Worst case scenario

[JonathanW]

I'm not saying I think all of these happen, just what if they do.

We don't get Bamba or Knox.
Hump leaves.
Bam projects top 20-25 and stays in draft.
We don't get Cam J.
But we add a 4* G, maybe Baker.

Then the roster looks like this:
C- Richards, Wynyard
PF- Washington, SKJ
SF- Gabriel, Vanderbilt (3 of these 4 F are interchangeable)
2G- Diallo, Baker
PG- Green, SGA

That is a top 20 team, with a chance at top 10. But probably at most 2 OADs, so the following year could be very good, maybe great if add the right 2-3 players.

 

[WildMoon]

I think Vanderbilt will start at the 3. I see Gabriel start at the 4.

 

[wromanp7]

Won't happen.
Not a chance.

 

[KA4Prez]

I don't care if it's a top 100 team on paper or in November/December.

IMO, that's a roster that has little to no chance at winning a national title.

That's all that matters with this era at UK. Top 10 potential isn't good enough.

 

[bigc45157]

It's starting to trend towards this.

 

[bookerfan66]

We would have some problems.I just can't see us making a final 4 run with that roster

 

[JC43]

The more I watch vids on quade and diallo, the more I feel confident. Both of them are winners. Diallo maybe 1.5 n done, but quade maybe 2 - 3 yr player. Both IQ are up there. I do believe Cal is working on a team for 2020 that will feature Brad...But seriously, quade, Shia, and Vanderbilt will be great guys on point... Transition offense will be there, half court, and late in shot clock will be there too. Go BBN!!!

 

[LeonThe Camel]

Then the roster looks like this:
C- Richards, Wynyard
PF- Washington, SKJ
SF- Gabriel, Vanderbilt (3 of these 4 F are interchangeable)
2G- Diallo, Brown
PG- Green, SGA

Richards/Wynyard or SKJ
Vanderbilt/Washington
Diallo/Gabriel
SGA/Brown
Green/?? SGA

SKJ/Wynyard sees the writing.

 

[JonathanW]

Richards/Wynyard or SKJ
Vanderbilt/Washington
Diallo/Gabriel
SGA/Brown
Green/?? SGA

SKJ/Wynyard sees the writing.

If you have only 4 guards on the roster, you can't start 3 of them!!!!
And why would you want to, when 2 of them can't shoot it very well.

 

[JonathanW]

I don't care if it's a top 100 team on paper or in November/December.

IMO, that's a roster that has little to no chance at winning a national title.

That's all that matters with this era at UK. Top 10 potential isn't good enough.

It's not ideal, I think we would all agree with that. That's why it's called "Worst Case Scenario"!
I don't think we could say they have "no chance". Even just since 2000, we've seen multiple teams that prior to the season people would have given little chance, win it all. And the format of the tournament is, you just have to have a chance, a good competitive team, catch a few breaks, and maybe you can win it. The best team, or even one of the best 4-5 teams doesn't always win it, probably wins it at most 2/3 of the time.
This team would need several things to fall into place, to have the potential to be playing in April.

 

[KA4Prez]

Well yeah, there's always a chance, but it's hard to be confident in it given all of the other challenges that come with a brand new team. Even the ones with elite talent still take so much work and tweaking to become what they can be.

This is shaping up to be the most inexperienced team in UK history.

 

[musrat59]

There are many schools who would love to have a roster like that.

 

[Sparkaces1]

Diallo will start at the 2. He could def play some SF, but I think he will start out there. Shai is much better than some expect, depending on how it plays out I think you will see three guards on the Court some.

 

[track42]

Well yeah if that is our roster it will be tough.But I still think we get Bamba,Johnson and Baker.

 

[Sparkaces1]

Even that roster will have 7 or 8 top 25 high school players, hard to complain about that.

 

[spotter34]

Cal has proven he closes out well. Even a couple of years ago when we missed on a lot of our spring targets he ends up pulling in the #7 prospect the next draft in Murray, and to bolster the front court he brought in Humphries, a 7 foot top 35 junior who reclassified.

Even if it does end up like that it is still a team with a high ceiling. Guys we thought are maybe a year or two away would have to step up sooner than expected but Cal is a master at developing guys that have to get a lot of minutes, outside of a few exceptions.

The more I watch vids on quade and diallo, the more I feel confident. Both of them are winners. Diallo maybe 1.5 n done, but quade maybe 2 - 3 yr player. Both IQ are up there. I do believe Cal is working on a team for 2020 that will feature Brad...But seriously, quade, Shia, and Vanderbilt will be great guys on point... Transition offense will be there, half court, and late in shot clock will be there too. Go BBN!!!

You can't seriously believe this?

 

[~Keyser Soze~]

I'm not saying I think all of these happen, just what if they do.

We don't get Bamba or Knox.
Hump leaves.
Bam projects top 20-25 and stays in draft.
We don't get Cam J.
But we add a 4* G, maybe Baker.

