Who Stays Who Goes?

[Joneslab]

Because of the Cal era. Orton, Humphries, Gabriel, Briscoe, etc, etc,etc. Has little to do with their abilities all too often. 5 stars in high school usually = 1 year at U.K.

Right, and I'm not knocking you because 90% of people say "They all go pro."

But in truth they all don't go pro. We've gotten quite a few returners, and the really obvious ones generally do return. Nobody looked at Ashton Hagans after the North Carolina game and thought he was a pro.

You're right that we've had some surprises at UK with freshmen. Orton is definitely one, and I'd put Archie Goodwin in there as well. (Jarred Vanderbilt is close, but the injury situation made it a lot more complex.) But usually our "what the heck is he thinking?" situations come after the sophomore year.

The sophomore year at Kentucky has turned into a kind of de facto senior year.

[Catsrock]

Right, and I'm not knocking you because 90% of people say "They all go pro."

But in truth they all don't go pro. We've gotten quite a few returners, and the really obvious ones generally do return. Nobody looked at Ashton Hagans after the North Carolina game and thought he was a pro.

You're right that we've had some surprises at UK with freshmen. Orton is definitely one, and I'd put Archie Goodwin in there as well. (Jarred Vanderbilt is close, but the injury situation made it a lot more complex.) But usually our "what the heck is he thinking?" situations come after the sophomore year.

The sophomore year at Kentucky has turned into a kind of de facto senior year.

Some of the very examples I gave actually stayed 2 years. But I was surprised Ashton didn't at least "test the waters." I feel he reclassified to try to get to the league as fast as possible.

[J.Jennings]

Unless we plan on playing fast paced small ball, our backcourt is loaded, especially if Herro was to do the unthinkable and return. I just hope this doesn't lead to locker room problems and kids crying over PT..

[Dwight Schrute]

I actually would like to see what a Cal team would look like as fast-paced small ball.

[Joneslab]

Unless we plan on playing fast paced small ball, our backcourt is loaded, especially if Herro was to do the unthinkable and return. I just hope this doesn't lead to locker room problems and kids crying over PT..

If Herro returns then it's hard to see both Quickley and Jemarl returning.

Whitney will probably play behind Herro in that situation but Herro isn't coming out much, nor is Maxey. You might see a platoon situation again with Quickley and Hagans but I can't imagine Quickley would be okay with that if he wants to get to the next level.

Would love to see him stay as an off-the-bench shooter. Jemarl too. But that is a logjam.

[Joneslab]

Jon Hale notes on Twitter that before this year, Kentucky has had 21 underclassmen return. Two of those went on to be drafted in the first round.

The idea that you can come back to school and improve your stock is really shaky logic. The truth is that some of these guys will never be can't-miss pros, and it doesn't matter if they stayed in school for years.

This is what Kentucky is up against...but on the plus side, PJ Washington hopefully did us a lot of good with what he accomplished this past season.

[Joneslab]

As expected, Keldon Johnson announces that he will test the NBA waters.

[JFCats22]

https://twitter.com/KentuckyMBB/status/1115997982724362241?s=20

[JFCats22]

[Joneslab]

He specifically mentions the fact that he wants to be a lottery pick.

I don't think he will be.

[Spiritof96]

He specifically mentions the fact that he wants to be a lottery pick.

I don't think he will be.

This is good news for us.

[Joneslab]

This is good news for us.

The decision for him will likely come down to how much they're willing to bend when a team five to ten slots outside the lottery gives him a promise.

Because I don't see him falling out of the first round. But what if a team at, say, pick #20 says they'll take him? That's tough to turn down, particularly when these kids know they're not guaranteed to get that same shot a year from now.

Another reason PJ was big. PJ has just shown that you can come back and do things to improve your position. But still, it's a tough gamble because players don't always improve the way they should.

[JFCats22]

@AdamZagoria
Per Kentucky, Tyler Herro has NOT made a decision on his status for the NBA Draft.

[J.Jennings]

He specifically mentions the fact that he wants to be a lottery pick.

I don't think he will be.

This is good news in many ways especially if a handful of NBA teams will be brutally honest with him, he needs work, not a lottery pick at this time of his career...

[Dwight Schrute]

The decision for him will likely come down to how much they're willing to bend when a team five to ten slots outside the lottery gives him a promise.

Because I don't see him falling out of the first round. But what if a team at, say, pick #20 says they'll take him? That's tough to turn down, particularly when these kids know they're not guaranteed to get that same shot a year from now.

Another reason PJ was big. PJ has just shown that you can come back and do things to improve your position. But still, it's a tough gamble because players don't always improve the way they should.

To me it kinda seems like how you can improve. Keldon kinda disappeared in games this year. I also kinda thought he was gonna be our guy, which he wasn't.

Keldon seems like he has the temperament that if you get in his way you're gonna get destroyed, and that wasn't really on display as much this year.