This is the only reason he isn’t interested in Mgbako and is stupid as hell especially since front line freshmen tend to struggle under Cal. I’m guessing Bradshaw will moreso than edwards but who knows. Having all 3 on the team only increases your chances of having a player who lives up to their hype. Can see us all now next year talking about Mgbako being the missing piece like Hopkins was this year.
Aaron Torres says Calipari making a "colossal mistake" for not recruiting Mgbako.
- Thread starter Son_Of_Saul
- Start date
oh no, ccc doesn't make promises, playing time is earned, remember that's what he said
but then again he is a used car salesman
makes too much sense to play players where they will help UK win
ccc is too worried about the NBA draft
I will be honest, Duke is doing that for next year already. Let's see how that plays out. Duke should most likely win the title based on how many 5 stars they will have on the roster. Can Scheyer keep them happy is a big question.
thought Livingston declared for the draft
and even if he came back to college, he was transferring........so what spot is there to hold
People don't want a rotation of almost all inexperienced freshmen but also want to gripe because UK won't add another inexperienced freshmen. Which is it?
Can't win a national title led by freshmen but also big mistake not to add yet another freshmen.
Can't win a national title led by freshmen but also big mistake not to add yet another freshmen.
4 or 5 people who may love Cal more than the program, or may just love trolling. All of whom I have on ignore. I then get to watch 100 people constantly whine about those 4 or 5 possible trolls.
Cal not recruiting Mgbako because he wants Aaron Bradshaw to play the 4 is maybe the dumbest move Cal's made at UK and that's saying something.
That's like offering someone dying of thirst a cold bottle of water and having them turn it down because they have a cup of creek water.
That's like offering someone dying of thirst a cold bottle of water and having them turn it down because they have a cup of creek water.
While I don't have any inside sources, I'll say this - I don't think Cal is looking at Mgbako as a player not worth pursuing, not talented enough, not the right fit, etc. I think he's looking at Mgbako as: the kid/camp already know where he's going - and that's Louisville. My guess is that Cal knows how strong the relationship is with Nolan Smith, and Kenny's success with bigs - that Mgbako is going to Louisville
This. Desperate to get back on top in recruiting, cal switched from the guy who rightly made kat stay in the post to now just telling kids whatever they want to hear and letting them do whatever they want to do.
In no world should Bradshaw be considered a 4. Not just because of height but because he lacks the skills. Hitting wide open jumpers isn't enough. Today's 4s are yesterdays 3s who were yesteryears 2s. They need sf handles too in addition to the jumper; and be able to guard other dynamic 4s.
That's why basketball essentially shifted down a position, because it causes problems when you have those guys and the other team doesn't. Instead of getting someone to match that after losing the two we had from last year, we'll roll out with two bigs. That's fine too if you're going to play a decent amount of zone, but we won't.
Mgbako decommitted from Duke because he didn't want to deal with the depth issue. So, now you all think he will come to UK, where he would also have to contend with Edwards, Bradshaw, Reeves and possibly Oscar, Livingston or Collins (if either returns) for minutes at the 3 and 4 spots?
I think it all comes down to wanting proven veteran players at a certain point. We know Cal won’t use all 13 scholarships or go crazy deep.
Right this moment we have 7 players that project to play, most significant minutes, that essentially are all freshmen. The 5 recruits, Ugo who effectively redshirted, and Adou who also got little time. Adding Mgbako would lock 8 raw players into your main rotation.
I think we have:
Wagner
Dillingham
Edwards
Bradshaw
Ugo
Sheppard
Adou
Ware
With Reeves, Oscar, and technically Collins/Fredrick decisions still outstanding. Whether it’s Oscar and Reeves, one of them, or new dudes, I think we can add 2 actual good players to the above 8 and a depth piece or two. It’s on Cal to find the best players to add to that list and I agree with what looks like the staff’s decision that we need proven production to bank on due to the high variance of our young players. Do I have tons of confidence in Cal to get it right? No I don’t.
Right this moment we have 7 players that project to play, most significant minutes, that essentially are all freshmen. The 5 recruits, Ugo who effectively redshirted, and Adou who also got little time. Adding Mgbako would lock 8 raw players into your main rotation.
I think we have:
Wagner
Dillingham
Edwards
Bradshaw
Ugo
Sheppard
Adou
Ware
With Reeves, Oscar, and technically Collins/Fredrick decisions still outstanding. Whether it’s Oscar and Reeves, one of them, or new dudes, I think we can add 2 actual good players to the above 8 and a depth piece or two. It’s on Cal to find the best players to add to that list and I agree with what looks like the staff’s decision that we need proven production to bank on due to the high variance of our young players. Do I have tons of confidence in Cal to get it right? No I don’t.
Yeah, a blogger like Torres & a bunch of redneck fans know more about basketball than a HOF coach who's been to 6 final 4's with three different schools & has won a national championship & has been coaching for 30+ years.
Not only that when you're in a leadership position there are factors involved in every decision that people who are not in leadership never have to think about, Like it never crosses their minds.
