Bamba to Texas

TBCat

Heisman
Mar 30, 2007
14,317
10,332
0
Not by any stretch of the imagination. Maybe if you only look at recruit ranking numbers, but this is not a great class (top 100) overall. We have had at least 2 better classes.. wall/boogie and AD's. The top tier players outweigh a bigger class of 5 stars
I was going exactly but the overall class numbers. Not sure what else you can go by. If you just want to compare the top 2 prospects in the class then of course this class isn't as good. There's no Cousins or Wall in the class so even if we signed all of the top 5 prospects it wouldn't match up to the Wall class. Other than Porter nobody in this class is really ready. Diallo is probably the 2nd best player in this class and we've already discussed how he's not yet ready.
 
Jul 26, 2003
21,180
11,162
0
Don't be too sad. Yeah, his skills would have been nice to have. But maybe in the tournament his me instead of team attitude with the greatest desire to win could have cost us a championship. Could end up the reverse of this but most of the guys that we get has the highest desire to win THE championship. And that says a lot about team attitude.
 
May 27, 2007
31,898
24,995
113
What if Bam doesn't go where projected? Cal never gets any blame from his admirers.

If Bam doesn't go where he's projected, how in the heck is that Cal's fault? lol

All Cal is doing is getting information from the NBA. If he doesn't go where he's projected, that's not on Cal or in his control at all.
 

morgousky

Heisman
Sep 5, 2009
23,959
43,171
0
Here's my thing about the title only crowd

So Team A has been to a NIT, second round, 2 elite eights, four final fours with one turning into a title.

Team B has four NITs, first round exit, second round exit but also has TWO titles.

Team A is obviously UK
Team B is Uconn

Would anyone say that Uconn had a better stretch compared to UK? Of course not.
Would anyone say that Kevin Ollie is a better head coach than John Calipari? Nope.

Cal is basically doing anything you can ask a coach to do. He's putting us in a title competing position every single year.

If Cal stays here another 5 to 10 years and for some reason we don't win any more championships, people will look at this as some failed experiment or a disappointment. That's a shame. We are in the midst of one of the best runs a college basketball team can have.

It's not that some UK fans care less about titles. It's just that some have perspective on reality.

It's not a title or bust, but the fact that we're even having this conversation is a bit of excuses.

My expectations for Cal are simple. He needs two championships. Could haves, what ifs, etc are nothing more than excuses because quite frankly, Cal should be working on 3.

Every time we miss on these prime targets it makes it nearly impossible to compete for the last game because there's too much youth and not enough fire power. You can't win titles with 17/18 year olds who are really good, a few have got to be great. If not we'll repeat this same cycle guaranteed. Close but no cigar. We've been through this though.

I don't believe anyone actually thinks it's a title or failure in reality. You can't win it every year obviously. But UNC has 3 titles in 13 years. Duke has 2 in the last 7. Even Louisville managed to scrap a title together in '13. With Cals gift of being a goat and a legend in his own way, people aren't expecting too much. This is a standard he possesses. I expect Cal to finish in the classes above ground level. College basketball is easier than ever to win a title for our type of program. That's something else people would rather not discuss.
 
  • Like
Reactions: westerncat
Apr 18, 2017
64
46
0
This kid obviously doesn't have the heart of a winner. Would've liked to have him. But when a player decides to go to an irrelevant program that likely won't win 13 games then it shows a lot about how much he cares about winning a national title. UK isn't for this kid. He needs to be somewhere where he's surrounded by garbage players so he doesn't have to worry about competing with other big men in practice and so he can get a ton of offensive plays designed for him. He truly just wanted to be the big fish on a truly garbage squad and garbage coach.

He says what allen did impacted his decision. One big man? You forget Davis, cousins, towns the 3 best big men in the NBA all Cal products? Those 3 future HOFers did nothing for your decision but jarrett freaking Allen did when those are the 2 school's your considering? This kid isn't a winner. So I don't care that much anymore that he didn't come here. I want players who want to win. Someone who goes to Texas wants to be the big man on campus and doesn't want the pressure of having to win like you have at UK. It's his decision and he has every right to make the decision he feels is best for him. But IMO that's a loser decision and his only intention was getting massive PT at a garbage program I don't think education had anything to do with it why would it when you're trying to decide the best fit for you to best prepare you for the next level? Good kid though best of luck to him.
 

