Yes or No on JQ

[BlueSince92]

Man. If he came back and we got Stokes. Branch and Holt. Plus a real stud 15 and 6 PG and some other pieces in the portal. lol. Best team in the country.

Stud PG transfer / Lowe / young transfer
Holt / Chandler / Jasper
Branch / Kam / Hawthorne / Noah
Stokes / Physical PF transfer
Quaintance / Moreno / Potter

That’s the best team in the country we could mix and match. Go big. Go small. We’d have shooters. Drivers. Rim protection. An unstoppable force in Stokes. That’s possibly 4 lotto picks. And we’d have Lowe. Then Chandler. Jasper. Kam who could play the 3 or 4. A transfer 4 and Moreno. Actually Moreno could be a lotto pick.

Would be amazing.

But would also be amazing if we got Holt OR Branch OR Stokes. So I'm not gonna start thinking we're getting Holt AND Branch AND Stokes just yet.

 

[RobEStacy]

I don't think he plays for UK again... And will be at a diffrent college next year. His dad pretty much made that clear. I don't think he comes back here to be a backup.... And if Monroe comes back... He is starting over JQ.

 

[GoAndRunIsGoneAndDone]

Why?
If he comes back at Arkansas, I won't care about him any more than I do Cal. We kicked their *** this year and will again next season

If he comes back healthy and signs with Arky and Cal, it could very well make Cal look like a genius at developing nba caliber players and just the opposite for UK and Pope. Not saying it's right or wrong, just the optics of it. FWIW, I think this happening is a real possibility with him.

 

[anon1777473514]

Saw nothing of JQ post-St. John's that indicates he, in his current state, is better than Moreno. Don't see a guy with his draft stock agreeing to return for spot minutes. Probably best for both sides if he has played his last minutes at Kentucky --- unless he has a major improvement in health.

 

[UKCowboys]

If he comes back healthy and signs with Arky and Cal, it could very well make Cal look like a genius at developing nba caliber players and just the opposite for UK and Pope. Not saying it's right or wrong, just the optics of it. FWIW, I think this happening is a real possibility with him.

And yet...

 

[moses1uk]

JQ and family have received the very bad news the last 2 weeks . His stock is dropping over a cliff . Now the league wants to know his knee is healthy before a high pick . Which means if he can he will play again if healthy he has no other choice but to play .

 

[davtay]

Hell if I was Pope I’d bring in a lot of injured players. They work? You’re a miracle worker. If they don’t? Hey “his best players are out what’s he supposed to do”?

I mean why give that up? Just shoot for all the injured players you can and ride it out to a lifetime contract. It worked for him this year. Due to injuries he’s done a great job. Even though 2 of those have been injured before, one of them seriously injured and he recruited them anyway. I’d just keep doing that.

C'mon Morg, you are better than that. You sound like Anon07 saying that Pope intentionally recruits less talented players so no one expects him to win.

Just a bad take.

 

[Wayne Dougan]

How does he compare in NBA potential to Johni Broome ... surprisingly, Broome got very little clock and has been moved down to G-League. He was drafted 35th.

Broome, in my opinion, was one of those "perfect" college players. Super skilled in certain areas, great size (for college), but had a few gaps that kept him out of the NBA and in college for 4 (or in Broome's case 5) years. But he's not as athletic, tall, or able to shoot 3's good enough to be a great NBA player.

JQ has the athleticism and size to be a pro. He's also allegedly a great rebounder. Will be interesting to see if he has the offensive game to make a career in the NBA.

 

[Wayne Dougan]

this

Moreno ain't gonna be a backup center in college basketball next year.

 

[Jkr21790]

Would be amazing.

But would also be amazing if we got Holt OR Branch OR Stokes. So I'm not gonna start thinking we're getting Holt AND Branch AND Stokes just yet.

