Calipari on team

kybassfan

Heisman
Jul 1, 2005
20,032
16,368
113
College talent. The NBA game is completely different. Kentucky has more NBA talent, but that talent has no experience playing college ball. We are loaded at guard and forward with experience and talent.

Come March, young players will click offensively, but defense always lags.

Yet, the cheatIng coach, Self, manages to find a way to lose in March.

Your season is likely forfeit anyway. Being loaded is a waste for the Jaycrows.
 

Poetax

Heisman
Apr 4, 2002
29,410
20,887
0
Just wait until we get beat by a team that we shouldn't lose to and he will be saying how young they are. [laughing]




Well he is just saying that they are very talented, we all know they will be very young so it will probably happen against someone early.
 

bucsrule8872

Heisman
May 30, 2005
24,397
29,352
0
College talent. The NBA game is completely different. Kentucky has more NBA talent, but that talent has no experience playing college ball. We are loaded at guard and forward with experience and talent.

Come March, young players will click offensively, but defense always lags.

Come March, Cal (a defensive minded coach) will have these guys clicking on offense and defense.

Both UK and KU will be good in March, but UK has the higher ceiling because they have more room to grow.

KU will improve from November to March (pretty much every team does), but the rate of improvement for KU will likely be much less than that of UK simply because of how Cal builds his team and the fact that Cal’s Freshmen tend to make tons of improvement over the course of their first season.

So, KU will likely be good in November and very good in March, while UK will be decent in November and outstanding in March, based on Cal’s track record and the makeup of this team.

I am high on this team’s potential. They are very talented, especially the starting five. But they have never played together in college, so they will take their lumps early and probably look very bad in that first game against an experienced team.

Once they get 30 games together under their belts, though, look out.

High ceiling, if they can reach it.
 

Bluefaithful

All-American
Mar 30, 2009
5,081
7,970
113
College talent. The NBA game is completely different. Kentucky has more NBA talent, but that talent has no experience playing college ball. We are loaded at guard and forward with experience and talent.

Come March, young players will click offensively, but defense always lags.

You are so right. I really noticed it in the 2012 title game when we beat Kansas ***. Anthony Davis and MKG's defense was suffering, oh I wish they weren't freshman.
 

bucsrule8872

Heisman
May 30, 2005
24,397
29,352
0
If Sarr gets the green light, uk goes as far as Askew goes.

Possibly.

But I think Mintz gives us a bit of an insurance policy in case Askew is not ready.

In other words, I think we can win a title without Askew being sensational because we have a safety net with 3 years of high D-1 college experience.

I personally think that with Mintz and Askew we are in great shape at PG. Neither one is Wall/Fox 2.0, but they don’t have to be on this team.
 

Cowtown Cat

Heisman
Aug 23, 2015
24,078
54,690
100
Possibly.

But I think Mintz gives us a bit of an insurance policy in case Askew is not ready.

In other words, I think we can win a title without Askew being sensational because we have a safety net with 3 years of high D-1 college experience.

I personally think that with Mintz and Askew we are in great shape at PG. Neither one is Wall/Fox 2.0, but they don’t have to be on this team.
Agreed 100%. Good post.
 
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ksharpless

Junior
Feb 20, 2006
288
379
0
I think we’ll be more skilled and experienced than ppl realize.

the two freshman we’l lean on aren’t the “let them figure it out and they’ll start to click by the new year” type.

they’re the type that will shine through spots of inconsistency/shot selection/learning team D, but immediately both be able to average 15 ppl.

both are HiGH level scorers that won’t need time to adjust as far as getting buckets is concerned.

Save Askew (who has Mintz to either lead or support him) most everyone else projected to start has been there before.
 

revcort

Heisman
Feb 20, 2003
32,522
30,904
113
How good is Sarr?
My Wake Forest friends refuse to discuss basketball with me.
They blame me for Sarr leaving.
He started out at Wake as only a 3star guy but he has developed. He was raw and scrawny as a freshman, but he has bulked up, now 7-0 255lbs. He's very long, very strong, a rebounding machine, great defender and has become a solid scoring option in his own right. He averaged 13.9 points on 52.7% shooting and 9.0 rebounds for Wake Forest last season. He got better and better as the season progressed last year and finished the regular season by scoring 20.2 pts and grabbing 10.8 reb and shooting 65.5% over his last 5 games. He did all this as the primary focus of every defense since he was the best player on a bad team last year. He'd still be there if they kept Danny Manning.