Wall2Boogie

Heisman
Jan 28, 2010
26,239
21,732
0
I'll start. We didn't want bamba anyways. He's not that offensive skilled. He fouls on every shot he tries to block. Will be a nive 2 yr player in Texas. I think I covered all the excuses
 
May 27, 2007
31,898
24,995
113
Every time we miss on these prime targets it makes it nearly impossible to compete for the last game because there's too much youth and not enough fire power. You can't win titles with 17/18 year olds who are really good, a few have got to be great. If not we'll repeat this same cycle guaranteed. Close but no cigar. We've been through this though.
.

Obviously getting top talent gives us a better shot at winning titles.

But we've been to four final fours in 8 years.

My stance is that if you can make a final four, you have the talent to win a national title in most years.

So I just disagree with the fact that we aren't talented enough to win it. What team has more talent then we do, even factoring in return classes? Not many.

I mean this is like the same conversation with the 40-0 crowd. Someone starts a thread, says we can go 40-0......people call them crazy for making such an outrageous prediction and then gives their own prediction which is something like 37-3 or 38-2. And I'm like what. 40-0 ridiculous but 38-2 that's ok? If you have talent to get to 38 wins you can get to 40 if things fall your way.

It's the same thing here. If you have the talent to make a final four, you can win a title.

We lost to UNC on a last second basket, in a game that the ref completely screwed us. That's not an issue of lack of talent. That's just an issue of two very good teams facing each other and one having to lose.
 
Apr 18, 2017
64
46
0
It's not a title or bust, but the fact that we're even having this conversation is a bit of excuses.

My expectations for Cal are simple. He needs two championships. Could haves, what ifs, etc are nothing more than excuses because quite frankly, Cal should be working on 3.

Every time we miss on these prime targets it makes it nearly impossible to compete for the last game because there's too much youth and not enough fire power. You can't win titles with 17/18 year olds who are really good, a few have got to be great. If not we'll repeat this same cycle guaranteed. Close but no cigar. We've been through this though.

I don't believe anyone actually thinks it's a title or failure in reality. You can't win it every year obviously. But UNC has 3 titles in 13 years. Duke has 2 in the last 7. Even Louisville managed to scrap a title together in '13. With Cals gift of being a goat and a legend in his own way, people aren't expecting too much. This is a standard he possesses. I expect Cal to finish in the classes above ground level. College basketball is easier than ever to win a title for our type of program. That's something else people would rather not discuss.
People who complain about cal having only one title seem to forget that there's nothing we can do if the officials decide they don't want us to win the title. Referees have criminally stolen 3 titles from us (UConn game where winner plays and easily beats butler for title in 11, we lost by one, Wisconsin game that was absolutely criminal for all 40 minutes, remember Harrison getting called for over the back when he wasn't within 15 feet of anyone on the court, and clearly the title this year was ours for the taking I truly believe we would've spanked OU, and would've completely dominated gonzaga had Higgins not decided to take the title from us, that UNC-UK game was the title game and Higgins knew that), what are we supposed to do? Find competent non biased non criminal refs to officiate the games?

Every big game that has championship implications john Higgins is the one calling it. That's not a coincidence. The one time he didn't get the call? When we won the title in 2012. NCAA learned their lesson so ever since then they've made sure to have Higgins reffing our games. That's not a coincidence Higgins is a stone cold criminal. What the hell can we do about that? It's not an excuse it's the truth. If you think UNC earned the title this season then you're crazy. Arkansas got hosed as bad or worse than us. Oregon got hosed, we got hosed, gonzaga got hosed. Literally 4 games the refs took control of to make sure UNC would win. UNC lost 4 games in the tourney but the refs gave them the win each time. That's not a coincidence. Cal has no control over the criminal actions going on during the biggest games of the tournament.

