Let's face it the REAL issue is player turnover each year.

[BtBlueBlood]

Pushing players that have zero business going into the NBA out the door and pissing kids off by not giving them a chance had resulted in a year like this. Yeah Cal isn't the greatest X's and O's guy but his biggest fault is forcing too many out each year and this year it caught up to him. The only returning guy barely played last year. Otherwise this is an entirely new team.
Don't get me wrong I'm pissed about how this year is going and UK should have beaten half the teams we lost to.
But right now while this season its definitely a lost cause, I'm waiting to dive off the deep end until we see if things change next year. It just isn't UK that sucks this year, Duke and UNC are no world beaters by any means. I just think this whole year is a mess for the entire NCAA

 

[Trinity45]

Pushing players that have zero business going into the NBA out the door and pissing kids off by not giving them a chance had resulted in a year like this. Yeah Cal isn't the greatest X's and O's guy but his biggest fault is forcing too many out each year and this year it caught up to him. The only returning guy barely played last year. Otherwise this is an entirely new team.
Don't get me wrong I'm pissed about how this year is going and UK should have beaten half the teams we lost to.
But right now while this season its definitely a lost cause, I'm waiting to dive off the deep end until we see if things change next year. It just isn't UK that sucks this year, Duke and UNC are no world beaters by any means. I just think this whole year is a mess for the entire NCAA

You are so right.

 

[BlueBomb]

The difference in "suck level" between us and Duke/UNC is vast right now. If they suck a little, then our suck level is off the freakin' charts.

 

[UK90]

I don’t know if he’s forcing them to leave, or if we’re just recruiting the type of players who most want to leave early. After all, if you sell yourself as the “one and done” program, It’s only logical those are the kids you’ll disproportionately attract.

But, yeah, I think we’ve hit the breaking point with the constant roster turnover. It’s not so fun cheering for players all looking to leave as soon as possible.

 

[CB3UK]

We saw what happened in 2015 when you got the roster to return. There are and would be things about Cal that'd bother me but the results each year would be unimaginable. And thats the fundamental crux of what has us all pissed off. It all comes back to that. Bt the time they look cohesive and are ready to start really dominating its March and then they're gone.

At this time I'm just watching and biding time until Cal is gone or he actually changes his entire philosophy. Continuing to do what we're doing is not an option.

 

[Wildcatfan66]

And in the De'Aaron Fox interview, he said after they lost to UNC in the E8, Calipari came into the locker room and told them all to not come back....

 

[Bobio]

I was watching a game (forget which one) and the announcers said that the formula for success is to have one or two stud OAD's and then the rest seasoned vets that have grown and progressed in talent and skill each year, i.e. Zags, Baylor, Bama, Iowa, Nova, etc. Turning over an entire roster every single year is a recipe for disaster.

 

[DerekMcPwn]

And in the De'Aaron Fox interview, he said after they lost to UNC in the E8, Calipari came into the locker room and told them all to not come back....

No he didn’t. Stop lying. There’s a big difference between “don’t come back” as you allege, and what De’Aaron Fox quoted, which was clearly directed at Fox, Monk, and Bam.

 

[Paulyv94]

Yeah, I have been saying this for a while. Players like Dakari Johnson, Keldon, VANDERBILT. Nick too really. Also, the amount of transfers has sucked. I would kill for Juzang this year or Baker last year. Hell, Matthews went on to start on a Michigan team that made the title game.

We have to get players to return and stay. Fletcher, Ware Toppin and Keon have to come back. Really honestly, the whole damn team needs to come back. None of them play with heart except maybe Toppin. And I am reading he is improving his draft Stock. The OAD formula doesn't work unless you have generational talent, which those types of players are not coming into college anymore.

Could you imagine if we had Jalen Green or Kuminga on this squad? Hell even Daishen nix.

 

[Yardeth]

Cal has made it that if your not a one and done your a failure. PJ, Quick, Ullis took 2 years but they all should have stayed another year. Nick should have stayed, and Cal is doing them unjustly by thinking they are ready.

 

[MojoYamamoto]

Yeah, I have been saying this for a while. Players like Dakari Johnson, Keldon, VANDERBILT. Nick too really. Also, the amount of transfers has sucked. I would kill for Juzang this year or Baker last year. Hell, Matthews went on to start on a Michigan team that made the title game.

We have to get players to return and stay. Fletcher, Ware Toppin and Keon have to come back. Really honestly, the whole damn team needs to come back. None of them play with heart except maybe Toppin. And I am reading he is improving his draft Stock. The OAD formula doesn't work unless you have generational talent, which those types of players are not coming into college anymore.