As I say, he is the key to being a title contender. This team is talented enough to make a run without him, but he is the guy who will take us to the next level. We have talent and scorers at every position but until he signed we didn't have a true 5 who could match the rest. But he can do it, and he's been through D1 conference road games and has valuable experience.
 

akaukswoosh

Hall of Famer
Jan 14, 2006
80,687
123,786
93
He started out at Wake as only a 3star guy but he has developed. He was raw and scrawny as a freshman, but he has bulked up, now 7-0 255lbs. He's very long, very strong, a rebounding machine, great defender and has become a solid scoring option in his own right. He averaged 13.9 points on 52.7% shooting and 9.0 rebounds for Wake Forest last season. He got better and better as the season progressed last year and finished the regular season by scoring 20.2 pts and grabbing 10.8 reb and shooting 65.5% over his last 5 games. He did all this as the primary focus of every defense since he was the best player on a bad team last year. He'd still be there if they kept Danny Manning.

As I say, he is the key to being a title contender. This team is talented enough to make a run without him, but he is the guy who will take us to the next level. We have talent and scorers at every position but until he signed we didn't have a true 5 who could match the rest. But he can do it, and he's been through D1 conference road games and has valuable experience.
Here's another promising factoid.
This past season, Sarr averaged 14 points, nine rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game while recording a 26.1 Player Efficiency Rating. That would have been the highest mark of any Wildcat scholarship player since Karl-Anthony Towns (31.4) in 2014-15.

For comparison, Nick Richards finished last season with a 25.8 PER last season. PJ Washington had a 26.0 PER in 2018-19.


https://www.aseaofblue.com/2020/5/2...dcats-basketba-uk-recruiting-wake-forest-news
 

CB3UK

Hall of Famer
Apr 15, 2012
63,732
105,732
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Why do we do this to ourselves every year lol why. Anymore I just wait and see...the offseason hyperbole is always so beyond the pale. A lot of this Sarr stuff is the same stuff folks were going on about with Reid Travis.

I dont question whether we have individual talent. But we have an entire freaking new team save for Keion. Maybe these dudes click right off the bat (lets hope so!) or maybe they take until Jan/Feb to start rolling.

You take the wildest turnover of the Cal era and pair it with this covid crap and we are in for one extremely unique season.
 
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May 27, 2007
31,899
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Pretty good. Btw he hit 76.1% from the stripe.

That tweet is the primary reason Cal went after this guy I believe.

Getting to the line and offense rebounding have been staples since Cal has gotten here but it's slipped over the past few years. Getting a guy like Saar is going to help in that aspect big time.
 

akaukswoosh

Hall of Famer
Jan 14, 2006
80,687
123,786
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That tweet is the primary reason Cal went after this guy I believe.

Getting to the line and offense rebounding have been staples since Cal has gotten here but it's slipped over the past few years. Getting a guy like Saar is going to help in that aspect big time.
Agree. As well as Nick played this past season, Sarr looks like he can even improve on that.
 

Sparkaces

All-American
Sep 19, 2012
6,157
6,289
0
College talent. The NBA game is completely different. Kentucky has more NBA talent, but that talent has no experience playing college ball. We are loaded at guard and forward with experience and talent.

Come March, young players will click offensively, but defense always lags.
College talent is guys who are experienced, but not good enough for the NBA. It has been shown that you need a couple of first round picks to win a title, not sure if Kansas has that kind of talent.
 

akaukswoosh

Hall of Famer
Jan 14, 2006
80,687
123,786
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College talent is guys who are experienced, but not good enough for the NBA. It has been shown that you need a couple of first round picks to win a title, not sure if Kansas has that kind of talent.
Agree. Last season was the year to do that.
Last Season: 28-3, 17-1 in Big 12

Lose (3): C Udoka Azubuike* (13.7 ppg, 10.5 rpg), Devon Dotson* (NBA Draft, 18.1 ppg, 4.0 apg), SG Isaiah Moss (7.9 ppg)

Starters Back (3): G Marcus Garrett (Sr., 9.2 ppg), SG Ochai Agbaji (Jr., 10.0 ppg), PF David McCormack (Jr., 6.9 ppg)

Other Returners (3): G Christian Braun (Soph., 5.3 ppg), PF Silvio De Sousa (Sr., 2.6 ppg), SF Tristan Enaruna (Soph., 2.4 ppg)
Redshirted (3): F Mitch Lightfoot (RS Sr., 2.4 ppg), F Jalen Wilson (RS Fr.), G Dajuan Harris (RS Fr.)
Add (4): SG Bryce Thompson (No. 27), SF Tyon Grant-Foster (JUCO), C Gethro Muscadin, PG Latrell Jossell
 

bucsrule8872

Heisman
May 30, 2005
24,397
29,352
0
College talent is guys who are experienced, but not good enough for the NBA. It has been shown that you need a couple of first round picks to win a title, not sure if Kansas has that kind of talent.

I think the only guy that is a potential first rounder is Thompson.
 

