The Annual Who Goes & Who Stays Thread (UPDATE: Everyone to Enter the Draft)

[KCKUKFan]

It changed after 2015 and the past 5 seasons is the result of it. Pretty goo to very good teams, a chance is EVERYTHING works out perfectly to make a run but ultimately not enough to do anything significant.

It's broken and Cal broke it. Beyond annoying and frustrating.

There are a lot of hot takes, and this is certainly... one of them.

But something tells me that you'll be tuned in and ********************ing nonstop the next time the ball is tipped.

[Dwight Schrute]

What changed is that we’ve stopped getting the game changing players we once did but we’re still doing the one and done thing. Crazzed isn’t wrong about that.

[Matt Dillon]

Man, I can’t think of a more disappointing or underachieving player in the Cal era than EJ. He has zero business trying to make it as a pro. I assume he’s just tired of school but the nba is a pipe dream for him.

I think his dad had a lot to do with his decision.

[JFCats22]

There are a lot of hot takes, and this is certainly... one of them.

But something tells me that you'll be tuned in and ********************ing nonstop the next time the ball is tipped.

Sure, I will still watch but my excitement about UK basketball has plunged off a cliff the past 2 seasons and with all going on currently I don't see it changing. Maybe it will be the only exciting thing going on this winter so who knows. But I have watched the least amount of UK games the past 2 seasons I ever have.

[Dwight Schrute]

I was actually enjoying basketball more in January and February than I had since 2015. We were fun to watch.

[KCKUKFan]

My excitement is the same as it's ever been.

I cant say I'm particularly happy with this sort of roster turnover, but Cal has managed to figure it out.

If one of these seasons collapses into a complete disaster ala UNC last year, I'll officially ring the alarm. The reality is that we are still in the title contention almost every year, even if the highs arent as high as the (unrealistic) highs from Cals first five years.

If you were more interested in UK basketball during the late Tubby/BCG years than now, I'm sorry.

I also dont think that "Cal broke it." Cal is a victim of his own ridiculous early success. It's the NCAA that is broken, and they need to get with the times and adjust or they'll be left in the dust.

[KCKUKFan]

I was actually enjoying basketball more in January and February than I had since 2015. We were fun to watch.

I'd argue that the Monk/Fox team was tied with 12 as the most entertaining team to watch during Cals tenure. The Wall team couldn't shoot, the 15 team just sortve lumbered and imposed their ungodly size on people, nd the 11 and 14 teams weren't noticeably different in the regular season than any of the teams in the past five.

This last team wasn't the most fun to watch, but they did maximize their ability more than any of Cals teams, which made them satisfying to watch.

[Joneslab]

I thought this past season was one of the more entertaining of the Cal era simply because they surprised me. I do think they weren't necessarily "appointment television" until later in the season, but when they clicked they were pretty fun. Looking at the roster back in June or so I thought they might go to the NIT.

Personally the most excited I've been in the Cal era was probably during the Harrison twins run. As far as the season as a whole, the Wall team was pretty hard to beat but I was probably most connected to 2012's players.

[J.Jennings]

I'm kind of done with it all now. With the season ending the way it did, the unknown of the future of sports plus all these guys leaving and making stupid ass decisions....I'm about over it all.

You cannot convince me Cal's formula is a recipe for ultimate success. It changed after 2015 and the past 5 seasons is the result of it. Pretty good to very good teams, a chance if EVERYTHING works out perfectly to make a run but ultimately not enough to do anything significant.

It's broken and Cal broke it. Beyond annoying and frustrating.

Cal did break the system promoting millionaires and all that , he opened up pandora's box, everyone that comes to Kentucky thinks they are entitled to a NBA contract ready or not. Folks brushing off the is G league as nothing better get ready for a big reality check, it is going to change the game who goes to college and who doesn't.....

[KCKUKFan]

Wall's team was entertaining, but it was more a combination of that squad's larger than life off-court personalities and the fact that Kentucky had become cool again, literally overnight.

The team itself was very good, certainly, but could be a chore to watch, even late in the season.

[KCKUKFan]

Cal did break the system promoting millionaires and all that , he opened up pandora's box, everyone that comes to Kentucky thinks they are entitled to a NBA contract ready or not. Folks brushing off the is G league as nothing better get ready for a big reality check, it is going to change the game who goes to college and who doesn't.....

One and done is scheduled to end soon anyway, though, right?

[Dwight Schrute]

Cal did break the system promoting millionaires and all that , he opened up pandora's box, everyone that comes to Kentucky thinks they are entitled to a NBA contract ready or not. Folks brushing off the is G league as nothing better get ready for a big reality check, it is going to change the game who goes to college and who doesn't.....

We shall see but I don’t see that coming at all. Overseas is a bigger threat than the G league.

[J.Jennings]

We shall see but I don’t see that coming at all. Overseas is a bigger threat than the G league.

They are going to start adding G leauge teams to city's across America and with everything else that is going on, who wants to travel and play ball in China or overseas when you can stay at home. NBA is ramping up it's G League and is going to invest to grow that brand of basketball. Everyone is looking for the next Pascal Siakam...

[Joneslab]

Wall's team was entertaining, but it was more a combination of that squad's larger than life off-court personalities and the fact that Kentucky had become cool again, literally overnight.

The team itself was very good, certainly, but could be a chore to watch, even late in the season.

Through the middle of the season the Wall team was arguably the best UK team I've seen outside of 2012. But they burned really bright for only about 10 games. They had some other flashes (Wake Forest and Cornell in the NCAA Tournament, etc.) but they started out and wouldn't defend. Then Cousins and Cal butted heads. Then Wall said he wasn't having any fun. Then they really clicked. But they ran up against a bad match-up in the NCAA Tournament and had that one Achilles heel that ended up getting them.

As far as fun to watch, they definitely were that though.

I always thought the 2011 team was better than people thought. Sure, they lost 8 or 9 games...but they were all by like a possession or two. They were way better than people remember IMO.

[Joneslab]

They are going to start adding G leauge teams to city's across America and with everything else that is going on, who wants to travel and play ball in China or overseas when you can stay at home. NBA is ramping up it's G League and is going to invest to grow that brand of basketball. Everyone is looking for the next Pascal Siakam...

The problem is that every off-brand of sports is destined to fail.

From the XFL to these farm baseball teams that have been struggling financially for three decades, nobody wants to pay to watch almost-pros.

College basketball is different because there's built-in tradition. Enormous fanbases. The money-machine that is the NCAA Tournament. Etc.

G-League basketball will never catch on unless the NBA just sees it as a training ground for future pros. As a true moneymaker it has absolutely zero to give your average sports fan.