Will be his 7th school in 7 years. 4 high schools. Hard pass.
AJ Storr
- Thread starter LXWildcat
- Start date
He 100% needs to get into better shape if he wants to take it to the next level. Some of it was probably the late start for him, but there were times he was out of breath and coasted down the court.
I’d still easily take him back and see what he can do now that he’s had a year to acclimate to the college game. My only concern is that even with a summer of weight training, he’s really not a low post banger despite his size, and Cal has proven pretty definitively that he had no idea what to do with face-up/pick & pop bigs. I’m not as confident as I’d like to be that we’ll ever see his full potential in a Kentucky uniform.
I would take storr obviously(prefer Davis from FAU) but I could see this being about him
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All fair points and concerns. I wouldn’t want him as a primary low post scorer, but he would need to add it to his arsenal and I can’t take another year of watching 7 footers not be able to grab a rebound.
I feel like there's a heck of a lot more to the Reeves story than we know. We haven't even heard the other side yet.
I just find it a bit unbelievable that if the money was there, and previously allocated to Reeves, that Cal/UK would just block that from happening. Again, I think there's more to this, and there's also a lot of other players in these NIL transactions than just the player and the head coach.
If these four come back (which I support and this isn't out of reality to see them back)..
1. An improved DJ along with Boogies are fine lead guard tandem at the point
2. SG....I see DJ and Boogies playing together a ton but UK needs to go get a really good SG/SF like Reeves. 6-4ish and a really good to great 3pt shooter. Perry can play in spots. I do hope Hart comes back to grow
3. SF....Cal will argue Richmond and Knox....I'd argue a combo SG/SF is way more optimal as the starter and let Richmond/Knox fight for backup wing and lock down defender
4. PF...Adou and Burks....it's all theirs. Plus defenders, Adou is a good shot blocker, really good ball handler and can improve that stroke from 3pt line.
C. We need Big Z back...he can be our go to offensive focus alongside of DJ/Boogie. High pick and rolls. THen Somto/Quantenance battle for back up C. We're much stonger in the paint and probably not a big drop off rim protection from Ugo/Bradshaw.
DJ
Boogie
Perry
Hart
Richmond
Knox
Adou
Burks
Big Z
Somto
Quatentance
Add in a transfer wing player that can go SG/SF
You still have one more scholarship for another guard or forward if you need it.
Z doesn't have to be a "low post banger". We have Quintance and Cyril coming off the bench for that if/when we need it. This past year we had no one who could play that role. Davis, Noel, WCS, Richards were not "bangers".
Z did show some low post moves. And he will have all summer to learn the US game better and practice vs those 2 young bangers (he not only joined our team late, once he joined there was no "banger" for him to go against in practice, and recall he was having trouble adjusting to US foods so was weaker than he was used to being).
Okay, I’ll still stand that he needs to spend all summer with weight training and conditioning. It will help in whatever role he plays, if he even is wearing a Kentucky jersey next year.
No Sheppard.
That hurts.
But we take what we can get. This is likely another mediocre season. Hopefully Wagner develops into the player he was suppose to be coming out of HS.
G Wagner/Perry
G Fland/Richmond/Hart
G Thiero/Knox
F Quaintance/Burks
F Ivisic/Cyril
Need to get some shooters. Fland and Perry are basically it.
JQ will start over Adou, he’s a little undersized for the center spot. Unless they go small and have Adou at the four and JQ at the five
Probably USC maybe Muss will go after him or he can end up going wherever Bronny ends up
Cal needs to give it out of his salary as he’s stole $$$$ the last 4 years for the crappy results he’s put on the floor….
Cal will start Thiero at the 3 to make room for Quaintance at the 4. We’ve seen this movie before, play players out of position to appease a high-rated Freshman.
Johnell Davis is the one guy I wanted to see hit the portal and hope UK gets him now that he is in.
If he can improve his 3pt shot some, I'm ok with Theiro at the 3 some. But I still think Burks has a chance to play his way into the lineup (could see him and Theiro on the court together). Quaintance I think will be a good player, just not necessarily next year.
Quaintance will start, whether he deserves to is another story.
I totally agree you won’t get no fight out of me I hate the a$$hole anyway for what he’s done to the program.
And if that is the plan…then we’re back to tall ball - ville and lacking skill on the floor
Quaintance is a college center. He is a big kid with no skill level as a power forward.....this video is him vs. Overtime Elite and it's a year old...but I can't see a world where Quaintance is going to be a legit PF this October for UK.
