Cat Fans .. who are your favorite players on this years team and why ?

I'll go with Moreno. Plays better than most freshmen and I think is going to be a great defender in a year or two.

Hawthorne hasn't disappointed me yet.

Chandler. Good kid, plays hard, smart, clutch. If he stays four years he will be one of the top players in the country as a Sr

Moreno. Great hands and footwork. The only big we have who can score around the bucket. He makes freshman mistakes (just like our upperclassmen). He is limited in strength and athleticism, but his body will just get better.

Chandler or Moreno. Oweh has been our best player but he’s had way too many head scratchers this year. I think we are getting just about everything we can out of CC and MM

I have to assume this is a troll post. I can’t take you serious if Jelly is your favorite player on the team lol.

Aberdeen, stepping into a role he was not expected to play and doing a pretty fine job at it. Outside of him, love Mo. D's energy, Moreno's development/projection, and CC's clutchness (ignoring the AU game).

Otega Oweh - consistent machine. Didn't have a great game but he's a constant force. A hallmark of a very good player is when they make the difficult plays look easy. OO does it with enough regularity that people have zero awe when he scores 20, 22, 24 points. He's a matchup nightmare for most teams and I'm glad he's wearing "Kentucky" across his chest, despite his otherwise well-documented flaws.

TX Wildcat said:

Aberdeen, stepping into a role he was not expected to play and doing a pretty fine job at it. Outside of him, love Mo. D's energy, Moreno's development/projection, and CC's clutchness (ignoring the AU game).

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Agree on DA. The five assists and zero turnovers were almost as big as his threes maybe even more important. He’s also cut down on what I call dribbling without a purpose. OO still does a lot of that. DA has gotten better.

I’m The Village Idiot said:

Otega Oweh - consistent machine. Didn't have a great game but he's a constant force. A hallmark of a very good player is when they make the difficult plays look easy. OO does it with enough regularity that people have zero awe when he scores 20, 22, 24 points. He's a matchup nightmare for most teams and I'm glad he's wearing "Kentucky" across his chest, despite his otherwise well-documented flaws.

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I’m glad we have him too. We HAVE to have him but man is he frustrating at times.

Either Hawthorne or Potter.

Moreno - only player on team i think highly of.

Anon1762918729 said:

No its not you dip weed ... I like Jelly , think he has a big upside and he busts his *** every time out . Hes a starter not a bum . Doesnt flex and act like he's God's gift to basketball... like some ..... MD . You must be 19 and think flexing after every little success is just cool as heck , grow up .

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I do think we need to make Jelly one of the few that we make a priority to keep

Moreno and Chandler. They have both improved dramatically and I hope that both of them stay for next season.

Chandler

Chandler for me, regardless of how bad we were losing he consistently hustles. He has turned the ball over a lot lately but he’s trying to make plays for himself and his teammates. And he is very athletic.

L.O.D. said:

Moreno - only player on team i think highly of.

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I’d go with Chandler.

SenseMaker_Cats said:

I’m glad we have him too. We HAVE to have him but man is he frustrating at times.

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It’s a catch 22 with Oweh. He kills the team in a lot of ways. I get it, he’ll go for 22. But he’s not a good teammate and he’s a black hole. The problem with Oweh, and I feel like anyone who played higher level sports should easily understand it having played with some, is he’s hard to play with I’m sure. So many times he “gets his” with a wide open chandler or Aberdeen close by. And teams know it, he telegraphs that he’s not going to pass at all. He’s a terrible finisher, so a lot of the time we get tons of athletic ability, low IQ player, telegraphs his every move, and doesn’t finish while leaving 3 guys wide open. There are A LOT of guys in college basketball who can score 20 but score 12. They get the team invovled. So while we need him in ways and likely be worse without him I grant that, but at the same time, he hurts the team. If we had a few guys a lot better than him I would not want him on this team. He’s had an issue all year of wanting to be the man and being dead set on that. I can’t see why anyone would appreciate Oweh’s game. Black hole basketball with a guy who can’t finish and can’t hit free throws sucks. Even if he scores 20, he’s scoring 20 because he thinks it’s a one man team. Oweh belongs at a program like Mississippi state if he wants to help the man. He’s a 3rd option defensive stopper on a blue blood. That’s point blank period.

Chandler and MM are the guys on the team that are playing hard and want to do well and want to help the team. Many of the others don’t fit this bill. No one should really be named but these.

Ukwazoo3 said:

I do think we need to make Jelly one of the few that we make a priority to keep

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You don’t like seeing Yela dribble up the court like he’s a 6’3 guard an dribble inside of 3 defenders and lose the ball?

