Do we have one NBA player?

[playmorezeppelin_rivals181042]

This may be the first year in Cal’s tenure where you could argue we don’t have a single player who should enter the draft. I’m not sure who should even be considered our best player but if it’s Ashton Hagans the ceiling is still not NBA-ready.

This season will be a litmus test to see if players are being pushed out to make room for next year’s class or if they’re encouraged to come back. I’m betting we lose 2-3 to the pros who won’t be able to maintain a career past 3 or 4 years.

 

[EliteBlue]

Nba players=yes.

Ready to make an impact in the NBA next season=doubtful

 

[MWes11]

Yes.

 

[chroix]

Hagans, Maxey, Whitney, Montgomery, and Brooks will all have good careers in the NBA. You could make an argument that they should all stay for an additional year or more but to say they aren’t NBA prospects seems dumb.

 

[TortElvisII]

Nba players=yes.

Ready to make an impact in the NBA next season=doubtful

This.

We have athletes that will never get near their potential in one year of college.

 

[westerncat]

This.

We have athletes that will never get near their potential in one year of college.

Agree 100 %

 

[docholiday51]

1 Do we have players NBA ready? No
2. Will they go anyway? YES
3. Do we have anyone ready to compete at the elite college level? No
4. If Cal,the players and our fans worried more about college instead of the NBA would we be better?......Yes.

 

[TheOtherGreatOne]

I could care less how many nba players we have. I am a Kentucky fan. I don't give a **** about the nba. I don't want the coach fired every time we loose. I don't care how many stars a recruit has by his name. If a player comes to Kentucky, I am going to cheer for him. The only player I ever bitched about was Coach's son. Cal didn't recruit another guard so he could play so Brad could get a little court time, which hurt us in 2 or 3 games, that I didn't like.I am a Cat fan and could not care less if there was never another nba game ever played.

 

[It'saDoneDeal]

Hagans, Maxey, Whitney, Montgomery, and Brooks will all have good careers in the NBA. You could make an argument that they should all stay for an additional year or more but to say they aren’t NBA prospects seems dumb.

Define “good.”

I see Whitney and Montgomery having James Young like “careers” at best. Hagans may be a guy who gets spot minutes on a bad team. Maxey may have the best chance to succeed, but he’s a small two guard with an ugly looking shot.

I think Brooks has the most pro potential in terms of what his ceiling could be. But he is still so damn raw. He’d be my only bet to actually stick in the league.

 

[gojvc]

This may be the first year in Cal’s tenure where you could argue we don’t have a single player who should enter the draft. I’m not sure who should even be considered our best player but if it’s Ashton Hagans the ceiling is still not NBA-ready.

This season will be a litmus test to see if players are being pushed out to make room for next year’s class or if they’re encouraged to come back. I’m betting we lose 2-3 to the pros who won’t be able to maintain a career past 3 or 4 years.

Just because they leave doesn’t mean they’ve being pushed out.

 

[docholiday51]

Just because they leave doesn’t mean they’ve being pushed out.

To a degree I agree with you,however this year Cal will have to make space for incoming players.Only one or two should go this year but more than that will have to go somewhere.

 

[playmorezeppelin_rivals181042]

Hagans, Maxey, Whitney, Montgomery, and Brooks will all have good careers in the NBA. You could make an argument that they should all stay for an additional year or more but to say they aren’t NBA prospects seems dumb.

I should have clarified I meant players who should/might go to the nba after this season. All of those guys you listed except Montgomery have a chance at an NBA career. I would argue that most won’t have good careers though. EJ probably wont have one at all beyond a second round draft pick and a year or two in the G League

I could care less how many nba players we have. I am a Kentucky fan. I don't give a **** about the nba. I don't want the coach fired every time we loose. I don't care how many stars a recruit has by his name. If a player comes to Kentucky, I am going to cheer for him. The only player I ever bitched about was Coach's son. Cal didn't recruit another guard so he could play so Brad could get a little court time, which hurt us in 2 or 3 games, that I didn't like.I am a Cat fan and could not care less if there was never another nba game ever played.

I totally agree with you. My point isn’t that we should feel one way or another about the quality of our team based on how many pros we have. It’s that we’re faced with another potentially disappointing season and the prospect of still losing the only talent we have to the NBA. The standard for Kentucky players entering the draft these days is so low that you have to be pretty bad not to go and that’s what we’re left for the next season.