Could you imagine if we had Jalen Green or Kuminga on this squad? Hell even Daishen nix.

I don't disagree with what you are saying. We definitely have too many that have no business leaving going into the draft. The one I would remove from your list though is Keldon Johnson. The guy is in year two and a good young player that is producing. I think that year with Popovich did more for him than another year with Cal would have done. But you could definitely add Hagans, Montgomery, Goodwin, Lamb, and Teague to your list, among others.

 

[DerekMcPwn]

Cal has made it that if your not a one and done your a failure. PJ, Quick, Ullis took 2 years but they all should have stayed another year. Nick should have stayed, and Cal is doing them unjustly by thinking they are ready.

Wtf are you talking about? PJ Washington and Immanuel Quickley were first round draft picks. PJ was a lottery pick! Ulis was 5’7” and got drafted...by an NBA team.

Are you high? Every one of those guys made the right call. Hate Cal all you want and for whatever reason, but those guys are the shining achievements of Cal’s program.

 

[G-PIP]

I don’t know if he’s forcing them to leave, or if we’re just recruiting the type of players who most want to leave early. After all, if you sell yourself as the “one and done” program, It’s only logical those are the kids you’ll disproportionately attract.

But, yeah, I think we’ve hit the breaking point with the constant roster turnover. It’s not so fun cheering for players all looking to leave as soon as possible.

I agree that the primary underlying problem responsible for all the complaints is poor roster construction and continuity. Everything else is basically a symptom.

 

[HerrosHeroes]

Its just sooooo hard to recruit #1 in the country every single yr and even if you do the group you have coming in may not be as talented as the one that just left.

Case in point....2020-2021.

 

[RunninRichie]

Cal has made it that if your not a one and done your a failure. PJ, Quick, Ullis took 2 years but they all should have stayed another year. Nick should have stayed, and Cal is doing them unjustly by thinking they are ready.

PJ went lottery

 

[Grs51]

I don't disagree with what you are saying. We definitely have too many that have no business leaving going into the draft. The one I would remove from your list though is Keldon Johnson. The guy is in year two and a good young player that is producing. I think that year with Popovich did more for him than another year with Cal would have done. But you could definitely add Hagans, Montgomery, Goodwin, Lamb, and Teague to your list, among others.

take the OAD a step further, we now use “ reclassified “ kids so we’re in effect playing 12th graders, NBA dreams have ruined the college game but if the money is there they have to take it.

 

[TortElvisII]

I don’t know if he’s forcing them to leave, or if we’re just recruiting the type of players who most want to leave early. After all, if you sell yourself as the “one and done” program, It’s only logical those are the kids you’ll disproportionately attract.

But, yeah, I think we’ve hit the breaking point with the constant roster turnover. It’s not so fun cheering for players all looking to leave as soon as possible.

He has to be causing some of these players to transfer. I don't have any inside knowledge but there's just no way that many kids would leave. The culture of NBA or failure might be a problem for some.

 

[The Great (John) Wall]

Wtf are you talking about? PJ Washington and Immanuel Quickley were first round draft picks. PJ was a lottery pick! Ulis was 5’7” and got drafted...by an NBA team.

Are you high? Every one of those guys made the right call. Hate Cal all you want and for whatever reason, but those guys are the shining achievements of Cal’s program.

PJ even had a successful rookie season as well. I don't think getting drafted high automatically means you came out when you should have, see James Young, but a guy who was a lottery pick and played well his rookie season - no brainer.

 

[calismyhero]

Pushing players that have zero business going into the NBA out the door and pissing kids off by not giving them a chance had resulted in a year like this. Yeah Cal isn't the greatest X's and O's guy but his biggest fault is forcing too many out each year and this year it caught up to him. The only returning guy barely played last year. Otherwise this is an entirely new team.
Don't get me wrong I'm pissed about how this year is going and UK should have beaten half the teams we lost to.
But right now while this season its definitely a lost cause, I'm waiting to dive off the deep end until we see if things change next year. It just isn't UK that sucks this year, Duke and UNC are no world beaters by any means. I just think this whole year is a mess for the entire NCAA

Absolutely. When this whole thing started I was thinking some of these guys would hang around longer. I was naive to assume that the coach would push them out and not leave the decision up to them. That was obviously the way it was handled before the OAD onslaught.

 

[TankedCat]

Think player retention matters in college basketball?
45 of the 50 starters on the 10 teams ranked in the Top 10 of this week's AP Top 25 were all a part of their current programs last season.


Returning personnel > incoming personnel.
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) January 20, 2021

 

[Paulyv94]

I can't believe I am going to say this but I wish we had EJ back this year.