Torres & most of this forum would be in a fetal position sucking your thumb if you were in charge.
Not only that when you're in a leadership position there are factors involved in every decision that people who are not in leadership never have to think about, Like it never crosses their minds.
Torres & most of this forum would be in a fetal position sucking your thumb if you were in charge.
What's more insane is Cal seems to be going the opposite direction of the rest of the college basketball.
The portal and NIL have made it clear over the last 3-4 years that Freshman lead teams aren't winning in March.
- Cal assembles a team that will all but certainly start 4 Freshman.
The college game has shifted to a more versatile system where true bigs and feeding the post are a thing of the past.
- Cal brings in a Center with limited offensive and defensive capabilities and runs the offense through him.
The college game has shifted to smaller lineups with versatile forwards who have "guard like" skills.
- Cal offers to allow a 7' footer with limited ball handling and shot creation ability to play the 4.
- Cal sets his roster up to start TWO Centers in an era where most teams aren't starting any "true" Centers.
I dunno what his plan is.
Put me in the camp of Cal must know something we don't. Just too odd that Cal didn't show interest. I have issues with Cal, but he has done a pretty good job of being proven right after not pursuing certain guys. I'll give Cal the benefit of the doubt on this one.
We will be one player away from being really good, and we will have the chance to get that player but we will wait to long and miss out and pickup some scrub from South Dakota State that averaged 10 pts a game a 3 rebounds 2 yrs ago and sat out last season with injuries.
@Son_Of_Saul Did you or anyone complaining seriously anyone watch the fit with him, DJ, and Bradshaw in HS? It was awful. But sure let’s go for a guy (who already knows where he is going most likely) and start 4 or 5 freshman, that will be amazing.
You took the words right out of my brain…..I think if we are being honest: Ugo, Oscar, and Bradshaw are all going to play the Center. (Doesn’t even take into account Ware). We will try Bradshaw at the 4 and numerous teams will pick and roll him to death because they know we refuse to play any other type of defense besides man to man. The team needs consistent shooting: Wagner, Dillingham, and Edwards are all streaky shooters who will go 4/5 one game and 1/7 the next from 3. Yes all jokes aside Reeves will really help but if Frederick retires we need a 3/4 that can consistently hit 3’s 36-42% of the time. Wagner and Dillingham are ELITE shot creators just need a dude to stand in the corner receive the pass and hit the shot. (Dalton Knecht is my first choice as he is a 97% percentile set shot shooter)
I think we should go after him.. but he sounds like a guy who wants his playing time and touches. Cal often stays away from those types, and I'm not sure MM would find our roster next year a good fit for him.
And me personally, I'd rather have someone with experience come in, as opposed to having another freshman garner big minutes. We will have an awful lot of minutes going to unproven players next season. For where our roster is at, I'd prefer a transfer who we know is at least decent, and would be fine taking a bit of a backseat to guys like DJ and Edwards.
But yes, I still would take him, and I hope the staff at least made a quick phone call.
And me personally, I'd rather have someone with experience come in, as opposed to having another freshman garner big minutes. We will have an awful lot of minutes going to unproven players next season. For where our roster is at, I'd prefer a transfer who we know is at least decent, and would be fine taking a bit of a backseat to guys like DJ and Edwards.
But yes, I still would take him, and I hope the staff at least made a quick phone call.
I thought assembling a team with all Freshmen supposedly didn't work for the Anti-Cal group and yet now they are falling over themselves for how we are not pursuing another freshman that we do not have any minutes for...
According to the Anti+cal group, I thought it was horrible that players were transferring away from UK but when Ugo decides to come back, they are against it...
It is pretty obvious the agenda some on here are showing...
According to the Anti+cal group, I thought it was horrible that players were transferring away from UK but when Ugo decides to come back, they are against it...
It is pretty obvious the agenda some on here are showing...
there is always a missing piece, yet there are open spots on the roster
if bradshaw is going to play as a forward, how many times will be be abused on defense & in foul trouble sitting on the bench with no one to replace him, This kid should be in that spot with bradshaw as the center. But I guess ccc had to promise bradshaw what he wanted to get him to sign and he will be another disappointment.
Why would Mgbako want to play with Oscar but not Flip?
I don't think it's about position but rather him being the #1 option.
My guess is he's looking for a situation like Miller had last year at Bama.
You're making the pretty broad assumption that everyone with a Calipari gripe, has the same gripes. It isn't an echo chamber. You do realize there any many opinions here, right? Some can be different, but still overlap on some things. This board isn't limited to two distinct cut and dry camps.
This isn't very 2023 of you. Don't you know you're supposed to pick a side, stick your head in the sand, and double and triple down no matter how stupid your opinion might be? You should never cross over lines and certainly never admit you could be wrong about something. Come on man, get with the time!
Yep. He needs to be recruiting a knockdown shooting guard and a true stretch 4.
