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

[Matt Dillon]

Well, it's gonna play as it does.
kids are waiting for the last second like Cinderella hoping the clock doesn't strike. Then again, weren't they told a short time ago they were superstars just waiting till their birthday? That Chance for a golden ticket is one bad injury from gone.
and too....one more chance to be recruited....told by a fan base that we will be great if YOU come back.
heady stuff for a guy a few months away from senior prom.
​​​​​

Exactly, Bill. And if they aren't any good, why do we want them to return?

[justford]

Exactly, Bill. And if they aren't any good, why do we want them to return?

Not being ready for the NBA doesn't necessarily mean your are not good. I think it just means at this time you need more work. We all know some of these players will never be ready for the NBA but can contribute at the college level.

[Matt Dillon]

Not being ready for the NBA doesn't necessarily mean your are not good. I think it just means at this time you need more work. We all know some of these players will never be ready for the NBA but can contribute at the college level.

The way some people talk, though, players like Washington and Gabriel can't walk and chew gum at the same time.

[J.Jennings]

The way some people talk, though, players like Washington and Gabriel can't walk and chew gum at the same time.

Just because Gabriel had THE game of his life hitting 7 thress doesn't make him pro material, again please tune in and watch a NBA game in the playoffs and tell me if a player like PJ or Gabriel is even close to being a pro player. I agree both have potenial to be good college players but do you think PJ wants to come back and sit behind Montgomery? Montgomery is a lot more skilled and has a better height advantage, some compare him to Anthony Davis in many ways.. Last thing i want next season is PJ sitting on the bench mean mugging and causing a disturbance in the locker room, I actually understand why Cal pushes some out in order to avoid a problem the following year.

Anyways, if Vanderbitl, Washington, and Gabriel come back they could all be a part of a something special next year, just have to accept the role whateve that may be and not play to showcase to the NBA but play to win as a team.....

[40bill]

I guess here's another way to look at PJ and Wenyen....what if this is as good as they get?
Neither is likely to grow, and if you can't gain weight and muscle at college when you have a whole staff of folks dedicated to that, what's gonna happen when it's on you?
Will Washington get faster, quicker and turn into a defender?
Dunno. Maybe now is as good as any for Gabriel....some luck and an agent and those overseas leagues don't pay NBA money, but there are several that definitely ain't bad money. The new G league upgrade to what? 75k a year for a half years work is mighty good entry level pay for a college grad, much less a two year attender.

It's just up to them.....what they want, what they are happy with, how they want to play it.

Perks if they stay at UK, perks of some kind if they take money and run. If it's a mistake, so be it.

[J.Jennings]

I guess here's another way to look at PJ and Wenyen....what if this is as good as they get?
Neither is likely to grow, and if you can't gain weight and muscle at college when you have a whole staff of folks dedicated to that, what's gonna happen when it's on you?
Will Washington get faster, quicker and turn into a defender?
Dunno. Maybe now is as good as any for Gabriel....some luck and an agent and those overseas leagues don't pay NBA money, but there are several that definitely ain't bad money. The new G league upgrade to what? 75k a year for a half years work is mighty good entry level pay for a college grad, much less a two year attender.

It's just up to them.....what they want, what they are happy with, how they want to play it.

Perks if they stay at UK, perks of some kind if they take money and run. If it's a mistake, so be it.

Honestly i am just not going to worry about it one way or another. If they leave i wish them well and if they come back i will fully support them. I don't think either is close to being pro material at this time but if PJ wants to grind his way up in the G league i understand and if Gabriel needs money now i also understand. Regardless i do think Richards will be a different player next year with Montgomery but if Richards still isn't there, hopeful that Vanderbilt does return to play a rebounding Center or PF...

The biggest problem with PJ that is see is he has no handle or a jumpshot and is too small to post up and score in the NBA. In a scoring league, some teams have 5 scorers that can defend and all shoot the ball from beyond the arc, it's a different game now. Even players like D. Howard and some of the last of a dying breed old school post centers are now learing how to shoot the 3 in order to stay in the game. If PJ expects to make the NBA, he has to learn how to shoot and score the basketball......

[Joneslab]

I guess here's another way to look at PJ and Wenyen....what if this is as good as they get?
Neither is likely to grow, and if you can't gain weight and muscle at college when you have a whole staff of folks dedicated to that, what's gonna happen when it's on you?
Will Washington get faster, quicker and turn into a defender?
Dunno. Maybe now is as good as any for Gabriel....some luck and an agent and those overseas leagues don't pay NBA money, but there are several that definitely ain't bad money. The new G league upgrade to what? 75k a year for a half years work is mighty good entry level pay for a college grad, much less a two year attender.

It's just up to them.....what they want, what they are happy with, how they want to play it.

Perks if they stay at UK, perks of some kind if they take money and run. If it's a mistake, so be it.

Vanderbilt and Washington can be stars IMO.

Vanderbilt's issue is his health, and he's obviously way behind offensively. Washington's is consistency.

Those last two things are fixable. Hopefully Vanderbilt's health is as well with off-season surgery.

Gabriel will not be a pro but has already shown he can be a solid role guy at the college level. Those types of players are critical. UK hasn't had enough of those types in the Cal era.

[Joneslab]

The way some people talk, though, players like Washington and Gabriel can't walk and chew gum at the same time.

