Would Knox even consider doing this one more year?

[CalipariCapo]

Lol, they are not smart with their money. They end up blowing a ton on houses, cars, jewelry, paying friends mortgages, friends bills, bad investments. Didn’t you watch the 30 for 30, Broke? Hopefully our guys are smarter. Believe me, I hope they all come back and we never lose a game again at UK, but it’s not going to happen.

Under Calipari's leadership, I believe our players would be smarter than to blow their money in the ways you provided. My ultimate point being, that extra year added on to their NBA career worth 3 million dollars will not make or break them. If they are smart with their money, they'll end up having generational wealth regardless of how long they play. If I even had 3 million dollars, I could turn that into 12 million in 10 years time. Imagine what they can do with a first round contract. Players like Knox would still be a lottery pick if they came back. It would benefit him in the long run to come back to work on the intangibles that it takes to succeed in a high turnover business like the NBA.

 

[RDCat07]

This is the part that drives me nuts. To act like we are doing something wrong if we want a kid to come back and play at UK is the complete opposite of everything this program should be about.

There is no college degree that would allow a kid to make that kind of money. Unfortunately college basketball has turned into a play for free and risk millions of lost vs coming back to pursue a degree after the fact. I would be more apt to agree with you if the NBA got rid of the one and done rulev

 

[BlueWorldOrder74]

The most depressing thing about this whole situation is how many of our fans are willing to put a bad NBA teams bench ahead of the University of Kentucky. All of you who act like you care about these kids futures are liars. It is fraudulent the way our fans believe this players first crap.

I don’t care if Knox is projected to be the number 1 pick and has Michael Jordan potential. I want him to come back and I wish our coach and fans would fight like hell to bring him back. Instead a lot of us take a holier than thou philosophy and try to act like it is selfish to put the Cats quest for # 9 ahead of the NBA.

Why is it clear that he should take the money now?

Please - read my post again. I said, I wish the kid would come back. I think he should come back, for selfish reasons. I am a Kentucky Basketball fan, not a "players first fan." I want kids to come here, stay here, win championships here.

I said, in my post, he ain't coming back. If a team offers him first round guaranteed money, he should take it. What I want don't mean shit, he's going to do what he wants. Smart move is taking the money.

I have a 6 year old son. If he grew to be a player that was faced with this decision; I would tell him to take the money. If he's going to be guaranteed millions, gets to start earning a year earlier, and gets to develop his game full time on a roster - I tell him to take it.

If you don't agree with this, that's fine. But there aren't many who wouldn't do it themselves if presented with the option.

"Hey Kevin, we will select you first round and pay you millions, and you can work with pros and our training team daily full time; or you can go back to school to try to win a championship. You may be injured, you may be exposed; choice is yours."

What is his choice?

I want nothing more than for him to come back. But he ain't.

 

[kyjeff1]

Under Calipari's leadership, I believe our players would be smarter than to blow their money in the ways you provided. My ultimate point being, that extra year added on to their NBA career worth 3 million dollars will not make or break them. If they are smart with their money, they'll end up having generational wealth regardless of how long they play. If I even had 3 million dollars, I could turn that into 12 million in 10 years time. Imagine what they can do with a first round contract. Players like Knox would still be a lottery pick if they came back. It would benefit him in the long run to come back to work on the intangibles that it takes to succeed in a high turnover business like the NBA.

To me, it's up to each individual and how their family raised them.
An extra year in college isn't going to prevent a kid from blowing his money unless he majors in finance.
If you look on the list of the top 15 NBA players that are broke, Allen Iverson is #1 on the list, he blew $154,000,000.00, Derrek Coleman blew 91 mill, Kenny Anderson blew through $63.4 million, Rick Mahorn is broke after earning 7.6 million, Sprewell lost 97 million, Rodman lost 30 million blah, blah, blah. It's up to the individual, not how many years he stayed in school.

 

[BlueBomb]

Only if he played elsewhere.

 

[BlueRunner11]

According to a friend of mine in Tampa, the day after the game, the local paper had an interview with Knox's father who said they were considering a return to college. I highly doubt it and maybe a negotiating strategy. But, it would be nice. Supposedly, Knox likes the college life.

