Class of 2018 - General Discussion

[Catsrock]

Let's hope K doesn't decide he wants Wiseman. I know, I know...he's ours to lose. And who's to say we won't. K gets who K wants anymore. I'm ill.

[BBNalldayeveryday]

Besides wanting to stay close to home, I think he chose Duke because he felt he has a better chance of winning a national title with the three players they have coming in next year than he would of with the three players Kentucky has coming in next year. I don't think it It had anything to do with Coach K out recruiting Cal.

[lilproUK98]

Good afternoon. I still can't believe Zion chose Duke. Still in shock. Just unreal....

[Lighthouse]

We talk all the time about 5 star players and I agree we need to get as many of them to Kentucky as possible. But look at Florida. Their PG is tough, and that kid in the middle is too. Now they might have been 5 star players, but if not, they're better than our 5 stars. UF can shoot the ball much better than us most games and they play an exciting brand of basketball. My point is, why not recruit kids that can play tough and compete. I'm sure it wasn't a surprise to Cal that Knox couldn't play defense, or Diallo can't shoot.

[Joneslab]

We talk all the time about 5 star players and I agree we need to get as many of them to Kentucky as possible. But look at Florida. Their PG is tough, and that kid in the middle is too. Now they might have been 5 star players, but if not, they're better than our 5 stars. UF can shoot the ball much better than us most games and they play an exciting brand of basketball. My point is, why not recruit kids that can play tough and compete. I'm sure it wasn't a surprise to Cal that Knox couldn't play defense, or Diallo can't shoot.

The only thing is that that Florida team is just a solid basketball team. Not great, just solid. Most of the better UK teams Cal has would've beaten that team by a good margin Saturday night. Last year's team would've pummeled that bunch with the way they played.

So the thing about not getting that elite talent is that you may settle into a good-but-not-great situation if you start getting those kinds of players all the time. You don't have to get every top 10 recruit, but you need more than the one we'll have coming in next season if you lose anything at all to the NBA, which we obviously will. Now if you're getting everybody to come back and if all those guys are five-star players, then you can recruit like Cal has the past two recruiting cycles...but we're not getting everybody back. So we're going to have to fill holes with guys who aren't ready to be thrown into the fire.

I agree that a Roy Williams model can work, where you're getting players who are ranked high, that are McDonald's All-Americans, but who are not as enticing to the NBA as our recruits have been. But not sure Florida should be our model.

[Joneslab]

In better news in these gloomy times, Tyler Herro has jumped into the top 25 according to ESPN and is now a five-star player.

[Lighthouse]

The only thing is that that Florida team is just a solid basketball team. Not great, just solid. Most of the better UK teams Cal has would've beaten that team by a good margin Saturday night. Last year's team would've pummeled that bunch with the way they played.

So the thing about not getting that elite talent is that you may settle into a good-but-not-great situation if you start getting those kinds of players all the time. You don't have to get every top 10 recruit, but you need more than the one we'll have coming in next season if you lose anything at all to the NBA, which we obviously will. Now if you're getting everybody to come back and if all those guys are five-star players, then you can recruit like Cal has the past two recruiting cycles...but we're not getting everybody back. So we're going to have to fill holes with guys who aren't ready to be thrown into the fire.

I agree that a Roy Williams model can work, where you're getting players who are ranked high, that are McDonald's All-Americans, but who are not as enticing to the NBA as our recruits have been. But not sure Florida should be our model.

I don't disagree at all, but what would this UK team look like if they played with the energy of Florida's PG? I bet he's not spoiled and doesn't think he's better than other players. Our kids are "Elite," and they play like because they're rated a 5 Star, other teams should respect that and just play the game and lose.

[Joneslab]

I don't disagree at all, but what would this UK team look like if they played with the energy of Florida's PG? I bet he's not spoiled and doesn't think he's better than other players. Our kids are "Elite," and they play like because they're rated a 5 Star, other teams should respect that and just play the game and lose.

To be fair to our point guards I don't think they're spoiled. I think Green's still hurt and Shai has been really good for us. Shockingly good.