SemperFiCat

Heisman
Mar 2, 2009
14,566
30,005
0
Why do we do this to ourselves every year lol why. Anymore I just wait and see...the offseason hyperbole is always so beyond the pale. A lot of this Sarr stuff is the same stuff folks were going on about with Reid Travis.

I dont question whether we have individual talent. But we have an entire freaking new team save for Keion. Maybe these dudes click right off the bat (lets hope so!) or maybe they take until Jan/Feb to start rolling.

You take the wildest turnover of the Cal era and pair it with this covid crap and we are in for one extremely unique season.
I hate to be Johnny Raincloud, but I kinda agree. We always hype these guys up way too much in the offseason. Sometimes, they're are as good as advertised, but a fair amount of times they aren't (at least not for a while or ever). I've learned not to hop on the hype train until I've seen a couple games against real competition. We've had an awful lot of five stars, burger boys, and too high preseason rankings ...and one banner to show for it. I'm always excited, but have just learned to curb my expectations some over the years.
 

bucsrule8872

Heisman
May 30, 2005
24,397
29,352
0
I hate to be Johnny Raincloud, but I kinda agree. We always hype these guys up way too much in the offseason. Sometimes, they're are as good as advertised, but a fair amount of times they aren't (at least not for a while or ever). I've learned not to hop on the hype train until I've seen a couple games against real competition. We've had an awful lot of five stars, burger boys, and too high preseason rankings ...and one banner to show for it. I'm always excited, but have just learned to curb my expectations some over the years.

We will take some lumps early on. This is a brand new team. No one has played a single minute of D-1 ball together. It is going to take time to develop chemistry.

I think they lose 6-7 games if the season is normal length. We will likely be in the 2-4 seed range.

But after 30 games, Cal will have them clicking on all cylinders.

We will likely go into the tourney as maybe the most dangerous team not on the 1 seed line.

The individual talent is there and Cal is the best at getting teams to play together in just one season.

I just think this team will take a little more time to mesh because there is only one guy back who has played for Cal before.
 

STL_Cat

Heisman
Dec 4, 2011
64,901
57,665
98
Why do we do this to ourselves every year lol why. Anymore I just wait and see...the offseason hyperbole is always so beyond the pale. A lot of this Sarr stuff is the same stuff folks were going on about with Reid Travis.

I dont question whether we have individual talent. But we have an entire freaking new team save for Keion. Maybe these dudes click right off the bat (lets hope so!) or maybe they take until Jan/Feb to start rolling.

You take the wildest turnover of the Cal era and pair it with this covid crap and we are in for one extremely unique season.

Too reasonable, does not belong on Rafters.
 
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May 27, 2007
31,899
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College talent. The NBA game is completely different. Kentucky has more NBA talent, but that talent has no experience playing college ball. We are loaded at guard and forward with experience and talent.

Come March, young players will click offensively, but defense always lags.

Do you really believe this?
Putting talent level aside for a moment, are the two games really all that different?

I mean it seems like you are confusing experience with talent. If UK has more NBA talent, they have more college talent too. The guys that get drafted and end up in the NBA, which of those players don't have successful college careers as well. The majority do.

You can argue from an experience standpoint tho with KU I suppose even tho I agree with Cal when he said if he had a choice between the two he was taking talent every time.
 
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CB3UK

Hall of Famer
Apr 15, 2012
63,732
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Too reasonable, does not belong on Rafters.
I gamble and enjoy making money, so looking at things objectively is how I try to be. I do like when Cal gives an early big time vote of confidence. That makes me feel better about getting earlier cohesion. But lets be real....we have Keion back. Maybe lets be reasonable and wait and see what weve really got. I know thats gonna go over like a lead zeppelin on this board, oh well. I HOPE these guys come together and just have a natural team chemistry and are their brothers keeper like Cal preaches. Lets be real, we had some behind the scenes personality drama last year that bleed onto the court. Just because we have essentially cleaned house doesnt mean its a bad thing, but I think its reasonable to say hey...maybe pump the breaks people.
 
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CB3UK

Hall of Famer
Apr 15, 2012
63,732
105,732
78
I hate to be Johnny Raincloud, but I kinda agree. We always hype these guys up way too much in the offseason. Sometimes, they're are as good as advertised, but a fair amount of times they aren't (at least not for a while or ever). I've learned not to hop on the hype train until I've seen a couple games against real competition. We've had an awful lot of five stars, burger boys, and too high preseason rankings ...and one banner to show for it. I'm always excited, but have just learned to curb my expectations some over the years.

We will take some lumps early on. This is a brand new team. No one has played a single minute of D-1 ball together. It is going to take time to develop chemistry.

I think they lose 6-7 games if the season is normal length. We will likely be in the 2-4 seed range.

But after 30 games, Cal will have them clicking on all cylinders.

We will likely go into the tourney as maybe the most dangerous team not on the 1 seed line.

