Sahvir Wheeler

megablue

Heisman
Oct 2, 2012
15,638
15,825
113
He is nowhere near Tyler Ulis.My God that kid was special.He could shoot,defend and not turn it over.What a stupid comparison.
Ulis was SEC defensive POY, if I recall correctly. Yes, he could defend. I think Wheeler can be a Ulis-type player.
 

GonzoCat90

Heisman
Mar 30, 2009
32,377
34,559
0
For reference:

Last year, Mintz averaged 12/3/3 with 2 TOs, 1 steal and shot 39% from the floor in 30 MPG.

I think any and all of us would be thrilled to have him back as the de facto backup PG.


Wheeler's numbers were 14/4/7.4 with 4 TOs and 2 steals on 40% shooting in 35 MPG.


What we missed last year, more than anything, was a guy who could get by his man and create offense. You would hope those TOs go down with better players around him and John Calipari coaching a PG and you would hope the %s go up with him being able to pick his spots without being the focal point of the offense or opposing defenses.

Even with the guys we've brought in/back, there's not an abundance of playmaking. Having/being good shooters will open up driving lanes, but Cal's best teams can beat you off the dribble and we desperately need a guy who can. Grady/Fredrick/Allen's 3PT ability won't matter if we just pass it around the perimeter.
 

Cats192

Heisman
Apr 22, 2011
14,889
17,788
93
Just to clarify

Do we not think we're getting TyTy?

I think if Tyty is ready to be a superstar PG, Cal will play him as the starter, and Wheeler is the backup. But if TyTy isn't ready, perhaps Wheeler starts and Tyty plays more off-ball.

But after a year of Askew failing to do much of anything, a guy that has already averaged 7 assists against our conference seems like a welcome addition.
 

kyjeff1

Heisman
Sep 8, 2012
50,679
71,040
113
Just to clarify

Do we not think we're getting TyTy?

I think if Tyty is ready to be a superstar PG, Cal will play him as the starter, and Wheeler is the backup. But if TyTy isn't ready, perhaps Wheeler starts and Tyty plays more off-ball.

But after a year of Askew failing to do much of anything, a guy that has already averaged 7 assists against our conference seems like a welcome addition.
Play em both at the same time. Problem solved.
 

Cats192

Heisman
Apr 22, 2011
14,889
17,788
93
Devin Askew and Nolan Hickman (oops) are both "taller Tyler Ulis's", too

But a lot of these guys were unproven. I think you mentioned Quade as well.

Wheeler has played against the SEC and averaged 7.4 assists on a bad Georgia team. He got in the paint and scored against the likes of Isiah Jackson.

Is he going to be 1st team All-American like Ulis? Probably not. But can he come here, get in the lane, break down the defense and be an assists machine? Probably. He's already done it vs the conference we play in.
 

Cats192

Heisman
Apr 22, 2011
14,889
17,788
93
Play em both at the same time. Problem solved.
I suspect that's the plan early on. If Wheeler isn't getting it done, Cal can move TyTy over.

I wonder how the minutes get split up with Grady and Frederick
 

bookerfan66

Heisman
Feb 26, 2015
9,414
20,139
0
But a lot of these guys were unproven. I think you mentioned Quade as well.

Wheeler has played against the SEC and averaged 7.4 assists on a bad Georgia team. He got in the paint and scored against the likes of Isiah Jackson.

Is he going to be 1st team All-American like Ulis? Probably not. But can he come here, get in the lane, break down the defense and be an assists machine? Probably. He's already done it vs the conference we play in.
Let's just hope he isn't also the turnover machine he was last season.
 

Blueworld_3.0

Heisman
Sep 23, 2008
14,118
11,237
113
TTW is coming to play PG for UK. Wheeler is a true PG in every sense of the word. IMO both shouldn't be on the floor at the same time unless it's a special critical possession situation. So, that means the possibility is there for one of those guys to be unhappy about playing time. Let's hope that doesn't happen. The last thing we need is another season with behind the scenes drama.
 

