Will UK have the best defense in the country next year?
- Thread starter USMC Cat
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I'm going to hold off on saying that because last season Cal thought he was going to have an outstanding defensive team and it didn't turn out that way.
If we landed Bamba I would say yes without even considering other teams. At the moment not sure, hope it's better than last year though.
It has the potential to be one of Cal's best defensive teams but it probably won't be early in the season.
Defensive is a state of mind. Look at last year's team, they had to not only learn how to play defense but buy into it.
The only real difference this coming year, is that we have a few players that are/were known in HS as defenders. Similar to how MKG, Davis, Noel, etc. were coming into college. For example, Monk was NOT considered a defender in HS but obviously possessed all the tools to be a great defender.
Plus, SKJ, Diallo and WG are all well aware that they have to play D at UK and have technically learned teh system and all have the tools to be elite defenders. Diallo literally has the tools to shut down any kind of player, it is almsot scary. Heck WG does too.
The only real difference this coming year, is that we have a few players that are/were known in HS as defenders. Similar to how MKG, Davis, Noel, etc. were coming into college. For example, Monk was NOT considered a defender in HS but obviously possessed all the tools to be a great defender.
Plus, SKJ, Diallo and WG are all well aware that they have to play D at UK and have technically learned teh system and all have the tools to be elite defenders. Diallo literally has the tools to shut down any kind of player, it is almsot scary. Heck WG does too.
The physical level of this team is off the chart. UK can put 5 guys on the floor who have nearly ideal NBA size, length, and athleticism. And the 1 important guy who doesn't, Quade Green, has a rep as a bulldog on D. The potential is very, very high.
But...defense is about more than physical ability, so we won't know until we get into the season. It won't be like 14-15, but it could be a huge step up from the last 2 years.
But...defense is about more than physical ability, so we won't know until we get into the season. It won't be like 14-15, but it could be a huge step up from the last 2 years.
Definitely have the capacity. But D is an art form and they'll have to learn the trade as the get into the season.
We'll be young, but a lot of our guys have the rep of being great defenders. Their insane length and athleticism will go a long way to make up for their youth and inexperience. There's a ton of different combinations and lineups Cal can throw out there defensively that will give opposing teams fits trying to score against.
Not initially. It takes a while to get that many players to buy into a system and play hard on defense.
Not early and maybe not late. People forget these are freshmen and it's rare that freshmen are even good defenders outside of the special ones or the ones known as great defenders while in H.S. Vanderbilt and Diallo will likely be the only ones that will start out as good defenders. The rest will need time to adjust to playing guys who are bigger, stronger, quicker, more athletic than they have gone against since the UK kids have likely always had that advantage over everyone they have faced consistently since they were freshmen or sophomores
I'm gonna buy into the notion that we can play amazing defense, mainly because we have huge size at premieter. we can play many minutes with 6'5 point guard shai alexander, 6'9 vanderbilt ( a scotty pippin type) at the two and 6'9 knox at 3 with Richards and one of our other bigs down low. What this team can look like is Oregon. long tall and mean. That notion gets me excited. When Green comes in we look more traditional, but I'm jazzed to see our bigger perimeter guys play many minutes together.
By the end of the year I expect the D will be nasty but it will likely be a tough road getting there.
It doesn't matter if our team holds opponents to 1 field goal a game...ppl will cry about 3 point shooters
Early on guys won't know where to be, how to communicate, etc. By the end of the year once the mental part is down the length and athleticism will enable them to be an above average defensive team.
Yes. Last year no rim protection and no inside depth nobody on that team was considered an elite defender. Vanderbilt and Diallo are considered Elite defenders. Even our forwards are long and it Was quoted at the hoop summit that Richards plays defense like he hates u oh and although he is 7ft with a 7ft4 wingspan he packs 250 lbs not 215 like our previous rim protector and based on his 30 inch standing vertical has the athleticism. We also shored up a problem we have been having since 12 nobody could guard a SF 6ft7 or taller. We have 3 guys on this year's team that can do that and Vanderbilt does it with a MKG intensity
We won't have a 6'4" guard taking on small forwards, a forward who played defense and rebounded on occasion and a center, who may have been a power forward in a better world, defending the middle alone.
Cal plays a no position style but this may be a team that is much better balanced than many in the past. Fives will not be left on an island and if a guard is beaten there are plenty of long athletic players behind them. The backdoor should be shut and screens are going to be difficult for opponents. The guards are solid defenders and maybe, as a group, much better.
All this depends on the players taking pride in defensive stoppers and rebounds. I don't worry about the ability but the pride may need a couple of close losses or wins before the players buy in. They are AAU developed freshmen, after all, where defense is a foreign language.
Cal plays a no position style but this may be a team that is much better balanced than many in the past. Fives will not be left on an island and if a guard is beaten there are plenty of long athletic players behind them. The backdoor should be shut and screens are going to be difficult for opponents. The guards are solid defenders and maybe, as a group, much better.
All this depends on the players taking pride in defensive stoppers and rebounds. I don't worry about the ability but the pride may need a couple of close losses or wins before the players buy in. They are AAU developed freshmen, after all, where defense is a foreign language.
One good thing is that several of our guys will be on the U19 team coached by Cal this summer. Will give them a head start.
This. We will have times where we look spectacular.. other times we will look lost. I'd say by the end of the season we will be a top 10 defensive team that will make opposite teams look silly for 10 minutes and follow that up with a missed assignment and back to back lay ups. Just a guess
With the size, length and quickness we have on our roster, I would hate to be one of our guys if we don't become a pretty good team on defense. Cal would go insane and not let the players forget it is about effort and paying attention to the coaching. With the guys we have, I think it would be a pretty safe bet to think we will be pretty good on that side of the ball.
