BB: summer recruiting, practice, and Trent Noah updates

[PastorofMuppets82]

Michigan built their team with guys like Aday Mara who averaged 6 ppg the year prior, Elliot Cadeau who had underperformed at UNC averaging just 9 ppg and was a turnover machine averaging over 3 a game on terrible shooting splits, hoping on Yaxell making a leap from UAB to a power school and still performing at the same level, and Morez Johnson coming over from Illinois where he was a 7 ppg 1 bpg less than a half assist per game player as a Freshmen. No one knew how they would play together, or expected them to be that dominant right away. They expected them to be very good, (ranked #7 preseason), but nobody had seen any of those guys play together before.

 

[DirtyHarry]

Weird comment for someone who claims to be a UK fan. Calipari made a living off having a new team just about every year that no one knew how they would complement each other’s skill sets. Duke the same. In the NIL era, you could say that about most P4 teams.

We’re saying the same thing, just differently.

 

[DelkBowl]

I never think about the end of bench guys till 1-2 minutes left in a blowout game.

 

[UKortho]

He’s “closed” on 1 or 2 players and now he is “the closer”? What a joke.

Yep. That’s another post/picture that is embarrassing. The coach’s are following Pope’s lead.

 

[Anon668007]

 

[Anon668007]

Hawthorne really needs to quicken his jump shot but his form is good

 

[Beatle Bum]

 

[mhs1964]

Key parts off the bench are key parts for successful teams.

Money is one aspect of recruiting today and not the only aspect. Closing is not defined by the money. It rarely will be. It is not in the business world and is certainly not in college. And, no poster here knows what money is being tossed in negotiations. We have only the anonymous sourced info that we gobble up and take as gospel.

I’m not sure I agree. Yes, money is not the only factor in business but in this instance one party may have only a single year of eligibility or feels he will only be here for one year and the money issue is reduced to get as much as you can.

 

[Beatle Bum]

If Ousmane excites this year it will be the biggest condemnation of the Nancies here. Pope was derided by some for going after Freeman, as injury prone, but people understood Freeman’s appeal. Freeman got off campus without a commitment and Pope was chided. For days it languished with the emotional Nancies making regular comments and then St John’s landed Freemand and the clever Whiffers repeated their mantra.

No one knew who NDiaye was. All of a sudden there was this connection and it appears Pope and his staff were the only ones involved. He went from unknown to signed in a short time, suggesting this secret recruitment had been worked for more than a minute. If he proves a real catch, it defies everything the Nancies focus upon.

 

[RunninRichie]

i dont think this is a big shock, i'm just not real convinced we will see much change. i think we will get back to what we did in year 1. but thats about it. florida is a favorite to win it all. ark and texas will have more talent. bama and tenn have better coaches. another team will have a much easier path. the needle to thread is small for pope. not sure finishing 5th in SEC, a win in the NCAAT and getting to a sweet 16 is going to reduce the noise

Missouri will be good too.

 

[The Ganner]

I'll remain skeptical of N'Diaye until I see him do it in real games against real competition, we've seen plenty of Euros struggle (and some excel for sure). But if he's really a standout player it would address one of the biggest question marks for the team this year. Glorified pickup games and practice are one thing - we know he has skill and athletic ability. The big criticism of him was decision making in game, positioning on defense, and (at least for me) a tendency to float on the perimeter and favor low-efficiency three point shooting. We need a PF to step up though.

 

[Beatle Bum]

There are questions, no doubt. Of course that is true for most recruits. Think about the five stars that came here and frustrated fans who thought preseason they would be superstars immediately.

The good with NDiaye is he has a motor combined with good shooting form, length, and athleticism. That is a good combo for a 6’11” new player. He seems very active and that is how, with his frame, he gets boards. Teaching a motor can be one of the hardest things. He has good form but makes wild decisions. His defense is suspect and his basketball IQ has been questioned. Decision making and basketball IQ can be coached, IMO, easier than motor and shooting form for bigs.

 

[Beatle Bum]

 

[Anon668007]

BH needs to quicken his shot

 

[SenseMaker_Cats]

BH needs to quicken his shot

Based on that shot?

 

[Anon668007]

 

[Anon668007]

 

[Anon668007]

 

[ScWildcat3]

Where has that guy been the last month. He’s been in a boot and crutches for a while now.

 

[Beatle Bum]

Keegan Brown interview seems to suggest UK is still working thru NCAA issues for NDaiye.

