UK Basketball 2023-2024: The Last Dance?

[Bourgeois Zee]

It's looking like Cal has adapted if only because of circumstance.

Isn't that what every good coach does?

Adapt to the circumstances of his team?

This squad looks really, really talented already-- with their two bigs out of commission. (At least for the nonce.)

The guards are adept at handling pressure already. They're solid defensively. They don't make stupid mistakes. They have veterans that can score the ball. Most of all, everyone on the court passes the ball. They play up-tempo too, and it's a fun watch. And that's with just a few weeks of practice. They'll get better as a squad. They'll also add bigs for bulk, rebounding, defense, and shot-blocking. That'll improve their own field goal percentages. Lots to like with this squad-- including the fact that Thiero can play PF without skipping a beat.

You guys are way too jaded.

[WVRed]

Isn't that what every good coach does?

Adapt to the circumstances of his team?

This squad looks really, really talented already-- with their two bigs out of commission. (At least for the nonce.)

The guards are adept at handling pressure already. They're solid defensively. They don't make stupid mistakes. They have veterans that can score the ball. Most of all, everyone on the court passes the ball. They play up-tempo too, and it's a fun watch. And that's with just a few weeks of practice. They'll get better as a squad. They'll also add bigs for bulk, rebounding, defense, and shot-blocking. That'll improve their own field goal percentages. Lots to like with this squad-- including the fact that Thiero can play PF without skipping a beat.

You guys are way too jaded.

The last three years of Kentucky basketball will make you jaded.

I don't disagree. This team has talent, just hoping it's not like previous teams where they get hyped up this time of year and run into a buzzsaw when the season starts. Zions Duke team comes to mind.

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[Bourgeois Zee]

The last three years of Kentucky basketball will make you jaded.

Nah. Coaches everywhere have those types of slumps. Even at Kentucky.

And to be clear, I'm fine with criticism that makes sense.

But the people on this thread are seemingly butthurt about everything.

He brings in the best recruiting class, arguably, in history, and crickets. Or worse, they complain about not having any veterans.
Veterans brought back, and it isn't quick enough. Or he got lucky. Or he'll find a way to screw it up.
He starts recruiting and offering younger HS kids, and you guys roll your eyes.
He tries to find a legitmate way to use NIL without ceding control of the athletic department to the boosters, and he's being arrogant.
He recruits shooters (who can't stay healthy), and you blame him for their injuries.
He recruits the transfer window as well as anyone, picking up one of the best UK players of all time, and you guys tear into him for losing bench players.

Calipari can't win for losing with this fanbase.

He needed to improve his offensive sets. So far in the GLOBL Jame, it looks like he's done that. He's talking about this team jacking up 30 threes a game. They actually played a five-out system pretty much the entirety of the game against both Germany and Canada. Their would-be center is taking six threes a game. Without complaint.

The dribble-drive looks like it might work with this group, all five of which can handle and pass. if Bradshaw and Oynesu come back, maybe that changes. (I'm guessing Mitchell's transfer and Thiero's emergence have cut into Bradshaw's PF minuites precipitously. And with the five-out system in place, no one will notice.)

[Ky Fried Redleg]

Reed looked really good against Canada from the highlights I saw.

[Ky Fried Redleg]

Nah. Coaches everywhere have those types of slumps. Even at Kentucky.

And to be clear, I'm fine with criticism that makes sense.

But the people on this thread are seemingly butthurt about everything.

He brings in the best recruiting class, arguably, in history, and crickets. Or worse, they complain about not having any veterans.
Veterans brought back, and it isn't quick enough. Or he got lucky. Or he'll find a way to screw it up.
He starts recruiting and offering younger HS kids, and you guys roll your eyes.
He tries to find a legitmate way to use NIL without ceding control of the athletic department to the boosters, and he's being arrogant.
He recruits shooters (who can't stay healthy), and you blame him for their injuries.
He recruits the transfer window as well as anyone, picking up one of the best UK players of all time, and you guys tear into him for losing bench players.

