Next Year

[stoneycat_20]

You going to see a crazy offseason with all the big-name transfers...Cal will have plenty wanting to come..he will put together a top 5 team....we already have one of the best big men. and a freak in Collins..
Askew, Allen, that's some shooters..Cal will hopefully get a top transfer PG

 

[John Henry]

10+ losses

 

[fastpaste101]

My guess:

Starters

G Askew
G Allen
F Toppin
F Tshiebwe
F Collins

Bench

G Hickman
G Transfer/recruit
G Transfer/recruit
F Hopkins
F Ware

Mediocre season. 20+ wins. Make the tourney. First weekend exit.

That’s a realistic look.

Think that is optimistic

 

[willyclyde]

Very young, very athletic, one kid who can make a 3 (but barely plays), long, pampered, ready to achieve dreams, two grad transfers, and one freshman who has a mysterious lengthy injury, Haven’t you been paying attention?

 

[kyjeff1]

Mintz is gone, his stock will never be higher.

His stock? What stock? In what, Amazon? He has no NBA stock.

 

[kyjeff1]

Did you teachers suggest you pursue a career as....oh never mind, you wouldn’t understand.

Ironic

 

[TankedCat]

this will be Cal's big pivot, he'll wean himself of OADs and start poaching players in the portal.

We'll have a mural on the wall at Wildcat Lodge of all the players that transferred to UK wearing their old schools uniform.

 

[JoeBeeHall]

Since all players get another year a team like say Alabama could get the entire team back if they agreed to return ?

 

[kyjeff1]

Powell and Hickman will split time at point. Powell is a proven college point guard.

Is he though? Do you have any highlight video that shows Powell doing anything that resembles a pg?

I'm not being a smart ***, I literally have not seen a single video of Powell doing anything besides shooting threes, which he is very good at.

Watch this video. He got 9 assists, but never stepped inside the arch. That's not a pg, that's a white Dontaie Allen.

Watch "Justin Powell Auburn Tigers 26 PTS 9 AST vs South Alabama | Full Game Highlights" on YouTube


Actually, I was wrong, he did step inside the arch, twice, but one step each time. Powell is not a pg.

 

[tls]

You going to see a crazy offseason with all the big-name transfers...Cal will have plenty wanting to come..he will put together a top 5 team....we already have one of the best big men. and a freak in Collins..
Askew, Allen, that's some shooters..Cal will hopefully get a top transfer PG

Oscar is so much one of the better big men that WVU cut him loose

 

[tls]

Cats will definitely be overrated on Rafters

 

[loublue22_rivals308424]

this will be Cal's big pivot, he'll wean himself of OADs and start poaching players in the portal.

We'll have a mural on the wall at Wildcat Lodge of all the players that transferred to UK wearing their old schools uniform.

players in the portal aren't that good

 

[Anon1679859502]

30 wins, minimum. Elite Eight. Possibly Final Four. Calipari will be performing like his career, his legacy and his ego depends on it.

Oscar, Collins, Toppin with a huge leap forward. Clarke and Powell at PG, or someone we don't know about now. Unless Hickman convinces Cal without doubt he is the answer. Askew is much improved as a back-up PG. Plus some strong supporting pieces, including Allen, Ware and Hopkins.

I haven’t watched much of Powell so I’m curious if he can create for open teammates or only shoot three’s

 

[loublue22_rivals308424]

My guess:

Starters

G Askew
G Allen
F Toppin
F Tshiebwe
F Collins

Bench

G Hickman
G Transfer/recruit
G Transfer/recruit
F Hopkins
F Ware

Mediocre season. 20+ wins. Make the tourney. First weekend exit.

That’s a realistic look.

One of the worst backcourts in the country again

 

[Jmeeks54thebest]

Powell definitely seems like a secondary playmaker, not primary. I’d still think he should’ve been offered already. Can play the 1-3, although I’d like someone who can drive and dish at the 1.

 

[kyjeff1]

I haven’t watched much of Powell so I’m curious if he can create for open teammates or only shoot three’s

Watch "Justin Powell Auburn Tigers 26 PTS 9 AST vs South Alabama | Full Game Highlights" on YouTube

 

[HerrosHeroes]

Powell definitely seems like a secondary playmaker, not primary. I’d still think he should’ve been offered already. Can play the 1-3, although I’d like someone who can drive and dish at the 1.

Cal needs to offer this kid and fast.

 

[kyjeff1]

Cal needs to offer this kid and fast.

Why? Powell is no different than Allen. He's a shooter, that's it.

Oh I get it, you want Allen to have a bench buddy. Got it.

 

[IrishMike409]

Mintz is gone, his stock will never be higher.

Gone to where? He’s not an nba player?

 

[kl40504_rivals]

Powell and Hickman will split time at point. Powell is a proven college point guard.

I wouldn't say proven. He did play some point guard in the early season and played better than some expected. However he is not an ideal point guard and is probably better at the 2 guard.

 

[Untouchables40]

Cal's system only works with a PG that can blow right by their defender and get to the basket. No matter how much better he gets, IMO Askew will never be that guy. I hope Hickman is that guy. And I hope Oscar is tough because all of our big guys that we've had since Bam, have been soft and all the bigs on this year's team were extremely soft. There's not anyone on this roster that could really excite me with a return. And like someone said above, the guys in the transfer portal aren't exactly "game changers". If they were, they would have declared for the draft.

2017 was sort of a rough regular season but that's the last time I've felt comfortable going into a tournament because of the talent. I felt like we could be beat but I always felt like we've had the upperhand. That was the last time we had a roster with alphas. Since then, we've had rosters full of Betas. And I've felt like we could win but was not fully comfortable about it.Betas are good if you're the underdog hoping to be able to scrap by and barely make it, but Alpha's are what get you to the final 4.

