Where Does Allen Fit In?

[CincyUKFan]

With all the additions, I’m wondering what kind of role he will have. He seems like a kid that can really score and has a nice stroke, but will he get his opportunity with all these other pieces on board? For those who know his stents well, will he be able to separate himself and force the staff to give him minutes?

 

[hotelblue]

he will get minutes regardless because he’s a scorer. otherwise you’d see him when/if our team can’t hit threes. it’s like we started getting juzang in there to help out quickley last year when it was clear we were a 30% team, and then it went up the rest of the season. it wasn’t juzang’s contribution as much as the mentality that you just can’t give him an open shot or it’s going up. he only had a few attempts but he was always ready to shoot. i think allen has that. he’ll be ready.

 

[bucsrule8872]

I think he will be brought along slowly. Kid hasn’t played in a year and a half and it will be almost two years by the time they lace them up again for real.

Also, there is a boat load of talent at his position(s). Clarke, Boston, Fletcher, and Brooks are all wings like Allen, except higher ranked and not coming off injuries. Askew and/or Mintz will get minutes on the wings as well. If Williams signs, then it gets even more crowded.

I think Allen, the staff, and the fans need to be patient. His time will come once he gets 100% healthy and shakes off the rust.

 

[Wildcats1st]

If he goes in and gets points without having to take to many shots he ll play. Cal has shown with guys like Allen to put them on a short leash when he has studs on the bench. If Allen’s on the floor Boston or Clarke are on the bench

 

[YaySports]

Expecting quite a bit from him. He offers wing scoring off the bench. Hes as of now the only player who offers that.

 

[musrat59]

I have never seen him play but hope he does well because we love our Kentucky kids.

 

[CrazyCat74]

Yes, like others have said his scoring ability will get him minutes at the 2 & 3 but his ability to rebound from the wing and desire to play physical will keep him on the floor for longer stretches.

 

[Cowtown Cat]

I look for him to play this season and probably next, then enter the draft. That would actually be like him leaving after his junior year, since he missed last season. The kid can play. People are underestimating him.

 

[ThroughBlue]

Is dontai gonna start?

 

[YardCat]

I hope he proves he belongs with the big dogs and uses his time off last year to learn the system. I see him as a good substitute.

 

[chroix]

Hoping he pulls a Herro and blows away expectations.

 

[Short-Dawg-69]

Hoping he pulls a Herro and blows away expectations.

I agree I hope he becomes a great player for us.
Sure would be nice to see Cal take a homegrown Kentucky kid and develop him into a lottery pick.
That would be something for our young Kentucky kids to look up to and would be great for our fanbase also I think.

 

[armchairpg]

I would just refer to Hawkins. He had some ability but more than anything he was a competitor. He played defense and rebounded when he could and when he had a shot he took it without fear. That is the template for someone like Allen. Really rooting for the guy.

 

[bradscats]

I would just refer to Hawkins. He had some ability but more than anything he was a competitor. He played defense and rebounded when he could and when he had a shot he took it without fear. That is the template for someone like Allen. Really rooting for the guy.

Having watched both play in high school, although I am no talent evaluator, I have to believe Allen’s ceiling for his time at Kentucky is much, much higher than that of Hawkins. Allen seems like he can be more of a Darius Miller type contributor but maybe with more offensive game.

 

[Drcatfan]

I expect Allen to play a similar role that Juzang played this year. He wont’t start, but will get some meaningful minutes every game. you have to assume Askew, Clarke, and Boston will all get 30 minutes a game. Maybe 15 minutes each for both a Mintz and Allen. Then, Sarr, Brooks, Jackson, and Ware split the 80 minutes probably at 25/25/20/10 respectively. I think Fletcher is sort of the odd man out and mainly develops this year with some spot minutes.

 

[kyups01]

I look for him to play this season and probably next, then enter the draft. That would actually be like him leaving after his junior year, since he missed last season. The kid can play. People are underestimating him.

Totally agree. People forget he exploded in the rankings his junior Summer getting all the way to I think it was #34....he was poised for 5 star status then had the knee injury

 

[HerrosHeroes]

We have more talent assembled right now than any other team not playing professionally.

 

[Son_Of_Saul]

I know the staff is happy.

They have a 6'6" wing with high-level scoring skills who can challenge Boston and Clarke every day in practice. Dontae offers the kind of depth you need if you're going to make that push for a Final Four.

The log jam is still probably too deep for him to see anything more than 12 minutes/game next year, but I hope he sticks with it and give us an Allen Edwards-esque type rotation player down the road.

 

[Son_Of_Saul]

We have more talent assembled right now than any other team not playing professionally.

There actually might be some truth to this.

If we add Williams, it just goes up even more. He would give Cal the option of going "small" at times next year with Jackson and Williams as your frontcourt pieces - both of whom can switch anything and defend guards. Then you've got 6'7" Clarke and 6'7" Boston on the wings, blinding the vision of shooters with their length. What if a guy like Fletcher buys in as a defensive stopper? 6'7" with sub-Vince Carter-level athleticism? You bring that dude off the bench as a stopper and it could get very exciting for the bench potential.

If Askew develops defensively, we will have the ability to lock opponents down when needed. Even if Devin is a step slow, Mintz is a bulldog defensively. I think his defensive ability is the main reason the staff was adamantly in favor of adding him.

 

[TJ4BigBlue]

At this point, it really depends on how ready physically and mentally he is. If he is truly back 100% and has the mental fortitude to battle then he will get surprising minutes due to knowing the offense better and what Cal expects on defense than those coming in. If he is not ready, he will have a bigger battle on his hands.

