Are we seeing a drop in UK Recruiting?

[jonvi]

If you believe in class recruiting rankings, ESPN ranks the Class of 2014 so far as:

North Carolina
Ohio State
Marland
Syracuse
Florida
Georgetown
Miami (FL)
Arkansas
Louisville
Tennessee

It's been a few years since we've not seen UK at the top of the CBB rankings.

 

[jonvi]

But add in this:

Shabazz was a lock for UK....ended up going with UCLA.

Andre Wiggins was another lock for UK....ended up going with Kansas.

And now Emmanuel Mudiay announced his commitment to SMU on Saturday night. At first glance, UK losing to SMU looks like it's a sure fire end of UK dominance. But really SMU is coached by Larry Brown who is the only coach to win a National Championship at the College and NBA level.

Albeit he is 71.

 

[jonvi]

Last year UK had one of the worst falls from grace. Gary Parrish had UK at preseason 1 beginning last year. He wasn't alone. Everyone liked em last year almost as much as they like them this year.

If you remember, Coach Cal said some of the players on last year's UK team were not coachable. Something to that effect. And UK proved him correct by bowing out in the first round of the NIT.

^^^^^^That^^^^^^ may have resonated throughout with new recruits and parents. Tell folks their stud isn't coachable and you may find yourself losing out on some kids down the road.

 

[mall3013]

Maybe the NCAA is keeping closer eyes on John Calipari?

 

[mall3013]

I know Thad Matta has a great recruiting class coming in for the Buckeyes. Should be a great year for The Ohio State.

 

[jonvi]

Maybe the NCAA is keeping closer eyes on John Calipari?

Nah....Coach Cal has had the eye on him since Memphis.....since before memphis.

I know Thad Matta has a great recruiting class coming in for the Buckeyes. Should be a great year for The Ohio State.

yep...looking good. ESPN has them at number 2 so far.

 

[douggie]

In Cal's defense, the higher ranked players wait until the Fall signing period to announce or again in the Spring. I would expect several moves coming soon. Then your premise may well be found correct.

 

[UKnation87]

The kid made a decision to play close to home... SMU is basically in his back yard and it's not such a bad thing to play for a coach like Larry Brown.

I've said countless times over at CBS but... Cal has never had any recruiting violations. Let me be clear here. He's had two Final Four Banners taken down for playing guys who were ultimately ineligible per the NCAA but in both situations, it wasn't like anyone talking about how he got the talent to campus.

Camby, a junior at the time by the way, took money from an agent during the summer going into his junior year...

Rose was someone who tried to buck the system on his SAT and from what I understand, the NCAA still has yet to actually prove he didn't take it. Again, not a recruiting voilation.

I'm saying Cal is a saint? Nope... not at all. He pushs the limit with the recruiting side of things but anyone who belives he has "pay" or cheat to get top talent to UK is outside of their mind in my opinion.

Carry on...

 

[jonvi]

The kid made a decision to play close to home... SMU is basically in his back yard and it's not such a bad thing to play for a coach like Larry Brown.

I've said countless times over at CBS but... Cal has never had any recruiting violations. Let me be clear here. He's had two Final Four Banners taken down for playing guys who were ultimately ineligible per the NCAA but in both situations, it wasn't like anyone talking about how he got the talent to campus.

Camby, a junior at the time by the way, took money from an agent during the summer going into his junior year...

Rose was someone who tried to buck the system on his SAT and from what I understand, the NCAA still has yet to actually prove he didn't take it. Again, not a recruiting voilation.

I'm saying Cal is a saint? Nope... not at all. He pushs the limit with the recruiting side of things but anyone who belives he has "pay" or cheat to get top talent to UK is outside of their mind in my opinion.

Carry on...

I think Cal has been the most scrutinized coach in CBB the last ten years. If he was doing something illegal, he would have been nailed by now. So I agree with you, I don't think the guy is cheating.

The point of my thread is wondering if last years UK has put a damper on UK's ability to recruit at the level they had been. Or is this just cyclic like everything else in sports.

 

[TDs3nOut]

I think Cal has been the most scrutinized coach in CBB the last ten years. If he was doing something illegal, he would have been nailed by now. So I agree with you, I don't think the guy is cheating.

The point of my thread is wondering if last years UK has put a damper on UK's ability to recruit at the level they had been. Or is this just cyclic like everything else in sports.

Calipari doesn't have to cheat. No coach in the country can more credibly than he tell a top prospect, "come play a year for me and I'll make you a lottery pick".

 

[AlexanderClaude]

Well considering Calipari has been caught at every school he's been at... years later, Once he moves on... is when we will find out the infractions during his tenure.

 

[Brother]

But add in this:

Shabazz was a lock for UK....ended up going with UCLA.

