The thing I got out of this is a reminder that we should not be so quick to anoint these youngster as the next great star based on All-Star games and FIBA tourney games.
I started buying into the hype myself. "Washington is a beast" and "Diallo is unstoppable" and "Vanderbilt is amazing." I do it every year, we all do. After seeing them play like 18 year old kids today, it's time to dial back the expectations.
We will have a team where the top six are likely Freshmen. A team with 8 Freshmen and 3 Sophs. No Junior or Senior leaders. They will have games like Diallo and Washington had today. We will lose some games. Been saying 5-6 losses. I think that is a safe bet.
Now, I am not saying this team can not become a Final Four/Championship caliber team. I am just saying we need to temper our expectations for these individual guys and not think they are going to come in and dominate college basketball as Freshmen. There's no Davis, Towns, or Wall on this roster. They can become a monster TEAM, though, if things come together just right.
I am not worried at all about Cal or recruiting, though. I hate it for him personally, this might have blown his chances at ever being the USA Olympic team coach. But it will have very little effect on UK.