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Willis ???

Willis is the new Hood, who was the new Carrier.

What are two things these guys have in common?


Willis is a good player, but it's still not his time. He's still bad at defense.
 
None of our top 10 got to play more than 23 minutes (WCS due to Lee struggling and only getting 15 minutes) while Lyles, Booker, and Ulis only got 18 minutes.

Who should Cal have benched to put Willis in earlier?

Our guys are already sacrificing starter minutes. I guess Cal could have given Willis some of Hawkins minutes but good lord Hawkins earned his 20 minutes.
 
Originally posted by dave5164:

What I don't understand with Willis is when we played in the Bahamas pre-season and was playing the platoon without WCS and Lyles Cal played both Willis and Hawkins. They both delivered during the bahamas 6 game trip and Willis especially hitting the outside shot and 3 point shot. I know that the Bahamas competition isn't like playing in the SEC Conference but both boys played extremely well down there when WCS and Lyles was out still recovering from their injuries. That is why I didn't understand when POY went down with his season ending injury why Cal didn't just replace POY with Willis and keep the 5 in 5 out Platoon system going after POY injury.
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What happened is that Lyles and Big Willie did not play in the Bahamas so when they came back Hawkins and Willis slid two spots on the depth chart. It only says they are not lottery picks; both are solid players who would get big minutes on a lot of teams.
 
Cal just said Hawkins played better in practice. Pretty straightforward.
Coaches usually play the players that play the best in practice.
 
Maybe I am missing something, but other than a blocked shot here and there I dont see much difference in the defense between Lee and Willis. Plus, Willis brings some scoring to the table. Out of curiosity I would like to see Willis get more than mop up minutes at some point when the game is not on the line. Not complaining or expecting Cal to do anything different....just one fans wish.
 
There is a huge difference between Willis and Hood/Carrier/fill in the blank, he's 6'9, athletic, can handle, can shoot, can pass, and can defend a little. There's a reason why NBA scouts like him and there's a reason why every commentator talk about how he would start most places, he's good.
 
Some things never change.

UK fans wanting white Kentucky kids to get more clock being one of those things.

Bottom line. Kentucky is simply too deep and too talented this year for Derek Willis to get run. We have guys who will go top 10 who are not getting even 25 minutes/game.

So Willis isn't getting in. That will not change, nor should it, so bitching about it is a waste of time.
 
Originally posted by K-Town Kat:
Some things never change.

UK fans wanting white Kentucky kids to get more clock being one of those things.
Click to expand...

Just shut up.
This thread has been primarily about DW and his lack of playing time in a 50 point beatdown.
Now you come in here with that weak-assed, race-baiting shyt???
YOU FAIL!!!!
 
Lol!!! If an outsider, that didn't know UK basketball fans, read this thread they would swear Willis has done something bad and been tossed aside to Cal's retread pile. He's apparently destined to transfer out, and we are already picking his next landing spot... Doesn't anyone listen to what Cal say's about the situation??? He states it very simply and even often. Its a completion and he came in second-this time. Hawkins outplayed him this week.
 
Originally posted by TY U 2 WCS 4 9:
Lol!!! If an outsider, that didn't know UK basketball fans, read this thread they would swear Willis has done something bad and been tossed aside to Cal's retread pile. He's apparently destined to transfer out, and we are already picking his next landing spot... Doesn't anyone listen to what Cal say's about the situation??? He states it very simply and even often. Its a completion and he came in second-this time. Hawkins outplayed him this week.
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Odd...why is Willis playing against Hawkins for a spot. I would think it would be against Lee.
 
Originally posted by KyLegacy:

Originally posted by TY U 2 WCS 4 9:
Lol!!! If an outsider, that didn't know UK basketball fans, read this thread they would swear Willis has done something bad and been tossed aside to Cal's retread pile. He's apparently destined to transfer out, and we are already picking his next landing spot... Doesn't anyone listen to what Cal say's about the situation??? He states it very simply and even often. Its a completion and he came in second-this time. Hawkins outplayed him this week.
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Odd...why is Willis playing against Hawkins for a spot. I would think it would be against Lee.
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Uh, maybe because willis plays the 3. Notice Lyles, who plays the 3, got moved to the seconD platoon, and Hawkins started in his spot for a 3 gaurd lineup. Yeah that's why. Lol you think willis is a 4.
 
Willis is a good player but not good enough to play on this year's team. Our recruiting class next year along with who decides to stay will probably determine whether he remains a Wildcat or not. I would have to be considering transferring if I were him.
 
