UK fans...BBall departures?

#1
hvwarrior58

hvwarrior58

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#1
At this point, who all do you expect/think you will lose from this year's squad? Obviously Ramon Harris and Perry Stevenson are gone due to being seniors. Mark Krebs is also gone, though he only averaged about 2.9 minutes through 15 games. I would also guess that Patterson, Wall, and Cousins are gone too. Now there is talk that Orton may try to scoot as well and you have to wonder about Bledsoe as well. How insane would it be to lose all of those players. Your lineup would look like this:

PG-Jon Hood So.
SG-DeAndre Liggins Jr.
SF-Darnell Dodson Jr.
PF-Darius Miller Jr.
C-Josh Harrellson Sr.

Not exactly horrible, but that would be the only 5 not counting incoming players. 19 returning points a game. 9.3 returning rebounds a game. There are a handful of players in the country that average that alone. However, I do expect Bledsoe to at least return, maybe even Orton.

Also, who all do you expect to sign in this class? You've already got Stacey Poole and Enes Kanter committed. The problem is that I'm still not seeing many inside threats because I expect Kanter to be more of a Euro post, Harrellson just doesn't strike fear into my heart, and your other posts are more outside threats. I do expect you to land Brandon Knight however along with the other two.
 
#2
#2
Harris, Stephenson and Krebs are seniors. Patterson is graduating as a junior as well as being considered one of the 3 locks for the NBA (Wall, Cousins and Patterson). Add recent talk of Orton and Bledsoe going early and that leaves you with the five you list. Hood, Liggins, Dodson and Miller are all swing type players (6-5 to 6-7 in size). Harrelson is a big but by no means an inside presence.

Stacy Poole is signed and Kanter is committed (for now). Brandon Knight seems leaning toward UK. We are still in it for Doron Lamb, CJ Leslie, Terrence Jones and a few others.
 
#4
#4
Calipari is always going to have talent. John Wall/Cousins type talent? Maybe not. But enough talent to be making runs in the tourney and to win SEC titles.
 
#5
#5
I've heard the Orton and Bledsoe talk. I think both could eventually be lottery picks if they stay. I still think Orton stays and that Bledsoe will wait to see how the next recruiting class looks before he makes his decision. Of course, my opinion means very little, and could change tomorrow.
 
#6
#6
Of course, we lose Chism, Prince, and Maze so neither team is absent of loss. Florida only loses Werner so they are in good shape. Vandy loses Beal and Meriweather, but mainly Beal. They are also in good shape. UGA loses Jackson and McPhee. So they should be fine. Next to UK, South Carolina will be gutted almost as badly. They lose Downey, Raley-Ross, Wilder, Archie, and Baniulis. This doesn't count any early departures that may occur, though.
 
#8
#8
hvwarrior58 said:
Of course, we lose Chism, Prince, and Maze so neither team is absent of loss. Florida only loses Werner so they are in good shape. Vandy loses Beal and Meriweather, but mainly Beal. They are also in good shape. UGA loses Jackson and McPhee. So they should be fine. Next to UK, South Carolina will be gutted almost as badly. They lose Downey, Raley-Ross, Wilder, Archie, and Baniulis. This doesn't count any early departures that may occur, though.
Click to expand...

Will Thompkins (UGA) not go early?
 
#9
#9
hvwarrior58 said:
At this point, who all do you expect/think you will lose from this year's squad? Obviously Ramon Harris and Perry Stevenson are gone due to being seniors. Mark Krebs is also gone, though he only averaged about 2.9 minutes through 15 games. I would also guess that Patterson, Wall, and Cousins are gone too. Now there is talk that Orton may try to scoot as well and you have to wonder about Bledsoe as well. How insane would it be to lose all of those players. Your lineup would look like this:

PG-Jon Hood So.
SG-DeAndre Liggins Jr.
SF-Darnell Dodson Jr.
PF-Darius Miller Jr.
C-Josh Harrellson Sr.

Not exactly horrible, but that would be the only 5 not counting incoming players. 19 returning points a game. 9.3 returning rebounds a game. There are a handful of players in the country that average that alone. However, I do expect Bledsoe to at least return, maybe even Orton.

Also, who all do you expect to sign in this class? You've already got Stacey Poole and Enes Kanter committed. The problem is that I'm still not seeing many inside threats because I expect Kanter to be more of a Euro post, Harrellson just doesn't strike fear into my heart, and your other posts are more outside threats. I do expect you to land Brandon Knight however along with the other two.
Click to expand...

Well, the "word' on Kanter is that he is not the typical Euro post player who wants to play outside. Whether thats 100% true, I'm not sure. Unless a breakdown of epic proportions happens, we will have Brandon Knight as well. There have already been 3 leaked reports of a verbal commitment, but none have been confirmed.

