Word around campus

[Cats192]

I question how much a former player knows, vs is just making educated guesses like the rest of us.

I think Hagans, Maxey, Richards, Sestina are all gone.
I think Brooks, Juzang, EJ, Allen are all coming back.

Quickley is the wild card. I think he wants to be gone. He may be playing well enough to go into the 2nd round.
But I think he'll be in a situation to lead the team next year. He may be our best player. I think he'll start at PG.

I realize we've got some really good guys coming in next year--the level of which we haven't had in a few years. But freshman all have varying degrees of struggles. Quickley is a proven scorer and shooter at this level. We know what he can do. He'll build on that going into next year.

I would think his best shot at success in the NBA is as a PG. I think he gets that chance to show what he can do as a starting PG next year. And I think that may really help his draft stock.

But Ryan Lemmond on KSR keeps saying he's gone. I was taking that with a grain of salt. However, he was also saying confidently that Whitney would transfer. And here we are.

 

[catsfanbgky]

If I'm a general manager I have to see more from Maxey, off the charts athleticism is there but his judgment leaves a lot to be desired.

I really do not see the off the charts athleticism. He is a OK athlete, but not all world. He is known as a shooter, I haven't seen that in a while. Kid needs to slow down a bit, relax and let the game come to him. I honestly feel at times he is trying way too hard to impress scouts. Great kid, but it is like some points in games he is using it as a NBA try out. he tries to do too much and makes the wrong decision. Cal needs to rein him back in, let him just make the simple play, and for god sake, take the open jumper instead of driving it into a crowd and trying a circus shot, or impossible pass. He definitely is NOT making winning basketball plays.

 

[know1]

I think 5 or 6 are gone after this year (counting Whitney).

 

[STL_Cat]

That’s the word around Franklin, TN too!

 

[JonathanW_rivals]

Montgomery isn't coming back. Hell, he barely came back for this year.

Where is he going then?

I don’t think he could make a D-league team right now, much less get drafted. Nor many overseas teams.
Does he really want to sit out a year?
And Nick’s progress this year has to give him more hope than PJ’s last year

 

[JC CATS]

Montgomery isn't coming back. Hell, he barely came back for this year.

I could see EJ, after watching Nick, come back for a breakout year

 

[JC CATS]

So, you believe that EJ can graduate in just the two years in Lexington? Please be right, I want to show my kids it can be done.

Lol, you want to get out of paying for 2 years of college. EJ can probably do it, he hasn't been too busy lol

 

[HoldMyBeer]

Quickley ain’t a second round pick in mocks -Maxey may drop to a 2 and be replaced by Pritchard - Tre Jones or Markus Howard
I believe EJ leaves regardless - May go play for Ga Tech as a grad transfer

Lol. Yea ok buddy.

 

[Panthur]

I would trust this coming from a former player (men’s basketball player?) if it wasn’t packaged as “word around campus.”

People around campus don’t know ish. All the stupidest rumors float around there, and every one is more dangerous because the people spreading it and hearing it think they are automatically in the know because they are on campus. It’s even worse among the professors.

If your buddy actually got this from a current player, assistant coach, or at least a custodian at Wildcat Lodge I’ll give it some credence, whether it seems obvious or not.

Otherwise, I’m assuming it really is just the “word around campus” which means it has way less value than anything one of our average posters happens to pull out of his ***.

 

[HoldMyBeer]

If you are looking at mocks to find where our guys are going it is fools errand especially with guys like Quickley and Richards who just came on this season. You will start to see them where they belong basically after the season is over as most of the mock sites just move around the guys they already had on their mocks until after the season.

And EJ is not leaving unless he goes pro . He can't be a grad transfer as zero way he graduates after 2 years . LOL

The only 2 year grad transfer I've ever heard of was Cam Johnson (pitt/UNC), he was widely known as a scholar who had academic offers from ivy league schools. EJ does not strike me as that.

 

[JAC71]

One thing EJ has done well is when he goes to bock a shot, he keeps his arms straight up and forms that wall that you hear commentators mention from time to time.

 

[jrpross_rivals]

Montgomery isn't coming back. Hell, he barely came back for this year.

Nicks monster junior season could be having an impact on him though. He may see himself in that role as a junior.

 

[Mojocat_rivals48469]

That’s the word around Franklin, TN too!

Wait a minute - I thought you were St. Louis Cat. If you're really Nashville Cat, I have to make some mental adjustments. Not that I'll remember this in 2 days, anyway. heh.

 

[The Big Bluebowski]

Where is he going then?