GonzoCat90

Heisman
Mar 30, 2009
32,377
34,559
0
I suspect that's the plan early on. If Wheeler isn't getting it done, Cal can move TyTy over.

I wonder how the minutes get split up with Grady and Frederick

I think (assuming Mintz leaves), you're looking at Fredrick being the first guard sub off the bench if Cal goes Wheeler/TyTy/Grady.

By the end of the season, I'd expect TyTy, Grady, Allen to be the 1-3 and Wheeler/Fredrick to sub in for whoever comes out first, then slide everyone else down one position. TyTy to the 2, Grady to the 3, etc. depending on which guy comes out.

I'd say Grady will lead the team in minutes, but I've learned that my preseason plans are often way off lol.
 

Cats192

Heisman
Apr 22, 2011
14,889
17,788
93
TTW is coming to play PG for UK. Wheeler is a true PG in every sense of the word. IMO both shouldn't be on the floor at the same time unless it's a special critical possession situation. So, that means the possibility is there for one of those guys to be unhappy about playing time. Let's hope that doesn't happen. The last thing we need is another season with behind the scenes drama.
I think Tyty compares well to Brandon Knight/IQ. Having a guy that can create and shoot from 3 as your SG can be tremendous.

But if Wheeler just can't hack it as some fear, then Cal will surely make TyTy the main pg.
 

Cats192

Heisman
Apr 22, 2011
14,889
17,788
93
Let's just hope he isn't also the turnover machine he was last season.
Yeah. I just think you've got to look at inefficiency through the lens of what help you have. If you're on a talented team and shooting poorly and turning it over a ton--you're probably just someone that doesn't make good decisions and doesn't take care of the ball.

If you're on a team void of talent--you're probably forcing the action because you have to. So you take worse shots than you'd like at times. You attempt passes that aren't what you'd like to be throwing.

Come to KY where you've got shooters galore and talented bigs--all of a sudden, you're not taking bad shots to get a shot up. You're not forcing passes.
 
  • Like
Reactions: GonzoCat90

rockout1

All-Conference
Oct 21, 2012
1,311
1,805
0
There are only 2 players in the history of Georgia basketball that have been worthy of wearing a Kentucky uniform...Billy Magarity and Vern Flemming.

No.

After Ty Ty and a couple others that have been mentioned who from my perspective that would be a better move.

Are you telling me that Wheeler is deserving with Justin Powell was not worthy...before you say Powell is a two guard....yes he is and a damn good one..., but he played point at Auburn as well and he did a great job. He can also put it in the hole.

Anybody who they sign better be better than Powell.
Dominique Wilkins?
 

serdi

All-Conference
Mar 22, 2009
2,672
3,934
0
Dominique Wilkins?
Dominique Wilkins is a great athlete and basketball player. Vern Fleming, Terry Fair and teammates went to the Final Four AFTER Wilkins went Pro. He was not a team player. He would not have been a good fit at UK..it was all about 'Nique. Vern Fleming was the better overall player...led Georgia to a Final Four, Gold Medal Olympian, and had a long NBA career. I have heard knowledgeable people say that if he had not played his NBA career in Indianapolis, but instead had played in his native New York with Knicks or in some other big market, he would have been seen as a superstar.
 
  • Haha
Reactions: lazycat75

wildcatdon

Heisman
Oct 17, 2012
10,358
13,111
113
You start Wheeler and let Ty get his feet wet as the season moves along. Grady has to be the two guard and maybe Dontae at SF. We finally have some depth at each position thought I would like to see more talent among our bigs. Hope Cal doesn’t play favorites as he usually does and screw this up. We might have a chance at a decent season next year.
 

