Team that finished the game

revcort

Heisman
Feb 20, 2003
32,522
30,904
113
Could have been our starting line-up this season...

PG Mintz
SG Allen
SF Hopkins
PF Collins
C Ware

If not for the transfer portal bringing us Wheeler, Grady, and Tshiebwe. The return of Brooks and Toppin and the late signing of TyTy Washington.
 

MdWIldcat55

Heisman
Dec 9, 2007
21,526
86,561
113
Ideally Allen, Hopkins, Collins and Ware form the core of returning players for next year, to go along with the new guys
No, ideally Oscar and Wheeler and those guys form the core of returning players to go along with the new guys. Whether ideally and realistically are the same is becoming more doubtful as Oscar enters the conversation for POY...
 

BigBlueFan19

All-Conference
Apr 16, 2018
2,039
2,907
0
No, ideally Oscar and Wheeler and those guys form the core of returning players to go along with the new guys. Whether ideally and realistically are the same is becoming more doubtful as Oscar enters the conversation for POY...

I know Oscar is lacking in size for his position, but it’s hard for me to imagine that there isn’t a place for him in the NBA. Look at Kenneth Faried for an example. He’s had a pretty good NBA career and both of them have right around the same skill set at this point in their career with Oscar probably being a little better.
 

saxonburgcat

All-Conference
Aug 22, 2012
4,437
4,151
0
Could have been our starting line-up this season...

PG Mintz
SG Allen
SF Hopkins
PF Collins
C Ware

If not for the transfer portal bringing us Wheeler, Grady, and Tshiebwe. The return of Brooks and Toppin and the late signing of TyTy Washington.

Of those players, I do see a LOT of upside for Colliins and Hopkins. The rest are role players, IMO.
 
Aug 6, 2008
16,458
33,986
0
I know Oscar is lacking in size for his position, but it’s hard for me to imagine that there isn’t a place for him in the NBA. Look at Kenneth Faried for an example. He’s had a pretty good NBA career and both of them have right around the same skill set at this point in their career with Oscar probably being a little better.
Nba Game as changed a lot in the last 10 years. Guys like the Manimal didn’t evolve so they’re out. Everyone shoots the 3 now
 

Jamal Mercer

Heisman
Feb 7, 2008
10,805
23,537
0
I know Oscar is lacking in size for his position, but it’s hard for me to imagine that there isn’t a place for him in the NBA. Look at Kenneth Faried for an example. He’s had a pretty good NBA career and both of them have right around the same skill set at this point in their career with Oscar probably being a little better.
I’d say if there was ever a situation that a really good college player at UK would stay until he graduated, it would be Oscar. I just don’t see any type of future for him in the NBA. And he is loving life right now as a rock star at Kentucky.
 
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LineSkiCat14

Heisman
Aug 5, 2015
39,464
62,119
113
I think Oscar will find a place in the NBA, and POY types almost always get grabbed by someone. An NBA team could use Oscar as their 2nd unit big man for energy and solid rebounding, and still not have to pay him much. I'd definitely take that chance with like the 40th pick.

Wheeler on the other hand, just a bit too small it seems. 5'9 guards in the NBA need to have almost zero flaws to make it. And I dont think he's NBA fast. What is Wheelers eligibility standing? Because I don't see the NBA going for him.
 
Dec 30, 2002
10,641
20,618
0
Could have been our starting line-up this season...

PG Mintz
SG Allen
SF Hopkins
PF Collins
C Ware

If not for the transfer portal bringing us Wheeler, Grady, and Tshiebwe. The return of Brooks and Toppin and the late signing of TyTy Washington.
And the THOUGHT of THAT roster is what had many of the "seasoned" fans about to freak out.

I will believe until the day I die that Covid and the Transfer Portal saved Cal and UK basketball from a devastating nosedive that would have taken several years to recover from......
 

UKWildcats1987

Heisman
Sep 9, 2021
20,153
35,566
113
I think Oscar will find a place in the NBA, and POY types almost always get grabbed by someone. An NBA team could use Oscar as their 2nd unit big man for energy and solid rebounding, and still not have to pay him much. I'd definitely take that chance with like the 40th pick.

