Recruiting Question

[JC CATS]

According to Rivals' rankings, the #2 recruit is picking Georgia over UK, the #3 recruit picked Memphis over UK, the #5 recruit picked Washington over UK and others, the #6 recruit is picking between UK and Washington, the #13 recruit picked Florida over UK, the #22 recruit picked WVU over UK, and the #27 recruit is deciding between IU and UK.

Georgia is 10-12 and 12th in the SEC.
Memphis is 13-10 and 6th in the American Athletic Conference
Florida is 12-10 and 10th in the SEC
WVU is 10-13 and last in the Big12
IU is 12-10 and 9th in the Big10
At least Washington is 19-4 and in first in the Pac12, but the Pac12 is terrible and nobody cares about Washington on a national scale.

My question is, what gives? I know that a lot of these decisions have come down to having a longer relationship with the coaches or wanting to stay close to home, but are those factors really so important that it allows these players to rationalize playing their one year of college for a bad team? Potentially half (or more than half if Cole Anthony doesn't go to UNC) of the top 6 freshmen next year will be completely irrelevant in college basketball. It just seems really weird to me.

Is Washington preparing them for the NBA? Fultz, Tony Wroten, Terrence Ross, Thomas. None of them are tering it up in the league.

 

[Rideordiewildcat]

Simmons proved you no longer even have to make the tournament to get drafted 1st.
Fultz as well.
Porter and Vanderbilt proved that you only have to play a handful amount of games to get drafted.
Trey young proved that you can play aau ball and lose to still be a top 5 pick.
Nba is destroying college basketball as we know it, with other leagues, overseas money we are having a talent drain.
As long as the NBA 'penalizes' student athletes for remaining in school, we will see further denigration of the sport we all love

I get that stuff has been proven. So why go to college then?

 

[Poetax]

According to Rivals' rankings, the #2 recruit is picking Georgia over UK, the #3 recruit picked Memphis over UK, the #5 recruit picked Washington over UK and others, the #6 recruit is picking between UK and Washington, the #13 recruit picked Florida over UK, the #22 recruit picked WVU over UK, and the #27 recruit is deciding between IU and UK.

Georgia is 10-12 and 12th in the SEC.
Memphis is 13-10 and 6th in the American Athletic Conference
Florida is 12-10 and 10th in the SEC
WVU is 10-13 and last in the Big12
IU is 12-10 and 9th in the Big10
At least Washington is 19-4 and in first in the Pac12, but the Pac12 is terrible and nobody cares about Washington on a national scale.

My question is, what gives? I know that a lot of these decisions have come down to having a longer relationship with the coaches or wanting to stay close to home, but are those factors really so important that it allows these players to rationalize playing their one year of college for a bad team? Potentially half (or more than half if Cole Anthony doesn't go to UNC) of the top 6 freshmen next year will be completely irrelevant in college basketball. It just seems really weird to me.

It would be more interesting to really see WHO was favored to get these kids. Besides the Memphis kid, I'm not sure if the others ever had us at the top of the board but I could be wrong.

 

[FrankUnderwood]

We still get them. Whitney is the nations #1 SF and considered a top 5-10 pick in next year's draft . Maxey is a top 2 pg and top 20 pick in next year's draft. Allen is the best in state player in a few years. Mcdaniels , who we will get , is a top 5 player and top 5 pick in next year's draft.

Last season we got KJ , EJ and Hagans all top 10 recruits. Herro was hugely underrated at 30 or so. We got the best grad transfer in the country.

Nothing has changed . UK is not for everyone . If you want to win a lot and play with a ton of other great players go to UK , Duke , KU , UNC ect

If you want to be the big fish in a small pond do what Wiseman and others did . You won't win much and you won't be prepared for the NBA BUT you will still get drafted high.

Some of yall act like recruiting classes are supposed to be 15 man classes LOL. Every year you will recruit about 15 players tops and miss on 75% of them. Just get the guys you need and Cal has done that every year . He can't control if kids are stupid or if a certain year is weak in an area .

Does anyone really want to bet me Cal won't sign the #1 or # 2 class when it is all said and done? He never not has at UK.

Curious , genuinely... which draft boards have KW going top 5 next year?

 

[yoshukai]

We still get them. Whitney is the nations #1 SF and considered a top 5-10 pick in next year's draft . Maxey is a top 2 pg and top 20 pick in next year's draft. Allen is the best in state player in a few years. Mcdaniels , who we will get , is a top 5 player and top 5 pick in next year's draft.

