Since Im snowed in today lets just make some stuff up.

[Westtncat]

I want to see who you guys think were some of the most capable players in UK history that just never got it. I have seen some players over the years that seemed to have all the speed, agility and verticals that would put them easily in the NBA. I love Poythress but I am afraid he will soon be one that is on this list.

I can think of many players for this list actually but one that some may disagree on is Jules Camara. I always saw him as someone I just felt was about to break out and dominate. I saw flashes but it just never really happened. Not a bash thread as I love all UK players, simply wanted more from some of them and wanted more for them.

[Spiritof96]

I want to see who you guys think were some of the most capable players in UK history that just never got it. I have seen some players over the years that seemed to have all the speed, agility and verticals that would put them easily in the NBA. I love Poythress but I am afraid he will soon be one that is on this list.

I can think of many players for this list actually but one that some may disagree on is Jules Camara. I always saw him as someone I just felt was about to break out and dominate. I saw flashes but it just never really happened. Not a bash thread as I love all UK players, simply wanted more from some of them and wanted more for them.

Everyone thought Rodrick Rhodes was a sure lock for the lottery. He didn't spend long in the league.

I thought Ron Mercer would have a career like Kobe's and although he had a reasonably long career I am more surprised that he was never a star than just about anyone else.

[DA#23]

Camara had some flashes of bad-assery in his freshman year that made my jaw drop, frankly.

Another guy is Antwain Barbour, an uber athletic guard that I think had countless physical tools on a collegiate level. He was the definition of springy.

I also think that in a second year, Marquis Teague would have shown his athleticism a little more clearly. Guy was a beast.

[Spiritof96]

Camara had some flashes of bad-assery in his freshman year that made my jaw drop, frankly.

Another guy is Antwain Barbour, an uber athletic guard that I think had countless physical tools on a collegiate level. He was the definition of springy.

I also think that in a second year, Marquis Teague would have shown his athleticism a little more clearly. Guy was a beast.

I totally forgot about Barbour.

Camara has got to be on the all time list of people you thought could be amazing and never were.

[Westtncat]

Everyone thought Rodrick Rhodes was a sure lock for the lottery. He didn't spend long in the league.

I thought Ron Mercer would have a career like Kobe's and although he had a reasonably long career I am more surprised that he was never a star than just about anyone else.

Ron Mercer has got to be one of the best BB players that made it but just kinda fizzled, did he have injuries?

[DA#23]

Ron Mercer has got to be one of the best BB players that made it but just kinda fizzled, did he have injuries?

Nagging ones. The thing with Mercer is that he probably didn't improve much from his senior year of high school on. Of course he developed physically but he was probably as good before UK as he was in his best NBA season. I think he had problems finding a good fit as well.

Loved Anderson and Mercer, and there was no coincidence that they wore numbers 23 and 33.

[Spiritof96]

Ron Mercer has got to be one of the best BB players that made it but just kinda fizzled, did he have injuries?

Not really and that is the wired thing. I heard it implied (I think by Bill Simmons or Jalen Rose) that he just didn't work on his game. They were talking about how some players get distracted by "the life" or coast on talent and never figure out that it takes real WORK to go from ultra talented to star. You need to spend every summer adding one new skill to your game.

[Blue Heaven]

Everyone thought Rodrick Rhodes was a sure lock for the lottery. He didn't spend long in the league.

I thought Ron Mercer would have a career like Kobe's and although he had a reasonably long career I am more surprised that he was never a star than just about anyone else.

+1 on the Mercer call. I woulda bet the farm that he would've been a perrenial All Star in The League.

[Joneslab]

Poythress is right there. Antwain Barbour definitely. Dawg Carruth. And Jason Parker...man, if he hadn't have blown his knee out wrestling with Marvin Stone.

And in the NBA Jamal Mashburn always comes to mind for me. Was such a transcendent player at UK but injuries--and maybe sickle-cell anemia--took away some of his greatness.

[DA#23]

Saw Jason Parker walk into the Seaton Center one summer while I was at UK for "camp". He was an enormous human being already, but his feet were HUGE.

Also wrapped into that memory was Saul Smith 360 slamming it...I think we were either 8th graders or freshmen at the time, either way it was bad news. Left a lasting impression.

[teamchemistry15]

Dare I say Daniel Orton? He had the size, he had the body, he just needed some time.

I think my main one is Randolph Morris. He definitely had the talent and potential but it didn't click to make him dominant like he could have been.

[DA#23]

Morris was impressively non-athletic. I think that and his "blah" demeanor made it difficult for his high level of skill to shine through. He was very skilled and "should have been" the prototypical center for a Tubby Smith team.

[Westtncat]

Poythress is right there. Antwain Barbour definitely. Dawg Carruth. And Jason Parker...man, if he hadn't have blown his knee out wrestling with Marvin Stone.

And in the NBA Jamal Mashburn always comes to mind for me. Was such a transcendent player at UK but injuries--and maybe sickle-cell anemia--took away some of his greatness.

Im gonna have to disagree on the Jamal Mashburn. He was an NBA all star at one point. I would never say he didn't get it. Was a great one.

[Westtncat]

Morris was impressively non-athletic. I think that and his "blah" demeanor made it difficult for his high level of skill to shine through. He was very skilled and "should have been" the prototypical center for a Tubby Smith team.

Morris would come in and look like a man among boys then just kinda quit.

[DA#23]

Mash's 2001 All-Star campaign was a last hurrah for him health wise. I got to watch several of those games and he was tough to guard with impeccable footwork and core strength to keep his shot true. Just really impressive even in 2001. I think he'd still dominate now in college, even though we're 1 or maybe even two "generations" away and the average athleticism is so high.