I agree. But I think we have to get a star at PG and if Lowe is cool being the backup cool. But we need a dog. I’d also like to see us add a 3rd backup PG for emergency. Like somebody that’s from juco or that’s gonna be a sophomore and has potential but not somebody who’ll be in the rotation.

 

[megablue]

Broome, in my opinion, was one of those "perfect" college players. Super skilled in certain areas, great size (for college), but had a few gaps that kept him out of the NBA and in college for 4 (or in Broome's case 5) years. But he's not as athletic, tall, or able to shoot 3's good enough to be a great NBA player.

JQ has the athleticism and size to be a pro. He's also allegedly a great rebounder. Will be interesting to see if he has the offensive game to make a career in the NBA.

Nice reply, thanks, but it begs a question. If Broome cannot score in the NBA, how will JQ ?? I realize he can move, bounce and rebound, but his offense is putbacks and dunks only, combined with very poor free-throw shooting. Would you draft him with his current skillset ?? I am not sure that I would.

Broome's minutes and production were absolutely abysmal for the 76's, but to show you the talent drop-off to G-League: he had 50 points and 17 rebounds for Delaware on 01/16/26 ... kinda like what Reed did when the Rockets sent him down and he got something like 49 points in his first game.
Amazing stuff ... !!!

 

[Wayne Dougan]

I agree. But I think we have to get a star at PG and if Lowe is cool being the backup cool. But we need a dog. I’d also like to see us add a 3rd backup PG for emergency. Like somebody that’s from juco or that’s gonna be a sophomore and has potential but not somebody who’ll be in the rotation.

Cal won the title with 6 studs and two backups. And I'd argue - while AD was the player of the year - he wasn't an all-around transcendent college player (at least offensively) - as he was a freshman and didn't a complete game yet. I bring this up to say we don't need 12 dudes to be the best in the country. We need 7 or 8. Let's focus on getting that and we'll worry about the 3rd string PG later.

 

[SenseMaker_Cats]

Cal won the title with 6 studs and two backups. And I'd argue - while AD was the player of the year - he wasn't an all-around transcendent college player (at least offensively) - as he was a freshman and didn't a complete game yet. I bring this up to say we don't need 12 dudes to be the best in the country. We need 7 or 8. Let's focus on getting that and we'll worry about the 3rd string PG later.

Agreed. Played 7 guys. Starters with Wiltjer and Miller the only two real backups. I hate playing 9/10 guys 10+ minutes like we did against UL and Mich St.

 

[davtay]

Agreed. Played 7 guys. Starters with Wiltjer and Miller the only two real backups. I hate playing 9/10 guys 10+ minutes like we did against UL and Mich St.

Yes, but with the injuries we have had the last two seasons, I would be very gun-shy to go with 7 or 8 guys. 2012 we were very fortunate with no major injuries.

 

[SenseMaker_Cats]

Yes, but with the injuries we have had the last two seasons, I would be very gun-shy to go with 7 or 8 guys. 2012 we were very fortunate with no major injuries.

I don’t mean to have a team of 7/8 guys but a rotation.

 

[BlueSince92]

I agree. But I think we have to get a star at PG and if Lowe is cool being the backup cool. But we need a dog. I’d also like to see us add a 3rd backup PG for emergency. Like somebody that’s from juco or that’s gonna be a sophomore and has potential but not somebody who’ll be in the rotation.

Definitely.

In fact our PG injury woes have been so extreme I wouldn’t mind seeing Pope plan to have two PGs on the floor together à la Wall+Bledsoe and recruit appropriately. Two start-worthy pure PGs plus one backup pure PG worthy of 20 minutes a game and I’d finally feel at least that position was close to injury proof. I don’t expect to see it happen but would like to.

 

[anon1777473514]

Definitely.

In fact our PG injury woes have been so extreme I wouldn’t mind seeing Pope plan to have two PGs on the floor together à la Wall+Bledsoe and recruit appropriately. Two start-worthy pure PGs plus one backup pure PG worthy of 20 minutes a game and I’d finally feel at least that position was close to injury proof. I don’t expect to see it happen but would like to.