Andre Wiggins was another lock for UK....ended up going with Kansas.

And now Emmanuel Mudiay announced his commitment to SMU on Saturday night. At first glance, UK losing to SMU looks like it's a sure fire end of UK dominance. But really SMU is coached by Larry Brown who is the only coach to win a National Championship at the College and NBA level.

Albeit he is 71.

Shabazz was NEVER a lock to UK in fact, there was little consideration. He was a gimme to UCLA as long as he had the green light.

Wiggins was NEVER a lock to UK in fact, there was little consideration. He was a lock to FSU for years and pulled Kansas, who had stopped recruiting him because they were so sure he was going to FSU, out of thin air.


Larry Brown, Calipari's mentor, has a helluva bag man in Jerrance Howard and should be getting more players due to that alone.

 

[jonvi]

Shabazz was NEVER a lock to UK in fact, there was little consideration. He was a gimme to UCLA as long as he had the green light.

Wiggins was NEVER a lock to UK in fact, there was little consideration. He was a lock to FSU for years and pulled Kansas, who had stopped recruiting him because they were so sure he was going to FSU, out of thin air.


Larry Brown, Calipari's mentor, has a helluva bag man in Jerrance Howard and should be getting more players due to that alone.

Obviously, those who thought they were a lock were wrong. Let me rephrase it so you will be ok with this. I don't want you to feel left out. Those at UK, the media and many in the bball community thought those guys were a lock for UK. Many...me including were wondering if was possible for UK not to get anyone they wanted.

And you believe Wiggins would take FSU over UK. Ok. Good for you.

Douggie already stated most of the top recruits are still out there and tend to commit late. You and he are spot on. But don't act like UK wasn't the heads on favorite to win Shabazz and Wiggins. Some had both penciled in.

 

[Brother]

Obviously, those who thought they were a lock were wrong. Let me rephrase it so you will be ok with this. I don't want you to feel left out. Those at UK, the media and many in the bball community thought those guys were a lock for UK. Many...me including were wondering if was possible for UK not to get anyone they wanted.

And you believe Wiggins would take FSU over UK. Ok. Good for you.

Douggie already stated most of the top recruits are still out there and tend to commit late. You and he are spot on. But don't act like UK wasn't the heads on favorite to win Shabazz and Wiggins. Some had both penciled in.

What media members thought that? I follow this stuff very closely and my statements are true. I'm not defending UK or Cal just stating that neither Shabazz nor Wiggins were ever UK bound. Never. Wiggins even stated that he wanted more of the spotlight on him which further read into FSU. At the last minute he picks Kansas and Self and staff didn't know for an hour after he picked because they had totally given up on his decision which was live. They didn't even watch. As for Dougie, I remember his rants on CBS and have never put much faith in anything he posts. I posted on CBS as well. You'd probably remember me.

 

[Brother]

UK's problem 2014 is going to be the same as it was this year. Lacking at the point, which will not be a problem during the 2013-2014 campaign. I'd look for them to make a deep tourney run unless they meet Memphis and then we will kick the dog shit out of them.

 

[jonvi]

Brother....just queary wiggins and UK basketball or Shabazz Muhammad and UK and look at the links. As I said, many thought UK had both coming in.

Reference douggie....he knows basketball. Asside from being a Duke fanatic, he's good people.

Relax big man. You and I can have different opinions. Like assholes, we all have em.

 

[Brother]

Sure we can have different opinions but the people in the recruiting business never said Wiggins to UK. Never. There was talk from KSR that Shabazz was going to UK but that's about it. The recruiting gurus said UCLA for Muhammed just like they said FSU for Wiggins. Only Kentucky fans claimed both were coming to UK just like they think EVERY elite prospect is coming to UK. Do you remember me from CBS?

 

[jonvi]

Sure we can have different opinions but the people in the recruiting business never said Wiggins to UK. Never. There was talk from KSR that Shabazz was going to UK but that's about it. The recruiting gurus said UCLA for Muhammed just like they said FSU for Wiggins. Only Kentucky fans claimed both were coming to UK just like they think EVERY elite prospect is coming to UK. Do you remember me from CBS?

It might be were I got it from then.

 

[Brother]

It's cool. I get your point. I just don't see any drop but if one year you get 5 top 20 players and the next year you get 4 top 20 and 1 top 30 ... in other words eventually there will be some fall off just due to rankings but they WILL be short handed unless one of the ballhandlers comes back after this year. Which. They. Won't. They will likely get Tyler Ullis for 14 and he is not a lottery pick potential. The Harrisons from this year are and so is Young. Now, when if Calipari leaves. Recruitng goes back to Tubby/Gillispie era.

 

[UTVolCountry]

Dang, didn't know TN was doing so well