None of these players should expect to play 39 minutes. So far, it doesn't appear any of them are concerned with it either
Will Richards actually start over Travis?
- Thread starter Wall2Boogie
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Except that’s not a fact Booker came off the bench remember? Dakari Johnson was rated the top C in his class and came off the bench
Rankings doesn’t matter. I listed guys who were ranked high who came off the bench and just remembered Ron Mercer coming off the bench as well (wasn’t he the top ranked player in the nation?)
In all fairness, we had upperclassmen on that 96 team and it was a whole different game then. Today Mercer May of started, but the 96 team is one of the greatest teams ever. Not a great example of a top recruit not starting
Agree. It worked pretty well at Nova with Divincenzo coming off the bench but playing the 3rd most minutes on the team. Either Cal starts him & then works Green, Hagans, & Quickley in and out to see who’s playing the best or he starts two of those guys and leaves who ever is producing in with Herro when he comes in. I think he’ll get a bunch of minutes regardless. Great situation either way.
Do you guys not think Richards has earned the starting spot with his play? I think he has played better than Travis without question. What is pretty amazing is that we have Travis and Herro coming off the bench!
Booker was low 5 Star/high 4 star prospect coming off the bench because a top 10 older player was starting. Dakari didn’t start because he had another older guy ahead of him.
Cal clearly favors certain players, usually the highest ranked. Hell Matt and Drew were even talking on ksr one day about the past players that Cal is closest too and Drew said something like “basically all the #1 picks or top 5 picks.”
Cal is in a tough spot this year though. Personally I’d like Travis to start and get drafted real high for coming here but I have a feeling Richards will start. As for Herro, he deserves it but Green does too. I don’t know what you do.
I’ve been saying all summer that Richards will play more than most of you think, that he has a decent chance to play 18-22 mpg.
He should start for one reason! To win the jump ball, which when won gives you approximately a 50% chance at 1 more possession.
He should start for one reason! To win the jump ball, which when won gives you approximately a 50% chance at 1 more possession.
Starting shouldn’t matter, but it has its place even on Cal teams. If it didn’t Cal wouldn’t prioritize starters the way he does. He doesn’t bring top ranked guys off the bench. It’s just a fact no matter the rhetoric.
Herro has some things going against him and one of them is he’s not a coveted highly ranked prospect. I understand how recruiting works so I get it, but I’m not going to deny what it is either which is what people want to do.
And WCS stayed until his junior year and had a rough go at the beginning.
Keep going. Let’s see how far you get. I’m curious to see if you can come up with a pattern like I have or just throw up outliers that aren’t the norm.
"If it ain't broke..."
Keep starting Green, Quickley, Johnson, Washington, and Richards.
Bring Hagans, Baker, Herro, Travis, and Montgomery off the bench.
It's working so far. Until they lose, why change it up?
Keep starting Green, Quickley, Johnson, Washington, and Richards.
Bring Hagans, Baker, Herro, Travis, and Montgomery off the bench.
It's working so far. Until they lose, why change it up?
Agree, I think this will be the starting lineup. It will be interesting to see if Baker gets real minutes.
2 outliers so far, how many do you need? When do we chalk it up to coach knowing more than us?
if you guys had a point besides bitching about Cal, we'd be starting Montgomery over Richards since he's our highest rated recruit.
But I guess you can change it to whatever you need to in order to get the job done in the effing pre-preseason. Should be a fun year.
But I guess you can change it to whatever you need to in order to get the job done in the effing pre-preseason. Should be a fun year.
I know that there no foul outs allowed tonight.. FWIW Nick had 7 fouls and PJ had 5..We need EJ back as backup on the bigs.. # 5,7 and 42 had at least 5 fouls each for Mega Bemax
The highest ranked players also tend to be the most talented players. Cal’s system here has always revolved around getting the most experience possible for the most talented players so that we are the best version of ourselves come March.
Sometimes a lower ranked player proves too valuable to keep on the bench (SGA, for example), while occasionally a high ranked player fails to pan out (Skal). Minutes are adjusted accordingly.
I have no trouble believing that Keldon Johnson will be our best wing. Doesn’t bother me at all if he plays more than Herro or starts in front of him. I don’t know why it would bother anyone.
We have 5 backcourt/wing players who can all really play and are going to play. I’m getting excited about that. I know some would rather find something to complain about. We lost in ‘15 because of the twins, etc.
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Cal played SGA last year because he was the better pro prospect, even though he was ranked below Quade, but he played the twins in front of Booker even though Booker was the better prospect. But they were upperclassmen.
