Could UK be even better next yr.?

Oct 24, 2018
305
291
0
Lose PJ, gain Nate Sestina - downgrade
Lose Herro, gain Maxey - push/upgrade
Lose KJ, gain Brooks/Whitney - push (gain defense, lose a little offense)
Lose Reid, sophomore EJ/Nick - unsure

I think this team is gonna be similar to 2017/18 year minus a solid go-to guy we had in Knox. We have a ton of guys that can shoot okay behind the arc a-la Wenyen. Not really sure where we go when we need a big bucket other than Maxey. I think we will struggle offensively. Need another piece. If Herro returned, we will be favorite to win it all. Herro is the exact type of guy we will be dying for next season.
 

JC43

All-Conference
Oct 6, 2006
3,807
2,956
0
Pj is gone
KJ is gone
Herro should return and lead us to number 9 and contend for POY..but think he too, is gone.
If all 3 return...plus who we have coming in...
Be a historic run...
PJ should go to the draft, believe he maxed out his draft position...
 

LineSkiCat14

Heisman
Aug 5, 2015
39,537
62,311
113
They were ALREADY going to be better off next year (in part because it will be a down year for college ball).

Incoming: Whitney, Maxey, Brooks, Allen (plus the development of everyone in the off season).
Outgoing: RT, PJ, KJ and maybe Herro.

Now we got Sestina, we might get Herro back, and were still not done recruiting.
 
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LineSkiCat14

Heisman
Aug 5, 2015
39,537
62,311
113
Don't underestimate that Sophomore jump.. EJ, Hagans, IQ, Baker and maybe Herro.. that's a lot of returning talent. Plus Richards as a junior..
 
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Oct 24, 2018
305
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They were ALREADY going to be better off next year (in part because it will be a down year for college ball).

Incoming: Whitney, Maxey, Brooks, Allen (plus the development of everyone in the off season).
Outgoing: RT, PJ, KJ and maybe Herro.

Now we got Sestina, we might get Herro back, and were still not done recruiting.
Who says it'll be a down year? That's gonna be hard to gauge right now. Virginia will bring a lot of guys back from this Final four team. Hunter goes, everyone else back maybe?

Anyone know about Jones at Duke? How is their team gonna be next year?
 

AGEE11

All-American
Jan 10, 2014
3,222
6,651
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Lose PJ, gain Nate Sestina - downgrade
Lose Herro, gain Maxey - push/upgrade
Lose KJ, gain Brooks/Whitney - push (gain defense, lose a little offense)
Lose Reid, sophomore EJ/Nick - unsure

I think this team is gonna be similar to 2017/18 year minus a solid go-to guy we had in Knox. We have a ton of guys that can shoot okay behind the arc a-la Wenyen. Not really sure where we go when we need a big bucket other than Maxey. I think we will struggle offensively. Need another piece. If Herro returned, we will be favorite to win it all. Herro is the exact type of guy we will be dying for next season.

I think this is a perfect summary. Only thing missing is it appears the overall talent level will be down next year as a whole.
 

UKCAT5FAN

All-Conference
May 9, 2010
5,282
3,816
113
This NCAAT has PROVEN, that what is needed more than anything, is experienced guards! Yes, we could be good, but not if we are relying on freshmen guards again. We will be in for same season-ending disappointment.


This tourney hasnt proved anything but you have to have a TEAM of good players. You can make a run with freshman guards but you've got to have other pieces as well. You need to have experience as well. I think a player like Baker is the key. We need those multi year players to develop and become great role players. We need players to stick around to surround the OADs. That is the key in my opinion. We need the Darius Millers.
 

LineSkiCat14

Heisman
Aug 5, 2015
39,537
62,311
113
Who says it'll be a down year? That's gonna be hard to gauge right now. Virginia will bring a lot of guys back from this Final four team. Hunter goes, everyone else back maybe?

Anyone know about Jones at Duke? How is their team gonna be next year?

Well.. for starters we won't have THE GREATEST TEAM OF ALL TIME! DUKE 2019/19 BABY! Duke is going to be down, big time. They are losing three top5 picks and their recruiting only has 1 impact player for next year.

UNC? Down. Kansas? Might be in shambles. Arizona? Same boat. Tennessee? Losing all their important guys. SEC? New coaches but they won't turn it around that fast.

It's really going to be Michigan, maybe MSU and possibly Virginia.

I'll take that ALL DAY!.
 
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delawaredukies

Freshman
May 21, 2008
165
72
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Jones will declare and go through process .After that it is 50/50 at best . Way to many unanswered questions to have any idea about how good or bad we will be next year.
 
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akaukswoosh

Hall of Famer
Jan 14, 2006
82,028
126,162
93
I'm an optimist. If the light bulb goes on for Nick (yeah,yeah, impossible, he'll never get it, yadda yadda) the way it did for, say, Nazr his junior year, and EJ is as good as I think he can be with a summer to get stronger and work on his inside post moves, then yes. Sestina is a nice piece to go with those two. And I think Cal adds another 4-5.
And if he adds Hurt, there’s the new shooter folks are clamoring for.
 