Not sure about Willis but I thought Hawkins did a great job last night. Tremendous energy, which was exactly what this team needed out of the gate.
 
I don't think anyone is wanting Willis to transfer. No one is trying to make the argument that he is good enough to be a starter. Or to play major minutes. Most are wondering why...when you're up by 40 or 50 points with 5 minutes or so left...why he doesn't get a chance/opportunity to play. That's all. Get some game experience other than a minute or so to mop up a game. Who knows what some extra minutes in games might mean for his, or any subs confidence...and when you may need him to play more than a minute in a meaningful game? Much like Lee last year in the NCAAs.
 
I want Willis, a fellow Kentuckian, to play as much as anybody, but in reality he is what he is- the 11th man on a 10-man team. Does not mean he is a bad player, just that we have 10 really good players ahead of him. It is what it is, but whatever Cal is doing seems to be working so far, so I'm not complaining.
 
Unfortunately, Cal doesn't buy into throwing the scrubs or end of bench at the end of the game just because it is a blowout. I am not the coach and Cal's knowledge about his team dwarfs mine even when he is asleep so I am not second guessing him. However, it would be nice if even the walk ons got in when we are up 40 with enough time left that they might actually have an oportunity to get a stat. I realize they probably don't deserve it,are already living a dream, and Cal is giving them the opportunity of a lifetime(nice way to get into coaching). Cal is the best in the game and didn't get there by making emotional feel good calls.
 
Originally posted by GOING FOR #9:
If you think Willis should be playing then it's likely due to racial bias
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rolleyes.r191677.gif


Not true at all.

I don't think he should be playing, but I don't think those who do is due to racial bias.

It's due to STATEial bias. He's a Kentucky kid.
 
Originally posted by GOING FOR #9:
If you think Willis should be playing then it's likely due to racial bias
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Well that is absurd.

It was a 50 point blowout and he isn't a scrub.
 
Originally posted by CatsFanGG24:
Originally posted by GOING FOR #9:
If you think Willis should be playing then it's likely due to racial bias
Click to expand...
Well that is absurd.

It was a 50 point blowout and he isn't a scrub.
Click to expand...
Yeah and the ten in front of him are already splitting their minutes a whole lot compared to other teams. So who exactly do you propose loses even more time? It's a reward for those that sacrifice time to begin with. When willis can play his way into Hawkins spot then he can stay in more in blowouts.
 
Originally posted by UKWildcats#8:
None of our top 10 got to play more than 23 minutes (WCS due to Lee struggling and only getting 15 minutes) while Lyles, Booker, and Ulis only got 18 minutes.

Who should Cal have benched to put Willis in earlier?

Our guys are already sacrificing starter minutes. I guess Cal could have given Willis some of Hawkins minutes but good lord Hawkins earned his 20 minutes.
Click to expand...
Cal basically said this was the dilemma a couple of weeks ago on his call in show. This is definitely not a direct quote, but this is how I took it.

If the 9 or 10 guys in the rotation are sharing minutes already, do you reduce their minutes even more for playing well?

That being said, I would like to see everyone playing significant minutes, but unfortunately there are not enough to go around for 12 guys.

This post was edited on 1/14 11:20 AM by augustaky1
 
Originally posted by UKBrassowTipIN:


Originally posted by CatsFanGG24:

Originally posted by GOING FOR #9:
If you think Willis should be playing then it's likely due to racial bias
Click to expand...
Well that is absurd.

It was a 50 point blowout and he isn't a scrub.
Click to expand...
Yeah and the ten in front of him are already splitting their minutes a whole lot compared to other teams. So who exactly do you propose loses even more time? It's a reward for those that sacrifice time to begin with. When willis can play his way into Hawkins spot then he can stay in more in blowouts.
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It was a 50 point game...their feelings wouldn't have been hurt to lose another minute a piece. Splitting 4-6 minutes up from 10 guys is nothing...
 
Originally posted by GOING FOR #9:
If you think Willis should be playing then it's likely due to racial bias
Click to expand...
Don't go there jackass. The mere fact that you posted this trash reveals who has the true racial bias.
 
There is no way for me to know what goes on in practice and how Cal works the players in and out of drills but trying to remember Willis' play from last year and the Bahamas I think he needs to try to perfect three things to get more playing time:

1 become an exceptional defender

2. learn to get to rebounds

3. make the Bigs his best friends by feeding the posts (he was best on the team last year)

This is a very tall order but I think it's his only shot at cracking the lineup.