Dont you dare play with our emotions right now.

 

[CalipariCapo]

To me, it's up to each individual and how their family raised them.
An extra year in college isn't going to prevent a kid from blowing his money unless he majors in finance.
If you look on the list of the top 15 NBA players that are broke, Allen Iverson is #1 on the list, he blew $154,000,000.00, Derrek Coleman blew 91 mill, Kenny Anderson blew through $63.4 million, Rick Mahorn is broke after earning 7.6 million, Sprewell lost 97 million, Rodman lost 30 million blah, blah, blah. It's up to the individual, not how many years he stayed in school.

It also depends on who your mentors are and how involved they are in your life. Calipari is a great mentor that has his player's best interest at heart. He's even said that he teaches them about finances and smart decision making. I'm sure the players you named didn't quite have the mentorship that Calipari provides. And for the most part, Cal recruits kids from good families.

 

[LineSkiCat14]

We sort of have the Knox replacement next year in Johnson, and I'm not sure Johnson would want to come here if Knox came back, continuing to be the primary scorer, along with a handful of other star players.

For this reason, I don't think Cal would let Knox come back unless he REALLY wanted to.. and I don't think Knox REALLY wants to that bad.

 

[LineSkiCat14]

According to a friend of mine in Tampa, the day after the game, the local paper had an interview with Knox's father who said they were considering a return to college. I highly doubt it and maybe a negotiating strategy. But, it would be nice. Supposedly, Knox likes the college life.

This interview has to exist on the web somewhere, I imagine.

 

[AzubuikeandFitch]

If Lyles had come back for a soph year he would have been a super soph and A-A. So would Knox but I don't expect it because Cal will tell him to jump even if he wants to come back.

I completely agree. I desperately wanted Lyles and Dakari to return. Can u imagine if we would have had those guys to man the paint w/ Ulis and Murray on the perimeter?
The biggest losses the BBN faces are not recruits who go elsewhere, it's the borderline guys who ultimately leave.

 

[Fox2monk]

“It would be crazy if a lot of us came back,” Knox said. “With the recruits we’ve got coming in, next year we’d be really dangerous. A lot of guys could come back, a lot of guys could leave. I’m pretty sure next year it’s going to be crazy. We learned so much this year that we can help the freshmen coming in and we can intake next year. It’s going to be a great season next year, regardless of who comes in, who doesn’t. I’m really looking forward to it.”

https://kentucky.247sports.com/Article/Kentucky-basketball-With-season-over-questions-arise-on-UKs-roster-next-year-116592037?utm_source=247Sports Newsletter&utm_medium=Newsletter&utm_campaign=180324_132019_Kentucky Wildcats&utm_content=Link&liveconnect=7B-56-25-5E-6C-E3-89-8F-10-9A-F2-13-0D-E1-80-38180324_132019KentuckyWildcats

That comment sounds more on the fence than.I would have thought.

 

[Ineverplayedthegame]

He will go and get drafted somewhere around the middle of the first round.
He is immature due to age and not yet strong physically or mentally. He is not good handling the ball or defending.
He is a good spot up jump shooter and has a nice floater from 10’ on the baseline.
He will spend all of next year on the end of the bench or in the GLeague.
By his third year you’ll be able to tell where he will fit in.

 

[Dollfann1]

Only if he played elsewhere.

Exactly

 

[BigBlueFanGA]

Please - read my post again. I said, I wish the kid would come back. I think he should come back, for selfish reasons. I am a Kentucky Basketball fan, not a "players first fan." I want kids to come here, stay here, win championships here.

I said, in my post, he ain't coming back. If a team offers him first round guaranteed money, he should take it. What I want don't mean shit, he's going to do what he wants. Smart move is taking the money.

I have a 6 year old son. If he grew to be a player that was faced with this decision; I would tell him to take the money. If he's going to be guaranteed millions, gets to start earning a year earlier, and gets to develop his game full time on a roster - I tell him to take it.

If you don't agree with this, that's fine. But there aren't many who wouldn't do it themselves if presented with the option.