While surrounded by his own teammates in a 3 on 2? Really?

Oweh, Aberdeen, Moreno, and sometimes Chandler.

Everyone else is either a solid "meh" or more useless than a bag of dick tips without a handle (you know who they are).

Oweh is by far the best this year but I think Moreno is only one that is Blue Blood good. I was having a discussion today with coworkers and how many minutes a game does Chandler play on Duke, Michigan or Arizona? My answer was not many.

I really can't pick one; I like all our starters and MoD off the bench about equal and that's about it. But, clearly, OO and DA are the two best players.

Loucatfan30 said:

Oweh is by far the best this year but I think Moreno is only one that is Blue Blood good. I was having a discussion today with coworkers and how many minutes a game does Chandler play on Duke, Michigan or Arizona? My answer was not many.

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0 for Chandler other than mop up minutes.

Oweh would play for those teams, Aberdeen could come off the bench. And maybe Moreno? Depending on big man depth...thats about it.

GoCATSGo77 said:

0 for Chandler other than mop up minutes.

Oweh would play for those teams, Aberdeen could come off the bench. And maybe Moreno? Depending on big man depth...thats about it.

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I agree. I just don't see how people can continue to make excuses for this talent or lack of talent. Lowe, Chandler, Kam and Moreno will be back next year and as a result of that we will not attract elite talent because they will be concerned about the role that is available including playing time.

Moreno is a stud for a skinny freshman big man and also has Fozzie Bear eyebrows.

My favorite "Team Touch Money" / Second Half Cats' players and why ?

I have to put it this way :

Essentially, we're a three headed mutant Cat this year in my mind's eye ...

Oweh - (Superman) The undisputed leader and overall best player - Nothing but respect and love for him, although his erratic play at times and especially ... moments... makes my nerves jangle. I'm getting too old for this....

Aberdeen- (Batman) Become the combo SG / PG and elevated his game admirably and has taken so muich onto his shoulders, becoming the primary PG for this team .... Love his heart and soul. Where would be be without him ?

Chandler (Robin) - I like calling him Kentucky's Captain Clutch, provided when Oweh doesn't put on his CAPE, or when Aberdeen dons his BATMASK, Chandler is a winner. He just brings an intangible effect, and he knows when to take and hit that clutch 3 for the killer instinct. He's like Robin this year, next year's to - be batman

Those three primary scoring threats combined with MoD (Cyborg) and Garrison (Hulk) physicality and size, Moreno's (Black Bolt) awesome development has certainly been key for us inside as well, and he has become our primary center. He's learning hard lessons on the go, but he could be a freaking lottery pick if he comes back and takes his game to the next level. He could be that good.

Jasper (Cyborg) hasn't developed as much as I have hoped he would, Learning tough lessons every game still. But I am confident he can take his game up and improve as much as he is capable of. And he is very capable.

Jelavic (Flash)- A huge wildcard on our roster.... seeing his last game was very encouraging.

Noah (Mountain Mamba)- Needs to be calmer and patient to let the flow of the game come to him so he can get that snipe 3 pointer and hit it. ... but he has ABSOLUTELY got to hit it when he ever takes it. He won't get many. But that's his role, and mix it up and snag some boards as well,... he still has his role too.

all in all, considering the friustrating injuries which dramatically altered the projection of this team, seeing our fellows on the bench and not being able to play ... has been the biggest disappoiintment of the year.

Very hard to watch sometimes, but I would rather be a Kentucky fan than for any other team out there in college basketball, ever.

This team isn't the best and they aren't the worst, hard to watch them sometimes, but I appreciate every win and will be thrilled if they can all somehow come together and put a run together that, right now, would look to be a miracle come tournament time.' Get us to the Final Four.... And anything can happen in the tournament. We know that all too well. So we will have a place to perform and play. SO be it.

We will see more late game cool headed cold blooded, totally connected basketball plays from our guys still yet to come, I still believe.

Here's to finishing the season STRONG !

Go Big Blue !

Anon1762918729 said:

No its not you dip weed ... I like Jelly , think he has a big upside and he busts his *** every time out . Hes a starter not a bum . Doesnt flex and act like he's God's gift to basketball... like some ..... MD . You must be 19 and think flexing after every little success is just cool as heck , grow up .

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People are so sensitive around here lol. I’m actually 38 and I don’t care for jelly because other than hit a 3 every now and then, what does he do? Do you really think he is Kentucky basketball material? When you watch top 10 teams, do you really think he plays even close to the level of their guys at the same position? Maybe he can stick around and provide some quality minutes one day but right now he is a 10th man at best. The fact he plays as much as he does is indicative of the state of our program

KFuqua said:

Moreno and Chandler. They have both improved dramatically and I hope that both of them stay for next season.

