Scale of 1-10, your Derek Willis confidence level

[J.Jennings]

"Those were the days..."


[ATTACH=CONFIG]n31764[/ATTACH]

Ah hell naw,, they are not UK material period. We don't ever ever ever want players like that at Kentucky again, EVER

[J.Jennings]

Derek is not transferring so we might as well throw that out and not even consider it. Dom is nowhere near going anywhere either. Where are they going to go? Why? Why sit a year? If they transfer now, it's because they think going somewhere is going to help them further their basketball careers once they're done in college. These guys aren't going to play pro ball. They're not going to leave UK for a chance at some minutes at mediocre basketball programs.

Your right, no need to transfer next year because they are both going to play whether UK fans like it or not. Both are two years into the system and have D1 experience practicing against pros for the last two years. One is a ball hawk and the other is a natural scorer. If you can't find a role for either of these two guys then it means you just haven't done your job as a coach to develop either one of these kids. It's a lot easier getting a top 10 talent polished in a year than to develop a guy over a couple of years I suppose

[J.Jennings]

Derek Willis was rated 115 his senior year by Rivals.

The thing about those types of guys is that they don't play much at any of the big-name schools. Not Duke, not Kansas, not North Carolina. The lowest rated guy Duke had that played this past year was Marshall Plumlee; he was 79th out of high school. He averaged 9 minutes a game.

So this is certainly not a conspiracy or a vendetta. These kinds of players--particularly if they're local--are recruited by these programs from time to time. But rarely do they play consistent minutes because at programs like ours, the coaches are out trying to get guys who are elite.

Derek Willis knew that when he signed at Kentucky.

I think Derek Willis actually believed he was good enough to compete and play with other elite players when he decided to come to Kentucky, not to take up bench space. Same with Hawkins. Both these guys would very easily be playing good minutes for Louisville at this point under Rick.

[Joneslab]

It's a lot easier getting a top 10 talent polished in a year than to develop a guy over a couple of years I suppose

Well it definitely takes out a lot of the mystery if you sign one of these elite high school players. I mean, I'd rather have an Anthony Davis or an MKG or a Wall playing than the guy who was 115th out of high school, wouldn't you?

But your comment assumes that these guys can be developed. Some guys can't be developed. You mention Pitino a lot--look at how many players he's had transfer out of Louisville.

Know why? Guys that he tends to recruit are very hard to develop. It takes work on those players' parts.

Cal is doing it at Kentucky the way Coach K and Bill Self and a couple of others are doing it. Going out and finding talent that's going to be NBA ready very quickly. It's been obvious since he came in here.

I like it because it's won us a lot of games but the trade-off is that you don't see a lot of guys cracking the rotation unless they come in with NBA bodies and skillsets.

On Pitino's best teams at UK, it was the same way. There were exceptions (Epps, etc.), but on those very best teams ('96), everybody who played was essentially an NBA player.

[J.Jennings]

Well it definitely takes out a lot of the mystery if you sign one of these elite high school players. I mean, I'd rather have an Anthony Davis or an MKG or a Wall playing than the guy who was 115th out of high school, wouldn't you?

But your comment assumes that these guys can be developed. Some guys can't be developed. You mention Pitino a lot--look at how many players he's had transfer out of Louisville.

Know why? Guys that he tends to recruit are very hard to develop. It takes work on those players' parts.

Cal is doing it at Kentucky the way Coach K and Bill Self and a couple of others are doing it. Going out and finding talent that's going to be NBA ready very quickly. It's been obvious since he came in here.

I like it because it's won us a lot of games but the trade-off is that you don't see a lot of guys cracking the rotation unless they come in with NBA bodies and skillsets.

On Pitino's best teams at UK, it was the same way. There were exceptions (Epps, etc.), but on those very best teams ('96), everybody who played was essentially an NBA player.

All at the same time, he was developing players like Padgett, Mohammed, W. Turner, C. Mills, Maglore, Sheppard, and Allen Edwards.

Nothing wrong with how Cal does guys like Wall, Cousins, Bledsoe, MKG, Davis, and so on but unless you are pure 10-15,, it's hard to really gauge the difference between a guy that ranked 50-100 to a player ranked 100- 125.