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svoils

Sophomore
Feb 25, 2010
326
190
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Herro made 3 three-pointers in four NCAA games. We aren’t losing that much scoring.

True, and I wasn't necessarily referring to his performance in the NCAAT. But we did win a lot of games thanks to his scoring (including automatic at the line), and I would expect improvement as a sophomore.
 

kl40504_rivals

Heisman
Oct 5, 2018
15,258
11,184
0
Jones will declare and go through process .After that it is 50/50 at best . Way to many unanswered questions to have any idea about how good or bad we will be next year.
Duke will get Hurt but losing all those first rounder to the NBA will hurt. Of course they do have Joey Baker coming back after burning his red shirt year.
 
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LineSkiCat14

Heisman
Aug 5, 2015
39,537
62,311
113
If we get Herro back, 349 teams will be fighting for three #1 seeds.

I think Kentucky steamrolls to the tournament. Keep in mind what happened last year.

--Turmoil with Green (an issue in two of our losses).
--Young team aside from two sophomores.
--Had to face Duke in November.
--Two losses due to injury (both Tennessee).
--Missed goal tend to steal a win against us (LSU).
--Alabama buzzer-beater.
--Seton Hall almost-buzzer beater.

Kentucky had, quite possibly, the worst luck of ANY division 1 team last year. We were that unfortunate on some many fronts.
 
Mar 8, 2006
3,309
942
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I'm an optimist. If the light bulb goes on for Nick (yeah,yeah, impossible, he'll never get it, yadda yadda) the way it did for, say, Nazr his junior year, and EJ is as good as I think he can be with a summer to get stronger and work on his inside post moves, then yes. Sestina is a nice piece to go with those two. And I think Cal adds another 4-5.

Overall, even if Herro goes, the positions 1-3 should be improved. Maxey, Whitney and Brooks are all big time talents.
We need big time outside shooters!
 
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KYFOSSIL

Heisman
Jan 13, 2005
8,453
11,663
62
If we get Herro back, 349 teams will be fighting for three #1 seeds.

I think Kentucky steamrolls to the tournament. Keep in mind what happened last year.

--Turmoil with Green (an issue in two of our losses).
--Young team aside from two sophomores.
--Had to face Duke in November.
--Two losses due to injury (both Tennessee).
--Missed goal tend to steal a win against us (LSU).
--Alabama buzzer-beater.
--Seton Hall almost-buzzer beater.

Kentucky had, quite possibly, the worst luck of ANY division 1 team last year. We were that unfortunate on some many fronts.
1 basket or 1FT from a final four!!
 

LineSkiCat14

Heisman
Aug 5, 2015
39,537
62,311
113
1 basket or 1FT from a final four!!

Which is crazy. All that adversity, and we were still there.

I'm not gonna make any guarantees about how FAR next year's team goes. But I have to imagine it will be less than 6 losses and a 1-seed.
 

Wildcats1st

Heisman
Sep 16, 2017
18,949
28,911
0
Well.. for starters we won't have THE GREATEST TEAM OF ALL TIME! DUKE 2019/19 BABY! Duke is going to be down, big time. They are losing three top5 picks and their recruiting only has 1 impact player for next year.

UNC? Down. Kansas? Might be in shambles. Arizona? Same boat. Tennessee? Losing all their important guys. SEC? New coaches but they won't turn it around that fast.

It's really going to be Michigan, maybe MSU and possibly Virginia.

I'll take that ALL DAY!.

Florida is gonna be damn good.
 

CatsPaws270

Heisman
Dec 7, 2015
25,195
65,841
113
College basketball today is all about having solid guard play

Sophomore Hagans
Sophomore Quickley
Sophomore Baker
5-Star Tyrese Maxey

Depth, experience, shooting, athletic, and next level ability. Our guard play should be light-years ahead. Hagans is the one that can make the PJ jump...better jumper and better strength/conditioning will make him an all-American type player

If Whitney can add more defense than Keldon? I'll say that's a plus. Allen and Brooks add more depth out on the wing.

Post scoring will be down....
But we struggled defending the rim. EJ and Nick improving (which most returning players do) will add a stronger presence in the paint....shutting down driving. Not as strong....but EJ has potential. Sestina can add a bigger body.

We will be longer....faster...and probably better at shooting. Experienced guards that are elite talents? That is a recipe for a great team.

Better:
Length
Wing play
Defense
depth
experience
rim protection

Worse:
Post scoring
strength
 

sg24_

All-Conference
Mar 13, 2006
2,697
1,047
0
There is usually not a day when the stupidity on this board is not showing like a runny fart through white pants. Good grief Junior wait until all of the roster moves are done. Then speculate and hypothesize and work yourself in a frenzy so that you are hyperventilating during each and every game. It will work itself out.
 
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