Untouchables22

All-Conference
Mar 5, 2013
2,359
3,129
0
I’m going to be honest potentially having 3 players in the playing rotation who are sub-par defenders in Wheeler, Frederick, & Allen has me a little nervous.
 

rockout1

All-Conference
Oct 21, 2012
1,311
1,805
0
Dominique Wilkins is a great athlete and basketball player. Vern Fleming, Terry Fair and teammates went to the Final Four AFTER Wilkins went Pro. He was not a team player. He would not have been a good fit at UK..it was all about 'Nique. Vern Fleming was the better overall player...led Georgia to a Final Four, Gold Medal Olympian, and had a long NBA career. I have heard knowledgeable people say that if he had not played his NBA career in Indianapolis, but instead had played in his native New York with Knicks or in some other big market, he would have been seen as a superstar.
Ok he was better than Dominique...got it. Lol
 
  • Like
Reactions: lazycat75

Burly

All-American
Sep 3, 2002
17,130
8,634
113
Kid will be our starter come mid season an a absolute star in Lexington - he will be the straw that stirs the drink for the Wildcats
I’m more excited to see him surrounded by snipers than any player we are bringing in
He puts this squad over the top
 

AllBall

All-American
May 5, 2015
4,476
5,745
93
Give me Ty Ty and Hardy and call it done. Mintz can come back or leave wouldn’t matter all that much. If Brooks leaves I think we can get an upgrade to replace him. Kid from UMass or the Cuse.
Or even Marcus Bagley from Arizona St. If Brooks leaves he would fill a need and it'd be a middle finger to Justus.
 

Panthur

Heisman
Aug 5, 2008
9,225
12,782
0
D. He's a bad 3 point shooter. He shot 32% from 3 as a freshman. Surely he recognizes this needs improving and works at it. The coaching staff will work with him. He doesn't have to be shooting 40%. He's the table setter. But I think he can reasonably get to 33% and be serviceable at worst.
I agree with all your thinking in theory. But on the court for whatever reason we tend to be a program that turns 40% perimeter shooters into 32% perimeter shooters, not the other way around.
 

Cowtown Cat

Heisman
Aug 23, 2015
24,078
54,690
100
Yeah no, that’s like saying Steph Curry's best attribute is his defense.
When you hit over 40% of the threes you take, that is your best attribute.
Kinda what I was getting at. I mean, at a 47% clip. That’s elite 3 point shooting. I would say shooting is his best attribute, by a pretty large margin.
 
  • Like
Reactions: kyjeff1

GonzoCat90

Heisman
Mar 30, 2009
32,377
34,559
0
Shooting is his best skill (obviously), but he's a really good defender. He especially had a large impact on the overall team defense for Iowa. They were a different team on both ends with him out.
 

GonzoCat90

Heisman
Mar 30, 2009
32,377
34,559
0
Fredrick's ability to space the floor with his 50 percent three-point shooting has helped national player of the year candidate allow more room inside to do his damage. Perhaps his biggest contribution is on the defensive end. Fredrick has been called one of the best perimeter defenders on the team by teammates and Iowa head coach Fran McCaffery.

...

He was immediately inserted into the starting lineup as a redshirt freshman and praised for his shooting prowess and his ability as a defender. And, indeed, that was largely true of Fredrick's two seasons in black and gold: Iowa's perimeter defense was better when Fredrick was on the court (though it was still far from great, as we saw when Iowa faced back courts full of size, length, and athleticism) and he was a good 3-point shooter.

...

When healthy, the 6-foot-3 C.J. Fredrick has been a productive shooting guard and has shown the ability to make big shots, and to play defense.
 

DelkBowl

Heisman
Oct 4, 2015
10,729
11,769
101
Dominique Wilkins is a great athlete and basketball player. Vern Fleming, Terry Fair and teammates went to the Final Four AFTER Wilkins went Pro. He was not a team player. He would not have been a good fit at UK..it was all about 'Nique. Vern Fleming was the better overall player...led Georgia to a Final Four, Gold Medal Olympian, and had a long NBA career. I have heard knowledgeable people say that if he had not played his NBA career in Indianapolis, but instead had played in his native New York with Knicks or in some other big market, he would have been seen as a superstar.
Born in France, grew up in N. Carolina