Bamba picks....TEXAS?!?!?!

[thezenmaster94]

Bamba said a big part of his decision was having Shaka as his Team USA coach last summer. Anybody thinking that Cal will have his pick of the litter next season, not only because he's a recruiting savant, but also coaching the U-19 Team USA squad this summer?

[Joneslab]

Bamba said a big part of his decision was having Shaka as his Team USA coach last summer. Anybody thinking that Cal will have his pick of the litter next season, not only because he's a recruiting savant, but also coaching the U-19 Team USA squad this summer?

Also there's been this weird thing where Kentucky gets a huge class every other year.

Of course there've been #1 classes most every season...but the behemoths come at an every-other-year pace for some reason. I expect a haul next year and I also expect a couple of the guys on this upcoming team to stay.

[KCKUKFan]

Will makes a good point. What most people aren't talking about is the potential that is quietly building for 18-19. Assuming a couple of these guys stick around and knowing the haul that Cal is working on for that class, there's the potential for another juggernaut.

[George]

Will makes a good point. What most people aren't talking about is the potential that is quietly building for 18-19. Assuming a couple of these guys stick around and knowing the haul that Cal is working on for that class, there's the potential for another juggernaut.

Seems like Drew Franklin referenced this a couple of weeks ago.

It starts with Marvin Bagley. Since I've been paying serious attention to high school recruits, kid's as good as I've seen.

[lilproUK98]

Will makes a good point. What most people aren't talking about is the potential that is quietly building for 18-19. Assuming a couple of these guys stick around and knowing the haul that Cal is working on for that class, there's the potential for another juggernaut.

Yes, if thing keep progressing the way it looks like they wil. UK will be the favorite and anything less than a FF will be a huge disappointment in 2019.

There are lot's of parallels to this coming season being much like 2013-14 and the next season being very much like 2014-15. Not saying UK will enter the FF undefeated in 2019, but I'm not saying they won't.......

[85 Fly]

Seems like Drew Franklin referenced this a couple of weeks ago.

It starts with Marvin Bagley. Since I've been paying serious attention to high school recruits, kid's as good as I've seen.

How long have I been talkin about Marvin DVZ?!
I need Cal to work his magic during USA basketball...Everyone felt we needed Mamba this year but for next year MB III is a game/program changer. We gotta land him. Our competition unfotunately could be AZ because its home...

[Catsrock]

Yes, if thing keep progressing the way it looks like they wil. UK will be the favorite and anything less than a FF will be a huge disappointment in 2019.

There are lot's of parallels to this coming season being much like 2013-14 and the next season being very much like 2014-15. Not saying UK will enter the FF undefeated in 2019, but I'm not saying they won't.......

Sounds encouraging but with no more than these 18 year olds have to prove themselves to enter the draft why would we assume any of them may not average 5 points or a couple rebounds a game and bolt. Just because SKJ and Wenyen are back? There are a lot more examples of those we assumed would be 2-3 year players who were not. I'll not expect 2 years out of anyone then I can be pleasantly surprised when one or 2 stay.

[Matt Dillon]

Sounds encouraging but with no more than these 18 year olds have to prove themselves to enter the draft why would we assume any of them may not average 5 points or a couple rebounds a game and bolt. Just because SKJ and Wenyen are back? There are a lot more examples of those we assumed would be 2-3 year players who were not. I'll not expect 2 years out of anyone then I can be pleasantly surprised when one or 2 stay.

I agree.

[BBNalldayeveryday]

I wasn't surprised about Bamba. We should look at as we didn't get Bamba, but we did get Richard. I don't think there's going to be that much of a difference between the two as some might think.

I think that Richard made a difference in Bamba's decision.

[Joneslab]

Best-case scenario is that Nick Richards turns into a Jarrett Allen type and shows that he isn't nearly as raw offensively as some think.

Allen went to Texas with that same label slapped on him. When I saw him in the all-star games I never thought he could produce enough offense to really help. He's going to leave Texas as by far their best player and a potential lottery pick.