"Hey Kevin, we will select you first round and pay you millions, and you can work with pros and our training team daily full time; or you can go back to school to try to win a championship. You may be injured, you may be exposed; choice is yours."

What is his choice?

I want nothing more than for him to come back. But he ain't.

I'm not clamoring for him to come back, I'm saying there is significant longterm risk to his pro career IF he isn't mature enough for it. His expected position in this draft vs the next one is important as well. If what I think I see in Knox is accurate I'd advise my son to stay in school another year so he could mature enough to deal with being a professional and all the demand's that come with it.

 

[CatfanMike47]

The most depressing thing about this whole situation is how many of our fans are willing to put a bad NBA teams bench ahead of the University of Kentucky. All of you who act like you care about these kids futures are liars. It is fraudulent the way our fans believe this players first crap.

I don’t care if Knox is projected to be the number 1 pick and has Michael Jordan potential. I want him to come back and I wish our coach and fans would fight like hell to bring him back. Instead a lot of us take a holier than thou philosophy and try to act like it is selfish to put the Cats quest for # 9 ahead of the NBA.

And it’s selfish of you to want this kids to put their future on the back burner for your entertainment

 

[CatfanMike47]

If he’s a pick he should take it. Cause coming back will hurt his draft stock. Look at the last five drafts look at what was drafted in lottery all freshmen for the most part and most of the first round.

 

[83Cat]

According to a friend of mine in Tampa, the day after the game, the local paper had an interview with Knox's father who said they were considering a return to college. I highly doubt it and maybe a negotiating strategy. But, it would be nice. Supposedly, Knox likes the college life.

Hmmm, history exam on Thursday, accounting exam on Friday, paper dues next Monday all on top of Cal’s practices and games...or off to play a game in Chicago, tomorrow, NY, a night in my new mansion, shine my new Bentley...fan girls grabbing for autographs... he will stay.

 

[KMKAT]

I read a quote after the loss and Knox said if a lot of us came back next year, what an incredible team we could form next year.

I don’t expect Knox to come back any more than the Harrisons did. I just wanted to see an offseason of so much expectation with a lineup rivaled by few. I can always hold the opinion Knox’s family would cover the injury threat and he might make a decision that allows him to be a better contributor to a franchise with 2 years of high level experience.

Too many James Young and Nerlens Noel examples where these guys are getting paid, but are they truly accepting of the decision they made?

 

[Aces Fan]

And it’s selfish of you to want this kids to put their future on the back burner for your entertainment

This is funny because we have tons of fans like you who try and justify this awful system that Cal loves by taking some moral high ground about “caring more about these players”. When in actual reality I don’t believe a damn one of you people actually believe that. It just helps you sleep better to spew that moral superiority nonsense.

 

[CatfanMike47]

This is funny because we have tons of fans like you who try and justify this awful system that Cal loves by taking some moral high ground about “caring more about these players”. When in actual reality I don’t believe a damn one of you people actually believe that. It just helps you sleep better to spew that moral superiority nonsense.

At least I’m not selfish like you

 

[Aces Fan]

At least I’m not selfish like you

Just a liar?

 

[CatfanMike47]

Just a liar?

 

[darkshadesofblue]

One can dream

 

[Xception]

I feel confident that Knox is aware of my desire to build a super team and win a title. It will sway his decision because what I want is more noble than money.

 

[Hoskins91]

I read a quote after the loss and Knox said if a lot of us came back next year, what an incredible team we could form next year.

I don’t expect Knox to come back any more than the Harrisons did. I just wanted to see an offseason of so much expectation with a lineup rivaled by few. I can always hold the opinion Knox’s family would cover the injury threat and he might make a decision that allows him to be a better contributor to a franchise with 2 years of high level experience.

Too many James Young and Nerlens Noel examples where these guys are getting paid, but are they truly accepting of the decision they made?

How would coming back have helped Young or Noel? Their “lack of success” is entirely their own making. Coming back would not have helped without them also having a major personality change.

