Aike, you have a stalker? :flushed:
Doesn’t seem too dangerous. [laughing]
Aike, you have a stalker? :flushed:
Google 2019 NBA starting and backup Power Forwards. EJ should start there first!I’m hopeful it’s just to see where he stands.
I’m hopeful it’s just to see where he stands.
The league takes players and eats them up and spits them out. They’ve got so much money they can just throw it around in hopes four years down the road it pays off, they couldn’t give a damn if most players make it or not. Just keep business moving.
Cal has an invested interested to see these guys perform. He’s also emotionally attached, he wants them to have a solid career. He’s also, basically, the minor league authority on what it takes to go, make it, and prosper. Way more so than some scout and GM who nobody even knows their names.
I think you’re slightly off, more or less just applying more to your POV than is really there.
In some cases I think it’s ok. With the players you named? Nah, there’s nothing they need to hear that they won’t already know. Just focus and listen to Cal. Simplify your path as much as possible and stay in the gym. A scout or GM doesn’t have the answer to your issues, that’s found on the court during hours and hours of pounding out your craft. I think it says a lot about Hagans not messing with the nonsense and just returning to work on what he knows he needs to do and trying to win a championship along the way. We need to stop encouraging this kind of thing full steam.
UK needs Blackshear AND EJ. That’s the dilemma lol!I think we may get Blackshear.
Cal built a brand that was better at competing for titles than anything we’d seen since the 90s. Now we have just settled back into a more normal range.
Still, it took a lot of good luck to make Final Fours in ‘11 and ‘14 and a little bad luck (or whatever you want to call it) to miss in ‘17 and ‘19. The difference is that we aren’t getting those ‘12 or ‘15 level teams.
And how much of that is on Cal? Elite recruits mysteriously don’t want to come here as much as they did a few years ago.
Solution? Get a few 10-20 type guys who stick around (PJ, Ashton, IQ). Mix in some quality grad transfers (Reid, Sestina). Make a deep run.
It isn’t as much fun as having the stacked hand of ‘12 or ‘15, but what are the alternatives? Cal is far from perfect, but what better ideas do you have?
I’m pretty comfortable with the roster Cal assembles 90% of the time. I’m less energetic about his style of play, but I recognize its effectiveness.
My god why in the hell aren't we seeing 50 or so more "all-stars" test the waters in the draft? for *** sake if EJ can then why not 6'10" Joe-Bob down in the holler playing for Bartholomew International Community College in conference USHay?
All you can do anymore is laugh at these clowns that use the University of Kentucky. PJ deserves to go the rest you just shake your head & wonder. Once they leave UK I don't care one ioda about G league or NBA stats.
I predicted 5-7 would leave this year, this makes #6.
So next year no ej no Richards and no one coming in? Gtfo
I mean he wouldn't even be invited to a combine, would he? So I guess nowadays is just gents seeing where they could land you? How does this **** work now because Ej isn't ranked in the Top 100 prospects.He’s just going through the process. Nobody is drafting him in the 1st round.
No? That’s not the case at all.
KJ said he wouldn't go unless he was a lottery pick, but he gone. I worry with these agents that they get a deal done and close enough money wise and players that have no business will leave. Hate that new rule. Agents are always going to say go they don't care about the kids just the money. Cal has always been honest with them and knows the NBA pretty well He definitely knows what players they like because they come here ranked 30-40th and become first-round picks. They should listen to Cal as Ashton did and if it isn't even close like EJ come back or at least don't get mixed up with an agent. Is the NBA trying to destroy college BB?
I agree that we should judge the team against the competition vs subjective expectations.My point is that we are getting second tier talent that does not develop to the level it could in one year.If we had gotten the Bagley class and Zion class I think it is more likely we would have 2 more national championships.Cal gets more out of the talent he has than does K,if what we are doing is to work then we have to have that type of talent.You can’t be within one shot of the Final Four two out of three years, and also not be good enough to make the Final Four.
We were not lucky last year and we did not have Sweet Sixteen level talent. Wasn’t the case in 2017 either. Both seasons, we were two seeds who were right in the mix for the title.
We always need to remember to judge ourselves against the competition, rather than against our own expectations.
There is a long list that left that was not first round as well.He’s just going through the process. Nobody is drafting him in the 1st round.
Ej is gone he’s not going to be back. You can call me negative but even if undrafted some team is going to pay him like Vanderbilt based on potential alone. Cal has taken our program from OAD elites to OAD who knows type players. The fact that any fan finds this acceptable is hogwash. There should be a total out cry over the types of players who have left the last couple years. Instead apathy sets in and people complain when rupp is silent. Cal has taken the excitement out of uk basketball. This is as simple as others have pointed out with quickley and hagans. This has to be the worst offseason ever as a UK fan and last year was very bad too. It’s only gonna get worse like I’ve mentioned 1000 times the trend since 2016 is in the wrong direction. This just verified my claim further.
You realize Vanderbilt missed a portion of his rookie year with that same phantom injury?I think he tried, just struggled mentally.