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These are mine too and for much the same reasons you listed. Most of the time, good things happen when these two are on the floor. Both have made some bone headed plays, mostly bad passes, but have done far more good than bad and I can see both of them getting much better next year. Just hope we get both to come back to UK.

UKGrad24 said:

It’s a catch 22 with Oweh. He kills the team in a lot of ways. I get it, he’ll go for 22. But he’s not a good teammate and he’s a black hole. The problem with Oweh, and I feel like anyone who played higher level sports should easily understand it having played with some, is he’s hard to play with I’m sure. So many times he “gets his” with a wide open chandler or Aberdeen close by. And teams know it, he telegraphs that he’s not going to pass at all. He’s a terrible finisher, so a lot of the time we get tons of athletic ability, low IQ player, telegraphs his every move, and doesn’t finish while leaving 3 guys wide open. There are A LOT of guys in college basketball who can score 20 but score 12. They get the team invovled. So while we need him in ways and likely be worse without him I grant that, but at the same time, he hurts the team. If we had a few guys a lot better than him I would not want him on this team. He’s had an issue all year of wanting to be the man and being dead set on that. I can’t see why anyone would appreciate Oweh’s game. Black hole basketball with a guy who can’t finish and can’t hit free throws sucks. Even if he scores 20, he’s scoring 20 because he thinks it’s a one man team. Oweh belongs at a program like Mississippi state if he wants to help the man. He’s a 3rd option defensive stopper on a blue blood. That’s point blank period.

Chandler and MM are the guys on the team that are playing hard and want to do well and want to help the team. Many of the others don’t fit this bill. No one should really be named but these.

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Can’t argue with that but unfortunately this team needs him. The next time he passes on a 2 on 1 fast break may very well may be his first.

Moreno. If he works on conditioning and strengthening his hands this summer he’s gonna be a load.

SenseMaker_Cats said:

Can’t argue with that but unfortunately this team needs him. The next time he passes on a 2 on 1 fast break may very well be his first.

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Yea I mean without him it’s likely a worse situation. But I think if Oweh would let Chandler cook, let Marino cook when he’s on, look to Aberdeen more look to a cutter more, this team wouldn’t have this many losses.

Then MO comes in and I don’t think he means to, but my god he just goes on a one man offensive show. Then I feel like they realize it’s been black hole ball and feel its else’s turn. It kind of gets into passing without a purpose sometimes. Here, it’s now Owens’s turn. We haven’t looked ar Collin in 15 minutes it’s his turn! Oweh shot 2 times in a row, he’ll pass out just to pass. There’s no rhyme or reason to me.

team just lacks IQ. But without him we do sure aren’t winning some of their games I just wish they’d figure out how basketball is played and we’d have more wins.

If they all played as hard as MoD, we would be Ok. If Mo could shoot he would be in the NBA some day, but he does hustle his a.ss off, and I like that.

I try to go with Oweh, but he can be great and Kentucky's worst nightmare, all in the same game.

Moreno.

I would like to see Hawthorne at least get some garbage minutes. Redshirts are mostly worthless now.

JimboBBN said:

Chandler or Moreno. Oweh has been our best player but he’s had way too many head scratchers this year. I think we are getting just about everything we can out of CC and MM

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A lot is asked of oweh, and at times he tries to do to much! He needs to cut down on his turnovers but it's hard to be critical of him. The key is our front court. We have to get more from them.

Another emphatic vote for Moreno. He should be recruitment priority number one for next season.

Chandler.

That’s it. That’s the list.

Oweh, Moreno, maybe Noah & Chandler.

I know some give Oweh a hard time because of "body language" or facial expressions. I don't believe in either of those 2 things, maybe because I myself have never been one to give any facial expressions (you can rarely tell if I'm happy or mad or in between). IMO, Oweh wants to win and knows he has to put the offense on his shoulders at times for us to score. I will say the USC game when he heaved a 60' shot at the goal at the buzzer, even though I'm sure the odds of that going in are <5%, it gave the appearance of him doing that just to get to double digit points, which I didn't care for.

Moreno seems laid back, which is how I am. But you can also see he is going to be very good (not there yet). I think there is no chance he is told he will be a top 20 pick, and probably less than 50% told WILL BE 1st round pick.

Hard not to like the starting rotation - Jelkins, Cleaver & Harris all have bright futures. Tharnish looks like the real deal and Jenkins is a great looking prospect. Hard to choose between so many talented guys honestly.