The individual talent is there and Cal is the best at getting teams to play together in just one season.

I just think this team will take a little more time to mesh because there is only one guy back who has played for Cal before.



Agree with both of you. Im not trying to be Debbie Downer either. Just realistic.
 
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CB3UK

Hall of Famer
Apr 15, 2012
63,732
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There's not going to be a test in November to see who got duped by the early, fun, optimistic reports in July.

Enjoy yourself. Live a little. Be upbeat about the coming season. There is literally no down side unless one doesn't have the psychological and emotional flexibility to adjust later on if necessary.

Here's a good example: I was sky-high on Nick Richards all last summer while most were doom and gloom. Well, I turned out to be right. But what if I'd been wrong? I'd still have enjoyed the summer more with positive day dreams about the team.
I enjoy myself just fine by being reasonable about my expectations. The frustration generally stems from the overwhelming summer optimists who come crashing down when they struggle early on for entirely foreseeable reasons. Myself personally, Im at the point with basketball where I take it with a grain of salt.

I was so happy to get to just watch exhibition baseball yesterday. Reds back in action. So I think the way things are going, even though Ive been somewhat disinterested with UK basketball the past few seasons compared to my younger days in college, I think its just going to be such a welcome respite. It feels like this could be a real fun season.
 
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STL_Cat

Heisman
Dec 4, 2011
64,901
57,665
98
There's not going to be a test in November to see who got duped by the early, fun, optimistic reports in July.

Enjoy yourself. Live a little. Be upbeat about the coming season. There is literally no down side unless one doesn't have the psychological and emotional flexibility to adjust later on if necessary.

Here's a good example: I was sky-high on Nick Richards all last summer while most were doom and gloom. Well, I turned out to be right. But what if I'd been wrong? I'd still have enjoyed the summer more with positive day dreams about the team.

Well-adjusted people with perspective can have a super positive outlook and be fine with adjusting their expectations on the fly.

There’s not a lot of that going on around here. Generally the people who beat their chests about his great we’re going to be in July are the same people losing their damn minds when we look like AAU ball in November.

For me, I’m somewhere more on the pragmatic side. I think it’s being realist to have tempered expectations of a team with as little returning experience as we’ve ever had. We’ll see. The team has great potential, I’ll leave it at that.
 

RunninRichie

Heisman
Sep 5, 2019
28,673
68,547
113
nah I don’t see the point in getting mad at the team early on we’ve had 11 years of this we know the drill but some choose to screech from the rooftops when we play bad in december and november knowing we’ll pick it up in February and march.
 

bucsrule8872

Heisman
May 30, 2005
24,397
29,352
0
Kentucky could be starting Davion Mintz, a very capable grad transfer PG with three years experience in a solid Big East, Sarr, with three years against ACC competition, Brooks in his second year at Kentucky, along with two extraordinarily gifted freshmen. That would be more experience in the starting line-up than the 2012 championship team or some of Cal's other Final Four teams. Especially given Cal's track record with producing with freshmen (Final Game in 2014 with an all-freshman starting five) I'm not sure experience is that big of an issue.

And, no, I don't buy the lament "if we're starting Mintz, we're in trouble." I saw him in person against Georgetown, where he dominated their guards. Watching him live, he's more impressive than in clips. And he's performed well against teams like Villanova. To me, if Askew clearly wins the starting job from him, then it is more a sign of the team's strength than a weakness.

Exactly.

Mintz is a very good college player.

Mintz averaged nearly 10ppg in his last season at Creighton. That was in 2018-19. The Big East has been pretty good over the time that he has played there, so it’s not like he has faced inferior competition.

97 games under his belt, that’s more than Reid Travis played before arriving. 79 starts, so he isn’t a scrub off the bench.

If Askew wins the starting job, then he has earned it given the competition.
 

mebeblue2

Heisman
Dec 20, 2009
98,152
10,574
0
I gamble and enjoy making money, so looking at things objectively is how I try to be. I do like when Cal gives an early big time vote of confidence. That makes me feel better about getting earlier cohesion. But lets be real....we have Keion back. Maybe lets be reasonable and wait and see what weve really got. I know thats gonna go over like a lead zeppelin on this board, oh well. I HOPE these guys come together and just have a natural team chemistry and are their brothers keeper like Cal preaches. Lets be real, we had some behind the scenes personality drama last year that bleed onto the court. Just because we have essentially cleaned house doesnt mean its a bad thing, but I think its reasonable to say hey...maybe pump the breaks people.

i think Vegas has UK with the forth best odds of cutting the nets down

every fanbase of every sport gets excited when a high level recruit signs
most of the time the expectations are lofty
we are now seeing that with football recruits (loving it)
i would much rather have lofty expectations then ho-hum expectations

but to each their own
 
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