Another special announcement coming Wednesday

[Joneslab]

^ I think the guys who are supposed to go generally go.

Grayson Allen was really never a guy who was supposed to go. He could have gone, but that's a different thing. There were questions about whether he was even a first-rounder. The media went into this tizzy yesterday--"I can't believe Allen's coming back!"--as if he were a lottery pick. He wasn't. I have doubts that he'll ever play in the NBA.

Almost always, at Duke or UK or anywhere else, if they're projected in the lottery, they jump.

But the main thing about UK is Calipari. The whole backbone of his recruiting is the NBA. It's why these guys come here. It's what he sells the program on. So it makes sense that the first chance they get to go, they do. It's far more surprising when they don't.

[lilproUK98]

What has hurt us more than anything is when we have guys that come.in not projected at all to only be here one year who, at the end of the year, are projected to be 1st round and even.lottery picks. This happens because the hype and coverage of UK under Cal is so big, along with the track record of UK guys under Cal being successful pros, we have lost guys after one year who would have absolutely been back at any other program.

This is the whole crux of the problem of the one and done image UK has.

Guys like Orton, Bledsoe, Teague, Booker, Lyles, etc. Would never have been one and done anywhere else IMO.

[Joneslab]

What has hurt us more than anything is when we have guys that come.in not projected at all to only be here one year who, at the end of the year, are projected to be 1st round and even.lottery picks. This happens because the hype and coverage of UK under Cal is so big, along with the track record of UK guys under Cal being successful pros, we have lost guys after one year who would have absolutely been back at any other program.

I agree that it's partly about the hype at UK, but I also think college basketball doesn't mean nearly as much as fans think it does. (Or, in our case, want it to.)

These execs look at much different things than we do. We judge by our eyes mostly. They're looking at what sort of player Skal might be once he's stronger and has a year or two of playing against other pros--at least in the d-league.

We look at his stats and can't believe it. We saw him. They try to project outward while we're constantly projecting backward.

[lilproUK98]

It's not that I begrudge try hose guys for being one and done. They saw the opportunity and took it. And it clearly worked out so far for Booker, Lyles, and Bledsoe. Not so much for Teague and Orton.

[Westtncat]

In a year touted as one of Cal's best classes Duke is the favorite to win it all. Go figure.

[Joneslab]

In a year touted as one of Cal's best classes Duke is the favorite to win it all. Go figure.

The Duke class may be better than ours, and they have more coming back.

They have questions like everybody else: the point guard spot. Will Jefferson and Giles be healthy. Will K be able to handle all that talent after traditionally playing 6 guys.

But they got an absolute haul too, and could add to it with Bolden.

[George]

It's not that I begrudge try hose guys for being one and done. They saw the opportunity and took it. And it clearly worked out so far for Booker, Lyles, and Bledsoe. Not so much for Teague and Orton.

Or MKG, for that matter. He's been okay as a pro, but not #2 pick level. He's still playing, though, which counts for a lot. And injuries have been a big problem, too, so I don't know if it's fair to put him in the Teague/Orton group.

[Westtncat]

The Duke class may be better than ours, .

If true this is an unreal class. Hopefully K can get a few head cases like we have over the years.

[Joneslab]

Or MKG, for that matter. He's been okay as a pro, but not #2 pick level. He's still playing, though, which counts for a lot. And injuries have been a big problem, too, so I don't know if it's fair to put him in the Teague/Orton group.

It's definitely not fair. MKG was starting for Charlotte last season before he was injured.

Definitely hasn't been worthy of a #2 pick...but again if the question is, "Should he have stayed in school?," you would have to assume that he would have improved enough in one year to make him more of a contributor. The NBA guys have had trouble fixing MKG's shot; I highly doubt Calipari's staff could've done much with it in a year's time.

You could even question whether or not Teague or Orton would have improved. Some of these guys might never be NBA players regardless of how long they're in school.

[lilproUK98]

If true this is an unreal class. Hopefully K can get a few head cases like we have over the years.

I would say whoever gets Bolden gets "best class" status...but you truly never know till they get to college and are challenged at that level.

[lilproUK98]

It's definitely not fair. MKG was starting for Charlotte last season before he was injured.

Definitely hasn't been worthy of a #2 pick...but again if the question is, "Should he have stayed in school?," you would have to assume that he would have improved enough in one year to make him more of a contributor. The NBA guys have had trouble fixing MKG's shot; I highly doubt Calipari's staff could've done much with it in a year's time.

You could even question whether or not Teague or Orton would have improved. Some of these guys might never be NBA players regardless of how long they're in school.

Yes. Sometimes guys just aren't cut out for the NBA level...no.matter if they are one and done or four and done....

[George]

If true this is an unreal class. Hopefully K can get a few head cases like we have over the years.

We haven't really had that many head cases. That's an area where we've been incredibly lucky. And if they've been there, then Cal's either done a tremendous job of reigning them in or keeping a lid on the problems. Either way, we don't hear about that stuff very much.

Few players come to mind. Harrow? Orton, I guess, though he was pretty inconsequential as a player. I think beyond those two you really have to nitpick.

But yeah. I hope his whole team implodes, fights one another, starts a riot on campus and gets kicked out of school. Throw in a drugs, guns and hookers scandal for good measure.

[Joneslab]

One of the reasons we haven't had the headcases is because they aren't here long enough to really get into too much trouble.

That's part of the grand plan, I would imagine. You come in for ten months, hold the line, do what you're supposed to do, live in the UK bubble, and then you get out. If you get exposed as a nutjob, that's on you.

But I also think these players at the very top of the rankings aren't your usual screw-ups. Most of these guys have been engineered to get to the NBA. You have your exceptions--Lance Stephenson, etc.--but most of the time these guys are a different type of athlete.

[Westtncat]

Im sorry, to be more clear. Head case = player not living up to expectations. I guess head case is too strong a word.

[George]

One of the reasons we haven't had the headcases is because they aren't here long enough to really get into too much trouble.

That's part of the grand plan, I would imagine. You come in for ten months, hold the line, do what you're supposed to do, live in the UK bubble, and then you get out. If you get exposed as a nutjob, that's on you.

But I also think these players at the very top of the rankings aren't your usual screw-ups. Most of these guys have been engineered to get to the NBA. You have your exceptions--Lance Stephenson, etc.--but most of the time these guys are a different type of athlete.

I kinda want to think of the exceptions now, just for fun.

Ricky Ledo? Renardo Sydney? Would you count Beasley or not, since we didn't see much of his weirdness until he went pro? Probably should throw the Morris twins in there, and if we're being honest, Cousins, too.