Wheeler on the other hand, just a bit too small it seems. 5'9 guards in the NBA need to have almost zero flaws to make it. And I dont think he's NBA fast. What is Wheelers eligibility standing? Because I don't see the NBA going for him.

Wheeler can come back next year but this another classic case of the player would come back to any other school but UK type deal I am afraid. Hell, we have seen it many times and we saw it with another talented short PG in Ulis. People on here love Ulis, but he had no business leaving after 2 years.

I know he played a couple seasons with the Suns, but that was never going to last. I think with NIL now perhaps we can purchase another season from Wheeler? One can hope lol.
 

mebeblue2

Heisman
Dec 20, 2009
98,152
10,574
0
And the THOUGHT of THAT roster is what had many of the "seasoned" fans about to freak out.

I will believe until the day I die that Covid and the Transfer Portal saved Cal and UK basketball from a devastating nosedive that would have taken several years to recover from......
Covid may have cost us #9
at the end of the year we were one of if not the best team(s) in the country
without a doubt the hottest team going into the NCAAT
 

Yardeth

Heisman
Jan 2, 2007
13,504
17,787
67
And the THOUGHT of THAT roster is what had many of the "seasoned" fans about to freak out.

I will believe until the day I die that Covid and the Transfer Portal saved Cal and UK basketball from a devastating nosedive that would have taken several years to recover from......
Not freak out but get that feeling in your stomach where you think you are going to throw up! Throw up 🤮 it would have been.
 
Dec 30, 2002
10,641
20,618
0
Covid may have cost us #9
at the end of the year we were one of if not the best team(s) in the country
without a doubt the hottest team going into the NCAAT
I hope you don't mean last year's team.

That is possible for 2020, but unlikely due to the Hagans issue. But without Covid you would not have had the free transfer rule and extra year of eligibility granted to every player.

That would mean that none of the current transfers would have been eligible to play this year.

Think no Oscar, no Wheeler, no Kellen Grady......
and tell me where this team would be.
 
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KMKAT

All-Conference
Sep 17, 2003
94,731
2,957
50
Covid may have cost us #9
at the end of the year we were one of if not the best team(s) in the country
without a doubt the hottest team going into the NCAAT
Only going to disagree because Cal has also brought teams to the tournament that struggled in one game and that's enough for elimination. See K-State/Auburn as the perfect examples.
 

KMKAT

All-Conference
Sep 17, 2003
94,731
2,957
50
Covid may have cost us #9
at the end of the year we were one of if not the best team(s) in the country
without a doubt the hottest team going into the NCAAT
Only going to disagree because Cal has also brought teams to the tournament that struggled in one game and that's enough for elimination. See K-State/Auburn as the perfect examples.
 

SandyBell'sFaxMachine

All-Conference
Dec 3, 2020
1,520
2,442
113
I hope you don't mean last year's team.

That is possible for 2020, but unlikely due to the Hagans issue. But without Covid you would not have had the free transfer rule and extra year of eligibility granted to every player.

That would mean that none of the current transfers would have been eligible to play this year.

Think no Oscar, no Wheeler, no Kellen Grady......
and tell me where this team would be.
Oscar would still be here without covid... he transferred halfway through his 2nd season...
 
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Jul 9, 2004
93,075
38,060
0
Oscar is going to be going up against some really good competition on a consistent basis here soon. If he handles himself well I think we are looking at a guy who will be gone next season. However, if he struggles against NBA level big men I could see there being an avenue for him being back next year although if his family really needs the money he could leave and try to finish developing while making a pro contract.
 
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sluggercatfan

Heisman
Aug 17, 2004
35,953
29,631
0
Could have been our starting line-up this season...

PG Mintz
SG Allen
SF Hopkins
PF Collins
C Ware

If not for the transfer portal bringing us Wheeler, Grady, and Tshiebwe. The return of Brooks and Toppin and the late signing of TyTy Washington.
Now we are the school of the TPS...
 