 

[playmorezeppelin_rivals181042]

Just because they leave doesn’t mean they’ve being pushed out.

When someone who plays the same position as you gets recruited and expects to start what kind of message does that send

 

[akaukswoosh]

This may be the first year in Cal’s tenure where you could argue we don’t have a single player who should enter the draft. I’m not sure who should even be considered our best player but if it’s Ashton Hagans the ceiling is still not NBA-ready.

This season will be a litmus test to see if players are being pushed out to make room for next year’s class or if they’re encouraged to come back. I’m betting we lose 2-3 to the pros who won’t be able to maintain a career past 3 or 4 years.

We had this same post about a year ago. No NBA players on this UK team!

 

[docholiday51]

We had this same post about a year ago. No NBA players on this UK team!

but this time it's legal

 

[DraftCat]

Maxey and Brooks will be the only two guys on this current team to stick around in the NBA. Everyone else will spend years in the G-League and flame out.

 

[gojvc]

To a degree I agree with you,however this year Cal will have to make space for incoming players.Only one or two should go this year but more than that will have to go somewhere.

I get what you’re saying. In theory nine could return which would create a numbers problem but Cal already knows Maxey and Hagans, at least, have no intention of returning. So he’s recruited accordingly. I don’t think any of the other kids have to leave if they don’t want to. The problem I believe is that kids like Charles Matthews, Quade Green, Jemarl Baker don’t see a future role for themselves so they just leave even though they could return and grow with the program.

 

[playmorezeppelin_rivals181042]

We had this same post about a year ago. No NBA players on this UK team!

I don't care one way or another about how many players we can send to the nba. I get nothing from that and I'm a huge nba fan. But why are you comparing this team to last years as if that somehow validates our team this year?

 

[docholiday51]

I get what you’re saying. In theory nine could return which would create a numbers problem but Cal already knows Maxey and Hagans, at least, have no intention of returning. So he’s recruited accordingly. I don’t think any of the other kids have to leave if they don’t want to. The problem I believe is that kids like Charles Matthews, Quade Green, Jemarl Baker don’t see a future role for themselves so they just leave even though they could return and grow with the program.

Yes,you can probably add Juzang,Whitney and at some point Allen to your list. One can't blame these kids for making that choice

 

[Elliott Tim]

1 Do we have players NBA ready? No
2. Will they go anyway? YES
3. Do we have anyone ready to compete at the elite college level? No
4. If Cal,the players and our fans worried more about college instead of the NBA would we be better?......Yes.

Perhaps.

 

[gojvc]

Yes,you can probably add Juzang,Whitney and at some point Allen to your list. One can't blame these kids for making that choice

I’m afraid you’re probably right.

 

[3 fan_rivals214492]

When someone who plays the same position as you gets recruited and expects to start what kind of message does that send

It means you better get your butt in the gym and work hard or you won't play. Doesn't mean take easy way out and transfer

 

[KyFaninNC]

Just because they leave doesn’t mean they’ve being pushed out.

When you know you are being recruited over and have to ride the bench because coach has a new stable of 5 star studs he has to get drafted, then are basically being forced out.

 

[BBNinKY]

This may be the first year in Cal’s tenure where you could argue we don’t have a single player who should enter the draft. I’m not sure who should even be considered our best player but if it’s Ashton Hagans the ceiling is still not NBA-ready.

This season will be a litmus test to see if players are being pushed out to make room for next year’s class or if they’re encouraged to come back. I’m betting we lose 2-3 to the pros who won’t be able to maintain a career past 3 or 4 years.

We did before Cal ran off Brad...

 

[playmorezeppelin_rivals181042]

We did before Cal ran off Brad...

lmao

 

[FrankUnderwood]

Hagans, Maxey, Whitney, Montgomery, and Brooks will all have good careers in the NBA. You could make an argument that they should all stay for an additional year or more but to say they aren’t NBA prospects seems dumb.

What has EJ or Whitney shown so far that implies they could make even a remote impact in the NBA?

 

[TortElvisII]

What has EJ or Whitney shown so far that implies they could make even a remote impact in the NBA?

Has it ever mattered? Somehow these guys go and get drafted anyway. Or at least they go.