Also, C.J Leslie appears to be down to N.C State (who he decommitted from) and UK. Most say all signs point to UK, but at this points it can't be a given.

Either way, we really need to get Terrance Jones (Oregon) to commit to UK, but right now it looks like he and his teammate (Ross) are heading to Washington in a package deal. The huskies sweet sixteen run is not helping us at all in that aspect either.


Assuming Bledsoe and Orton jump on the NBA train, I think we have the players you mentioned above, and the following recruiting class.

PG Brandon Knight
SG Chris Hill (SG out of Carolina)
SF Stacey Poole
PF CJ Leslie
PF/C Enes Kanter

If Bledsoe and Orton return, then its obviously a much stronger team. I think we hope to sustain and load up in the 2011 class with Gilchrist, Miller, and company.

Just my take on the subject.
 
#10
#10
It seems like you can just go ahead and pencil the number 1 recruit in the nation right into UK's starting 5.

I think Bledsoe's stock is hurt a bit just by playing with Wall. Bledsoe should be right square in the middle of the talk for SEC player of the year in 10-11.
 
#11
#11
At best UK's lineup will look like..

PG - Bledsoe
SG - Knight
SF - Miller
PF - Leslie
C - Orton


At worst...

PG - Knight
SG - Hood
SF - Miller
PF - Kanter
C - Orton
 
#12
#12
jrobison said:
It seems like you can just go ahead and pencil the number 1 recruit in the nation right into UK's starting 5.

I think Bledsoe's stock is hurt a bit just by playing with Wall. Bledsoe should be right square in the middle of the talk for SEC player of the year in 10-11.
Click to expand...

That was the idea at the beginning of the season, but not now. His stock is through the roof right now, and is projected in the top 12.

I do think however staying a year and playing at a greater level without Wall could bump him up to a lottery pick. Its all up to him, because at this point plenty of teams want him. Especially with this NBA draft being void of good Point guards.
 
#13
#13
getyopopcornready said:
At best UK's lineup will look like..

PG - Bledsoe
SG - Knight
SF - Miller
PF - Leslie
C - Orton


At worst...

PG - Knight
SG - Hood
SF - Miller
PF - Kanter
C - Orton
Click to expand...

I think Knight will play PG instead of Bledsoe, just like it was this season.

As for Hood, unless his defense improves massively, he will not start over Dodson. Dodson has more length and quickness, and shoots it a tad better. (with a much quicker release) they are both small forwards anyway, so the position shouldn't matter.
 
#14
#14
Hardwood_fanatic said:
I think Knight will play PG instead of Bledsoe, just like it was this season.

As for Hood, unless his defense improves massively, he will not start over Dodson. Dodson has more length and quickness, and shoots it a tad better. (with a much quicker release) they are both small forwards anyway, so the position shouldn't matter.
Click to expand...

I forgot about Dodson. Yea it's not like it would matter who starts anyway. Knight will jack up 20-25 shots a game anyway.
 
#15
#15
getyopopcornready said:
I forgot about Dodson. Yea it's not like it would matter who starts anyway. Knight will jack up 20-25 shots a game anyway.
Click to expand...

lol. From what I can tell, the kid certainly isn't shy of shooting it. Of course when your a top 5 recruit on the highschool level, you always will. He does shoot it much much better than Wall (And Bledsoe, minus a few hot games here and there). He at least shoots it more consistently.
 
#16
#16
Hardwood_fanatic said:
That was the idea at the beginning of the season, but not now. His stock is through the roof right now, and is projected in the top 12.

I do think however staying a year and playing at a greater level without Wall could bump him up to a lottery pick. Its all up to him, because at this point plenty of teams want him. Especially with this NBA draft being void of good Point guards.
Click to expand...

Did the NBA contract this week? :blink:
 
#17
#17
Wall, Cousins, Patterson will be top 10 picks.
Bledsoe will be slated for first round so he'll go (or at least he should).

Orton will stay and possibly go after next year (depends on his development).
The Bobcats actually love Liggins so he's likely to be drafted after next year too.
 
#18
#18
blueblood said:
Wall, Cousins, Patterson will be top 10 picks.
Bledsoe will be slated for first round so he'll go (or at least he should).

Orton will stay and possibly go after next year (depends on his development).
The Bobcats actually love Liggins so he's likely to be drafted after next year too.
Click to expand...

UK Basketball: Cousins says decision on move to NBA will be tougher than he thought: AMNews.com

I know it's not going to happen, he can't turn that $ down and risk getting injured.
 
#20
#20
I thought I had heard that where Cousins was academically, it would make it hard for him to be able to return.

Now, that's total hear-say. I could be totally wrong.
 
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