Irrelevant; Kentucky, Calipari Neither or Both?

[Random UK Fan]

Not sure I’m ready to say UK has become a non factor these days, but I’m a fan, so . . .


Got the top-rated incoming class, which rarely works out overall, plus no meaningful returners.

What’s your honest thoughts about them?

 

[toonces11]

Might be one of those years thats a pleasant surprise. Make a deepish run out of nowhere type year.

 

[ThePhog08]

Had Oscar and Reeves returned you're looking at a scary team.

What made 09-10 scary? Yes John Wall and Cousins, buuuuut having Patt Patterson and Darius Miller

2012 UK had Lamb, terrance jones and darius miller.

2015 had a mix of FR and Soph.

If UK had Oscar, Bradshaw, Edwards, Reeves, Wagner. with a bench of Ugonn, Shepherd, Dillingham , Theiro. And imagine they added a shooter like cam spencer. They would be the NC favs by far.

But take away the guarantees like Oscar, Reeves and everyone else they lost. Now you have 5 guys ,who knows who is properly ranked and who knows who is the next Brandon Boston or Ryan Harrow, or Skal Labiessiere. A class like this is dangerous when you put them around dominate known commodities like a Patrick Patterson, Terrance Jones, or Oscar Tshiebew.

Take out tourney results. The 13-14 team of Randle (2) Andrew Harrison (5) , Aaron Harrison (7), Dakari Johnson (9) and James Young (11) lost 10 games... 10!. So say Bradshaw (2) , Edwards (3), Wagner (6) Dilly (15) and Shepherd (28) are as good as the 2013 guys, are Theiro, Ugonna and some random mid major transfer the equivalent to WCS, Alex Poythress and Marcus Lee? No not at all.

This UK could stare down the barrell of 12-14 losses, unless they get 2-3 realllly good transfers and Bradshaw is the 2nd coming of Anthony davis .

 

[IUfanBorden]

Not sure I’m ready to say UK has become a non factor these days, but I’m a fan, so . . .


Got the top-rated incoming class, which rarely works out overall, plus no meaningful returners.

What’s your honest thoughts about them?

Gonna need some help for the frosh class...Get that, and it could be special.

Seems Cal has lost his fire/spark---that and hes not hauling in monster class after monster class. Hes a good coach---but proofs in the pudding---W/o multiple elite level kids, well just not that good.

 

[Random UK Fan]

The fans are just irritated that he’s losing record after record, and setting them in all the wrong categories, and there’s no resolution on the horizon. I like the incoming class, but without a couple of confident vets it just kind of takes the excitement out of the season before it’s begun. UK fans can be an obnoxious bunch to be sure, but I think cbb is better when they have a little attitude. It makes being cocky fun for us, and it makes our losses fun for everyone else.

This is what I see Cal doing to our program;

 

[VulvHa]

Not sure I’m ready to say UK has become a non factor these days, but I’m a fan, so . . .


Got the top-rated incoming class, which rarely works out overall, plus no meaningful returners.

What’s your honest thoughts about them?

Having 7 scholarship players is less than ideal. Cal needs to hit up the portal for ~3 guys even if they are end of the bench depth.

 

[Random UK Fan]

Having 7 scholarship players is less than ideal. Cal needs to hit up the portal for ~3 guys even if they are end of the bench depth.

It’s so odd; he either gets 5* kids or kids that don’t crack the rotation. I’d love to just have some good, solid fundamental guys on the bench ready to spell some of the 5* kids and maintain a lead or at least provide meaningful minutes. More balance would be wonderful.

 

[VulvHa]

It’s so odd; he either gets 5* kids or kids that don’t crack the rotation. I’d love to just have some good, solid fundamental guys on the bench ready to spell some of the 5* kids and maintain a lead or at least provide meaningful minutes. More balance would be wonderful.

That’s exactly what the UK roster needs IMO. You have a great frosh class with huge upside. Get some solid hard working program dudes to balance it out.

 

[I am stupid]

Y'all sleeping on Brennan Canada. It's his time to shine.

 

[winin11]

Not sure I’m ready to say UK has become a non factor these days, but I’m a fan, so . . .


Got the top-rated incoming class, which rarely works out overall, plus no meaningful returners.

What’s your honest thoughts about them?

Lately it seems the players they get don't seem to mix well together, but that could be coaching. Hard to tell if a coach is all in or not.

 

[coryfly]

Kentucky is never really irrelevant.

 

[lurkeraspect84]

If we can get 3 serviceable dudes, I like where we're at for this season. At least two with one more back up to a back up. Can't afford any injuries. It would derail the entire season.

 

[lurkeraspect84]

All three dudes need to be front-line players. Just rebound and defend. No superstars are needed. One ball as the rivals like to say.
We're going with 3 guards again. I'm ok with that. Some of our best teams were 3 guard lineups. Two shot blockers inside. It's much better than one or none. The bigs we have can shoot from long distances but Cal won't let that. He didn't with Davis, Towns, Cousins, everyone. However, he'll let the shot the baseline two. Trey Lyles excelled at that.
We don't need a homerun to finish out the recruiting class, we need workers who want to work.


