I guess my question is what is Clarke gaining by sitting out? I would understand it if he was still a projected lottery pick, but he's not even going to be a first rounder, and the way the NBA drafts, all it would take would be for him to have a good game or two and I guarantee it would put him back in the first round.
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He's gone no matter what. Been the plan since day one, and nothing has changed. By sitting out, he preserves whatever fond memories remain of his projected talent prior to the duds he put up when he played for us. Yeah, he could try to get back out there and have himself a game, but the evidence we have suggests that he'll do the opposite.Last edited by George; 02-09-2021, 11:48 AM.Comment
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Just completely deflating to have this happen yet again. If there are any others on the team considering an “opt out†then I hope they follow his lead.
Opt out. Players first.Comment
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Stating the obvious: this is not a good look for the program whatsoever. It appears Cal has been taken hostage by his own players and their families...but then again, he only has himself to blame. When you create a monster you better know how to tame it.Comment
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“It wouldn’t happen again. “
Then it happened again.
Now it has happened...yet again.
If Hamidou Diallo had skipped the ‘18 season and entered the 2017 draft after nesting at UK for a few months, I probably would have flipped my stuff. This sort of thing, plus Calipari lying about it in an attempt to cover for him after calling him out publicly, is infuriating.
Basically after Terrence directed the “F word†at him after fouling out we should have seen this coming.
We have to do a better job in scouting these recruits. I don’t mean to suggest we can prevent this from happening altogether, but come on, twice in 3 years?Comment
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This wasn't Matt's point but speaking of Hami Diallo, he's become a very good pro. One of the most surprising stories of the Cal era in terms of the NBA. Probably the most surprising.
But all around the country, programs are getting Hami Diallos for two, three years. They don't jump out at the first opportunity. He's symbolic of what is happening with UK's program as a whole, and really whether they "make it" in the NBA is inconsequential for us. Some make it, some languor in the G-League or overseas, some wash out...but in the end it comes back to the basic question of what this program is about. In Cal's first few years it was about both getting young men rich and making fans happy. And I liked it. Now the scales have shifted and fewer young men are getting rich and fewer fans are happy. That's not a good balance.
Selfishly I want the program to be more about us, the fans. I understand we have to have pro talent; we have to have NBA-caliber plays. That's a must if Cal left tomorrow.
But I mentioned above that Cal has been taken hostage by the players. Well, so have the fans.Comment
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I don't begrudge kids for making the best decisions for themselves. I'm not gonna attack Terrence for trying to protect his paycheck. I'm not sure why he doesn't just leave the team and go work out on his own though. Why subject yourself to it?
I understand the frustration on the fans part though - I always assumed the 'we're a players first program' was marking BS for Cal to show the players what he was about. But it does appear that instead of being a players first program, it's players first, then the program. That isn't cool and it's a bad look on the program - agree with Will.
If Terrence were a blip I'd understand and probably wouldn't react too much - I still won't attack him personally over it. I didn't grow up poor and get born with a lottery ticket to protect so it ain't for me to judge the kid's thought process.
Suffice to say there isn't gonna be a lot of fond farewells when this bunch declares for the draft.
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Sounds like they need a new medical staff😉Comment
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Did Terrence Clarke grow up in poverty? I have no idea.
Poor as compared to NBA players, well yeah. But actually poor?
FWIW, I feel that I can separate a guy’s “business decision†from my opinion on his time at UK as a player as well as from how Calipari is running this program.Comment
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justford that is funny stuff!Comment
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Yeah, I'm going to say he did. Grew up in Dorcester, Mass. Poorest community in Boston. Tough area.
Personally I'm concerned about this, just as I was about all the others who clearly grew up poor and see basketball as a way out. But there's a threshold for my concern. I can only go so far. When the program starts to be about pulling kids out of generational poverty at the expense of everything else, that's a problem.Comment
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You can have both. It simply doesn’t fit the timeline that’s desiredComment
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