According to Pilgrim, Miller had a horrible motor in high school and gave no indication that he was gonna be this kind of player, especially as a Freshman. It is also certainly possible that Wagner could come in and be a 40% shooter in college.
What J Givony has to say about our recruits
- Thread starter JST390-2
- Start date
Quickley and Quade did not play together. I get Boston over Allen. Rest are very legit.
Miller was still ranked in the top 20. I would rather coach motor than teach skill in 9 months. My point is guys are being ranked high based on athleticism and you have to have the right expectations. And if they are only willing to give it a year then what is the point?
Not even close. You can check previous posts. Some of us have been saying these recruits are not immediate impact players as freshmen. They have boy’s bodies. Imagine them on the beasts we see at guard in the SEC.
They did, until Quade quit the team early in the 18/19 season.
However, what I was actually thinking of was the year prior when Cal played Greene ahead of Shai Alexander, that’s an even better example.
If you want to project shooting look at the kids form more than shooting percentages. Wagner and Dilly both have the form to be solid percentage shooters in college. They won’t be taking many contested 26 footers like I’m sure they do in HS.
BJ Boston was thought to be the potential Number 1 pick, he was more skill than athletic ability. It's just hit and miss. Livingston at the time was the better prospect, I'm not sure any coach would have done anything different there.
Yeah, that is what I'm saying, Wagner and Dillingham both have good form and are receiving top level coaching, they could easily pop to 40% in college, what you can't teach is the ball handling and 1v1 ability they have.
I think Cal will start at least 3 of these guys. I think Wagner, Edwards, and Bradshaw almost definitely start. They are top 5 in their class. Dillingham has a good shot at starting as well, but I could see Cal putting some experience in the backcourt on the floor with Wagner. If Fredrick returns, there’s a good chance he starts at the 2.
I also think Cal probably starts Bradshaw at the 4 and Onyenso at the 5.
But I also wouldn’t be surprised to see him go with the 5 Freshmen as starters, just because he has said he wants to win a title with 5 Freshmen starters.
I also think Cal probably starts Bradshaw at the 4 and Onyenso at the 5.
But I also wouldn’t be surprised to see him go with the 5 Freshmen as starters, just because he has said he wants to win a title with 5 Freshmen starters.
4 games was a short leash for Whitney.
Sure I didn't break it down to the 23mpg he averaged the first 4 games. But if you do that, then you also have to acknowledge that in the 14 games after that Cal cut him down to <10mpg (precisely 9.9).
I agree Cal was stubborn this year (& not his first time), and maybe he was bailed out by a Wheeler injury forcing his hand. But that was being stubborn with vets, not FR. I think he's grown a shorter leash w/ FR.
There are Real OADs, and then there are kids who think they are a OAD but their skill level is not there yet (Premature OADs). Real OADs are guys like Wall, Cousins, Fox, Murray Tyty. Premature OADs are guys like Skal, Richards, Collins, and I think Bradshaw will fall into this bucket. Big guys need to physically develop more than guards do, to play vs grown-ass men in the NBA. But yeah, I think you are right that Cal will force-feed-us/favorite Wagner and Dilly (hopefully they respond). Edwards possibly too.
So Cal needs to manage expectations, not just fan expectations, but also player expectations. If a kid isn't where he needs to be to be a OAD, tell him.
Team is going to struggle mightily next year, especially if we only return Livingston from our top 7 rotation and he isn't even a guarantee.
Edwards is the best of the bunch but he plays a position that Cal really struggles to maximize, especially if you aren't a good shooter.
Wagner is more in the Cal mold for a guard which is both a good and bad thing. Good in that he can beat guys off the dribble which Cal's outdated offense desperately needs, bad in the sense that he can't shoot and zone is going to give us fits. Also not a great sign that Wagner has been trending consistently down since he was in 9th grade.
Bradshaw is going to get shoved around, Cal loves him because he's tall and has a big wingspan and can finish lobs and block shots. Sounds like Skal.
Dillingham is going to drive us as fans absolutely insane. I doubt Cal lets him off his leash but even if he does it may not be for the best. He is also way too small, another issue we seem to have at point guard recently after years of having massive point guards.
I have high hopes for Reed but not sold yet. Fan base is going to overrate him because he is a KY boy and because of who his dad is. Cal is going to underrate him for those very same reasons and because he doesn't value shooting. I think he can contribute and has a high basketball IQ, but he has some games where he struggles in high school so thats not the best sign.
Edwards is the best of the bunch but he plays a position that Cal really struggles to maximize, especially if you aren't a good shooter.
Wagner is more in the Cal mold for a guard which is both a good and bad thing. Good in that he can beat guys off the dribble which Cal's outdated offense desperately needs, bad in the sense that he can't shoot and zone is going to give us fits. Also not a great sign that Wagner has been trending consistently down since he was in 9th grade.
Bradshaw is going to get shoved around, Cal loves him because he's tall and has a big wingspan and can finish lobs and block shots. Sounds like Skal.
Dillingham is going to drive us as fans absolutely insane. I doubt Cal lets him off his leash but even if he does it may not be for the best. He is also way too small, another issue we seem to have at point guard recently after years of having massive point guards.
I have high hopes for Reed but not sold yet. Fan base is going to overrate him because he is a KY boy and because of who his dad is. Cal is going to underrate him for those very same reasons and because he doesn't value shooting. I think he can contribute and has a high basketball IQ, but he has some games where he struggles in high school so thats not the best sign.
Edwards is the only one that projects to be a very good college player right away. But All 4 are going to play 25-30 minutes a game and possibly start next season. Boy i can’t wait…
The calipari era can’t end soon enough. Gotta get a coach in here that values great college prospects over great pro prospects because they are so clearly not the same.
