Knox 12- Hornets
Shai 19 - Pelicans
Diallo 28 -Nets
It's from the draft express guys Bc espn bought them out
Shai 19 - Pelicans
Diallo 28 -Nets
It's from the draft express guys Bc espn bought them out
ESPN(Draft express) first NBA mock
- Thread starter Rupp'sRunt
- Start date
Does that include the handful of foreign players that may push them down the board?
If that’s all we lose from this year then UK will be a serious title contender that could potentially beat the 14-15 and 11-12 teams.
I'll believe it when I see it but getting Washington/Vanderbilt/Gabriel/Richards/SKJ/Geeen back would be huge.
I think Richards will make a big jump next year as a sophomore and Washington is already playing pretty good basketball. Another year will only make him more comfortable.
I think Richards will make a big jump next year as a sophomore and Washington is already playing pretty good basketball. Another year will only make him more comfortable.
Would love to see Knox play one more year. I know it won't happen... but, he has this T. Prince feel about him that makes me dream of 5 threes--one right after the other.
Diallo might be about right but I can't see the other two that high
Whoever drafts Knox at 12 should lose their job. Nothing in his game that resembles a lottery pick. Upside, potential, whatever. I don't see it. 1st round? Maybe. borderline top 10 pick? That's why I hate the NBA.
Vanderbilt is going to wow some people when he gets the chance to combine. He's not coming back.
I'm still kind of feeling a max exodus, maybe it's just pessimism out of frustration and anger, like a 5 year old.
Vanderbilt - gone
Washington - gone
Richards - gone
Shai - gone
Knox - gone
Diallo - gone
Gabriel - gone
Someone look at that and tell me it 100% cannot happen? Remember Gabriel might have financial issues at home, Vanderbilt gets to showcase workouts, Richards is a 7 footer, Washington has "potential", Shai has long arms for his position, Diallo wants anything, Knox has touch on his bricks. And those reasons? Yep, totally good enough to the NBA and Cal.
Also, this is Kentucky. It could happen. I don't know why so many are just writing this off as impossible.
Vanderbilt is going to wow some people when he gets the chance to combine. He's not coming back.
I'm still kind of feeling a max exodus, maybe it's just pessimism out of frustration and anger, like a 5 year old.
Vanderbilt - gone
Washington - gone
Richards - gone
Shai - gone
Knox - gone
Diallo - gone
Gabriel - gone
Someone look at that and tell me it 100% cannot happen? Remember Gabriel might have financial issues at home, Vanderbilt gets to showcase workouts, Richards is a 7 footer, Washington has "potential", Shai has long arms for his position, Diallo wants anything, Knox has touch on his bricks. And those reasons? Yep, totally good enough to the NBA and Cal.
Also, this is Kentucky. It could happen. I don't know why so many are just writing this off as impossible.
Because players make their biggest improvement from their Freshman and soph years. Because Vanderbilt and maybe Washington will be player of the year candidate. I'm at a loss more with why you don't think it will be. Will be one of Cals most experienced teams. Will have 4 or 5 guys who can flat out shoot the ball. Will be 10 deep with very little drop off
It has happened for 9 straight years so why should we suddenly expect it to change
That’s a scary thought. This happens, and we will be wishing we had the Noel team next year. That’s why I refuse to believe it will
60 players are drafted. I can’t believe that 7 of those are on our team.
Unless Vanderbilt suddenly develops a good jump shot before and during the combine, he's not wowing anyone.
Kid is an atrocious shooter, and at 6'8", in today's NBA, you better be able to shoot.
That said, I'm with you. I refuse to believe a single damn kid returns at this school til I see it.
If we did lose that amount, it will be NIT for sure next year and Cal may be seeking an exit strategy.
Every year it seems like there's more and more drafted from overseas. Basketball must be blowing up outside of the US.
At this point I don’t consider anyone back until they step foot on campus in the summer.
We always seem to lose a guy no one expected - I’ll be shocked if we “only” lose 3 this year.
Nah Shai and Diallo are both way too high. At this point I don't think Diallo gets drafted and Shai is a mid 2nd rounder.