Then the roster looks like this:
C- Richards, Wynyard
PF- Washington, SKJ
SF- Gabriel, Vanderbilt (3 of these 4 F are interchangeable)
2G- Diallo, Baker
PG- Green, SGA

That is a top 20 team, with a chance at top 10. But probably at most 2 OADs, so the following year could be very good, maybe great if add the right 2-3 players.

That's 7 5 star players and 6 McDonald's All Americans including a 5 star stud starting at every position. Pretty good worst case scenario.

 

[LeonThe Camel]

If you have only 4 guards on the roster, you can't start 3 of them!!!!
And why would you want to, when 2 of them can't shoot it very well.

I agree, but there is no small forward on the team. We certainly are not going zone.

If Johnson does commit, then it provides a SF.

Washington and Vanderbilt cannot guard that spot. Gabriel could, but he then limits the offense with his inability to shoot.

 

[Sparkaces1]

I agree, but there is no small forward on the team. We certainly are not going zone.

If Johnson does commit, then it provides a SF.

Washington and Vanderbilt cannot guard that spot. Gabriel could, but he then limits the offense with his inability to shoot.

You don't think Vanderbilt can guard a small forward? He is the best SF we have had since MKG.

 

[LeonThe Camel]

You don't think Vanderbilt can guard a small forward? He is the best SF we have had since MKG.

I think he is PF that can shoot the ball.

 

[harlancatfan]

It's not ideal, I think we would all agree with that. That's why it's called "Worst Case Scenario"!
I don't think we could say they have "no chance". Even just since 2000, we've seen multiple teams that prior to the season people would have given little chance, win it all. And the format of the tournament is, you just have to have a chance, a good competitive team, catch a few breaks, and maybe you can win it. The best team, or even one of the best 4-5 teams doesn't always win it, probably wins it at most 2/3 of the time.
This team would need several things to fall into place, to have the potential to be playing in April.

That roster has as much of a chance at sniffing a final four as I do of traveling around the world, and I am a really poor guy.

 

[Jkwo]

IMO, that's a roster that has little to no chance at winning a national title.

That's all that matters with this era at UK. Top 10 potential isn't good enough.

Oh, that's... unfortunate. I'll tell Cal at once that your judgement has been handed down.

I think he is PF that can shoot the ball.

And I think you are an involuntary contrarian, which is a bad look when the people you're contradicting actually know what they're talking about:

(Draft Express's evaluation of Vanderbilt from two summers ago):
On the defensive side of the ball, Vanderbilt is a monster. He can guard at least three positions thanks to his size, length, lateral quickness and instincts. Vanderbilt is better defending the perimeter at this stage because of his extremely thin lower body coupled with his ability to fight over screens and contest jumpers.

 

[Jkwo]

As for the topic - you guys saying there's 0% chance they could go to the Final Four - you realize that roster isn't really any worse on paper than 2011 without Enes, right?

How far did they go again? And who did they beat to get there?

 

[LeonThe Camel]

Oh, that's... unfortunate. I'll tell Cal at once that your judgement has been handed down.


And I think you are an involuntary contrarian, which is a bad look when the people you're contradicting actually know what they're talking about:

(Draft Express's evaluation of Vanderbilt from two summers ago):
On the defensive side of the ball, Vanderbilt is a monster. He can guard at least three positions thanks to his size, length, lateral quickness and instincts. Vanderbilt is better defending the perimeter at this stage because of his extremely thin lower body coupled with his ability to fight over screens and contest jumpers.

A lot different guarding high school than college. Perhaps I will be wrong, but I do not see it yet.

Also, never take what a scout says with any validity. For the most part, they are like fans, they repeat what they hear rather than personally watching. I was told this by Sid Finch.

 

[Jkwo]

A lot different guarding high school than college. Perhaps I will be wrong, but I do not see it yet.

Also, never take what a scout says with any validity. For the most part, they are like fans, they repeat what they hear rather than personally watching. I was told this by Sid Finch.

1. The quote goes a lot further than saying "he's good at defending". It explicitly mentions that his strength is guarding out on the perimeter, in opposition to what you said about a 4 playing out of position.

2. I don't take anything anybody says with 100% validity. But I trust the "fans" who run one of the best draft sites on the internet more than I trust a random internet poster. And I further devalue the opinions of reflexive posters. By that I mean chronic sunshine-pumpers, full-time debbie downers, and people who post almost exclusively to disagree with others.

 

[LeonThe Camel]

1. The quote goes a lot further than saying "he's good at defending". It explicitly mentions that his strength is guarding out on the perimeter, in opposition to what you said about a 4 playing out of position.

2. I don't take anything anybody says with 100% validity. But I trust the "fans" who run one of the best draft sites on the internet more than I trust a random internet poster. And I further devalue the opinions of reflexive posters. By that I mean chronic sunshine-pumpers, full-time debbie downers, and people who post almost exclusively to disagree with others.

That is not true.

 

[KA4Prez]

As for the topic - you guys saying there's 0% chance they could go to the Final Four - you realize that roster isn't really any worse on paper than 2011 without Enes, right?

How far did they go again? And who did they beat to get there?

