Agree with Patriot202.
The #1 rated recruiting class is very subjective. What is the difference between the #1 class and the #10 or #30 classes? No one really knows. In addition some players reach their ceiling in high school, or a 3 star turns into an All American in a couple years at the college level. Sometimes you have a guy like Tyler Herro a certain 4-year college player that improves exponentially his freshman year and goes to the NBA.
Regardless, next year’s #1 freshmen class at UK will not be playing another team whose core is predominately freshmen. The opposition may have a freshman or 2 that plays significant minutes but the core of most Division 1 level teams may have 1 or 2 graduate players but mostly Sophs thru Seniors. Bottom line is they have 19-23 year old players who have played 1-5 years in college. If they have also played together for 2-4 years, they have a tremendous advantage out of the gate. You cannot teach experience or strength. They have to be earned!
AD was an exception Freshman sensation. Duke had Zion, Barrett, and Reddick the top 3 incoming freshman that year that made the Elite Eight, a tremendous accomplishment, but not a title. Wanting to feel very hopeful about next season but then reality sets in and I don’t see the team winning 25 plus games, an SEC tournament or NCAA run with the boat anchor we have as our coach. Hope I am wrong!
The #1 rated recruiting class is very subjective. What is the difference between the #1 class and the #10 or #30 classes? No one really knows. In addition some players reach their ceiling in high school, or a 3 star turns into an All American in a couple years at the college level. Sometimes you have a guy like Tyler Herro a certain 4-year college player that improves exponentially his freshman year and goes to the NBA.
Regardless, next year’s #1 freshmen class at UK will not be playing another team whose core is predominately freshmen. The opposition may have a freshman or 2 that plays significant minutes but the core of most Division 1 level teams may have 1 or 2 graduate players but mostly Sophs thru Seniors. Bottom line is they have 19-23 year old players who have played 1-5 years in college. If they have also played together for 2-4 years, they have a tremendous advantage out of the gate. You cannot teach experience or strength. They have to be earned!
AD was an exception Freshman sensation. Duke had Zion, Barrett, and Reddick the top 3 incoming freshman that year that made the Elite Eight, a tremendous accomplishment, but not a title. Wanting to feel very hopeful about next season but then reality sets in and I don’t see the team winning 25 plus games, an SEC tournament or NCAA run with the boat anchor we have as our coach. Hope I am wrong!
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