We're still UK.

 

[lurkeraspect84]

I love the passion in our fanbase.
All we want is greatness.

 

[FaithPlusOne]

I don’t think Cal is irrelevant, nor do I think Kentucky ever truly will be. But maybe he bought into his own “we are the needle” crap and has gotten comfortable with the idea that he can just grab dudes whenever because of the name. There has been a bit of a shift in the landscape and how you need to approach roster construction with NIL and he hasn’t seemed to truly adjust yet.

 

[lurkeraspect84]

How much does anyone know about their team's NIL?

I know zilch. I think we should know everything.
I want to know why we lost someone.
Coach or fans, etc?

 

[CUJO_1970]

It's like some of you still don't fully understand what's happening. Cal is the block of concrete chained to the program as it disappears into the depths below. We are nothig but hostages right now.

It is truly astonishing that the President and AD are sitting there watching this happen, and that we still have fans hoping for Cal to get his groove back.

 

[FaithPlusOne]

It's like some of you still don't fully understand what's happening. Cal is the block of concrete chained to the program as it disappears into the depths below. We are nothig but hostages right now.

It is truly astonishing that the President and AD are sitting there watching this happen, and that we still have fans hoping for Cal to get his groove back.

Coming from a rival fan, I can say that up to 2016 I was thinking it would be nice if Cal considered going back to the NBA. But by the time the lifetime contract was offered I was actually cool with him signing it. The decline was already apparent. I understand the AD and University President not doing anything now because the buyout is so high. Their mistake was made years ago.

 

[lurkeraspect84]

He has past players willing to chip something like 30-50 million for a practice facility(AD shutting down), but clearly, Cal doesn't need help selling UK. The past recruiting class is proof. What happens in the practice facility is key. He adjusted and brought in an NBA man to help with scouting and offense
We'll. see.

 

[lurkeraspect84]

No one wins or loses in the offseason. UK is proof of that.

 

[ThePhog08]

Is there a chance Cal isn't recruiting the portal because he knows he is leaving after this year and doesn't want to hurt players since you can't transfer twice?

 

[lurkeraspect84]

Does anyone thing we went away?

 

[Random UK Fan]

No one wins or loses in the offseason. UK is proof of that.

offseason champs, 5 seasons in a row!

 

[lurkeraspect84]

offseason champs, 5 seasons in a row!

Some others are claiming that title this year.
I don't think they're good enough to dethrone the masters of the offseason.

 

[KENTUCKY_FLYER]

IU and UK are quickly changing positions. I thought Id see Larry Bird go trans before this would ever happen.

 

[della]

Not sure I’m ready to say UK has become a non factor these days, but I’m a fan, so . . .


Got the top-rated incoming class, which rarely works out overall, plus no meaningful returners.

What’s your honest thoughts about them?

I don't know, but I could guess that UK will be so so to start the year and then they will improve. How much they improve will determine their fate.

 

[lurkeraspect84]

offseason champs, 5 seasons in a row!

They're going to be devastated when they lose to this UK's offseason team.

 

[lurkeraspect84]

 

[lurkeraspect84]

We'll average 80 points a game next season. give up about 67
We've not had straight dog scorers in a while.

 

[lurkeraspect84]

I'm bummed Lance Ware left.
The guy will one day become a coach. He's smart and knows the game. Villanova got a good one.

 

[winin11]

There is another factor that affects KY and the rest of the historically good teams in the SEC. In the last few years the upgrade of coaches and then players to the SEC has narrowed the big gap somewhat. Teams are just better than they used to be.

 

[Random UK Fan]

There is another factor that affects KY and the rest of the historically good teams in the SEC. In the last few years the upgrade of coaches and then players to the SEC has narrowed the big gap somewhat. Teams are just better than they used to be.

They are. I like it that way too. I like a stronger conference.

 

[ExitFlagger]

We'll average 80 points a game next season. give up about 67
We've not had straight dog scorers in a while.

I’ll take that bet…

 

[lurkeraspect84]

I’ll take that bet…

IIRC, We play in the Champions Classic this year. 1-month avatar bet? I'm not letting you out early this time.

Just a straight bet on who wins/loses.

 

[ExitFlagger]

IIRC, We play in the Champions Classic this year. 1-month avatar bet? I'm not letting you out early this time.

Just a straight bet on who wins/loses.

Thought we were betting on 80-67?

Fine. Champions Classic it is.

 

[lurkeraspect84]

Thought we were betting on 80-67?

Fine. Champions Classic it is.

 

[lurkeraspect84]

We're going to beat you like we're in AFH.

 

[Random UK Fan]

Thought we were betting on 80-67?

Fine. Champions Classic it is.

 

[lurkeraspect84]

I'm done bragging up freshmen, the last three were Whitney, Livingston, and Collins.
I still think Colings will be great. kiss of career death.
I want to like Edwards. ...dang it.

 

[lurkeraspect84]

That's how to do it, ladies.