Except 3 of the 6 players in that main rotation were upperclassman.

 

[Jkwo]

Except 3 of the 6 players in that main rotation were upperclassman.

HAH!

Raise your hand if you thought that there was even the slightest chance that Disappearious plus bench warmer Liggins and the anonymous white juco transfer were going to take us within minutes of the championship.

If so, when?

In the preseason after Enes was ruled ineligible?

Around our sixth loss in SEC play?

After we drew both OSU and UNC in the same bracket?




Anyone? Anyone?


Bueller?


Wow. Awfully quiet in here.

 

[Sparkaces1]

Except 3 of the 6 players in that main rotation were upperclassman.

None of these incoming guys were rated as high as Knight, plus he was a scoring PG. If we get Bamba it will be crazy similar to Noel Class.

 

[KA4Prez]

Nobody ever said those guys were expected to do what they were going to do.

However, if Humphries leaves, next year's team has zero upperclassman.

It's all speculation until we see the final roster, but also agree, Brandon Knight was an elite guard prospect.

 

[willievic]

The more I watch vids on quade and diallo, the more I feel confident. Both of them are winners. Diallo maybe 1.5 n done, but quade maybe 2 - 3 yr player. Both IQ are up there. I do believe Cal is working on a team for 2020 that will feature Brad...But seriously, quade, Shia, and Vanderbilt will be great guys on point... Transition offense will be there, half court, and late in shot clock will be there too. Go BBN!!!

JC43, For Christ's sake, I hope Cal does not have that in mind. Most of us can remember Eddie Sutton, and him trying to make a player out of him, and Tubby Smith trying to make a player out of Saul. Just like those two, Brad might be a decent player for a small college, and I know your only joking, but stranger things have happened with some of these coaches, and their sons.

OLD STOLL FIELD GUY!

 

[KDcats11]

I think he is PF that can shoot the ball.

Um, no. That's literally the opposute of his game. He's a playmaking 3 all the way. The word on him is that he isn't a good shooter, but a GREAT ball handler for his size and has GREAT vision with elite quickness and athleticism. He is a 3 all the way and will start there. The recent word is that he has started to shoot better lately but that's still TBD.

 

[Jkwo]

Nobody ever said those guys were expected to do what they were going to do.

However, if Humphries leaves, next year's team has zero upperclassman.

It's all speculation until we see the final roster, but also agree, Brandon Knight was an elite guard prospect.

The point is that Cal squeezed more out of all three of them than you or anyone had imagined going into the year.

Every single point in my last post stands, and on top of it, I'll invite you to look at the box score from our one point loss in the championship game, where you can read all about how our upperclassmen valiantly fought with top-notch efforts while our freshmen crumpled and failed us. Oh wait. There goes that silly narrative.

Darius Miller hadn't shown any more than Wenyen has at this stage, and if you get to count Jorts as returning experience, then Tai and SKJ count as well.

At the end of the day, if you're trying to split the difference on the outlook between that team and this worst case scenario team, you're fighting a losing battle.

 

[mustnotsleepnow]

The point is that Cal squeezed more out of all three of them than you or anyone had imagined going into the year.

Every single point in my last post stands, and on top of it, I'll invite you to look at the box score from our one point loss in the championship game, where you can read all about how our upperclassmen valiantly fought with top-notch efforts while our freshmen crumpled and failed us. Oh wait. There goes that silly narrative.

Darius Miller hadn't shown any more than Wenyen has at this stage, and if you get to count Jorts as returning experience, then Tai and SKJ count as well.

At the end of the day, if you're trying to split the difference on the outlook between that team and this worst case scenario team, you're fighting a losing battle.

Stop! Too much truth for this board to handle!

 

[d2atTech]

There are many schools who would love to have a roster like that.

yes, but most of those schools don't harbor delusions of winning a championship with that roster either...

 

[d2atTech]

Stop! Too much truth for this board to handle!

darius was a stud from the beginning.

 

[JonathanW]

I agree, but there is no small forward on the team. We certainly are not going zone.

If Johnson does commit, then it provides a SF.

Washington and Vanderbilt cannot guard that spot. Gabriel could, but he then limits the offense with his inability to shoot.

Johnson is a 2G. Vanderbilt is a SF. Washington can play SF, and so can Gabriel.

 

[bucsrule8872]

I think Gabriel could still leave.

Worst case:

Starters

G Green
G Diallo
F Vanderbilt
F Washington
F Richards

Reserves

G Alexander
G Baker
F Killeya-Jones
F Wynyard

Athletically, that starting five is pretty good. Vanderbilt and Washington are good ballhandlers at the 3 and 4 spots. Should be able to drive the ball. Should be great in transition. Could press some. Without Bamba or Hump, our interior depth is lacking. Hopefully, SKJ and/or Wynyard step up, if that happens.

We better hope Diallo, Vanderbilt, or Washington (hopefully all three) can knock down enough jumpers to keep teams from zoning us to death if that is the case. If not, we may have to see more Baker than expected. Johnson would go a long in helping in that area.