I've been thinking alot about this too. One issue is that the college game has moved more towards positional size and versatility. The PG/CG types of backcourts are going to struggle against teams with big guards by and large. I don't envy Pope in trying to construct a roster next year. If you go get a big time point, you're gonna struggle to land anyone very good as a backup and if you build for depth, you likely miss out on top-end guards. If you go double points, you probably give up some size and versatility.

 

[davtay]

I don’t mean to have a team of 7/8 guys but a rotation.

I know that. We would only have 4 guys with a season like this. I think with as strong as the SEC has become, you need more than 7/8 in the rotation.

 

[davtay]

I've been thinking alot about this too. One issue is that the college game has moved more towards positional size and versatility. The PG/CG types of backcourts are going to struggle against teams with big guards by and large. I don't envy Pope in trying to construct a roster next year. If you go get a big time point, you're gonna struggle to land anyone very good as a backup and if you build for depth, you likely miss out on top-end guards. If you go double points, you probably give up some size and versatility.

Yeah in the era of NIL, would Cal even been able to get Wall and Bledsoe? I'm sure EB would have went somewhere else to start as point for a lot of $.

That is no shade at Bledsoe either.

 

[BlueSince92]

I've been thinking alot about this too. One issue is that the college game has moved more towards positional size and versatility. The PG/CG types of backcourts are going to struggle against teams with big guards by and large. I don't envy Pope in trying to construct a roster next year. If you go get a big time point, you're gonna struggle to land anyone very good as a backup and if you build for depth, you likely miss out on top-end guards. If you go double points, you probably give up some size and versatility.

Good points.

 

[anon1777473514]

Yeah in the era of NIL, would Cal even been able to get Wall and Bledsoe? I'm sure EB would have went somewhere else to start as point for a lot of $.

That is no shade at Bledsoe either.

Calipari is an all-time great in the recruiting department so I wouldn't rule him out in making that happen. I will say it would be much more challenging in today's landscape for sure.

 

[Wayne Dougan]

Yeah in the era of NIL, would Cal even been able to get Wall and Bledsoe? I'm sure EB would have went somewhere else to start as point for a lot of $.

That is no shade at Bledsoe either.

I think we could have paid Jodie Meeks $2M to come back, and a senior Meeks on that team would have been better than a freshman Bledsoe (no shade at Bledsoe either).

 

[Wayne Dougan]

Disregard - just looked up Bledsoe. He has had two charges for domestic assault in the last 3 years. He can kiss my ***.

 

[Reggie Noble]

I've been thinking alot about this too. One issue is that the college game has moved more towards positional size and versatility. The PG/CG types of backcourts are going to struggle against teams with big guards by and large. I don't envy Pope in trying to construct a roster next year. If you go get a big time point, you're gonna struggle to land anyone very good as a backup and if you build for depth, you likely miss out on top-end guards. If you go double points, you probably give up some size and versatility.

Always take the top end guard, just need a serviceable backup, that top end PG should be playing 32+ minutes a game in an 8-man rotation imo...

 

[Kyhoward1]

Yes, but with the injuries we have had the last two seasons, I would be very gun-shy to go with 7 or 8 guys. 2012 we were very fortunate with no major injuries.

Two of the best UK teams in the past 30 years, 1996 and 2015, had amazing depth and played 10 players every game. Pitino used full court defensive pressure to pummel the opponent. Cal divided the roster into 2 units giving essentially equal playing time for all.

However , I don’t believe you can use these 2 strategies today with NIL and the liberal transfer situation. “Everyone” goes into the portal every year! You are not going to have a Tyler Ulis or Devin Booker only play 20 minutes a game. They will not commit to a program planning to utilize them in this manner. They can start at multiple programs, play 35 minutes a game, and make a ton of dollars before going to the NBA. What would Ulis be worth to programs needing only a point guard to be a top contender?