I think what people mean when they talk about those players is that they're not pros right now.

A lot of very good college players aren't pros right now. Every really good college team is going to have some core guys who aren't NBA ready.

UK fans fell in love with Vanderbilt's hustle, but his health issues are a tad scary. Washington had five to seven games where he balled out; the rest of the time he was up and down. To me that's just indicative of being a young player.

I believe both can be all-SEC types next season and the anchors of a really good team. I can't imagine either making an NBA team right now.

Both comments can be true.

Wenyen Gabriel has a long way to go because of his lack of ballhandling ability and his non-existent in-between game, but I really like him as a solid sixth or seventh man.

If all three return I think Kentucky will be #2 in the preseason next year.

[KCKUKFan]

I think what people mean when they talk about those players is that they're not pros right now.

A lot of very good college players aren't pros right now. Every really good college team is going to have some core guys who aren't NBA ready.

UK fans fell in love with Vanderbilt's hustle, but his health issues are a tad scary. Washington had five to seven games where he balled out; the rest of the time he was up and down. To me that's just indicative of being a young player.

I believe both can be all-SEC types next season and the anchors of a really good team. I can't imagine either making an NBA team right now.

Both comments can be true.

Wenyen Gabriel has a long way to go because of his lack of ballhandling ability and his non-existent in-between game, but I really like him as a solid sixth or seventh man.

If all three return I think Kentucky will be #2 in the preseason next year.

Behind who?

[Joneslab]

Behind who?

Duke.

Now that DiVincenzo is out at Villanova, I think they'll drop back a little.

A critical moment is coming for the future of Kentucky basketball tomorrow. We're going to have a real shot to win a national championship if things fall the right way.

[Matt Dillon]

Just because Gabriel had THE game of his life hitting 7 thress doesn't make him pro material, again please tune in and watch a NBA game in the playoffs and tell me if a player like PJ or Gabriel is even close to being a pro player. I agree both have potenial to be good college players but do you think PJ wants to come back and sit behind Montgomery? Montgomery is a lot more skilled and has a better height advantage, some compare him to Anthony Davis in many ways.. Last thing i want next season is PJ sitting on the bench mean mugging and causing a disturbance in the locker room, I actually understand why Cal pushes some out in order to avoid a problem the following year.

Anyways, if Vanderbitl, Washington, and Gabriel come back they could all be a part of a something special next year, just have to accept the role whateve that may be and not play to showcase to the NBA but play to win as a team.....

I never meant to give the impression that I thought Gabriel and Washington are ready for the NBA, because I don't. I do find it kind of odd that some fans want them to return if they are as bad as those fans think they are. I've gotten so used to having a new team every year, I don't worry if they all leave.

[Joneslab]

I never meant to give the impression that I thought Gabriel and Washington are ready for the NBA, because I don't. I do find it kind of odd that some fans want them to return if they are as bad as those fans think they are. I've gotten so used to having a new team every year, I don't worry if they all leave.

Matt, all due respect but you don't seem to worry about much of anything when it comes to UK basketball. I've never gotten the impression that you give much of a flip.

And that's fine.

But most of us do "worry." It's not pins and needles type of worry where I'm on the brink of an ulcer, but this is a big deal. If you just shrug either way, then that's fine. I'm not going to shrug at all because to me this is huge.

What I won't do however if they choose to try the NBA is blast them for making that decision. But worry? Hell yeah. All night long.

[Matt Dillon]

Matt, all due respect but you don't seem to worry about much of anything when it comes to UK basketball. I've never gotten the impression that you give much of a flip.

And that's fine.

But most of us do "worry." It's not pins and needles type of worry where I'm on the brink of an ulcer, but this is a big deal. If you just shrug either way, then that's fine. I'm not going to shrug at all because to me this is huge.

What I won't do however if they choose to try the NBA is blast them for making that decision. But worry? Hell yeah. All night long.

It's no secret college fb in general and UK football in particular is my favorite spectator sport, but I still want the bb team to do well. I've learned not to overly concern myself with things I can't control. Benny Snell may very well go to the NFL after this season, and if he does he does. I won't lose one minute's sleep over if.

[Joneslab]

It's no secret college fb in general and UK football in particular is my favorite spectator sport, but I still want the bb team to do well. I've learned not to overly concern myself with things I can't control. Benny Snell may very well go to the NFL after this season, and if he does he does. I won't lose one minute's sleep over if.

We can't control anything that happens though.

Being a fan isn't about control. It's about having an emotional stake.

That's why tomorrow is big. Because you can draw a direct line to those three decisions and how good UK is going to be next year.

The problem UK fans get into occasionally is that they go way, WAY over the top with that emotion. But I don't get having no passion at all either; to me it seems like it's a waste of time to even follow a sport if there's no passion. At that point you're watching strange teenagers throw a ball around.

[Matt Dillon]

We can't control anything that happens though.

Being a fan isn't about control. It's about having an emotional stake.

That's why tomorrow is big. Because you can draw a direct line to those three decisions and how good UK is going to be next year.

The problem UK fans get into occasionally is that they go way, WAY over the top with that emotion. But I don't get having no passion at all either; to me it seems like it's a waste of time to even follow a sport if there's no passion. At that point you're watching strange teenagers throw a ball around.

I guess the best way to put it is, at some point in time, I went from being a fanatic to being a fan.