Last season we got KJ , EJ and Hagans all top 10 recruits. Herro was hugely underrated at 30 or so. We got the best grad transfer in the country.

Nothing has changed . UK is not for everyone . If you want to win a lot and play with a ton of other great players go to UK , Duke , KU , UNC ect

If you want to be the big fish in a small pond do what Wiseman and others did . You won't win much and you won't be prepared for the NBA BUT you will still get drafted high.

Some of yall act like recruiting classes are supposed to be 15 man classes LOL. Every year you will recruit about 15 players tops and miss on 75% of them. Just get the guys you need and Cal has done that every year . He can't control if kids are stupid or if a certain year is weak in an area .

Does anyone really want to bet me Cal won't sign the #1 or # 2 class when it is all said and done? He never not has at UK.

So I guess we can count on Mcdaniels cause you say so . Give it a break man , you guaranteed Wiseman for the last two years, and you do it every year. Don’t you ever learn.

 

[mjj_2K]

I get that stuff has been proven. So why go to college then?

Because they don't have a better option. They wouldn't if they didn't have to.

The reality is that a lot of 5 star recruits don't want to be in college at all. And some of them are going to use their year in college for something other than "big stage and best possible team I can join".

I get that feeling with Edwards. As of 6 months ago, he wasn't even supposed to be in college until 2020. But the NBA has enough interest in him that he accelerated that timeline, and then decided he'd like to spend his last pre-NBA season close to his family.

I think some of these players are now looking at college as more of a 5th year of HS than anything else. That's kind of what the system encourages. You'll still have guys who want the biggest stage and a good chance to challenge for a title, but that's not what's motivating all of them.

 

[JC43]

I get that stuff has been proven. So why go to college then?

OAD rule, age minimum for nba that's why

 

[JASUN74]

With the best Coach in College Basketball, it doesn’t matter who we get as long as they’re good enough, they want to be at Kentucky, they’re ready to go to work, and Cal wants them.

Op, I really do understand what you’re saying, and it is confusing why the top five kids aren’t lined up begging for a chance to come here, but in the end, the ones who do end up in Blue and White are the ones that will reap the rewards and be better off. I don’t know if the kids who don’t come here have
Regrets about it, but I have to think at some point they will definitely wonder what could have been if they would’ve.

Now I’m not saying Coach John Calipari could take me, you, big Kev, BBUK AND HERROS HEREO, and go to the elite eight, I’m not saying he couldn’t either! Hahahahaha. Lol.

 

[Rideordiewildcat]

OAD rule, age minimum for nba that's why

Over Seas pays money last time I checked. If you don't care about winning why not get paid?

 

[Rideordiewildcat]

With the best Coach in College Basketball, it doesn’t matter who we get as long as they’re good enough, they want to be at Kentucky, they’re ready to go to work, and Cal wants them.

Op, I really do understand what you’re saying, and it is confusing why the top five kids aren’t lined up begging for a chance to come here, but in the end, the ones who do end up in Blue and White are the ones that will reap the rewards and be better off. I don’t know if the kids who don’t come here have
Regrets about it, but I have to think at some point they will definitely wonder what could have been if they would’ve.

Now I’m not saying Coach John Calipari could take me, you, big Kev, BBUK AND HERROS HEREO, and go to the elite eight, I’m not saying he couldn’t either! Hahahahaha. Lol.

Regrets=Bolden?

 

[JC43]

Over Seas pays money last time I checked. If you don't care about winning why not get paid?

Playing overseas sucks. Higher chances for injury...getting visas, the payrate is crap, language barrier

 

[Blue Decade]

According to Rivals' rankings, the #2 recruit is picking Georgia over UK, the #3 recruit picked Memphis over UK, the #5 recruit picked Washington over UK and others, the #6 recruit is picking between UK and Washington, the #13 recruit picked Florida over UK, the #22 recruit picked WVU over UK, and the #27 recruit is deciding between IU and UK.

Georgia is 10-12 and 12th in the SEC.
Memphis is 13-10 and 6th in the American Athletic Conference
Florida is 12-10 and 10th in the SEC
WVU is 10-13 and last in the Big12
IU is 12-10 and 9th in the Big10
At least Washington is 19-4 and in first in the Pac12, but the Pac12 is terrible and nobody cares about Washington on a national scale.

My question is, what gives? I know that a lot of these decisions have come down to having a longer relationship with the coaches or wanting to stay close to home, but are those factors really so important that it allows these players to rationalize playing their one year of college for a bad team? Potentially half (or more than half if Cole Anthony doesn't go to UNC) of the top 6 freshmen next year will be completely irrelevant in college basketball. It just seems really weird to me.