BigBlueFan19

All-Conference
Apr 16, 2018
2,039
2,907
0
Nba Game as changed a lot in the last 10 years. Guys like the Manimal didn’t evolve so they’re out. Everyone shoots the 3 now

I agree but you always need someone to do the dirty work and rebound all those misses. I can’t name any other player who would be perfectly happy to just rebound the ball and not demand touches. You could literally pay him like 1-2 mil a year to be your 2nd unit big man and he would be perfectly happy! I keep hearing how undersized he is but there’s plenty of players his size at his position in the NBA. Not saying you said that, just saying.. lol
 

kywildcats8

All-Conference
Oct 1, 2019
1,235
1,565
0
With the transfer/portal rules now, if you don't like the players on your team just wait until tomorrow because you could have several come in/leave- crazy times now
 

BlueRunner11

Heisman
Mar 26, 2011
11,563
35,624
0
Wheeler can come back next year but this another classic case of the player would come back to any other school but UK type deal I am afraid. Hell, we have seen it many times and we saw it with another talented short PG in Ulis. People on here love Ulis, but he had no business leaving after 2 years.

I know he played a couple seasons with the Suns, but that was never going to last. I think with NIL now perhaps we can purchase another season from Wheeler? One can hope lol.

Think Ulis was going to grow any more in the next 2 years? What skill set was he lacking? His game was as good as can be at this level for what he had to work with plus he had reoccurring knee issues. Would’ve been hard to improve on his sophomore year. He did the right thing.
 

Cawood86_rivals

Heisman
Feb 20, 2005
36,711
64,715
0
Could have been our starting line-up this season...

PG Mintz
SG Allen
SF Hopkins
PF Collins
C Ware

If not for the transfer portal bringing us Wheeler, Grady, and Tshiebwe. The return of Brooks and Toppin and the late signing of TyTy Washington.
 
Dec 30, 2002
10,641
20,618
0
To whomever questioned what made me think Grady would not be here and eligible other than for Covid because he is a grad transfer......he had already used up his college eligibility at Davidson.....Covid gave him an extra year of eligibility.

Excerpt from news article.......

A four-year starter, Grady played in 115 games over the past four seasons for Davidson, averaging at least 17 points per game every year. In 22 games in 2020-21, he averaged 17.1 points and 4.6 rebounds and shot a career-best 38.2 percent from 3-point range.

"Grady played in one NCAA Tournament game in four years, and it came against Kentucky as a true freshman in 2017-18. He scored 16 points in the 78-73 loss.

The Boston native has one year of eligibility remaining after the NCAA gave an extra year of eligibility to all winter-sport athletes because of the COVID-19 pandemic. He’ll be immediately eligible for Kentucky."
 

Runt#1969

All-American
Dec 13, 2010
21,359
9,026
113
Good Catch there, ILWildcat. I knew there was something about that end game lineup that I was trying to figure out! It did seem to me there was something about it that ... disturbed me, but I couldn't put my finger on it!
 
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mebeblue2

Heisman
Dec 20, 2009
98,152
10,574
0
Only going to disagree because Cal has also brought teams to the tournament that struggled in one game and that's enough for elimination. See K-State/Auburn as the perfect examples.
that is what makes the NCAAT great and at times frustrating

a lot of teams have 1 bad game and it is over
look at VA losing to a 16 seed, had they not lost that game they may have won it all
 

Panthur

Heisman
Aug 5, 2008
9,225
12,782
0
I don’t think Brooks and Toppin are ultimately upgrades over Hopkins. It’s certainly better to have all three than only one. And having all three you can play the junior and the sophomore while you bring the freshman along more slowly. But Hopkins is still the one with the body and the full range of skills we need most at that position. His growth will determine our highest ceiling in terms of six games. Getting stuck with him alone would have been a trade-off: more trouble early and maybe more losses, but better chance he develops by year’s end.
 
Dec 30, 2002
10,641
20,618
0
UK has always had transfers, returning players and late signings. It didn't suddenly become legal in 2020-21. lol

Another thread discusses Kyle Macy and Derek Anderson, two of the best transfers in UK bb history.
No. But 2021 IS the first time that transfers were immediately eligible without having to sit out a whole year to become eligible. Big difference.
 
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