Personally, I like a 10+ deep roster to apply full court pressure the entire game. Even a talented team will succumb to fatigue. But, my thinking has changed as it is impossible to assemble a 10 player deep collection of talent. Money has changed everything. You are not going to have a Ron Mercer/Derek Anderson combo playing the same position or 2 point guards and 2 combo guards (that all played professional bb) as we had on the 2015 squad.

What do you do?
1. My take is to retain current players as much as possible. The improvement factor and year in the system are going to be evident for Jelly, Kam, JJ, Malachi, Lowe etc next season if they stay with Trent and Collin having 2 years under CMP.

2. Recruit to complement this nucleus. Try to find talented players that will fit the offensive and defensive system. Maybe impossible but a bonus if you could secure players you feel would stay multiple years not just guys chasing the largest paycheck!

No harder time is history to be a basketball coach.

 

[Hitman206]

How does he compare in NBA potential to Johni Broome ... surprisingly, Broome got very little clock and has been moved down to G-League. He was drafted 35th.

Robert Williams with a handle

 

[LineSkiCat14]

He is cutting it very close to stay in the lottery. A lot of these other freshman are starting to pass him. I suspect maybe late lottery or early teens. I suspect a team thats already a contender might take a flyer on him. Like OKC could take him with one of those 1sts and not even play him for a year, knowing they wont be able to keep both Chet and Hartenstein forever.

 

[JakeKx]

He’s the closest thing we’ve had to Shaedon sharp.
He won’t return this year and he will either go g league or transfer.

you won’t see him back in my opinion.

and I’m not sure I’d take him over Moreno anyways. At this point with what we’ve seen Moreno is better and his upside is a lot higher

 

[BlueSince92]

I think we could have paid Jodie Meeks $2M to come back, and a senior Meeks on that team would have been better than a freshman Bledsoe (no shade at Bledsoe either).

Also a better fit, still no shade at Bledsoe. Was the John Wall year really the year we needed a second first-string point guard?

 

[davtay]

Also a better fit, still no shade at Bledsoe. Was the John Wall year really the year we needed a second first-string point guard?

No, we desperately needed one who was a shooter.

 

[KyKevin]

Saw nothing of JQ post-St. John's that indicates he, in his current state, is better than Moreno. Don't see a guy with his draft stock agreeing to return for spot minutes. Probably best for both sides if he has played his last minutes at Kentucky --- unless he has a major improvement in health.

Can you imagine a dad bad mouthing a coach, that gave his injured son $2,000,000+ a chance. Just shows how bad this s.hit has gotten.
I agree with you, he should have seen his last $ from Kentucky. Pope is like Dangerfield, he gets no respect.

 

[BlueSince92]

No, we desperately needed one who was a shooter.

Hogwash, child.

If 32.5% from outside is not enough to go with 6.5 assists, 4.3 rebounds, 1.9 steals, .5 blocks, insanely good defense, and breaking every defender’s ankle in every fast break all season then

 

[davtay]

Hogwash, child.

If 32.5% from outside is not enough to go with 6.5 assists, 4.3 rebounds, 1.9 steals, .5 blocks, insanely good defense, and breaking every defender’s ankle in every fast break all season then

View attachment 1190222

I seem to remember the elite eight game where the shots were like turkeys falling out of the WKRP helicopter.

And that wasn't the only poor shooting game that season.

I think there was a misunderstanding, I was implying that we needed Meeks. Badly.

 

[BlueSince92]

I seem to remember the elite eight game where the shots were like turkeys falling out of the WKRP helicopter.

And that wasn't the only poor shooting game that season.

I think there was a misunderstanding, I was implying that we needed Meeks. Badly.

Yeah we needed Meeks very very badly. All I was saying was as much as I love Eric Bledsoe what we really needed instead of a second point guard was a deadeye shooting guard because Wall had pg covered. Sorry if I misunderstood what you were saying.