I'm not complaining about cal not having more titles. Give us fair refs and Cal has at least 4 titles right now. My issue isn't with Cal, actions need to be made to get criminals like Higgins out the damn game until that happens we are never ever ever going to win another title. That UNC game UNC was spotted 20 points in the first half and it was OBVIOUS. It was obvious as hell. We have no chance to win until this criminal activity comes to an end.
 

thebluestripes

All-Conference
Apr 22, 2014
2,145
2,621
0
Get over yourself. Everyone wants to win, we just know that championship or bust isn't a realistic standard.
What I'm trying to say is that our current recruiting model isnt putting us in the best position to win a championship.
I'm not saying championship or bust but I can clearly see the points morgousky was trying to convey. IF our goal is a championship
then certain things need to happen. If ya just want to win a bunch of games and get players drafted then by all means keep don't change a thing
 
Last edited:

hotelblue

Heisman
Jul 6, 2006
41,683
13,121
0
one thing we gain without bamba is better spacing on the offensive side of the ball. if we are going to pick and roll or clear out with knox, no way was the help defense following bamba very far. silver lining ; )
 
May 27, 2007
31,898
24,995
113
I'm not championship or bust, just saying that we aren't putting ourselves in the best position to win a championship with our current recruiting style.
What I'm trying to say is that our current recruiting model isnt putting us in the best position to win a championship.
I'm not saying championship or bust but I can clearly see the points morgousky was trying to convey. IF our goal is a championship
then certain things need to happen. If ya just want to win a bunch of games and get players drafted then by all means keep don't change a thing

We have been to four final fours in the last 8 years. How is the current model not putting us in the best position to win titles?

And what model do you suggest we adopt?
 
  • Like
Reactions: Aike

mash_24

Heisman
Sep 26, 2011
9,236
27,028
108
People. This is a really good class. Versatile and skilled throughout. I don't think Diallo will be back so I would like to add Johnson to have another sniper, but we are going to be really really good either way and a definite contender.
 
  • Like
Reactions: westerncat

Aike

Heisman
Mar 17, 2002
75,406
46,213
90
We have been to four final fours in the last 8 years. How is the current model not putting us in the best position to win titles?

And what model do you suggest we adopt?

Because some of these genuises have a better way. It's amazing that Cal won't listen to them and tweak things just a bit.
 
A

anon_q409idbs5m40a

Guest
Texas won't even win the NIT.
I have serious doubts that they'll even make the NIT. They won 11 games last year and would probably have to win 18-19 to get in. The Big 12 schedule will be difficult for them as usual with KU, Baylor, WVU, Ok State, Kansas State, Iowa State and TCU. Add in a much improved Texas Tech team and they'll struggle to win 18-19 games. I have a feeling that we lost another one big man because of Momma, but we'll be fine. He can watch our highlights on ESPN after one of their losses.
 

thebluestripes

All-Conference
Apr 22, 2014
2,145
2,621
0
We have been to four final fours in the last 8 years. How is the current model not putting us in the best position to win titles?

And what model do you suggest we adopt?
and there is a reason we keep falling short.
We do that because we are so reliant on freshmen....
Last years team couldve easily lost the first game in the tourny without the seniors.
You may win an nc with all freshmen, but they would have to be awfully special to pull it off. Those recruiting classes don't come along too often btw.

Not that it matters, but we're goin to have to have some type of continuity "few players returning" plus add the really good mdees that fit the system. Bottom line you need a mixture of both. The weird thing is tho, I think cal could get it done
without much more effort than is given now
 
May 27, 2007
31,898
24,995
113
and there is a reason we keep falling short.
We do that because we are so reliant on freshmen....
Last years team couldve easily lost the first game in the tourny without the seniors.
You may win an nc with all freshmen, but they would have to be awfully special to pull it off. Those recruiting classes don't come along too often btw.

Not that it matters, but we're goin to have to have some type of continuity "few players returning" plus add the really good mdees that fit the system. Bottom line you need a mixture of both. The weird thing is tho, I think cal could get it done
without much more effort than is given now

So those freshman were good enough to make Elite 8s and Final Fours but for some reason can't win two or three more games?

Maybe it just has to do with the fact that we are facing teams that are also pretty good.

The bottom line is you need talent. Whether that talent is a 1st year player or a 4th year player.

