotta let him ride it out one more year. If it doesn’t go well then you have as big of a reason to fire him than ever.
What’s new?
Look up disappointed fans in the dictionary and there’s a picture of the stands in Rupp Arena.
I don’t know what people are thinking.
1. Mass exodus
2. Not all of the class will come or play
3. The portal isn’t going to change our team much
4. It will be another short handed roster with open scholarships left lying.
5. We’re gonna be a jump shooting team without long range threats.
6. It might contain 1 special player who can hold it together and get a 4-7 seed. 2nd round exit, sweet 16 maybe, elite 8 possible, probably no final four.
Rinse - repeat.
I'd love for it to happen but the odds are just off the charts at this point.
first, we have to have returning players that were not bench players the year before. A guy getting 2 minutes every other game isn't going to be an immediate impact player. Will Reeves be that guy? Is he the *only* guy?
second, we have to have players that are clearly head and shoulders above all the talent in college basketball -- not just their peers in the freshmen class
Anthony Davis, DeMarcus Cousins, John Wall, Towns - these players were dominant college players...period, there was no caveat.
Does next years team have that kind of makeup? Most people are saying no.
first, we have to have returning players that were not bench players the year before. A guy getting 2 minutes every other game isn't going to be an immediate impact player. Will Reeves be that guy? Is he the *only* guy?
second, we have to have players that are clearly head and shoulders above all the talent in college basketball -- not just their peers in the freshmen class
Anthony Davis, DeMarcus Cousins, John Wall, Towns - these players were dominant college players...period, there was no caveat.
Does next years team have that kind of makeup? Most people are saying no.
You are right about "the men" excluding Oscar. Just as you want truly elite freshmen, you need truly elite veteran players.
The truly elite freshmen after 1 season are going to leave (to NBA or transfer). You may have some that stay in place but with these "handlers" etc, they are going to be advised to leave. If you bring in (5) 5-star freshmen, like we have coming in next season, they are going to be like Wallace and Livingston and go to the NBA, ready or not. I think (4) of our guys will definitely have a foot out the door when they arrive on campus next Fall. Additionally, they have only played against other high school kids in which they excelled. They will face challenges from stronger, more experienced, and players who have experienced up and downs during their college careers.
The veteran players are either going to be transfers or current players on the roster that you recruited knowing they would be at UK for several seasons. The advantage of the transfers would be you can evaluate them on tape playing against other college players. Yes, they were 2-4 stars coming into college but some will have exponentially improved since and they have a track record. Only thing that would concern me is their reasons for transferring from their present school. Have there been problems or are they just looking for a fresh start?
As long as this instant transfer rule is in effect (I hate it personally) I believe that the emphasis on building a roster will shift from recruiting high school primarily to bringing in transfers. An additional benefit is these guys cannot transfer again until they are graduate students, so they are looking to pick the right school and situation. A soph or junior class transfer will be on your roster for 2-3 years giving you more continuity from season to season. You may get a grad transfer like Travis or Sestina that fill a gap for 1 year. You still pursue the OAD or 4 star players just not a large number of them or to the extent that they will be the core of next season's team.
Last edited:
The smart move is to have a balance.
You need some elite level lottery pick OAD players, some Freshmen who will return, some returning players (that have or should be able to contribute), and then fill in the blanks with transfers.
That is how I would attempt to put together a team.
23-10. Sad. Who knows how differently things could’ve been had Cal made necessary lineup adjustments and prepared the team for our opponents….
Not being smart, but how do you propose this happening?
You used the word "fools gold" and it's fools gold that's the constraint in this whole mess.
Why was this contract structured in such a way that makes it so iron clad?