Calipari can't win for losing with this fanbase.

He needed to improve his offensive sets. So far in the GLOBL Jame, it looks like he's done that. He's talking about this team jacking up 30 threes a game. They actually played a five-out system pretty much the entirety of the game against both Germany and Canada. Their would-be center is taking six threes a game. Without complaint.

The dribble-drive looks like it might work with this group, all five of which can handle and pass. if Bradshaw and Oynesu come back, maybe that changes. (I'm guessing Mitchell's transfer and Thiero's emergence have cut into Bradshaw's PF minuites precipitously. And with the five-out system in place, no one will notice.)

I know a lot of the people that give Cal a hard time seem to find his politics distasteful. I suspect that's a big part of their bashing him for seemingly everything.

[WVRed]

I know a lot of the people that give Cal a hard time seem to find his politics distasteful. I suspect that's a big part of their bashing him for seemingly everything.

I think that's part of it with some people. Those fans are always going to scream the loudest but (spoiler alert) they always come back when the team is winning.

Hard to reconcile that though when Mark Stoops and the football team has done the exact same things Calipari and the basketball team have done from a political perspective and yet the football team is getting love from boosters and fans that Cal isn't.

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[Bourgeois Zee]

I think that's part of it with some people. Those fans are always going to scream the loudest but (spoiler alert) they always come back when the team is winning.

Hard to reconcile that though when Mark Stoops and the football team has done the exact same things Calipari and the basketball team have done from a political perspective and yet the football team is getting love from boosters and fans that Cal isn't.

Stoops has ceded a fairly massive amount of control to the boosters through NIL. There's the massive difference, IMO.

Stoops lets the fans/ boosters (largely) run the roost, while Calipari is unwilling to cede that control. That causes friction. Those boosters and fat cats aren't used to being told "no." By anyone.

[WVRed]

Stoops has ceded a fairly massive amount of control to the boosters through NIL. There's the massive difference, IMO.

Stoops lets the fans/ boosters (largely) run the roost, while Calipari is unwilling to cede that control. That causes friction. Those boosters and fat cats aren't used to being told "no." By anyone.

You are seeing the results though through the collective.

Stoops has improved the roster and has Kentucky fighting behind Georgia to be the second best team in the SEC East and Cal struck out on every player sought after in the transfer portal until Huggins decided to drive drunk and Tre Mitchell decided to bail. That also includes having to fend off teams for Antonio Reeves and Ugonna Onyenso.

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[WVRed]

Loyola Chicago has Sister Jean, Kentucky has Meemaw Gene:

WATCH: Meemaw Mic’d Up for Kentucky vs. Canada
https://www.on3.com/teams/kentucky-w...cky-vs-canada/

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[WVRed]

Reed Sheppard reminds me of Grayson Allen without the dirtiness.

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[Bourgeois Zee]

Kentucky wins the GLOBL Jam against Canada, Germany, and Africa, going unbeaten.

More, they look really solid already.

Really like DJ Wagner's game-- he's a bulldog.

[Assembly Hall]

Kentucky wins the GLOBL Jam against Canada, Germany, and Africa, going unbeaten.

More, they look really solid already.

Really like DJ Wagner's game-- he's a bulldog.

Break those 40-0 tee-shirts back out.

[Bourgeois Zee]

Break those 40-0 tee-shirts back out.

UK fans so rarely ever thing of IU at all.

It's a bygone "rivalry" of a past era.

Yet for IU fans, the hatred is as intense as ever.

Tells you something about IU and its fans.

[Assembly Hall]

UK fans so rarely ever thing of IU at all.

It's a bygone "rivalry" of a past era.

Yet for IU fans, the hatred is as intense as ever.

Tells you something about IU and its fans.

Meh, where I live the rivalry is alive and well.

Whatever.

[Bourgeois Zee]

Meh, where I live the rivalry is alive and well.

Whatever.

In Indiana?

Surrounded by other IU fans?

What a shock.