WHO IS STAYING? (ANSWER: Green, Richards, Washington, Baker)

[BobS]

I still think we lose at least 2 more. And that could still be ok depending on who leaves.

IMO, Washington and Gabriel have to return for us to have a possibility of contending next season.

[85 Fly]

"Officially declares for G league"

I read article today on Bleacher Report stating "hopefully" Diallo makes the G league!

Someone may pull the trigger late second round for P.J. (if he declares) but he will definitely make a G league roster

[Matt Dillon]

IMO PJ Washington will be back..as far as Vanderbilt goes..he was hurt most of the season don't see why anybody thinks he will play in the NBA right now.....

I hope he comes back for another year under Cal.....

The problem is these players have options other than going straight to the NBA. They have the D League, the G League, playing overseas and transferring to other schools. With that in mind, it's really hard to predict what any of them, other than the projected first rounders, will do.

[Jload]

Folks that’s WHY kids come to Kentucky now, to turn pro after a year, it’s the ONLY reason most of them come. Of course they all leave every year, it was there plan from day one, none of us should be shocked, nor should we lament about wether they are “ready” . Ready isn’t what Cal is selling, come here for a year and go to the league is. He has done it well, the big problem is he hasn’t recruited the top guys in a couple of years, probably hasn’t next year either. Nothing has changed at UK and nothing will until we rid ourselves of the philosophy driving our program. Can’t wait to hear about how young we are as we slog thru the first 2months of yet another season

[Joneslab]

Folks that’s WHY kids come to Kentucky now, to turn pro after a year, it’s the ONLY reason most of them come. Of course they all leave every year,it was there plan from day one, none of us should be shocked, nor should we lament about wether they are “ready” . Ready isn’t what Cal is selling, come here for a year and go to the league is. He has done it well, the big problem is he hasn’t recruited the top guys in a couple of years, probably hasn’t next year either. Nothing has changed at UK and nothing will until we rid ourselves of the philosophy driving our program. Can’t wait to hear about how young we are as we slog thru the first 2months of yet another season

They don't all leave every year.

We've gotten quite a few important pieces back. I still expect that to be the case next season.

[Joneslab]

The problem is these players have options other than going straight to the NBA. They have the D League, the G League, playing overseas and transferring to other schools. With that in mind, it's really hard to predict what any of them, other than the projected first rounders, will do.

The D-League became the G-League. They're the same thing.

But you touch on something that's really important here. Kentucky hasn't just lost players to the NBA; it's lost players overseas, and now transfers have become a problem. So the defections are sort of coming from all sides. To me that's a much bigger problem than one-and-dones. With guys who you know are going to be drafted who leave after one year, I feel like in almost every case (minus Archie Goodwin) they succeeded. All of those guys (even Archie) have been drafted in the first round.

No problem with that. Which one of us wouldn't make that same decision?

It's when they start bailing to play overseas that kind of grates on me. That's a severe unintended consequence from the whole one-and-done thing, and it's begun to hurt Kentucky. It could really hurt Kentucky two years in a row, and that's when things start to look pretty bleak.

We always decry one-and-dones and how they're ruining our program. Well, one-and-dones are only part of it now.

[J.Jennings]

Cal's recruiting pitch, " You have one year to prove yourself or i am recruiting over you"

[40bill]

The transfer is a part of it, I agree. We've had that for a time. Tim Stephens, Chuck Aleksinas pop into mind. It's kind of easy for a guy like me to say why in the world, but most all these kids that are at P5 schools were somebody's most valuable player in high school, and playing time is what they are wanting.

What has changed, and in my mind drastically, is that when I became a fan most of these guys fell in love with being KENTUCKY players. Even if they were from somewhere else, they came to the point putting on that uniform was their dream. Maybe the kids we called the unforgettables were one of the last of those. Hanson, Farmer, Pelphrey, Feldhaus were guys that really could have suited up at a lot of places, but wanted to be at UK.

Maybe those days are gone for good. Maybe it started at UK with Pitino and the 'I know what it takes to get to the next level', maybe Cal just took that up four notches. Dunno.

Just seems a bit different mindset with players today, not wrong, not right....just different.

[BobS]

They are, unfortunately. ^^^^

[Joneslab]

What has changed, and in my mind drastically, is that when I became a fan most of these guys fell in love with being KENTUCKY players. Even if they were from somewhere else, they came to the point putting on that uniform was their dream. Maybe the kids we called the unforgettables were one of the last of those. Hanson, Farmer, Pelphrey, Feldhaus were guys that really could have suited up at a lot of places, but wanted to be at UK.

I think this likely changed when Kentucky basketball went national and you started bringing in players who didn't have any connection to the state. Probably the '80s. Maybe even a little in the '70s.

BUT I don't think a player doesn't love Kentucky just because he leaves after a year. We've seen how some of Cal's players have reacted after they've lost. I think they do fall in love with it here for the most part.

You have some exceptions, of course (Daniel Orton, etc.). But it seems like Cal's players have a pretty strong connection to the place.

Their dream, though, is professional basketball. I get that.

I don't get leaving just to leave and having to fight it out overseas. There is absolutely no premium put on staying past two years at Kentucky. To me that's a way bigger deal than one-and-dones.

[J.Jennings]

Again, doesn't really bother me who leaves or if they all go, what did they accomplish? We did somehow manage to win the SEC tournament and had a few games that showed flashes of a good team but besides that, JUNK BASKETBALL. Good luck to those moving on, next man up mentality, i am not happy with a mediocre team, most of us UK fans are still about winning National Championships at Kentucky. The way i see it, players got to do what they got to do for themselves and as a fan, i gotta do what i gotta do for myself and enjoyment, what makes me happy is Kentucky winning a National Championship......................

[KCKUKFan]

Matt Jones just said that we will probably be saying goodbye to Wenyen today or tomorrow.

HAVE to keep Vanderbilt and Washington now.

[KCKUKFan]

Again, doesn't really bother me who leaves or if they all go, what did they accomplish? We did somehow manage to win the SEC tournament and had a few games that showed flashes of a good team but besides that, JUNK BASKETBALL. Good luck to those moving on, next man up mentality, i am not happy with a mediocre team, most of us UK fans are still about winning National Championships at Kentucky. The way i see it, players got to do what they got to do for themselves and as a fan, i gotta do what i gotta do for myself and what makes me happy is Kentucky winning a National Championship......................

Which has happened only eight times in over 100 years.

So that's ninety-some years of junk basketball, I guess.

[J.Jennings]

Which has happened only eight times in over 100 years.

So that's ninety-some years of junk basketball, I guess.

adios amigo, don't let the door hit you in the..............

You trying to tell me i don't have a right to my opinion? You trying to tell me i owe these kids something? You trying to tell me i am supposed to bow down to a 18 year old kid? You trying to tell me i don't have the right as a paying customer to expect excellence?

[J.Jennings]

Lol lol lol lol

Have a good game and hit a few 3 pointers and it's off to the pro's you go lol lol lol

This is comical............