 

[Padsfs07]

Allen's role will depend upon his ability to play defense. With a year in the system, he should be more like Baker or second-year Mulder than Juzang. All three basically provide the template for his production-level this year though.

I could see him getting a lot of time later in his career, ala Jr/Sr Ravi Moss (12-17 minutes per game), at a minimum.

 

[JonathanW]

I think he will be brought along slowly. Kid hasn’t played in a year and a half and it will be almost two years by the time they lace them up again for real.

Also, there is a boat load of talent at his position(s). Clarke, Boston, Fletcher, and Brooks are all wings like Allen, except higher ranked and not coming off injuries. Askew and/or Mintz will get minutes on the wings as well. If Williams signs, then it gets even more crowded.

I think Allen, the staff, and the fans need to be patient. His time will come once he gets 100% healthy and shakes off the rust.

I agree about the not playing (in a real game) in 2 years comment. Although this coronavirus actually helps him, as everyone else isn't playing even pickup games for a bit, and players might not get any time with coaches before the fall. So he does have a leg-up in the bit of practice time he got this spring.

I would not be shocked it he played ahead of Boston and started. But more likely he is one of the first 2-3 off the bench for 10-15 mpg (assuming he can score, depending on his defense).

 

[bucsrule8872]

We have more talent assembled right now than any other team not playing professionally.

The biggest question is how well and how quickly the team comes together. None of these guys have played a single minute together on a college basketball court.

But the talent is definitely there.

 

[bucsrule8872]

I agree about the not playing (in a real game) in 2 years comment. Although this coronavirus actually helps him, as everyone else isn't playing even pickup games for a bit, and players might not get any time with coaches before the fall. So he does have a leg-up in the bit of practice time he got this spring.

I would not be shocked it he played ahead of Boston and started. But more likely he is one of the first 2-3 off the bench for 10-15 mpg (assuming he can score, depending on his defense).

I would be fine with that. I want to see a Kentucky boy in the rotation. I just know it’s not easy to shake the rust off after a major injury.

 

[G-PIP]

Sans the injury, I think Allen was the best offensive recruit UK had coming in last season. Plus, he has no size or athletic "but" qualifiers to attach to him. I think rather than overhype him, many undersell and overlook Allen because he's from Kentucky.

If Allen is 100% healthy and physically recovered, and has the motor and competitive drive (which I know nothing about), then I predict he'll be a college star - if not at UK, then somewhere else - and a better SF during the 2021-2022 season than any 2021 high school SF recruit that exists.

 

[LineSkiCat14]

I just don't see him being a factor next year. Unless some of our recruits and transfer don't pan out.

 

[westerncat]

Don't see why he would not be ready physically and mentally. He has more than enough time to get ready. I think he is going to surprise a lot of people. The kid can play.

 

[drbubba]

10-12 minutes per game would be a good goal. He'd be contributing and developing, hopefully becoming the next Darius Miller by his last year.

 

[FrankUnderwood]

Transfer ? :/

 

[Montana81]

I think Mintz, Clarke and Boston start on the back court. I think Allen backs up Clarke and Boston at the 2 and 3. He’ll play this year. I honestly think that’s part of why Juzang transferred. He knew he wasn’t even guaranteed minutes as a backup because of the presence of Allen.

Allen was the better player in high school too tbh. More aggressive. More of an alpha. I think he could be a star by his junior year.

 

[ganner918]

I assume Clarke and Boston start and get 30 minutes each. That leaves 20 minutes a game to fill at the 2 and 3 with Allen, Fletcher, and Askew/Mintz (having both in at same time) as possibilities. I think one of Allen and Fletcher ends up getting minutes.

 

[Catdaddy11]

I am from NKY, I have played with Dontaie and he is the best player I have ever played with. He was a junior in high school playing with grown men ... he was really good at getting to the basket. Good handles, shoots the ball well, sneaky athletic, and has some dog. I think he will be a good player at Kentucky, just not sure when that will be. I wouldn't be surprised if he got 15 minutes a game this year.

 

[stoneycat_20]

No rush on Allen..He needs to take the Darius Miller path....

 

[EliteBlue]

Spot minutes this year.

Major contributor next year which is essentially his RS Soph season. Test the waters after but eventually come back to graduate and play 1 more bc he’s a late 1st/2nd round guy either way if he hits his ceiling and being from KY he will value the extra year a little more.

 

[KentuckyRLD]

Does anyone know whether or not Allen will be physically able to play next season? Last I heard there was still doubt.

 

[ksharpless]

I think his ceiling is 6th man this year.

 

[JwUKFan11]

Does anyone know whether or not Allen will be physically able to play next season? Last I heard there was still doubt.

Good god did they have to remove his leg? Cal has always been super cautious with injuries but if there is still doubt then something wasn’t reported correctly.

 

[BostonCat2001]

with how everyone talks about how good he is. i am expecting him to bee the first guy off the bench for clarke/boston. 15-20 minutes a game. 6-8 ppg.

 

[ganner918]

Does anyone know whether or not Allen will be physically able to play next season? Last I heard there was still doubt.

He was physically able to play by end of last season but didn't want to burn a redshirt to play a few minutes in a few games.

 

[stoneycat_20]

Does anyone know whether or not Allen will be physically able to play next season? Last I heard there was still doubt.

Most players are back from ACL in 9-12 months..Allen will be out double that..If he's not 100% by now he never will be