I don’t think he could make a D-league team right now, much less get drafted. Nor many overseas teams.
Does he really want to sit out a year?
And Nick’s progress this year has to give him more hope than PJ’s last year

To the draft. Some team will take a risk on him. You can't teach 6'11, good length and athleticism. I've seen worse get drafted in the first rd. Does not mean he will.be successful, but he almost left last summer and decided to stay last minute. I don't see any reason to believe he is coming back again. As good as Nick is playing, he is still only projected mid 2nd rd. I don't think EJ will stick around another year if he thinks he can get 2nd rd now.

 

[The Big Bluebowski]

Nicks monster junior season could be having an impact on him though. He may see himself in that role as a junior.

Nick is doing great, but he is still only a mid 2nd rd projection. I doubt EJ comes back for that when he almost left this past year for similar.

 

[STL_Cat]

Wait a minute - I thought you were St. Louis Cat. If you're really Nashville Cat, I have to make some mental adjustments. Not that I'll remember this in 2 days, anyway. heh.

Originally from STL ... grew up in KY ... and now in TN. Good luck remembering!

 

[The Big Bluebowski]

I could see EJ, after watching Nick, come back for a breakout year

Depends on how he looks at it. Currently, as good ad Nick has been all year, he is still only projected mid 2nd rd. Does EJ want to come back for a 3rd year to be in the same spot. Considering EJ anticipated being one and done, which Nick never really did, I would say the answer is no. Hopefully I am wrong.

 

[BoulderCat_rivals187983]

I hope EJ is looking at what’s happening with Nick, comes back, keeps believing in himself, his teammates and coaches, and has a monster junior year at UK.

 

[STL_Cat]

If Nick keeps up this pace, there’s just no way he stays projected mid 2nd round. No way.

 

[GonzoCat90]

No one knows. You're just hearing what someone believes.

 

[NCPurplecat]

Maxey is top six on some NBA draft boards but yesterday he was not top 6 on the court in one single venue. I think he goes pro as the guys coming in may be even better. Flush the MSU best game which the scouts saw and TT game that was poor and Maxey is a sold player who will show his NBA talent down the stretch. Announcers have called it that if Maxey Quick and Hagans become the three headed monster in the back court UK can make a deep tourney run. Hope IQ returns but he keeps going for 20 like yesterday and he will go.

 

[westerncat]

Nicks monster junior season could be having an impact on him though. He may see himself in that role as a junior.

I think you may be correct. It would not surprise me to see him come back for a 3rd year. Nothing surprises me anymore.

 

[lz]

I heard this from a former player. Take FWIW. Not that it is too difficult to figure out now, but different from what everyone thought a month ago. Montgomery, Brooks, Allen, Juzang back at UK next year. Hagans, Maxey, Richards get drafted bottom half of 1st round. Quickley goes in 2nd round. Calipari signs a big or 2 in the spring. Or could take a summer transfer.

You’re a good poster, thanks for sharing regardless if the former player is 100% correct!

 

[rodserling]

Does Whitney still go in the lottery? His AAU coach says yes.:sunglasses:

 

[BigKari]

I lived in Lex for a year, and quickly learned that word around campus was literally never true.

 

[cats#1again]

Hagans, Maxey and Nick gone.

Would love for IQ to come back.

Hopefully no more transfers.

IQ is the best player on our team. Has been since the first few practices. His consistent shooting will be what carries us

 

[Tapemaster8]

Quickley ain’t a second round pick in mocks -Maxey may drop to a 2 and be replaced by Pritchard - Tre Jones or Markus Howard
I believe EJ leaves regardless - May go play for Ga Tech as a grad transfer

He is surely not going to graduate in two years. We aren’t Duke!

 

[TurnipDaBeet]

Quick gone will be a first rounder

 

[kyblue'92]

Wow they already getting started on these type posts in January.

 

[saxonburgcat]

Quickley ain’t a second round pick in mocks -Maxey may drop to a 2 and be replaced by Pritchard - Tre Jones or Markus Howard
I believe EJ leaves regardless - May go play for Ga Tech as a grad transfer

EJ can't do that. He didn't go to a diploma mill like UNC.

 

[ala_kat2]

Some on here are saying Quickley could come back and be our point guard next year. In my opinion, Quickley is not cut out to be a point guard in college. He’s a good shooter, but I don’t think he has the tools to be an assist man, which is what we need in a point guard.

 

[Rideordiewildcat]

I love Quick but I don't see him going to NBA without showing more at the point . He is an amazing college two guard . How many average athletic two guards are 6'3" in the NBA ? There are some But not many .