But if this Cal's plan...it's so typical of him and another in long reason's he needs to be fired. It's asinine to play Quaintance at PF (which is very similar to what Cal was trying to pull last year with Bradshaw)
We need an elite shooting guard...Who? Gotta figure Reed is gone. Crazy to turn down top 10 money.
We need a solid veteran PG...who? Dilly, gone and don't know about DJ
Until we know more about who stays and who goes, I don't see anywhere else I'd recruit over our incoming class and there's only what, one more spot..I think.
We need a solid veteran PG...who? Dilly, gone and don't know about DJ
Until we know more about who stays and who goes, I don't see anywhere else I'd recruit over our incoming class and there's only what, one more spot..I think.
If Ivisic is back, Quaintance is the 4. Or maybe Ivisic is the 4, if Quaintance plays the 5. Either way, Quaintance is likely starting.
They don’t, my exact issue with this freshman class.
This roster screams 12 losses to me honestly with Cal. I could see them being good if a couple guys shoots better than expected but Reed would definitely elevate that roster. We need a proven shooting guards and a forward who is older to replace Reeves game in and game out.
Agree that roster he layed out is not very good. That’s why they have to go all in and get 3-4good guys from the portal
Yup.
Need a couple of shooters/scorers on the wings and Cal needs to tell the Freshmen that this is Kentucky and there are no starting positions promised and you have to earn your PT.
Maybe add a guy like Blackmon from Stetson. 6’3 Senior SG that shot around 40% from 3 last season and average 21ppg.
Also the son of UK legend James Blackmon.
And maybe Johnell Davis from FAU. A 6’4 Senior SG that also shot around 40% from 3 and averaged 18ppg last season. Also led FAU to the FF in ‘23.
Stick those two in at the 2 and 3 spots.
G Wagner
G Blackmon
G Davis
F Thiero
F Ivisic
And tell Wagner that he needs to get the ball to the scorers instead of trying to do it all himself. That is the key to getting to the league for him.
Give Blackmon, Davis, and Ivisic the green light from 3. Tell Wagner and Thiero to be selective with their shooting.
Bring Burks off the bench as sixth man.
Let the Freshmen fight for backup minutes.
If one or two break out, then put the vets on the bench and play the Freshmen.
I think Fland, Quaintance, Richmond, and Perry would be fine fighting for minutes. Not sure about Knox and Cyril, but they can leave if they don’t want or can’t earn a spot.
We need to get better fast or we won’t even make the NCAA, let alone make a deep run.
Don’t have room for 4 portal guys if the guys come back that Pilgrim thinks come back. And I doubt Cal signs 3. He never uses all 13 scholarships. Two is probably the most we can realistically hope for.
How many guys has this been said over the past years, yet they left any way
They have to add 3 bare minimum, and I’m of the belief 1-2 of these freshman will end up asking for their release from there LOI so they can go somewhere else. I’m just gonna sue these 3 because they are the players I want the most, but Blackmon, Tyson, and omoruyi along with the 3 freshman from the McDonald’s game and z adou/another transfer, and maybe Wagner would be a good roster, but they have to get 3 good portal guys bare minimum
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I just don’t think that will happen with Cal at the helm.
If Wagner comes back, he WILL start.
If Thiero comes back, he SHOULD start.
If Ivisic comes back he SHOULD start.
Now that leaves two starter spots to lure high profile portal guys in with. That’s if Fland, Quaintance, and Knox being Burger Boys doesn’t scare them off.
So I’m expecting two guys at most and wouldn’t be surprised if we don’t go after any if Wagner, Thiero, Ivisic, and Burks come back. Cal will say he has his veterans and be good with that so he can play the Freshmen.
I mean, do we really expect Cal to push his recruits to the curb to get portal guys? He basically said that he wasn’t going to do that.
At the very least I can see cal getting 2 guys like omoruyi and Blackmon, or Tyson.
If Cal thinks Ivisic is coming back, I don’t think Omoruyi will even be pursued. He looks St. John’s bound.
Tyson is likely UNC bound. Perfect replacement for Ryan.
I think Blackmon would be a good one to go after, but who knows what Cal will do?
Would you rather have Omoruyi or a Sophomore Big Z?
Not sure on my end at the moment- Z's upside is so enticing with his ability to shoot it, etc., but Omoruyi is the more proven product.