But so was Wenyen, and he was even ranked higher than PJ, but still couldn’t start.
Cal is so confusing. I don’t understand why he can’t stick to one system. Either start the highest ranked players, or the best pro prospects, or the upperclassmen. Mixing it up like he does makes it hard on all of us.
This. Travis will be fine. People writing him off over 3 games. He just needs his confidence back.
Cal played Willis over Gabriel/Skj. He played Humphries over both guys.
Cal sat Diallo.
I think Cal gives his most talented players a bit more leash to figure it out because in order to win a championship, you need those guys to figure it out and be special.
But when guys are still struggling after a while, he sits them.
If I was picking the starting 5 at this point:
It’s
Quade
Herro
KJ
PJ
RT
But if Cal doesn’t go with that lineup, we’ve got to think he has his reasons. And I thibk there’s more to it than “who was rated highest?”
The main reason he didn't go to the NBA was just like PJ they wanted both of these players to work on there midrange and outside shot and work on there FT Shooting. It is really funny how some of the fans on here are talking about Travis and his offense right now. Travis is in a new environment, with a new team and players and he is getting used to that after 3 games. Travis in these 3 games did miss a lot of easy layups and short jumpers that he usually makes and could have easily scored 16-20 points if he makes those easy shots. Most of the fans on here must not have watched Travis in last 2 years at Stanford where he averaged 17 and 9 and 20 and 9 last year while averaging 30mpg. These 3 games Richards has averaged around 20mpg and Travis has played approx. 28-30 minutes in these 3 games. Travis had huge games in the PAC12 & PAC12 tourney last year and against Ayton in 2 games he averaged 22 and 10 playing 30mpg. We have heard the announcers even discuss that many of the players that come in and play at this GYM for some reason had bad shooting games and scoring games. Once Travis gets his shots falling and especially the easy layups and short jumpers we will see that Double/Double machine scoring around 16-20 ppg. and grabbing a dozen or more rebounds playing approx. 30 mpg. In these 3 games Richards has averaged 20 minutes a game and that is what he will probably play come November is 16-20 minutes a game and Travis playing approx. 30 minutes a game. Travis will be that dominating inside player like he was at Stanford once he gets his scoring going here at Kentucky come November.
The reason he didn't go to the NBA is that he wasn't going to be drafted.
PJ is a second rounder and 2 yrs younger than Travis.
RT played well against Ayton but I seen Rondo get outplayed by average college players. Didn't seem to bump his stock any.
I see Reid getting about 11 and 7 for this team and that's when he's fully acclimated in UKs system.
In my very humble opinion, yes, NR should start over RT at this point in time. I understand RT is on a new team, playing in a new system, etc, but thus far he's missed a lot of bunnies that have nothing to do with being on a new team.
He obviously has good hands, and has great post moves, but he must finish at the rim. Nick is playing very, very well, and deserves to start.
He obviously has good hands, and has great post moves, but he must finish at the rim. Nick is playing very, very well, and deserves to start.
I agree with Morg. Herro should start, but he will need to prove to Cal that he isn’t a liability on defense. Hagans is just a monster on defense and Cal loves players that play defense.IQ is also playing great and we haven’t even seen Baker play a minute. I bet Cal loves having this problem don’t you?
I totally agree with Dave. The pure power Travis brings in the paint is something we have been missing. I like Travis & Washington inside. Nothing against Richards. He has improved quiet a bit from last year. His hands are still weak, but we will need all of the bigs we have, because the NCAA refs won't let us play like we have this week.
It's hilarious that some people think Cal starts players based on their high school rankings. SMH.
I was drunk so I’m not even sure what my point was. I mad myself angry thinking about Herro being mistreated because he’s uh......eh....
Ummmm....a few examples over nearly 10 years is the definition of outliers.
Most higher ranked recruits are better so really it’s a pointless argument on my part.
These examples are terrible. We had 2 top ranked prospects playing in front of Booker who was a FOUR star. It goes against your point completely. Did you think that through at all?
Matter of fact Cal is still criticized for not playing Booker over Harrison, and some believe it’s because of the ranking. And I believe some of it but it’s not the whole story. Cal won’t get theee recruits if they’re on the bench and we need them to produce in March. So I get it, but you guys sucked ass at attacking me over a half assed point on my behalf.
Gonzo you have to admit, if it weren’t for people criticizing you wouldn’t be the leader of Cal super fan club. No one would have been able to see how stout of a Cal fan you are.
That Cal super fan mug you drink out of in the morning wouldn’t exist. You should be thanking me really.
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