[teamchemistry15]

He doesn't care because he knows he's never going to play. He and Hawkins need to transfer now!!!!!!!!!!!

Hawkins should transfer? He is arguably the most athletic player on the team. We need all the freaks we can get!

Seriously though, Hawkins is a good player and a very good defender. He doesnt hurt us when given the chance. I think with us playing small he gets a good chance this year.

[Lighthouse]

I have to divide my rating into two parts. Talent, shooting, passing and ball handling= 7. Work habit and willingness to do what's necessary to compete for a spot= 2. I've seen him play several times, and this is the best I can do.

[teamchemistry15]

1-2

IMO, he never plays a meaningful role at UK. Jon Hood Part II.

Or is he Josh Carrier part III?

[J.Jennings]

Hawkins should transfer? He is arguably the most athletic player on the team. We need all the freaks we can get!

Seriously though, Hawkins is a good player and a very good defender. He doesnt hurt us when given the chance. I think with us playing small he gets a good chance this year.

I was being sarcastic about both Hawkins and Willis. I think people are crazy if they do not believe that both of these kids can compete and give us solid minutes. Going to really tick me off if they both sit on the bench and rot all season long........

[Joneslab]

All at the same time, he was developing players like Padgett, Mohammed, W. Turner, C. Mills, Maglore, Sheppard, and Allen Edwards.

Couple of those players were big-time high school phenoms and not applicable to somebody like Derek Willis.

Wayne Turner came out of high school with a huge reputation. Nazr did as well but was overweight. Kentucky thought so much of Jamaal Magloire that they hired his high school coach. Jeff Sheppard was player of the year in the state of Georgia.

And Cameron Mills didn't play much at all for his first two years and averaged about 5 points a game in Pitino's last year. (Did have a solid NCAA Tournament, IIRC.)

Pitino and Cal definitely do it differently but when Pitino has had elite, championship teams, he's had elite talent. This is why Calipari is 7-1 against him at Kentucky.

It's not magic. You have to have guys who are capable of playing at the next level.

[J.Jennings]

Well maybe the better question is this in regards to this topic of the thread. "On a scale of 1-10, what's the confidence level of Coach Cal's X's and O's??" You have 10 or more NBA players on a team and still can't win a NCAA title against a group of slow non jumping kids out of Wisconsin??????

[BBNalldayeveryday]

I think it's too early to say that. I just think Cal is hunting for players who are projected on draft boards, as he almost always is. As he should be as the coach at Kentucky. That's why we brought him here. If I wanted to see Kentucky boys on the court I'd follow Centre.

The only people who don't want that to happen and would rather have Willis play are Willis's family and JWORLD.

lol at the latter.. Yeah, I just get the gist that he's not a Cal guy because you never really hear Cal talk about him at all. 1 time last year, around half way point of the season in a post game interview he said "It was nice to get Dom and Derek in there for a bit". That's about the only time I remember him mentioning Willis lol.

[J.Jennings]

Couple of those players were big-time high school phenoms and not applicable to somebody like Derek Willis.

Wayne Turner came out of high school with a huge reputation. Nazr did as well but was overweight. Kentucky thought so much of Jamaal Magloire that they hired his high school coach. Jeff Sheppard was player of the year in the state of Georgia.

And Cameron Mills didn't play much at all for his first two years and averaged about 5 points a game in Pitino's last year. (Did have a solid NCAA Tournament, IIRC.)

Pitino and Cal definitely do it differently but when Pitino has had elite, championship teams, he's had elite talent. This is why Calipari is 7-1 against him at Kentucky.

It's not magic. You have to have guys who are capable of playing at the next level.

How many of those guys where one and done????

[lilproUK98]

Well maybe the better question is this in regards to this topic of the thread. "On a scale of 1-10, what's the confidence level of Coach Cal's X's and O's??" You have 10 or more NBA players on a team and still can't win a NCAA title against a group of slow non jumping kids out of Wisconsin??????

This is ridiculous.

[lilproUK98]

I was being sarcastic about both Hawkins and Willis. I think people are crazy if they do not believe that both of these kids can compete and give us solid minutes. Going to really tick me off if they both sit on the bench and rot all season long........

Welp, prepare to be ticked....