Vanderbilt refused to play when healthy. He gets my least favorite award.
Vando refused to play, Diallo added next to nothing to the team, and yet, they both got drafted, I would draft a EJ over either of them any day!You realize Vanderbilt missed a portion of his rookie year with that same phantom injury?
I’m hopeful it’s just to see where he stands.
THATs the issue with ej. He says what he feels but when the agent flashes money he will take it. He’s not coming back and even if he does it will be spun as some great thing. A player like ej should be given to be back.
I mean, in a real general sense, I agree. Hagans knows he isn't NBA ready, although I do think it would have been great for him to specifically hear "you do this to your jumper when shooting off the bounce" or "you favor going under the pick and roll when you're screened here or here" so that he can pinpoint his work instead of "just get better."
I also think it's really useful for these guys to get the experience. Go to workouts with other great guys and see how they perform. Stand on one end while another guy stands on the other and shoot against him head to head. Guard each other. Get measured with other guys who are freaks like you. Meet important people and shake their hand. Let an NBA legend or longtime coach/GM tell you that you need to eat better and work on your ballhandling.
There's value in that. And it's not like there's anything going on right now anyway. Really, they'll probably become better players just by doing this than anything they could be doing individually on campus right now.
It doesn't hurt anything or cost anything. I don't know why anyone would pass up free career training and feedback.
That statement didn't sound like a kid thinking he will be back.And I'm sure that is what is happening. He is just taking advantage of the rules, as they are, and working out at Portsmouth, to get an evaluation. I think it was tough on him being the highest rated recruit we had, and the two below him are leaving. He will be gone next year, for sure.
Last year was the worst offseason ever? We were one shot away from the Final Four this year. Maybe you sit the offseason out from now on if it gets you this worked up.
Can we call you stupid and negative? I think these guys read your posts and say let's test the waters just to f w Wildcats1stEj is gone he’s not going to be back. You can call me negative but even if undrafted some team is going to pay him like Vanderbilt based on potential alone. Cal has taken our program from OAD elites to OAD who knows type players. The fact that any fan finds this acceptable is hogwash. There should be a total out cry over the types of players who have left the last couple years. Instead apathy sets in and people complain when rupp is silent. Cal has taken the excitement out of uk basketball. This is as simple as others have pointed out with quickley and hagans. This has to be the worst offseason ever as a UK fan and last year was very bad too. It’s only gonna get worse like I’ve mentioned 1000 times the trend since 2016 is in the wrong direction. This just verified my claim further.
Last year was the worst offseason ever? We were one shot away from the Final Four this year. Maybe you sit the offseason out from now on if it gets you this worked up.
You are a solid poster but I disagree with you on Vandy, he was actually injured and that's why he didn't play. He missed significant time in the NBAVando refused to play, Diallo added next to nothing to the team, and yet, they both got drafted, I would draft a EJ over either of them any day!
I mean I can't find a list with EJ in the top 100 prospects for this year's draft. Would he even be invited to the combine? If not what is he going to hear that Cal can't tell him as far as working on? I mean Ashton knew he wasn't a first or second round pick and just was like I'm not where I want to be no need to F around, time to get back to work. EJ should be on the same page even more so not sure why.I feel ya to an extent. And in some cases sure, go check it out. It’s an experience, right?
I was mainly suggesting that guys like Hagans are better off by concentrating on the goal and just working the gym. Add those hours up. It’s not that important to hear what a scout or GM has to say over a professional who’s paid hundreds of millions to do that very thing. I’d trust cal before some no name numbers guy GM or a scout paid 90K to evaluate.
In a way, I’m looking for guys like EJ and Hagans to say “I don’t need feedback I know what my problems are because I know what I do. I’m going to focus on winning a national title at UK, and I believe with that kind of effort I’ll be in a better place”......sort of thing.
I absolutely love that Hagans didn’t even need to hear from them. I think it points to mindset. That’s really my only point.
If i had a kid and enough money was flashed, and he was projected high in the draft, and if my kid even hinted that he was thinking about staying in school, his *** would be up between his shoulder blades.
Cal better get that second ring or Zay and Nets are gonna hold you personally responsible for setting the tone for failure.
And I’m gonna run in, hug Zay and tell’m I know man, I know. But Aike is a good dude, he just didn’t have that type-A.
Now go kill Gonzo.![]()
My point, he was drafted anyway. If you had a choice of Vanderbilt, Diallo or EJ, who would you take?You are a solid poster but I disagree with you on Vandy, he was actually injured and that's why he didn't play. He missed significant time in the NBA
I think it all boils down to (and I remember you mentioning this more than once over the last several months) the complete professionalization of college basketball.
It won’t get any better, and honestly I see it getting worse with the absurd “mUh eXpLoItaTioN” mantra becoming popular.
I mean, I get it to an extent. NCAA: top programs make hundreds of millions off these guys so I understand maybe being able to receive $$$ for your autographs (while still on the team) or jerseys etc but it just opens up a giant slippery slope imo.
It’s honestly kind of depressing.