Why you shouldn't forget about Kentucky's Wenyen Gabriel
- Thread starter preacher_tom
- Start date
I never did. Freshman have struggles, especially when they don't have a clear starting spot. Gabriel was an 18 year old playing on a team with several players who could step in if he wasn't on his game. That's tough to do. A lot of pressure on Gabriel this year, more than we think.
He just needs to work on his body control and have less fouls. When he is in the game, he has a lot of deflections, length and causes havoc.
Gabriel yes. Not so sure about SKJ. He played so little last year that I honestly can't even remember him in the games.
Don't Sleep on the couch or WG may get you. WG will be very good next year. I bet that he makes some good moves in the first game and gets 10 points and 8 rebounds. Sure hope in returns and don't go pro. Guess only time will tell. Cannot believe he is going to the combine.......
Agree. Would not be surprised to see one or even both playing ahead of FR. People tend to over-romanticize the unknown (the new player).
The guy looked good in a few games this yr, I thank he needs to add a few lbs and he will be a good player and SKJ also..
I don't think WG declared early for the draft. I may have overlooked his name, but I didn't see it on the list from NBA.com:
http://www.nba.com/article/2017/04/25/nba-announces-early-entry-candidates-2017-nba-draft
Unless I'm missing something, WG will be at UK next year.
I would take those four forwards over any set of four forwards in the country. 
I don't see him starting many games, assuming we end the class as I expect (Diallo, Bamba, Johnson), but definitely see him as a vital part of Calipari's 8-9 man rotation he eventually settles in to.
Would be a huge spark off the bench along with Richards & SGA with the energy they could all bring off of the bench.
Would be a huge spark off the bench along with Richards & SGA with the energy they could all bring off of the bench.
Gabriel, SKJ, SGA and Richards as your 6-9 rotation players is insane. I guess Baker and Wynyard would be numbers 10 and 11.
Cowtown Cat,
Believe it or not, you are even forgetting to include McDonald's AA PJ Washington on a roster who will have an immediate impact no matter how long he plays per game. I Put Baker and Tai as 11th and 12th.
Believe it or not, you are even forgetting to include McDonald's AA PJ Washington on a roster who will have an immediate impact no matter how long he plays per game. I Put Baker and Tai as 11th and 12th.
If you are expecting Diallo, Bamba, and Johnson, then what are you expecting the rotation to be? I would think Green, Diallo, Vanderbilt, Washington, and Bamba starting, next would be SGA, Johnson, Gabriel, SKJ, and Richards. Does that sound about right?
Bamba would have little-to-no effect on Gabriel PT. Bamba = C, Gabriel = F.
Same for Diallo = SG.
Johnson is a SG, who can also play SF. I expect he can provide offense, but might be behind slightly on defense.
I'm not staying Gabriel starts over the other forwards, but I don't think we can make a definitive statement about any of them (forwards). Gabriel certainly could be our top F. It could be Washington, it could be Vanderbilt. And while I think it is unlikely SKJ is our top F, I think he has a reasonable chance at not being the 4th option (could be better than that).
With Gabriel being a sophomore, the team will retain 80% of its D.
weatherbird,
Personally, I see the lineup as Green, Diallo, Johnson, Vanderbilt, and Bamba.
I never meant to imply Bamba would affect Gabriel all that much.
Johnson is 6'9". He is a SF and a very tall one at that. I do not see him ever starting at the 2 in a Calipari offense. He lacks the quickness to guard NBA quality 2s which he will get lots of practice doing at UK, regardless of where he starts.
Personally, I see the lineup as Green, Diallo, Johnson, Vanderbilt, and Bamba.
I never meant to imply Bamba would affect Gabriel all that much.
Johnson is 6'9". He is a SF and a very tall one at that. I do not see him ever starting at the 2 in a Calipari offense. He lacks the quickness to guard NBA quality 2s which he will get lots of practice doing at UK, regardless of where he starts.
I hope we have to worry about these problems next year. Whether it will be Gabriel or PJ or Vandy or Johnson starting or whether SKJ or Richards will back up Bamba. Or how much playing time SGA gets backing up Diallo.
You guys got Bamba starting & he has not picked a school yet. Hope you all are right about him being here at UK.
sure hope hes in the gym he is vary raw from a basketball standpoint looks vary awkward on the court
Gabriel works too hard off the court and plays so hard while on the court. With kids like that, i never worry about their developement under Cal. Sometimes it may not happen as fast as many of us would like, but it does eventually happen. We're talking about a kid who just needs to add a lil strength to his frame and it is scary to think about the upside more strength could bring to his game. I don't know if the kid can become the beast he could eventually become at the college level during his junior year, but it's not out of the question to expect huge improvement from his game during his SO year of college basketball. As we all know, that is when it usually happens for most talented kids.