The calipari era can’t end soon enough. Gotta get a coach in here that values great college prospects over great pro prospects because they are so clearly not the same.
i remember one time when we got this 6' 10' 195 pound center
all 3 guards we have coming in are about average height for a college guard (they may be one inch short)
we also are going to have a couple of shooters on next years team
not to mention Oscar could come back
i think they will lose 5-6 games
all 3 guards we have coming in are about average height for a college guard (they may be one inch short)
we also are going to have a couple of shooters on next years team
not to mention Oscar could come back
i think they will lose 5-6 games
1 - this is why we always need to remember that not all classes are the same in terms of quality throughout the top 25; a #1 ranked class one year might be the #4/5 ranked class another year - important context, IMO. hard to argue with 4 of the top 10 in any class ... but you never know what those kids would have been ranked as HS prospects in the Randle class, for example.
2 - Wagner is going to struggle with expectations; in fairness to him, he was anointed the "next big thing / surefire NBA star" as an 8th grader ... some here probably think he'll have a John Wall level of impact as a freshman at UK next year, and I'm just not sure I see it ... has he plateaued as a prospect? time will tell. but his erratic shooting is a red flag (when you can't pair it with Fox/Wall-like speed).
2 - Wagner is going to struggle with expectations; in fairness to him, he was anointed the "next big thing / surefire NBA star" as an 8th grader ... some here probably think he'll have a John Wall level of impact as a freshman at UK next year, and I'm just not sure I see it ... has he plateaued as a prospect? time will tell. but his erratic shooting is a red flag (when you can't pair it with Fox/Wall-like speed).
But Whitney was starting day 1 even tho even a bb Benny could see he didn’t have it.
Easily popping from 25% in hs to 40% in college is not a thing.
We recruited Peja’s kid. And he is elite in that regard but he plays the same position as Edwards and Edwards is far and a way the better player and a need. So we prioritized edwards over him ultimately.
I think the Bazulis kid is a good shooter too but he opted for the pro route.
Feel like there was one more foreign kid we looked at ranked a little lower…same high school or aau team as herro maybe but also the same position as edwards.
Was Reed considered one of the top 5 shooters? If so then seems like Cal did what he could.
Key will be getting in g CJ and maybe Reeves back…and playing them.
Who the hell ever thought DJ was anything other than a clone of his father as a player?
Rob too small?
About the same size as Darius Garland.
Huge overreaction to JG's comments which were meant to critique as NBA prospects rather than a forecast to their college careers.
Rob too small?
About the same size as Darius Garland.
Huge overreaction to JG's comments which were meant to critique as NBA prospects rather than a forecast to their college careers.
Cal normally gets a player or two that is suppose to be good shooters. Usually they are streaky or average. If UK can't always have several legit shooters on every roster, then who can? Basically IMO they recruit guys that are mostly physically ready, not always, but not fundamentally or mentally. My preference would be 1) fundamental 2) mental and 3) physical. They seem to do it the opposite with most guys they get. Then they are on a time crunch to get them out of here and to the pro's so they have to be on the floor even if they are not ready for big minutes. And we sacrifice wins, seeding and possible championships because of it.
You are missing the point. What I am saying is Reed is probably 10 times the shooter Wagner is and won’t play as much. Cal is noted for that kind of favoritism and stupidity.
Let's see...Shai was not evaluated to be a potential NBA All-star...Herro was not projected to go pro after his first year...People were complaining about Quickly but somehow became All-SEC...People complained about P.J. Washington and yet he came back and was All-SEC...Patrick Patterson was not known for being a good 3-point shooter and yet somehow he became one although that is not supposed to happen according to some...Nazr was not projected anywhere close to going in the NBA but he busted his but and had a long career in the NBA...
The moral of the story is no one knows what these new recruits will do once they make it to campus. They might turn into Herro's or they might turn into Boston's...
The moral of the story is no one knows what these new recruits will do once they make it to campus. They might turn into Herro's or they might turn into Boston's...
Dear God. Please read my reply above to the other poster who did not understand the message I was trying to convey.
Edwards especially sounds exactly like a guy who would blossom under anyone else and Cal will tell him “be good at one thing” and won’t let him put the ball on the floor so he’ll suck then leave.
Edwards would be fantastic at the 4 with reeves and fredrick at the 2 and 3. But Cal will start him at the 3. with only one shooter on the court and two centers in the front court or some dumb shit. So he’ll have no space to put the ball on the floor and drive.
The one where you stated that Cal is stupid because he will play Wagner more than Reed? Opening day of practice is what, 7 to 8 months away and you have already settled into your new theme for next year. You are way ahead of the rest of the whiners.
But the thing is, Cal works with these guys all summer long and for half the fall, it should not take him 4 live games to realize a guy doesn't have it. If Whitney wasn't a 5* rated player, he would never have even gotten 2 minutes per game.
There are so many guys in the past that were better players than the guys starting ahead of them, but they were glued to the bench while the guys getting to play, got to work through mistakes.
Jermarle Baker, Dontaei Allen, Juzang, Matthews, Adou, Hopkins etc, all sat because Cal plays favorites instead of coaching to win games.
Lively? Who's that?
Unless Collins develops some kind of a mean streak over the summer, I don't see him starting and that's if he doesn't transfer to be closer to mom.
Ralph already stated he has a source that said Oscar isn’t going to return.
I would walk around Wal-Mart naked as a jay bird if next years team only lost 5 or 6. They’re going to lose that much in the SEC alone.
Man I think it’s time for Cal to move on…but I’m not that pessimistic yet. Who knows?