"What gives" is that this is a free country.

 

[JASUN74]

Regrets=Bolden?

Got to think he would have progressed more than he has. He really does have some potential and could help a team in need of a big guy. He still may be a minimum contact kind of journeyman. I don’t think we’re going to be hearing much more out of him though and it’s a shame. All his fault though. Like all kids, I wish him luck in his future, but if a future in basketball was his desire, he made a bad decision picking anywhere else over Kentucky. My opinion of course, but in his case, I do believe he could’ve been twice the player he is now. Thanks Rideordie!!

 

[mjj_2K]

Got to think he would have progressed more than he has. He really does have some potential and could help a team in need of a big guy. He still may be a minimum contact kind of journeyman. I don’t think we’re going to be hearing much more out of him though and it’s a shame. All his fault though. Like all kids, I wish him luck in his future, but if a future in basketball was his desire, he made a bad decision picking anywhere else over Kentucky. My opinion of course, but in his case, I do believe he could’ve been twice the player he is now. Thanks Rideordie!!

The guy that UK fans should regret missing in the 16 class isn't Bolden. It's Jarrett Allen.

Allen is looking like a world-class defender/rebounder, and he's a big part of why the Nets are suddenly an exciting young team challenging for the playoffs- pretty much the East Coast version of the Kings.

Bolden might get some run in the NBA as a backup big, because he's 6'10-6'11 and solidly built, but that's it. He doesn't have the athleticism or instincts to be any more than that.

 

[JASUN74]

The guy that UK fans should regret missing in the 16 class isn't Bolden. It's Jarrett Allen.

Allen is looking like a world-class defender/rebounder, and he's a big part of why the Nets are suddenly an exciting young team challenging for the playoffs- pretty much the East Coast version of the Kings.

Bolden might get some run in the NBA as a backup big, because he's 6'10-6'11 and solidly built, but that's it. He doesn't have the athleticism or instincts to be any more than that.

I agree 100% with everything you just wrote. Lol. I was just talking about who may one day regret not coming to Ky. I don’t think ALLEN will, but I sure did like him and wanted him in the Blue and White over Bolden all day long.

 

[mjj_2K]

I agree 100% with everything you just wrote. Lol. I was just talking about who may one day regret not coming to Ky. I don’t think ALLEN will, but I sure did like him and wanted him in the Blue and White over Bolden all day long.

Yeah, I guess you can look at it more as who would have benefited from coming to UK, as opposed to who UK would've rather had, and in that case, you can make an argument that Bolden would have been helped by Cal at UK, whereas Allen is simply too good for it to matter much.

Bolden at UK certainly would have been encouraged to become a more active defender, and wouldn't have spent a year playing zone, so maybe that would have helped. In general, though, I think he was just overrated, mainly because he looks like he should be a stud.

 

[JASUN74]

Yeah, I guess you can look at it more as who would have benefited from coming to UK, as opposed to who UK would've rather had, and in that case, you can make an argument that Bolden would have been helped by Cal at UK, whereas Allen is simply too good for it to matter much.

Bolden at UK certainly would have been encouraged to become a more active defender, and wouldn't have spent a year playing zone, so maybe that would have helped. In general, though, I think he was just overrated, mainly because he looks like he should be a stud.

Yeah I think the Zone is really going to hurt his chances at making a lot of money. He’s has some good length and is a decent athlete. I do believe Cal could’ve worked wonders with him in his system and prepared him well for the League. He still will get his chance like you say because you can’t teach size, but he’s really behind now and will have to work very hard to learn how to play good man to man defense, or he’ll be in the gleauge or overseas.

 

[VikingCat21]

"What gives" is that this is a free country.

Great insight. Thanks for the input.

 

[Rideordiewildcat]

Playing overseas sucks. Higher chances for injury...getting visas, the payrate is crap, language barrier

Compared to GA, sounds ok.

 

[Rideordiewildcat]

Yeah, I guess you can look at it more as who would have benefited from coming to UK, as opposed to who UK would've rather had, and in that case, you can make an argument that Bolden would have been helped by Cal at UK, whereas Allen is simply too good for it to matter much.

Bolden at UK certainly would have been encouraged to become a more active defender, and wouldn't have spent a year playing zone, so maybe that would have helped. In general, though, I think he was just overrated, mainly because he looks like he should be a stud.

Exactly Allen was going to be good anywhere he went. Bolden, on the other hand, was talked about like a possible OAD so I doubt he ever thought he would be a senior in college