What Has Happened to the Transcendent Player?

[KYtotheCore]

like Wall, Cousins, AD? I can't recall any players that have come and gone to the NBA from any program that just have that gift of greatness like those 3. There's been a lot of players who are supposed to be the next big thing that haven't done anything special. Maybe I'm forgetting someone, but I don't know who it would be. I don't recall any player making the jump to the NBA that those guys wouldn't just chew up. Who am I missing?

 

[Wall2Wall]

I'd add Towns to that list. Barring injury he has HoF written all over him.

 

[shaolin style]

I would add KAT to that list, maybe not as dominant as AD but he'll be one of the best big men in the league for the next decade.

 

[KYtotheCore]

I'd add Towns to that list. Barring injury he has HoF written all over him.

I would add KAT to that list, maybe not as dominant as AD but he'll be one of the best big men in the league for the next decade.

Not sure how I forgot him! All Wildcats! Nice.

 

[LeonThe Camel]

like Wall, Cousins, AD? I can't recall any players that have come and gone to the NBA from any program that just have that gift of greatness like those 3. There's been a lot of players who are supposed to be the next big thing that haven't done anything special. Maybe I'm forgetting someone, but I don't know who it would be. I don't recall any player making the jump to the NBA that those guys wouldn't just chew up. Who am I missing?

Kevin Durrant
Russel Westbrook

 

[brianpoe]

Kevin Durrant
Russel Westbrook

I think he is referring to players since Wall and Cousins, not throughout history...

 

[WildMoon]

you kind of answered it... they are Transcendent...if they come out every year, then they aren't really transcendent.

Also, Wall and Cousins aren't Transcendent. They are amazing talent, but they are not Transcendent. Wall can become that if his shot ever comes together.

AD and KAT. Maybe Greek Freak can get there.

But, thats more than enough considering we are talking about Transcendent player.

 

[Smashcat]

I'd add Towns to that list. Barring injury he has HoF written all over him.

Agree.
Bagley is pretty special if not transcendent. Michael Porter is very special. Even Ayton. Barrett can be any kind of good with a better jumper. (Pretty awesome as he is).

 

[UKUGA]

Kevin Durrant
Russel Westbrook

Michael Jordan
Larry Bird
Magic Johnson

 

[GonzoCat90]

Kevin Durrant
Russel Westbrook

Kareem Abdul-Jabar was good. OP clearly doesn't watch basketball.

 

[Aike]

George Mikan.

 

[GonzoCat90]

But seriously, if Boogie is transcendent, then guys like Kawhi Leonard, Kyrie Irving, and Giannis Antentekoumpo have to be as well.


Anyone younger hasn't really had a chance to show that they're transcendent either. It isn't rare talent if there's 2-3 in every draft class.

 

[Aike]

I would count Wall and AD as transcendent, but none of our other guys.

 

[UKUGA]

Wall/Cousins hold a special place, because almost out of nowhere, we had talent at UK we hadn't seen in over a decade and they instantly turned the program around.

Davis may actually be transcendent. But, he's hit a blip. Injuries, yes, but also bad guard play around him.

 

[Lovebaskelball]

Kawhi Leonard

 

[BigBlueFanGA]

I think we have a gross misunderstanding of the word transcendent,

beyond or above the range of normal or merely physical human experience.

AD is the only college player I would use that term with this century.

 

[Blueblood22]

If they go to Duke, they get that label, i.e. Jahlil Okafor.

 

[mebeblue2]

I'd add Towns to that list. Barring injury he has HoF written all over him.

KAT was not projected to be a transcendent player out of H.S. like Wall, Cousins and AD were
guys like Wiggins, Okafor and a few more were and for the most part they have not lived up to expectations

 

[KYtotheCore]

Kareem Abdul-Jabar was good. OP clearly doesn't watch basketball.

I watch plenty, but they don't have anything to do with the time since the Cousins/Wall group, unless somehow I had that typed in white against a white background in the OP. @brianpoe understood.

 

[WildMoon]

I watch plenty, but they don't have anything to do with the time since the Cousins/Wall group, unless somehow I had that typed in white against a white background in the OP. @brianpoe understood.

pretty sure Gonzo realized that already...he was mocking Leon....

 

[Wall2Wall]

KAT was not projected to be a transcendent player out of H.S. like Wall, Cousins and AD were
guys like Wiggins, Okafor and a few more were and for the most part they have not lived up to expectations

I read the OP's original question as "Where are the transcendent players?" Not "Where are the projected transcendent players?"

Nobody projected Boogie to be a one-and-done coming into college. Cal talks about that often. But Boogie came in and put in work proving to be the best big man in the nation and is now arguably the best big man in the NBA.