Richards has only been playing basketball for a short time. We should all hope that he's going to be a quick learner, and/or that Killeya-Jones makes a huge leap.

[BCO]

Really disappointed we didnt get him. One thing we've lacked since the 38-1 year is elite shot blocking and he would have given us that in bunches. I know Nick can be a good shot blocker but also has a propensity to foul a lot. Hopefully Sasha makes some huge steps forward because we are really going to need him. I always wondered why he didnt play more last year...he has the tools to be great, so I hope he gets his chance and shines this year.

But make no mistake....yeah we will have a good team by the end of the year that can possibly make some noise. But Bamba woulda been great because between our length on perimeter and the shot blocking/altering ability inside....man, we'd be a nightmare for teams to gameplan for. Plus hes such a bright, well spoken kid.

Really, really hurt that we missed on him, he was the one recruit I was hoping for more than any. Makes no sense. He is supposedly really close with not only Quade, but also with Hami and Kevin Knox. Hes going to be a OAD, and if Texas business school was that appealing Im sure his first two semesters at UK would transfer over.

Wish we coulda landed him, but we're still going to be really good. We'll take some lumps but by the end of the year we should be a team that can make a deep run. But the most exciting part of this class is that its setting us for a MONSTER year in 2018-19. Especially since we're in with most of the top 10 recruits....if we get a Zion Williamson, Bagley, Quickley to go along with what all we could potentially return....DANG.

[George]

Really disappointed we didnt get him. One thing we've lacked since the 38-1 year is elite shot blocking and he would have given us that in bunches. I know Nick can be a good shot blocker but also has a propensity to foul a lot. Hopefully Sasha makes some huge steps forward because we are really going to need him. I always wondered why he didnt play more last year...he has the tools to be great, so I hope he gets his chance and shines this year.

But make no mistake....yeah we will have a good team by the end of the year that can possibly make some noise. But Bamba woulda been great because between our length on perimeter and the shot blocking/altering ability inside....man, we'd be a nightmare for teams to gameplan for. Plus hes such a bright, well spoken kid.

Really, really hurt that we missed on him, he was the one recruit I was hoping for more than any. Makes no sense. He is supposedly really close with not only Quade, but also with Hami and Kevin Knox. Hes going to be a OAD, and if Texas business school was that appealing Im sure his first two semesters at UK would transfer over.

Wish we coulda landed him, but we're still going to be really good. We'll take some lumps but by the end of the year we should be a team that can make a deep run. But the most exciting part of this class is that its setting us for a MONSTER year in 2018-19. Especially since we're in with most of the top 10 recruits....if we get a Zion Williamson, Bagley, Quickley to go along with what all we could potentially return....DANG.

Bamba would've been your elite clean-up man on a team that's going to make a lot of boneheaded mistakes. That isn't a knock on any one player's abilities; it's just what freshmen do.

That relationship with Smart must be strong, because any top big-man should be able to look at Cal's track record with bigs and see the potential for unlimited development.

Austin's awesome, but yeah, I'm still scratching my head a little over this one.

[Joneslab]

^ Good post, BCO . I feel the same way about Bamba. Not only would he have helped this coming team but would have been a tremendous ambassador for the program going forward. Towns-like.

[Dwight Schrute]

But the most exciting part of this class is that its setting us for a MONSTER year in 2018-19. Especially since we're in with most of the top 10 recruits....if we get a Zion Williamson, Bagley, Quickley to go along with what all we could potentially return....DANG.

Good post all around, but this especially because I agree. Unless the team next year really excels, at least some of these guys are coming back, and we may only lose Diallo and Knox. That 2018-19 team could be killer.

[George]

Good post all around, but this especially because I agree. Unless the team next year really excels, at least some of these guys are coming back, and we may only lose Diallo and Knox. That 2018-19 team could be killer.

I've argued the same thing lately, but we should also remember that with down years typical come down drafts. If the next NBA draft does turn out to be weak, then some of the guys we've pegged to return could get a first-round shot when they wouldn't have, otherwise.