Quick needs to come back and run the team next year. If he continues to improve on an already really good Sophomore season it could be the difference from working his way into the bottom of the first round or going in the middle to bottom of the second round if he gets drafted. He could be one of those fringe players just projected to be the last 5-6 picks which are way too risky. Ashton's path doesn't have to be his path. Cal has never had an MCD AA PG come back but it would be an amazing thing for UK and for Quickly I think. If he leads all that talent next year and improves, even more, it will breed success with his name which usually goes hand in hand with the league.

This is the first year he has looked to have NBA potential. There's still a lot of time left and if he just goes off the rest of the way it might be enough to go, but I think one more year for him would do wonders. Right now he is our go-to guy, but next year he could be the team leader running the show.

 

[cats#1again]

Quickly has more athletic ability than some give credit for. He does the same exact thing Herro did last season only he's about 1.5 inches shorter.

 

[namnik]

I heard this from a former player. Take FWIW. Not that it is too difficult to figure out now, but different from what everyone thought a month ago. Montgomery, Brooks, Allen, Juzang back at UK next year. Hagans, Maxey, Richards get drafted bottom half of 1st round. Quickley goes in 2nd round. Calipari signs a big or 2 in the spring. Or could take a summer transfer.

Not sarcasm or ugliness, but Daddy Brooks did not send his son to UK to not be 1 and done. He NEEDS to come back, but Dad makes the decisions.

 

[UKWildcatT]

Quickley ain’t a second round pick in mocks -Maxey may drop to a 2 and be replaced by Pritchard - Tre Jones or Markus Howard
I believe EJ leaves regardless - May go play for Ga Tech as a grad transfer

a grad transfer?! Lol. He’s a sophomore. Unless he’s taking ten times as many classes the past two seasons...come on.

 

[UKWildcatT]

Note: there’s no word going around campus. It’s people on message boards stating their opinion with no reliable information, but try to make it seem like they have “sources”.

 

[hotelblue]

I was told Montgomery will come back 1 more time because it will be the difference between getting drafted or not getting drafted. He has a good relationship with the coaches. Has improved a lot defensively. Just needs to keep working on his offensive game. Not there yet.

his effort has been fine recently. he needs better conditioning. pj came back with no baby fat and was running the floor etc. ej needs the same. maybe too late for this season but going forward.

 

[Jmeeks54thebest]

Why would EJ leave? For some reason he’s gotten to start all year despite his level of play. Add to that him witnessing what Richards has done with his 3rd year. I seriously doubt he leaves. I think IQ is far more likely.

 

[JASUN74]

I heard this from a former player. Take FWIW. Not that it is too difficult to figure out now, but different from what everyone thought a month ago. Montgomery, Brooks, Allen, Juzang back at UK next year. Hagans, Maxey, Richards get drafted bottom half of 1st round. Quickley goes in 2nd round. Calipari signs a big or 2 in the spring. Or could take a summer transfer.

I don’t doubt you heard this if you say you did, but former player or not, he wouldn’t have no more of a clue where these guys would get drafted anymore than you or I.

Also, even if he’s with them every day, he has no more of a clue what anyone will do at the end of the year than they do at this point! It’s all just a guess of what they would do today (if it was time to decide), even it it came straight out of their own mouth right now. What I mean is there’s a lot of time to change the future and a big run, a hot shooting streak, an injury or a complete turnaround from one of them and they end up doing something totally different than they would on January 26 or 27!!

Still, I, and I’m sure all here certainly always appreciate information from someone who’s close to the program or has heard from a good source. Thanks for sharing what you heard, but again, these kids make up their minds ten times a day and unless they’re guaranteed a first round pick, I wouldn’t put too much stock into something like that. Thanks again bud. Go Cats!!

 

[JASUN74]

I was told Montgomery will come back 1 more time because it will be the difference between getting drafted or not getting drafted. He has a good relationship with the coaches. Has improved a lot defensively. Just needs to keep working on his offensive game. Not there yet.

He’s going to have to quit jumping on every single shot fake if he wants to keep all his minutes on this team this year, let alone moving on! He’s either going to say in foul trouble or Brooks or Johnny will start taking some of it. I hope he does because he can really help us by just playing good defense, but I swear he jumps every time they raise their heads. Lol.

EJ is the one that needs to pick it up just a little if we’re going to end this season where we want to! He 100% can do it because we’ve all saw his potential when he plays aggressive, he just has to play that way in every game and we’ll be a hard out. I really do believe in him and hope he can keep gaining some confidence, if so, both he and the team can be awesome. Go Cats