 

[Bluedog1]

It is really hard to tell how guys games will translate at the next level. I dont see one guy on this team that will spend long term in the NBA, BUT ist just so hard to see how much they can develop when we get them for one year. A guy like Whitney looks awful right now, but with his athleticism I could see him developing into a solid pro in time. Nick as head scratching as he is is going to have a chance because hes 7-0 and can move a little and shoot a mid range jump shot.... but it hard to see any sure fire guys on this team for sure right now.

 

[bucsrule8872]

I think Maxey is the only legit first rounder. Hagans will be a second rounder.

Everyone else needs another year.

Whitney might get drafted in the second because of his elite athleticism. He probably leaves.

Richards leaves and goes undrafted, but signs as a FA and play in the G-League most likely.

Unless he steps up and improves dramatically over the next four months, Montgomery goes undrafted and goes overseas or maybe the G-League.

I see Quickley, Allen, Juzang, and Brooks returning.

Unless we get an elite big man (Kuminga, Brown, Banchero), we will struggle again next year without a true post presence.

 

[Bill Withers]

Successful NBA guys? Who knows. There isn't a sure-fire multi-year NBA talent on this team.

 

[KyCatFan1]

At least 2 guys have to leave regardless. Make it 3 if we hope to get a big man reclassification. I'm expecting at least 1 transfer and 2 or 3 guys leaving for the NBA regardless. It looks like we might have a nearly full roster for a change because I can't see us losing 5 or 6 along with Sestina. If we do then there is a huge problem here.

 

[mjj_2K]

Nba players=yes.

Ready to make an impact in the NBA next season=doubtful

That's not a real standard. Almost no one makes an impact in their first season. Maybe 5 guys, with another 5-10 who show significant promise for the future.

The question here is how you define "NBA players". Anthony Davis and Marquis Teague can both be called NBA players, but that term has very, very different meanings for each.

Yes, this team will have multiple guys who are NBA players in the Marquis Teague sense (and none in the Anthony Davis sense), but a better question is whether any of them will still be in the NBA 7 years from now.

The answer to that might be "no". Maybe Maxey, based mainly on his motor.

 

[Monroe Claxton]

Cal should tell them about Shittu, a former five star prospect who is now struggling to get minutes for the Windy City Bulls in the G-League. Shittu may not stick

 

[LineSkiCat14]

Its a long seasom and i suspect EJ and Maxey will leave no matter what.

Ths problem is, we are looking at a serious log jam for next season. While I agree that almost none of these guys are ready to leave.. some will have to, one way or another.

 

[kybassfan]

4 - 7 will leave. They won’t be pushed out by the bogey man. It happens. Deal

 

[Backer cutter]

There are several future NBA players on the roster. There are very few college players. Totally different games.

 

[Chuckinden]

Still a lot of basketball to be played.

 

[Fgpoe03]

I could care less how many nba players we have. I am a Kentucky fan. I don't give a **** about the nba. I don't want the coach fired every time we loose. I don't care how many stars a recruit has by his name. If a player comes to Kentucky, I am going to cheer for him. The only player I ever bitched about was Coach's son. Cal didn't recruit another guard so he could play so Brad could get a little court time, which hurt us in 2 or 3 games, that I didn't like.I am a Cat fan and could not care less if there was never another nba game ever played.

You must have really hated the Tubby years lol. I really felt like Tubby stayed away from point guards so his son could get big minutes. At first, I thought maybe once his son graduated things would improve i was wrong lol. I don't feel Cal took advantage of it like Tubby did. He just threw him in to make sure his marriage was smooth lol.

 

[TheOtherGreatOne]

You must have really hated the Tubby years lol. I really felt like Tubby stayed away from point guards so his son could get big minutes. At first, I thought maybe once his son graduated things would improve i was wrong lol. I don't feel Cal took advantage of it like Tubby did. He just threw him in to make sure his marriage was smooth lol.

As bad as Saul was he was 100 times better than Brad. Saul had enough talent to be a good back up for the cats. He was ok as the back up as a freshman, but he was not good enough to be a starter, but he had 100 times the talent that Brad has.

 

[GaryAlbright]

If Cal is selling high schoolers on a NBA career to get them to come here, why is anyone complaining when they leave early?