Shai doesn't have great footspeed and that puts him at a disadvantage to somebody like Chiozza. But they're also young and they don't know the tricks; some of what Chiozza did the other night was effort, some because of that God-given speed, and some because he's just way more crafty.

But we can do better than Chris Chiozza, which is my point above. I think Immanuel Quickley will be a much better point guard the second he steps in here.

It's some of these other positions that worry you a little with Kentucky when you look at the possibility of guys leaving and not being able to patch holes with elite talent.

[Lighthouse]

To be fair to our point guards I don't think they're spoiled. I think Green's still hurt and Shai has been really good for us. Shockingly good.

Shai doesn't have great footspeed and that puts him at a disadvantage to somebody like Chiozza. But they're also young and they don't know the tricks; some of what Chiozza did the other night was effort, some because of that God-given speed, and some because he's just way more crafty.

But we can do better than Chris Chiozza, which is my point above. I think Immanuel Quickley will be a much better point guard the second he steps in here.

It's some of these other positions that worry you a little with Kentucky when you look at the possibility of guys leaving and not being able to patch holes with elite talent.

What you say is true but I'm not talking about just our guards. I think they do the best they can with what they have, but with Chiozza, his energy and hustle makes up for maby a lack of pure talent. He gave us trouble on both ends and on every play because he gave everything he had. Our players have so much more to give if they just had the mindset to give it.

[Joneslab]

Some word that Kentucky may make a push for E.J. Montgomery, who decommitted from Auburn after the FBI scandal broke.

Not sure if he's still leaning Auburn now that they look to have maybe dodged that bullet, but he would be a solid addition. He's a 6'9" power forward. Rivals has him 11th in the country and he was just named to the McDonald's game.

[Joneslab]

Cal is blasting Duke a little today during his press conference.

Says he has some "oceanfront property" to sell kids if they think Duke is going to set them up for the rest of their lives. Goes on to say, "This isn't socialism."

That's something Duke has been pitching for the last few years. Sounds a little like sour grapes from where I'm sitting.

[Joneslab]

Also: Moses Brown just committed to UCLA.

[lilproUK98]

Cal is blasting Duke a little today during his press conference.

Says he has some "oceanfront property" to sell kids if they think Duke is going to set them up for the rest of their lives. Goes on to say, "This isn't socialism."

That's something Duke has been pitching for the last few years. Sounds a little like sour grapes from where I'm sitting.

Yeah lol, especially when you consider the fact that no other State and school takes care of former players like UK and the state of KY does.....swing and a miss by Cal, much like many of his recruiting efforts these days....

[Catsrock]

Cal is blasting Duke a little today during his press conference.

Says he has some "oceanfront property" to sell kids if they think Duke is going to set them up for the rest of their lives. Goes on to say, "This isn't socialism."

That's something Duke has been pitching for the last few years. Sounds a little like sour grapes from where I'm sitting.

I doubt that anyone hates Duke more than I do. But the concept that players cannot go there and prepare for successful basketball careers and secure futures just don't fly. With me or obviously top recruits.

I didn't see the press conference but I don't think that saying this publicly is a good look for a coach and program. Obviously I hope Cal can go back to rocking it on the recruiting trail. Perhaps with Wiseman headlining the class 2019 will be a major haul for us. But whether it happens or not it doesn't help to be a sore loser publicly. Just get back to work.

[85 Fly]

Wow how ironic that the King of One-and-Done is being out done in recent years... Everyone bashed our coach for years then Coach Self and Coach K really got on board (Coach Williams to a certain extent) and there has been no turning back especially for Coach K. So Coach Cal needs to re-group/re-evaluate what does he need to do different? Coach K is twelve years older than him, so this is not about "slowing down"...
Part of me really believes Generation Z thought process is not that deep: some are into doing their own thing, some do the group thing at "x" school, others do the group thing at "x" school that did not originate the one and done but they feel their "talent" fits a different blue blood school thats not UK. I don't really feel this generation is turning against UK...its just a cycle, and right now Duke is the hottest thing going, to them