0% chance Hami comes back. Even if he is projected undrafted - he gone
This is how I feel. I'm expecting a mass exodus too. If Skal can go, any of the guys you listed can certainly go.
I can't believe there are people on here that think we'll only lose 2 or 3, I'll believe it when I see it.
Hopefully, that is all we lose.
That would leave us with:
Starters
G Green
G Quickley
F Washington
F Vanderbilt
F Richards
Bench
G Baker
G Herro
G Johnson
F Gabriel
F Killeya-Jones
F Wynyard
That should make us at least one of the favorites.
I honestly think Vanderbilt will leave as well.
Hopefully we land someone like Montgomery to add to the roster. Some say Wiseman is a possibility. Getting both would be nice.
Should be a fun season next year, but this one could still end well.
Knox and Diallo leave for sure. Shai leaves with a first round guarantee. Vanderbilt is a wild card because of his injury history and because we haven't seen much of what he can do. Then we might lose one or two who go undrafted but just want to move on.
We will still be really good even if we lose Knox, Diallo, one of Shai/Vanderbilt, and one of Wenyen/Sacha/Richards.
We will still be really good even if we lose Knox, Diallo, one of Shai/Vanderbilt, and one of Wenyen/Sacha/Richards.
It seems that there's no way anyone would draft Vanderbilt with that kind of shot, then you think about Archie Goodwin, and yea..
Vanderbilt has a fairly rough injury. probably flirted with the idea of not even playing this year. He's gone, I feel as confident about that as I do any of them really. If potential matters, then Vanderbilt belongs to go 12th, not Knox. Give Vanderbilt a jumper and he's a potential all star.
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anon_013cn8yrfncx2
Guest
Skal was a 7 footer. Drafted in potential. Washington will not be drafted on potential. Knox, Diallo, maybe Wenyan. If Shai stays then Quade likely transfers.
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anon_013cn8yrfncx2
Guest
You'll have to give it to him. Don't think it will ever be there without a ton of work for several years.
I don't see Quade transferring, that would be terrible.
My God, what about a mass exodus and Green transfers? And SKJ transfers too? With what we have coming in would it be enough if that happens?
Seriously, I'll believe Vanderbilt returns when I see it. I know, where's he gonna go?
Somewhere, I just don't see him playing at UK for two years. Totally a gut call though, not basing it off of anything other than his health issues.
I've ways liked the top 100 better. Mock drafts are great but they don't include players who they don't think are going to enter the draft. So it's not the most accurate reflection of a player's true status if he wanted to consider giving the draft a shot.
all you have to do is listen to the kids. Quade why'd you pick Kentucky? Cal told me I was good enough to be one and done and I want to get to the NBA. Hami, what was the difference in UK and Duke's pitches? Duke said a lot of stuff Kentucky just pitched the NBA to me. Shai why'd you de-commit from Florida and pick Kentucky? I want to be a one and done and that's what Cal does.
Let's be honest here, Cal reaps what he sows in that capacity. When you don't sell the idea of coming to UK winning titles, getting better, belonging to the tradition that is UK basketball, etc... and you literally tell all these kids they are one and dones and not to come to UK if they don't think that about themselves then you're going to have kids with inflated egos who have no business leaving still leaving. It's been the same pattern for 8 years now. I am totally fine with it as long as half the players are the Wall, Cousins, Davis, Noel KAT, etc.... we just can't keep having these guys who can't produce their one year and leave. Think about watching them this year and thinking wow next we get all these guys back and we are adding a few great players and you're absolutely pumped and not fretting so much watching this year. But we've seen it too much.
Lamb, Harrison, Harrison, Liggins, Teague, Archie, Briscoe, Skal, Humphries, etc... I mean we have just seen waves of guys who 3-4 year guys go after 1-2 years when it made no sense. Those are all guys who could of gotten better. I get so tired of the idiots saying they are who they are. Are they? I can list off literally thousands of players who didn't play as freshmen or sophomores and were awesome their junior and senior years. Guys can develop and we need a few to start have a few of these guys doing it. Wenyen and SKJ coming back and hopefully being here next year is a good start.