 

[KWilt43atbuzz]

Brad

 

[StubbornPenny]

If we're talking college, AD was absolutely transcendent. He lost two games - one in a wacky Indiana game on a buzzer beater, one that I'm 100% sure Cal let the team struggle. He was the closest thing to a cheat code there is in basketball - much more so than Boogie or Wall. He dominated a title game where he shot 1/10. The kid was the definition of transcendent in college.

 

[LeonThe Camel]

Wall does not fit the model of transcendent. Davis yes. But he is truly the only one from Kentucky.
To me, those that could be considered transcendent:
2010 - Paul George
2011 - Kyrie Irving, Kawhi Leonard
2012 - Anthony Davis, Draymond Green
2013 - Giannis Antetokounmpo
2014 -
2015 - Kristaps Porziņģis
2016 - Ben Simmons (although he has not played, he is being billed as such)

Of those, only 4 are truly extraordinary players.

 

[fatguy87]

Wall does not fit the model of transcendent. Davis yes. But he is truly the only one from Kentucky.
To me, those that could be considered transcendent:
2010 - Paul George
2011 - Kyrie Irving, Kawhi Leonard
2012 - Anthony Davis, Draymond Green
2013 - Giannis Antetokounmpo
2014 -
2015 - Kristaps Porziņģis
2016 - Ben Simmons (although he has not played, he is being billed as such)

Of those, only 4 are truly extraordinary players.

KAT has to be included. He's the 4th, maybe 3rd best player out of that group. Porzingis is a little like Embiid so far. Both players are intriguing talents but they have not produced at even an All Star level so far.

Otherwise, I thought this was rather fair.

 

[LeonThe Camel]

KAT has to be included. He's the 4th, maybe 3rd best player out of that group. Porzingis is a little like Embiid so far. Both players are intriguing talents but they have not produced at even an All Star level so far.

Otherwise, I thought this was rather fair.

To me a transcendent player needs to be unique.

KAT is not unique in his skill set. KAT is very good, but he is not doing anything overly remarkable that other power forwards/centers are doing today or in the past.

Porzingis is a 7'3" player that plays on the perimeter, which is unlike any player his size has ever done. Think Ralph Sampson size.

And he has the added handicap of playing with Carmelo.

 

[MegaBlue05]

They ain't allowed to piss in the restroom they want to!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Oh shit.

Read it wrong.

Sorry.

 

[uky8unc5]

I guess I'm a Goober, because I thought 'transcendent' meant better than the usual. Exception to the rule. That would apply to a number of players.

But sounds like this thread sees it as a Superstar.

 

[fatguy87]

And he has the added handicap of playing with Carmelo.

Excellent point.

 

[Mike-D]

Also, Wall and Cousins aren't Transcendent

Wall was certainly transcendent IMO.

 

[Cowtown Cat]

Wall does not fit the model of transcendent. Davis yes. But he is truly the only one from Kentucky.
To me, those that could be considered transcendent:
2010 - Paul George
2011 - Kyrie Irving, Kawhi Leonard
2012 - Anthony Davis, Draymond Green
2013 - Giannis Antetokounmpo
2014 -
2015 - Kristaps Porziņģis
2016 - Ben Simmons (although he has not played, he is being billed as such)

Of those, only 4 are truly extraordinary players.

Wut?!?!

 

[Cowtown Cat]

Wall was certainly transcendent IMO.

Most definitely. Much, much more so than Paul George and/or Kyrie Irving, IMO. Wall is the fastest guy dribbling a basketball I have ever seen.

 

[Mike-D]

Most definitely. Much, much more so than Paul George and/or Kyrie Irving, IMO. Wall is the fastest guy dribbling a basketball I have ever seen.

Who has been a bigger rock star than Wall in college basketball the last 10 years?

Also, Wall changed the entire complexion of our program in one season. Coming off Gillispie, the program hadn't been lower since Sutton. Wall instantly made UK the coolest school in college basketball. He was a focal point for the reason this whole one and done thing started under Cal at Kentucky. Kids wanted to be just like him.

And don't forget he averaged 16.6 ppg, 4.3 rpg, and 6.5 assists here on a loaded team.

 

[UK90]

like Wall, Cousins, AD? I can't recall any players that have come and gone to the NBA from any program that just have that gift of greatness like those 3. There's been a lot of players who are supposed to be the next big thing that haven't done anything special. Maybe I'm forgetting someone, but I don't know who it would be. I don't recall any player making the jump to the NBA that those guys wouldn't just chew up. Who am I missing?

Well, it has only been five years since AD. Given that the word "transcendent", by its very definition, implies something so extraordinarily rare to the human experience that it would only come along very rarely, I'm not sure that's a sufficient lapse of time to be doing a "whatever happened to" query as if it's some big mystery.

Certainly doesn't surprise me that there's been nobody in the last five years as talented as AD in college basketball. ADs ain't a normal thing.