UK Basketball 8th Edition

[WVRed]

Originally Posted by WMR

Who cares about the season honestly, I hope Noel is okay.

Without him, I doubt we make the tournament, and will lose the first game if we did somehow squeak in.

Pretty much sums up my feelings. I kinda got sick watching ESPN talking about how we were going to adjust without Noel. Cal even said he isn't even thinking about that right now, he's thinking about the kid.

[WVRed]

I think this headline from KSR sums it up:

Kentucky loses to Florida 69-52 in a game that none of us care about right now.

[WMR]

I just saw a photo... I don't even wanna post it here it's so unsettling. He's gotta be done for the season, just got to be. I hope he's not permanently hobbled from this, would be a real damn shame.

IMO, the Florida goal placement is unsafe.

[WMR]

I feel sick to my stomach over this.

It just figures the one guy who isn't for one second not giving one hundred percent gets hurt like this...

[Stray]

Saw the photo from the Herald Leader floating around Twitter. Ugh that was nasty. Hope he can fully recover cause he has a bright future.

[LexRedsFan]

I'm still awake...just absolutely SICK.

WHY DID IT HAVE TO BE NERLENS?! Not just because of basketball skill...but he's such a great kid. Ugh.

[gilpdawg]

Yeah... that pic floating around is awful looking. Shawn Livingston-esque. Best wishes to the kid from a Hoosier.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

[5TimeWSChamps]

Nerlens didn't deserve to get injured carrying this sad-ass team

[Assembly Hall]

Just sad. My heart goes out to the kid.

[WVRed]

According to Marc Maggard, it's a torn ACL, MCL. Nothing official yet but there was no break.

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Tapatalk 2

[cumberlandreds]

Noel has a torn ACL. Surgery in one to two weeks. Rehab will be 6 to 8 months. He is done as a Wildcat. He will still be a high first round pick so there will be no need to comeback. I wish him the best. He seems like a good guy who should do well in anything he does in life.

[SeeinRed]

As a UC fan I can say I know how this one feels for you. I remember how sick I felt when Kenyon went down in the conference tournament.

[New York Red]

It's sadly ironic that Nerlens got injured doing the things we love so much about him -- hustling his tail off and blocking a shot. Not just hustling, but hustling to erase a teammate's mistake. We didn't have him for a long time, but we'll remember him for a long time. Get well soon, young man.

[WVRed]

Two things:

1. With the injury to Noel, I look for the "one and done" rule to be discussed in more depth. One of the main arguments has been a NBA ready player going to college and getting hurt, and it just happened. You can also make the argument that Noel going to college improved his draft stock (which it did), but he likely would have been a lottery pick in last years draft anyways.

I'm also not convinced that it isn't going to have an impact on his draft stock. Chad Ford knocked him down to third, but a NBA team is going to be hard pressed to look at somebody coming back from an ACL injury given 1. the timetable for their return (Derrick Rose comes to mind), and 2. the quality of the player coming back. Da'Sean Butler comes to mind. He was projected to be a first round pick and fell to the second round after tearing his ACL in the Final Four against Duke. He never could make it with a team and is now a grad assistant at WVU.

2. I've read from WMR and others that the season is pretty much over due to Noel's injury. The problem with this years team though has been that none of the players outside of Noel have bought in. Cal has tried everything to get their attention and if this doesn't get it I don't know what will. Losing Noel is going to hurt but if it means Poythress, Goodwin, and Harrow start to play out of their minds and UK can get some production elsewhere I think they can still make the tournament. What happens once they get in is anybody's guess.

[Assembly Hall]

Very fine post WV.

I still feel bad for the kid, but Blue Nation, sometimes good things come from misfortune. Ya just never know how this injury is gonna affect the rest of the team.