Oh yeah, don't lose his shooter's touch.
 
It was a 50 point game...their feelings wouldn't have been hurt to lose another minute a piece. Splitting 4-6 minutes up from 10 guys is nothing...
Click to expand...


Say that Cal was going to split 10 minutes from 10 guys once the game is decided and he was satisfied that those 10 guys had gotten sufficient in game experience to improve their play, lessons learned, skills honed and all that stuff, how would you sub to split the 10 minutes? Are you going to sub every minute for the final 10 minutes? Cal actually sent the subs to the table with less than 3 minutes left, but by the time there was a stoppage in play it was under 2. I guess he could have called a time out to get them in sooner. But back to splitting the time, I see no way to do that. To give Willis 10 minutes, someone of the 10 is going to have to lose significant minutes, maybe 5 or more each for 2 guys. Those guys have earned their minutes in practice and while giving up a minute may not be much giving up 5 when you are only getting 15 or 20 is significant. Not having enough minutes to go around is one of the "problems" that having 10 superior players creates.
 
Originally posted by JCTNKAT:



It was a 50 point game...their feelings wouldn't have been hurt to lose another minute a piece. Splitting 4-6 minutes up from 10 guys is nothing...
Click to expand...


Say that Cal was going to split 10 minutes from 10 guys once the game is decided and he was satisfied that those 10 guys had gotten sufficient in game experience to improve their play, lessons learned, skills honed and all that stuff, how would you sub to split the 10 minutes? Are you going to sub every minute for the final 10 minutes? Cal actually sent the subs to the table with less than 3 minutes left, but by the time there was a stoppage in play it was under 2. I guess he could have called a time out to get them in sooner. But back to splitting the time, I see no way to do that. To give Willis 10 minutes, someone of the 10 is going to have to lose significant minutes, maybe 5 or more each for 2 guys. Those guys have earned their minutes in practice and while giving up a minute may not be much giving up 5 when you are only getting 15 or 20 is significant. Not having enough minutes to go around is one of the "problems" that having 10 superior players creates.
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Pretty simple. I said 4-6 minutes, but you could spread it to 8 minutes. You have 10 players from which to cut minutes, but wouldn't have to cut minutes from everyone.

I think at the 8 minute mark in the 2nd half is when Willis could've/should've received some clock - the game became stale (we ended up making 2 FGs in the final 8, one being Willis' 3).

8 minutes of game time is 40 minutes of PT...say you call for Willis to receive all of it (which I didn't), you still have 32 minutes to allocate between the 10 guys (which I wouldn't, I would've tried for Hawkins, Lee etc to get more clock as well - they need it...can work on some things in a blowout)

And this argument (at least I am making), is for a blowout situation. Did it hurt when he logged 11 minutes vs UCLA? Not in my opinion.
 
It was a 50 pt game. Kid should have got some run as a scholarship player. Either he ain't hustling in practice or Cal wants him to leave on his own there is no reason in a Fifty point game to give him the victory cigar minutes. Probably embarrassed the kid. I admire the kid for sticking around after the break. His heart is at UK but he is to good to not be playing somewhere else. I am sure Delbert, Derrick and Cal will meet after the season and sort it out. Hope the best for the kid
 
Transferring to Louisville would be a risky move unless your only desire is to play a lot of minutes.

They're going to have a tough time next year. That will be a rebuilding job from hell. In that conference? Good luck.

Pitino may not have the energy to come back for the following season, which would be when Willis would get eligible.

I'd think long and hard about picking that school. That team is about ready to get shelled with departures.
 
Sorry to tell you but...This is not T ball where your kid is guaranteed play time for showing up. This is the big time. You earn your play. Willis is getting to play against the best in practice and if he truly wants to improve then here is his shot. If he can't make it on the floor now then he has no shot in the NBA. He has a golden opportunity here. I hope it works out for him.
 
Originally posted by blueberryfields:
Okay, we've found something to gripe about after a 50-point win to go 16-0... wow
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Maybe if they cried harder.

Willis isn't crying and he's the one that knows what's up. The rest of these children need to grow up and stop whining so much.
 
Originally posted by fla.cat:
There are lots of reason one do wnt get in a game.....many do not include being in "coaches doghouse".
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It's the same old crap fla cat, plus the "he should transfer posts,too."
 
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