What's the alternative? What system that's out there right now that's producing better results? There is none.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Aike

Ben101er

Heisman
Apr 21, 2004
25,542
60,114
103
First, I really hate that we didn't get him. He would have been a difference maker, at least at UK. I am not so sure at UT. Oh, he will be good, but even Bamba can't take UT past the 1st weekend of the tournament, and I am not sure that they are a lock to make the field. However, as much as I wanted him, there are a couple of bright spots in not getting him. First, all those who talk about UK buying players were ready to pile on, again, if we signed Bamba. That talk is at least quieted, for now. The second thing is that apparently Bamba grew a relationship with Smart, during the U18 practices and games. Well, Cal will be coaching the U19 team, and that includes Marvin Bagley. Cal can build relationships, too. That was proven when he coached KAT on the DR team. When Cal gets finished coaching that team, it will be tough for any other coach to get Bagley, and I want him more than I wanted Bam and Bamba, combined. From what I have seen, he is another special player, like AD, or KAT. So, we lost Bamba, but, for the same reason that we lost him, I think we most likely will get Bagley, and if I had to choose between the two, it would be Bagley, by a lot.
 

KingOfBBN

Heisman
Sep 14, 2013
39,077
38,403
0
People. This is a really good class. Versatile and skilled throughout. I don't think Diallo will be back so I would like to add Johnson to have another sniper, but we are going to be really really good either way and a definite contender.

No vets returning to contribute. We have absolutely nothing but freshmen. That's going to produce some absolute growing pains and it's hard to put a lot of stock into expecting basically, an all freshmen team to win you the title. In 2012, we needed Lamb, Jones and Miller to combine with Davis, MKG and Teague.
 

KingOfBBN

Heisman
Sep 14, 2013
39,077
38,403
0
So those freshman were good enough to make Elite 8s and Final Fours but for some reason can't win two or three more games?

Maybe it just has to do with the fact that we are facing teams that are also pretty good.

The bottom line is you need talent. Whether that talent is a 1st year player or a 4th year player.

What's the alternative? What system that's out there right now that's producing better results? There is none.

I think it's odd that UNC can get guys like Jackson to return but we lose everyone no matter how little they average.

You need some vets. Look at our history during the Cal era. We've always needed some vets.
 

Cardsstink

Heisman
Mar 20, 2017
7,791
11,201
0
Don't be too sad. Yeah, his skills would have been nice to have. But maybe in the tournament his me instead of team attitude with the greatest desire to win could have cost us a championship. Could end up the reverse of this but most of the guys that we get has the highest desire to win THE championship. And that says a lot about team attitude.

Losing out in a kid that wants a statue of himself on Campus after he leaves isn't so bad. What's funny is that won't happen and Texas fans won't even care about him 2 years from now.
 

UK Cats1

Junior
May 21, 2009
1,125
233
0
Kentucky isn't going to get every recruit. We lose kids to another team every year.
That being said, I am a ton better with him going to Texas than ending up at Duke.
Wish him the best ,but I think it would have benefited him more to play at UK .
 

Cat Ballou

All-Conference
Mar 23, 2007
5,234
4,502
0
I'm honestly okay with it. First I'm glad it's over. Second, I was worried about guys like Nick Richards and SKJ being pushed to the bench or transferring after a year of playing behind Bamba.
 
  • Like
Reactions: wildcat1515

UK_fan_41102

Hall of Famer
Jan 27, 2010
17,700
124,435
113
Just remember folks, it could be worse:
 

wildcat1515

All-Conference
Feb 7, 2006
5,412
2,895
113
I think our frontcourt will be fine, Richards, SKJ, Washington, Vanderbilt, Gabriel, Wynard, and Knox. My concern is the backcourt, if Diallo doesn't come back then we really only have 3 guards. I think we need Diallo or even Johnson before Bamba, but still would have been nice to have him.
 

UK Cats1

Junior
May 21, 2009
1,125
233
0
Laughing at your record-breaking thin skin.
When you die they'll make you into super expensive condoms. Ironic because you're likely the ultimate birth control while alive also.

Classic.
You have my vote for response of the year.