Knox is a lottery pick, there is no reason to come back. If he can’t make a roster after three years of being able to completely focus on basketball, another year in college wasn’t going to make a difference. If he didn’t have to wait a year after high school to declare he would never have been here.

 

[anon_9qtxg60vqzy0y]

This interview has to exist on the web somewhere, I imagine.

Yeah, Google doesn't seem to be able to locate it. Hmmm

 

[LineSkiCat14]

I mean, he wouldn't be the first supposed lottery pick to come back. Wasn't Bridges a lottery pick for MSU last year? I think Knox is definitely a step behind the Wall/Cousins/Davis types, and he doesn't need the money either. I bet he's gone, but I would be there's a small chance he comes back.

 

[DanHalen88]

Look, I think every fan wants all our guys back!!!,,, that's common sense!!!! And honesty I think we will have a surprise and see a few guys back. Yeah I'm sure a few will leave. We have no idea what these kids are thinking!!! Knox seems to love college life, is is extremely young. His parents don't seem to be hurting for money. Same with Pj, with his dad being a coach I can see him getting solid advice. The big question for me is Vanderbilt, and the whole injury issue. I hope he gets good advice from Cal, and this brings me to my main point........(on staying or going pro). It's simple to me and Im positive Cal looks at it same way in that IF you are guaranteed LOTTERY pick then you go! If not then stay another year. Or if your getting feedback you're a for sure first rounder then go!!! I get that it rubs people the wrong way with the "players first" and it's about the kids stuff. I think Cal has done that for recruiting reasons. I know the guy wants to win every game, he hates losing as much as we do!!! I get irritated at the Cal haters, but I know how much everyone on this board bleeds blue.

 

[LineSkiCat14]

The problem is, he needs to work on his mentality. He was too complacent at times this year. He's good enough to score 30/game. If he can't rise to that next level, that alpha role, he should go to the NBA now.. Next year wouldn't be any better for his draft potential if he floats in and out of games.. and a guy like KJ might take the offense from him.

 

[JonathanW]

I think Cal does do that and it is a disservice to most players. Knox is not ready for the NBA in any way. He is so unprepared that I worry he may wash out. The NBA isn't the most laid back group. Next man up has a totally different meaning there.

I’m not sure he does push them unless they are top 10. Seems like Willie was projected 15-20 and welcomed back. Trey surprised me, but then he went earlier than I thought. I thought he was a 20 pick, and with another year would be top 10 maybe 5.

 

[UKSlim]

He won't improve his draft stock by staying, SGA is in the same boat...Diallo and Washington is a different story.

 

[GonzoCat90]

The most depressing thing about this whole situation is how many of our fans are willing to put a bad NBA teams bench ahead of the University of Kentucky. All of you who act like you care about these kids futures are liars. It is fraudulent the way our fans believe this players first crap.

I don’t care if Knox is projected to be the number 1 pick and has Michael Jordan potential. I want him to come back and I wish our coach and fans would fight like hell to bring him back. Instead a lot of us take a holier than thou philosophy and try to act like it is selfish to put the Cats quest for # 9 ahead of the NBA.

We're actually just able to face reality and process situations like adults.

 

[Aces Fan]

We're actually just able to face reality and process situations like adults.

I have never seen a fan base with a more high and mighty view of themselves. And to think some wonder why everyone hates us.

 

[GonzoCat90]

I have never seen a fan base with a more high and mighty view of themselves. And to think sone wonder why everyone hates us.

They actually hate people like you who embarrass the rest of us with irrational, self-centrered nonsense that treats college sports fandom like a cultural identity war between good and evil.

You don't have to be high and mighty to realize it's stupid to want someone to pass on living their dream and making millions of dollars to benefit *you*.