 

[RunninRichie]

Cal's system only works with a PG that can blow right by their defender and get to the basket. No matter how much better he gets, IMO Askew will never be that guy. I hope Hickman is that guy. And I hope Oscar is tough because all of our big guys that we've had since Bam, have been soft and all the bigs on this year's team were extremely soft. There's not anyone on this roster that could really excite me with a return. And like someone said above, the guys in the transfer portal aren't exactly "game changers". If they were, they would have declared for the draft.

2017 was sort of a rough regular season but that's the last time I've felt comfortable going into a tournament because of the talent. I felt like we could be beat but I always felt like we've had the upperhand. That was the last time we had a roster with alphas. Since then, we've had rosters full of Betas. And I've felt like we could win but was not fully comfortable about it.Betas are good if you're the underdog hoping to be able to scrap bye and barely make it, but Alpha's

PJ was an alpha.

 

[Untouchables40]

PJ was an alpha.

He was as close to one as we've had in a while. One thing that PJ did a lot that bothered me and I thought was silly, was his flex and mean mug when he got an "And 1". It was fun and cool when it happened when we were winning, but he did it a lot when we were getting hosed. To me, you have no right to show off or taunt unless you're showing up the other team.

 

[RalphDaltonFan]

It's CBB, it only takes 2/3 players to change things dramatically. As bad as the record was this year--this team was in almost every loss in the last 4 mins. Get a few better players and you win 3/4 of those games. Get some killers and you win 90-95% of them.

Key to offseason for me is staff shake up with upgrades for the dead weight. Amazing how better players tend to come into the program when you have hungry and relentless recruiters who can also aid in player development and relating to the players off the court.

 

[NavyCat88]

I don't see the TEAM being great next year because we're only at the beginning of a process change that most on the board believe needs to happen to be an improved PROGRAM in the out-years.

As far as next year: Improved? Probably. FF quality? No. Regardless, several questions to be answered:
1. Plow-horses--Good but-not-yet-great players: Will Cal be able to retain a few players for long-term development to provide continuity/upperclass maturity in the coming years? This doesn't provide a big difference maker next year, but it is the start of a shift in recruiting/retention philosophy that could pay off in 2022 and beyond, and we have to start sometime.
2. Thoroughbred players--OAD quality: Can Cal still get elite talent on the recruiting trail (to balance out the plow horses), develop into competent players in 8-months time, and provide match-up problems for good teams in the SECT & NCAAT?
3. Changing the mix--a new hybrid model: Does cal have the ability and the desire to actually change his recruiting/retention strategy to strike the balance between plow-horse and thoroughbred players? It is more than just saying 'you can stay" to McDonalds AA's who are here for a one-year touch-&-go NBA showcase. He has to "sell" UK to a couple of players/year who need 3-4 years of development to "maybe" catch the eyes of NBA scouts....otherwise they will NEED the UK college degree to make their way in the world professionally.
4. Changing the coach in practice and games: The new philosophy and player mix will require Cal to operate differently. It will be harder work for Cal to placate the OAD types with enough floor time to get to draft day in just one year in addition to getting the future senior leadership enough live-game reps & sets to develop them over time. His offense will have to be a little less reliant on a "isolate-and-beat-your-man-with-better-talent" model because he isn't getting as many thoroughbred-level players anymore, and he now has to simultaneously develop plow horses.

If he cannot/will not make these types of near-term changes to his long-term philosophy, then we'll continue to be perpetually "young" again.....subject to "the process" and you can "call me when we're 9-25."

GBB!

 

[qwesley]

If you play two bigs, neither of which can step outside, like it looks like it will be then you better have 3 perimeter guys than can shoot and drive or there will be lots of rock fights.

 

[natchezrule]

23 wins

Sounds like you’re predicting “10 loss Cal”

 

[kyjeff1]

It's CBB, it only takes 2/3 players to change things dramatically. As bad as the record was this year--this team was in almost every loss in the last 4 mins. Get a few better players and you win 3/4 of those games. Get some killers and you win 90-95% of them.

Key to offseason for me is staff shake up with upgrades for the dead weight. Amazing how better players tend to come into the program when you have hungry and relentless recruiters who can also aid in player development and relating to the players off the court.

If this team had a typical Cal pg, it's a 2 seed right now, especially if Cal stayed with the wide open offense he was running the second hslf of the season.

Next year is too important after this debacle, for Cal to roll the dice on another 4* high school kid at the pg position. He needs to get Hardy (who really isn't a pg, but could be) or someone like a Scotty Pippen. No more lower ranked hs kids running the team.

 

[TFCat11]

Cal is no longer getting the talent to hide his major coaching and system flaws. Almost ANY other coach in D1 would have had 20 wins with this team, easily.

Cal is using the same sales pitch on the second tier guys, and that’s why things are getting ugly. For example, this entire team should return, but we all know they won’t!

**** has gotten old quick!

 

[so_obvious]

Would love to see Pippen Jr. as our main guard next year.

 

[LineSkiCat14]

I think we'll be a good team next year, maybe great.. but we won't be elite, nor will we be bad.

But that kind of worries me. I dont think we will swing far in any one direction that says either "Cal needs to go" or "this was a one time thing". And its going to continue to divide the fanbase.

I'm gonna guess we'll be hovering around the top25, but we'll lose some games we shouldn't, we'll be a step back from the elite teams, and our ceiling will probably be another Elite 8.

We really need some player or recruit to really come in and dominate..