I think there's going to be massive growing pains trying to play Dillingham and Wagner together. Two ball dominant guards whose entire career has been built on having the ball in their hands. Combine that with the assumption that Cal will favor DJ as his lead guard and there's potential for some backcourt drama.
He needs options at the guard spot and he needs actual wings and forwards. Not guards playing wings and not centers playing forwards. I'll be honest, as a non-UK fan I hope he starts Oscar, Bradshaw, Edwards, Dillingham and Wagner. What he should be doing is recruiting guys like BJ Mack or Oliver Nkamhoua. A lineup up Bradshaw, Nkamhoua, Edwards, Reeves and Wagner would be far more dangerous IMO.
Trust me, that exact thought process entered my mind, lol. I decided to leave the politics out. It's almost like we're supposed to all be one big happy kumbaya same team family, but while being stuffed into tight little individualy labeled boxes.
There is no pulse to Oscar coming back....and even if so....we have issues at the PF which Mgbako is a PF.
Second...Bradshaw is a C...not a PF. He can play it defensively but he has no skill sets for it offensively. Just a mess to try to play him there....but here we go.
Why we are not putting our hat in the ring smells of Cal's promises/can't take a kids heart garbage.
I totally get what you're saying. But you have to remember that a big part of all this is Cal DOES NOT run an offense that gets guys open. His offense is stationary. That means C / F / F / G / G
If you have an offense that creates open looks (picks, cuts, baseline, needle-threading passes), then you can truly run positionless offense. Every year (used to until last several years) we would get this wonderful recruiting class and imagine that those mix tapes would be what we see at UK, but it never happens, does it? C A L
Let alone remember what 8 guys are good at. He just doesn't want to be bothered. In Cal's eyes, it's all about isolation play and "get my guys through their NBA audition".
WTF ever happened to Cal's revolutionary dribble drive offense? Seems like a generation ago.
I whole heartedly agree on playing Wagner and Dillingham together. But I think it’s going to be a defensive disaster. I worry they are too short to guard a SG. You can shoot over them easily and they don’t obscure the view of the rim enough to disrupt a good shooter. Wagner is listed at 6’3….so is he actually 6’2 or is he 6,1 (1/2)…..makes a bigger difference then people realize.
Not that he "will", thats not the point. Cal isnt going to even TRY. We are 100 percent guaranteed to have an injury of some sort this year, thats the trend every single damn year. And if O doesnt come back then we would have a fab 5 with Mgbako at the 4.Mgbako decommitted from Duke because he didn't want to deal with the depth issue. So, now you all think he will come to UK, where he would also have to contend with Edwards, Bradshaw, Reeves and possibly Oscar, Livingston or Collins (if either returns) for minutes at the 3 and 4 spots?
what have we got to lose at this point? A starting group that couldn’t make it out of the first weekend of the NCAA and lost twice to Candy? Let’s cut our losses and reboot this garbage.
I was wondering when u would show up Brad. How are mom and your sisters doing? Eating some Ellen brownies now?
Dillingham will be an issue on defense for sure. His size alone will allow other guards to bully him on defense. I'm not a coach but if I'm Cal...I encourage Oscar to go and then I try and find shooters and utilize the shot creation and rim attacking ability of my guards to surround the perimeter with shooters. I use Bradshaw to protect the rim and push pace with my guards to get him lobs. Plopping Oscar at the 5 or Ugo at the 5 and Bradshaw at the 4 will clog and slow the offense down so much and force it into a halfcourt setting and allow defense to sag off. Edwards, Wagner and Dillingham are all capable - but streaky shooters so defenses will respect them but probably give them some space to stay in front of them. You've got 3 guys (Edwards. Wager, Dillingham) who can get to the rim but because of the PF and Center spots you've got a lineup that defenses have no reason to truly stay out of the middle for and will once again - clog the driving lanes. Bradshaw isn't breaking anyone down and getting to the rim nor is he a consistent threat on the perimeter. Defenses will force UK to shoot jumpers and 3s. Playing UK man-to-man would fall right into Cal's trap. Just play a zone or pack line and you're set. If someone gets hot on the outside and beats you? So be it.
Winning these days consists of 1. do you have great guards? 2. Can they score at will? I think these guys will check both boxes for the most part. Defense doesn't win ncaa tournament games anymore necessarily. Just my opinion but you gotta have guys that can flat out score.
I think it was just word salad nonsense from Cal, and something that fans of mediocrity latched onto. How in the world does Cal not see that he's THE most underachieving coach in college basketball, maybe all of sports? Mind boggling.
Ha ha ha ha ha…lead belly you’re so specious. Why not list the whole roster for effect if you’re going to be so dishonest lol. You forgot Mgbako will also have to contend with Sheppard, Dillingham, and Wagner. And Canada!!! DRAMA QUEEEEEEEEEEN!!!,!Mgbako decommitted from Duke because he didn't want to deal with the depth issue. So, now you all think he will come to UK, where he would also have to contend with Edwards, Bradshaw, Reeves and possibly Oscar, Livingston or Collins (if either returns) for minutes at the 3 and 4 spots?