 

[dave5164]

I do believe Knox could be a player that really loves college basketball and would love to do for another year. I am not saying I have this friend in Florida or I know the parents and I have heard he is coming back. I also don't believe Cal would say that Knox hasn't made his decision yet. We know with Cal the norm is that the player is heading for the NBA. He could be what Bridges of Michigan State did last year and play another season at the college level. I would just love to see Knox play one more year in Kentucky uniform. Knox came along way during the year in those last 10 games or more Knox was becoming that player we had heard last year. Knox was starting to become a great shooter and was becoming a team leader. Just like the game in KSU I would have loved to see Coach Cal went to the 6'9 Knox down the stretch when he was going to PJ around the 8 minute mark. That is when Coach Cal knew KSU was serious foul trouble and he was going to keep throwing the ball inside to PJ and PJ would have been great if he would just hit Free Throws. I really thought when Coach Cal knew that PJ's Confidence was really down going to the line in the 2nd half was to call a timeout and switch it up and pound the ball into Knox to take it to the basket. Knox would have hit most of the Free Throws that cost UK the game. Knox being 6'9 and how well he shoots could have also connected on making some of the layups and going to the line for a 3 point play. I know Cal talked so much about it down the stretch in SEC play for Knox to pound it inside and take the layup or pull up from 5-10 FT. Once PJ was missing in the 1st half this should have been discussed at Half going to Knox instead of PJ with his Free Throw problem that night. You could see it the eyes of PJ that he just didn't want to go back to the Charity stripe when he was getting fouled. Knox at 6'9 could have been that huge 2nd option and he would have made most of the Free Throws. I would like to see if he did come back to work on that next year pounding it inside with his 6'9 strength inside.

 

[mj2k10]

Haven't waded through what I'm sure is the abundant stupidity in this thread, but if you're going to evaluate a player's NBA future in a way that isn't just being a selfish jackass, what you need to look at is one thing, and one thing only:

Is the player going to get a 2nd contract?

Rookie money is nice by any normal human standards, but it's that 2nd contract that sets a player up for life.

Cal has coached 16 guys at UK drafted in the lottery range. 7 have hit the jackpot already, 9 are still under rookie contract, and of those, Randle, Murray, KAT, Booker, and Lyles are locks to get good to huge 2nd contracts. Noel turned down a 100 million dollar offer (bad, bad choice), but someone is going to take him. That leaves WCS, Fox, and Monk. WCS is going to be in the league a while, and it's too early to tell on Fox and Monk.

Players outside the lottery range are hit and miss, mostly miss (which is true of all players drafted outside the lottery).

 

[Cefiro]

Under Calipari's leadership, I believe our players would be smarter than to blow their money in the ways you provided. My ultimate point being, that extra year added on to their NBA career worth 3 million dollars will not make or break them. If they are smart with their money, they'll end up having generational wealth regardless of how long they play. If I even had 3 million dollars, I could turn that into 12 million in 10 years time. Imagine what they can do with a first round contract. Players like Knox would still be a lottery pick if they came back. It would benefit him in the long run to come back to work on the intangibles that it takes to succeed in a high turnover business like the NBA.

So Knox should risk injury to come back and work on intangibles. You’re really selfish! Any kid guaranteed a first round pick should go, unless they can play their way up the draft board significantly ie Willie Cauley Stein.

 

[Attaboy-blue]

So Knox should risk injury to come back and work on intangibles. You’re really selfish! Any kid guaranteed a first round pick should go, unless they can play their way up the draft board significantly ie Willie Cauley Stein.

Get off your high horse dude seriously. Stop acting like he is wrong and you're right.

 

[KA4Prez]

There is a sweet spot. As much as we "want everyone", that doesn't work, it isn't reality and it doesn't always create the best team.

Cal's best teams went about 8-9 deep. Everyone knew their role. Nobody complains about PT, chemistry, etc. The 2014-15 team was too good for its own good. It took a Poythress injury to knock down the legit platoon system, which may have actually gone on all year.

I see it this way for next year.

Having Green, Richards, Gabriel, Washington, SKJ and one of Knox or SGA back would be perfect. If somehow, Vanderbilt returned, icing on the cake. With that said, the key really isn't to bring back the best talents, but have some legit experience and quality depth to go with the incoming players.

 

[crawfords corner]

I think there's an outside chance Knox returns. His age, tendency to disappear against physical play(there wont be any of that in the NBA) and abysmal defense could be good enough reasons for him to come back. Of course, those last two things could get better in the D-League/NBA over time.