Let's be honest here, Cal reaps what he sows in that capacity. When you don't sell the idea of coming to UK winning titles, getting better, belonging to the tradition that is UK basketball, etc... and you literally tell all these kids they are one and dones and not to come to UK if they don't think that about themselves then you're going to have kids with inflated egos who have no business leaving still leaving. It's been the same pattern for 8 years now. I am totally fine with it as long as half the players are the Wall, Cousins, Davis, Noel KAT, etc.... we just can't keep having these guys who can't produce their one year and leave. Think about watching them this year and thinking wow next we get all these guys back and we are adding a few great players and you're absolutely pumped and not fretting so much watching this year. But we've seen it too much.
Lamb, Harrison, Harrison, Liggins, Teague, Archie, Briscoe, Skal, Humphries, etc... I mean we have just seen waves of guys who 3-4 year guys go after 1-2 years when it made no sense. Those are all guys who could of gotten better. I get so tired of the idiots saying they are who they are. Are they? I can list off literally thousands of players who didn't play as freshmen or sophomores and were awesome their junior and senior years. Guys can develop and we need a few to start have a few of these guys doing it. Wenyen and SKJ coming back and hopefully being here next year is a good start.
I’ll play devils advocate.
1st off for the whiny sissies, we have NEVER lost a freshman to the draft that wasn’t a 1st Rounder.
Giovany already stated that Vanderbilt was NOT a first rounder BEFORE he was injured.
Kid can’t shoot and has injury history. No lower body strength to play inside and drop the PG BS, he can’t make a FT much less a 3.
Shai will drop, he has proven he cannot run the team without Green. He’s a tweener without natural PG skills and the only jumpers he takes are open set shots, thus not the greatest 2G either.
Who will spend a 1st Rounder on a 6’7 PF that has proven to be a liability as much as a positive? No way Washington goes.
Gabriel lived in the states prior to coming to UK why everyone thinks the guy came from the African bush is beyond me. He actually has NBA potential in the future why would he blow it for overseas money?
Richards isn’t a 1st Rounder but his age may push him to go.
But if history holds true the only freshmen leaving would be Knox and Diallo as of today.
I would not draft either.
So if you think a freshman leaves without a 1st Round guarantee you are pulling it out of your butt. This may be the year someone goes without one but it hasn’t happened yet.
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Do they always make this great improvement? Was that the case for SKJ and Wenyen, for instance?
You are suggesting that after we lose our top 3 scorers, who combine for about 40 ppg, and gain 3 freshmen - we're going to be "a serious title contender"?
Knox, Alexander, and Diallo are not only our top scorers, they're also our best players in transition and our top "dribble drive" guys. By that, I mean they can take their man off the dribble and create their own shots.
Meanwhile, a very mediocre Green returns (probably backing up Quickley), very pedestrian SKJ and Wenyen return, Richards returns (Oh boy!), Baker finally plays (and may not be able to play any defense and thus not see the court) and Washington and Vanderbilt come back.
I do like the freshmen coming in, but you're going to have the same defensive problems you have now, the same rebounding problems, the same basketball IQ with your returning players, the same limited offense production from your front court - it will still be a hot mess.
The only gain I can see is improved perimeter shooting. But that won't solve all the problems.
Well the worst that can happen is all 7 go, SKJ transfers, and so does Green. Talk about catastrophic, pun intended. I wonder what this board would look like if that actually happened. Man.
As far as reality goes, I'm scared to death 5 go. Briscoe left without a guarantee of anything.
My gut tells me a lot of these guys are leaving. At least 4 or 5. Out my *** indeed.
If we have a losing season next year because of 7 or more leave, it is acceptable to me just so long as these kids and their dreams are realized.
And why wouldn’t they? Just following the pied piper into the NBA mountain.
They didn’t come here for any reason but NBA preparation. That’s what they and their families were sold on; and that’s what is being delivered.
I still think UK loses four. Losing more than that - with guys who are all fringe NBA guys and all of whom will ultimately be in the G-League indefinitely – will cripple Kentucky next year.
This spring/summer will be the most fascinating one since the spring/summer of ’14. Might be a good time to go backpacking in Europe, where there’s no internet access…
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