Cal did the best he could for Livingston. He wasn’t going to stay in college regardless of who the coach was. His crew wanted a deal.
Wagner Returning For Year 3
- Thread starter ukbb2003
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This was one of the problems with Cal toward the end though… he recruited — or let his assistants recruit — whatever highly ranked kids he could get, whether they were a fit for the program or not. We got one ho-hum year out of Livingston, in which his agency demanded that he play a position that wasn’t in UK’s best interest. Then he bailed to be a very late second round pick. So yeah, you could say Cal did the best he could… for the kid. But doing the best he could for UK would have probably meant not signing the kid to begin with.
As far as others, like Hagans, Montgomery, Gabriel, etc., I think Cal was afraid to be honest with those players about the fact that they needed additional time in college. He felt it would hurt him on the recruiting trail. He put all his eggs in the “express lane to the league” basket, and backed himself into a corner. So to answer the question, no I don’t think he pushed those guys out the door, but I don’t think he encouraged them to stay and develop either.
I don't agree. DJ is a totally different situation because of the relationship Cal has with DJ's father. Also, DJ's father and Cal know DJ isn't close to being ready for the NBA and his father won't allow Cal to shove DJ to the NBA. Unfortunately, it doesn't appear that DJ's father is smart enough to realize the damage Cal has done, is doing, and will continuing doing to DJ. TOTALLY DIFFERENT SITUTION!! This is why it didn't happen before DJ and it isn't likely to happen again unless Cal starts valuing portal players more than 5-star players.
The entire recruiting pitch was NBA NBA NBA so it attracted and drew kids whose primary focus was….NBA. Never about fit, the system fitting them, their role, the university of Kentucky, winning, etc. It was just the NBA.
If he gets Knox and Richmond back those are two guys he would have probably not retained here based on how they played at the end of the year. Like a Chris Livingston leaving when he had no business doing so. I understand DJ being unique but I still thought he would transfer this year especially with two high profile guards returning.
I saw where they had Wagner the 19th best SG and Oweh was 23rd ranked. I don’t think I would trade them for each other, nobody would except Cal. Richmond is already back for more chicken money.
Livingston was on draft boards though. Like all season. You keep saying guys were pushed out and whatnot but give zero cases where they were definitely not getting drafted. I just don’t agree with that. Why? Because it didn’t happen. What I can get on board with is DJ not nearly living up to the hype. I can also buy Cal trying to work that deal to get him drafted but legitimately no NBA team taking him up on it.
You are not considering the impact of NIL. NIL has made it easier for marginal players to remain in college because they can make decent money. Many of these guys are making more money in colege than they would as second round NBA players.
There is not a doubt in my mind that Cal was making his players think they should declare for the draft. Cal needed those guys to leave to further promote his one-and-done strategy and to make room from the new class of freshmen. Surely you don't think it was just a coincidence that UK faced the problem more so than any other college program. It clearly understood that if you stated longer than a single season at One-And-Done University you were a failure.
Cal definitely pushed out guys going in the lottery .
The guys that left and went in the second round I don’t think he pushed out . I don’t even think he pushed out some of the guys that went late first .
The guys that left and went in the second round I don’t think he pushed out . I don’t even think he pushed out some of the guys that went late first .
