Vanderbilt practices

[BobS]

That JV has been listening to friends and family about not playing because it would hurt his draft chances this year. Supposedly an NBA scout convinced he has no shot of going to the NBA this year unless he plays. That's when he decided to play. Pretty much set on being OAD. But thats not unusual for a 5 star Cal recruit, so....

[DA#23]

We're officially in that UGLY gray area wherein a person receives a lucrative scholarship to be part of our men's basketball team and then decides whether he'll participate on the court based upon his perceived draft status.

Derek Anderson was foaming at the mouth to come back and play, and now we've arrived at the polar opposite. Not cool . If he's healthy and eligible to play, then he ought to play his best.

[Joneslab]

Vanderbilt appears to want to play based on some of the social media stuff I've seen. There'd be no reason to put "Coming Soon" and all that stuff on Instagram if you didn't want to play.

If I'm in his family and have been told that playing may hurt him then I probably have reservations too. That's only natural.

But as far as the culture and all that, it's really not the players or their families who should be blamed. That's Cal's deal and it was pretty much in place when Jarred Vanderbilt was 8 years old.

[Joneslab]

After listening to Pratt on the radio, I'm convinced JV will play this year and this year only.

If he's good enough to be a one-and-done that would obviously be good for Kentucky this season. Because Vanderbilt isn't on the first-round mocks I've seen. He isn't one of these can't-miss superstars, so in that way that scout seems to be right.

When you've got somebody like Skal it really doesn't matter if he plays well or not. He's a first-rounder with his skillset. Vanderbilt's different. He has to perform at a high level.

The good news (for him at least) is that if he simply wants to be a first-rounder then there isn't a whole lot of competition. Once you get past the lottery this is a pretty soft draft.

[justford]

What’d he say?

Said on Bob Valvano show today that AAU source from Houston told him that "Fools, family and friends" have been advising him not to play even though physically ready. Said someone ftom NBA explained to his family not to expect him to get drafted first round if he doesn't play this year. He's going to play now obviously. Thought this was a possibility but interesting to hear this from Pratt.

[DA#23]

Just for conversation's sake: let's say a player like Vanderbilt decides either not to play or to try and feign injury so as not to play. How do you think Calipari would handle that type of scenario?

[Catsrock]

Just for conversation's sake: let's say a player like Vanderbilt decides either not to play or to try and feign injury so as not to play. How do you think Calipari would handle that type of scenario?

Not exactly a hypothetical at this point. Cal says it's up to the player. Then points out this is THE players 1st program.

[Joneslab]

Just for conversation's sake: let's say a player like Vanderbilt decides either not to play or to try and feign injury so as not to play. How do you think Calipari would handle that type of scenario?

If you're going to do that you probably wouldn't have come to Kentucky in the first place. There are routes these players can go if they don't want to play college ball.

Unless you're the elite of the elite, not playing is going to be a crapshoot. You MAY be a first rounder...but it's not like Vanderbilt is Mo Bamba. He's a guy who kind of needs to be out there to be 100% sure.

Having said all this, it's clear that Calipari is in this for a different reason than the fans. If he feels the player is going to benefit from whatever route--playing or not playing--then it will always be about benefiting the player over the program.

This has been the case since 2009. Usually it works out for UK, but Cal isn't a guy who's going to go all-in on bringing a player in fast to give us a better shot at a title.

[DA#23]

^ As far as the last sentence goes, he might also weigh that risk profile with the idea that said player might return if he doesn't play. He won that gamble with Diallo. He might lose it if Vanderbilt doesn't play and does leave.

I'm probably worrying about nothing because he likely will play and he likely will try his very best to go pro this year.

[Jload]

I hope Vanderbilt can help us but in reality nobody has ever seen him play in a college game. He might be as advertised or he could be raw and in need of further development like EVERY other player on this team. We have no one and dones on this team except in there own minds. Yeah somebody may draft a couple of them but IMO they will be unsuccessful unless they stay in college and learn the darn game better. But hey that isn’t gonna happen either because Cal has created an enviorment where kids are EXPECTED to leave early and if they don’t then everyone says something is Wrong with them.

[Joneslab]

I hope Vanderbilt can help us but in reality nobody has ever seen him play in a college game. He might be as advertised or he could be raw and in need of further development like EVERY other player on this team. We have no one and dones on this team except in there own minds. Yeah somebody may draft a couple of them but IMO they will be unsuccessful unless they stay in college and learn the darn game better. But hey that isn’t gonna happen either because Cal has created an enviorment where kids are EXPECTED to leave early and if they don’t then everyone says something is Wrong with them.

I'm sure he'll be raw but from what I've seen he's the best of the bunch. Can do a lot of things with the ball. Great passer. Plays hard.

You're always in need of 6'9" guys with NBA length who play hard. If he wants to go to the NBA then we can gnash our teeth all day long and it's not going to stop him. Were he my son and the possibility were out there I would recommend that he go.

[Lighthouse]

The advice he was supposed to be getting to not play, could have come from a scout of a team that needs a player like him, and either wanted to get him cheap, or steal him from whoever. Of course if he doesn't play college ball, how would they know for sure what his game looks like.

[Joneslab]

Were he my son and the possibility were out there I would recommend that he go.

Just to clarify this: my advice would be to go if he were a first-round lock.

As we all know so many of these players aren't locks and are basically just going to the NBA on a wing and prayer.

[Lighthouse]

Just to clarify this: my advice would be to go if he were a first-round lock.

As we all know so many of these players aren't locks and are basically just going to the NBA on a wing and prayer.

You're speaking truth. There have been a lot of lottery picks come from UK and several 1st rounders, but many have not been selected until later if at all.

[George]

Apparently Vanderbilt’s uniform made it to Vandy. So there’s that.