 

[ScWildcat3]

Keegan Brown interview seems to suggest UK is still working thru NCAA issues for NDaiye.

It’s just about the 5 for 5. Trying to figure out how many years he will have left after originally expecting at minimum 2 years.

 

[Skyguyb27]

either do you. and you dont know the potential other teams possess either. all i know is that uk is going to start the year ranked somewhere between 15-20 in the nation and 5th or 6th in the SEC by most people.

if thats doom and gloom ok cool.

I wouldn’t call 5th or 6th in the SEC a great place
to start year 3 for a coach at UK and 15-20 should be a minimum that is acceptable for us.

 

[ScWildcat3]

I wouldn’t call 5th or 6th in the SEC a great place
to start year 3 for a coach at UK and 15-20 should be a minimum that is acceptable for us.

We will be top 4 in the league. That puts you in top 10-15 or so teams in the country.

 

[Threedognight]

Based on that shot?

Based on what shot?

 

[SenseMaker_Cats]

Based on what shot?

The shot in the video where there’s no one within 15 feet of him. If he always has this “release time”, I’d agree with 007.

 

[Eagles_Ball_69]

He is a very good positional defender. He guarded Nate Ament in the game at Knoxville last year and more than held his own. Of course, he's white and that bothers some folks on here.

Such a trash comment. He’s a “shooter” that doesn’t make. He’s limited both laterally and vertically. That’s what bothers me. Just make some damned open 3s. If he can’t, he doesn’t deserve to be on the floor. He could be purple. Doesn’t change what he’s been so far.

 

[Eagles_Ball_69]

I’ve watched Noah take over major high school games and score 40+ points in person like Reed Sheppard did in high school. The talent and shooting ability is there. I also think he’s a very solid rebounder for his size. I don’t think his strength is creating his own shot. However, I think having guys like Diallo and Wilkins who can create will help open him up a lot.
He struggled to shoot last year, but who was going to create offensively? Aberdeen was forced into the PG role and did reasonably well. Jasper Johnson isn’t a creator and neither was Chandler. I know it’s popular for some to bash the local guy who wanted to be here, but I think he’s very capable of having a Derek Willis like impact.

Dude…a TON of the shots he missed were WIDE OPEN H-O-R-S-E shots.

 

[Eagles_Ball_69]

This thread kinda diverged into a Trent thread. It’s funny I feel like when most really boosted him up before playing a game here, I was more skeptical. Then after he’s struggled a couple years the sentiment has completely flipped and now I find myself defending him.

Honestly there’s a lot of parallels between him and Justin McBride.

You bring up McBride’s horrendous performance and shooting his first two years in college “players can’t improve!?!?!?” type responses flood the board. If Trent had a sub 250 KenPom SOS on a sub 200 type team situation, I’m confident he would also look much better.

Trent really struggled in those times last year Pope would panic and try bringing him in for a floor spacing 3 point threat. In the 13 games Trent played in where he had 10 or fewer minutes, he made zero 3s. He shot 44% from 3 in the games he played more than 10 minutes. If you draw the conclusion he shot better against worse teams, you’d definitely be on to a contributing factor and I’d point you back to McBride…

Great comp and post. It’s why I’m concerned about McBride too.

 

[Eagles_Ball_69]

Time will tell but in the meantime Pope has done Barnes 4 out of 5 times with lesser talent.

How’d it go in the game where the loser went home?

 

[DKersey]

I think I'd really like to have Cade Tyson on our Squad. He looks to me about what Chandler might become. Play him at the two when Diallo goes out and move Wilkins to the point. 19.6 point average, 41 from 3, rebounds, slashes well. If he is cleared make the offer hard to refuse.

 

[Beatle Bum]

The shot in the video where there’s no one within 15 feet of him. If he always has this “release time”, I’d agree with 007.

Been years since played ball but when no one was near me, I took my time.

 

[Skyguyb27]

We will be top 4 in the league. That puts you in top 10-15 or so teams in the country.

I seriously doubt UK will be top 4 in SEC and not top 10-15 in the final preseason ranking. You’re hoping and speculating like everyone else that this will be a good season.

 

[ScWildcat3]

I seriously doubt UK will be top 4 in SEC and not top 10-15 in the final preseason ranking. You’re hoping and speculating like everyone else that this will be a good season.

I believe we will. Most talented pope team yet.

 

[Beatle Bum]

A reminder while we wait

 

[TheResistance]

 

[TheResistance]

 

[TheResistance]

 

[TheResistance]

 

[TheResistance]

 

[TheResistance]