🏀 KuBuckets Archive

@justanotherfan

Nice compilation. You will notice that all the successes for Kentucky were lottery picks and all the OADs were first round picks. Of the KU players, Shelby and Diallo were second round picks, Alexander was not drafted and Wiggins, Embiid, Henry and McLemore were the only lottery picks. Had McLemore not red shirted I am not sure he would have been an OAD.

No doubt tha Kentucky has had considerably more talent come through, most of its OAD were lottery picks that would have done well anywhere, so it is really not surprising that it has had more successful NBA players. Considering the talent differential, it is amazing how well KU has done sending players to the NBA.

@Kcmatt7

It has been pretty much a dictatorship since Chavez was in charge. While he was confiscating property, had oil money and was giving away money he had some support. Now that here is nothing left to take the support has completely gone away and the people are no longer supporting Maduro. A few weeks ago he shut down Congress and had to reinstate it a few days later. Every day it looks more like Cuba, a dictator with support of the military and well compensated government employees keeping the rest of the population down. Unlike Cuba, Venezuela has large number of people that were educated here and that support a true democracy and the situation is bound to change in the not too distant future.

approxinfinity said:

The one that always got me was Dakari Johnson saying he'd beat Michael Jordan in his prime one on one.

...but more importantly...could he beat LaVar Ball?

@Kcmatt7

The GM plant that had been there a long time was just nationalized. I believe it was mostly an assembly plant that without the parts will fold fast. A shinning example of socialism at work, ruining yet another country.

I know many people from Venezuela and the situation there is dire.

@Kcmatt7

I am not following what you are saying or implying. I used ellipses to separate the expression from the rest of the text. No question the Volleyball program is hot at this time, having made it to the Final Four in 2015 and winning the conference outright in 2016 but not getting home advantage because of venue size.

I cannot think of a better time to go for an expansion of the venue than now. This all that was meant in my post and anything else you read is strictly up to you. Would it help if I replace team with program?

Add 0n comment - I see now what you are saying; the preview showed only the first part of the post. :smiley:

A couple of days ago, my e-mail tweeter preview showed:

Mike Lee killed...

which it immediately made me think of Michael Lee the basketball player dying...

Once I opened the e-mail the entire phrase was ...

Mike Lee killed a fellow teammate in today's KU Football spring game...meaning a hard tackle.

Sometimes you just gotta laugh...:smiley:

@mayjay

We were able to do the same thing on the previous version. If you have a mouse, just hovering over the arrow shows you the list. I like tablets/iPads but having a mouse makes things a lot easier.

@mayjay

Green is on line. black is off-line and I believe red is away...you can place your cursor over the dot and a description will pop up.

I am trying Journal and see if I like it long term. I wish there would be a skin with a larger font. I don't want enlarge my browser because everything else becomes too big.:disappointed:

@approxinfinity

If KU has not named a building after Chamberlain, there is no way it will name one after Bamba. Has any school named a building after a basketball player? I don't believe UNC had named one after even Jordan. Kid's ego needs a reality check.

@approxinfinity

I went to the "Crootin Thread III, Wherein Some Players Probably Commit to KU" thread that has 292 post and I tried to scroll up and when it gets to post 266 it will not scroll up any further. Looks like 25+/- posts is the limit. If I click on page reload it allows me to go up another 20 posts from the current position.

If I click on the double up arrow it goes to post 1 and then I can scroll down to post 20. A page reload allows me to go 30 posts further down at the time. Hopefully this gives you some Blues clues.

Yes, the quick reply and the full compose with the double boxes both work. :+1:

I see there is a thin blue line between the older and unread posts. Nice.

As the expression goes...you have to strike when the iron is hot...and the women's volleyball ~~team~~ program is as hot as it can get. Hopefully an expansion is done and the level maintained.

@approxinfinity

I am not sure if it is the Browser (Firefox) but looks like the font is now smaller and thus harder to read for us older folks.

Also, I liked the darker frames around the posts as it made it easier to read. Now, my browser look like a big white sheet with small text on it...no worries, I will get used to it...:smile:

@Kcmatt7

All you had to say is that we agree to disagree and not make it personal.

BTW, Wigging and five-star players Alexander, Kelly Oubre Jr. and Wayne Selden, all AAU Nike players signed with KU; I am not sure who sponsored Jackson's 1Nation Elite teamt. In the last few year KU has gotten 3 # 1 players, Wiggins Jackson and Newman; does not look like KU is having any problems recruiting and the only issue is scholarship and playing time availability. If Devonte declared for the NBA, chances are we get Duval as well. You also have to consider that the Nike EYBL has been around a lot longer than the Adidas and Under Armor Leagues and thus have more and the more established teams.

As far as MoKan players, it has nothing to do with brand affiliation but with a personality conflict between KU and MoKan personnel, and the rumor in the KC area is that MoKan wanted to have a big influence in the KU program and KU would have none of it. As you know, KU has not recruited any players from MoKan passing on some really good ones.

@Kcmatt7

If California State Schools threaten not play in Kansas, they probably would. I believe the NCAA has indicated it is looking at the issue and I don't believe Kansas is the only state other than North Carolina. If the NCAA overplays its hand and pulls games from several states, you will see the Federal Government getting involved.

@Kcmatt7

But that is not exactly correct either. Just because we are not getting a large percentage of top50 players does not mean we don't have chance with them but that either we are limited in the number of scholarships or other programs present better opportunities, regardless of brand affiliation. Adidas schools are about 18% of the P5 schools and are getting about 20% of the top 50 players...seems about right to me.

@Kcmatt7

Don't forget that the NCAA might pull the games out of Kansas like it did North Carolina.

@chriz

You have to look at all the numbers in context. The 3 guards that played for San Antonio and who Selden would have guarded in his 16 minutes of play scored: Green 12, Anderson 8 and Ginobile 0. So, while he did not score, his defense was not that bad. The main difference was Leonard who scored 37 points and the great disparity in fouls, 22 called on Memphis and only 13 on San Antonio. Memphis went 13 of 15 from the FT and San Antonio 31-32...that is an 18 point difference and I can understand why the Memphis Coach was so upset and went off on the refs after the game at the presser and it will probably cost him a hefty fine..

@Kcmatt7

Adidas has 12 out of 65 P5 schools or slightly over 18%. According to your figures above, Adidas has been getting at least 18% and up to 26% of top 50 recruits or just about its average or slightly over that. Nike has 68% of schools and it has been getting about that. Looks like recruits are going to school pretty much in the same proportion as affiliation.

@Kcmatt7

I have to agree withe @HighEliteMajor that embargo means a complete stoppage or ban of players going to the Adidas school. Perhaps preference, bias, favoritism towards Nike schools would be a better description?

I would like to know what percentage of top 50 or top 100 players go to the school of the various brand affiliations.

@HighEliteMajor

I agree. I have always stated that in general, a quality upperclassman will outperform an OAD. Of Course there are exception such as Josh Jackson, the Unibrow and a few others. As you mentioned, UNC was able to win the title without OADs and perhaps will give pause to teams that rely primarily on them such as UK and Duke and to a lesser extent KU.

Of course KU should not pass on players like Wiggins and Jackson but the foundation seems to be better with 3-4 year players like Mason and Graham. Without looking at the specific numbers, I would say that 2-3 year players in the 30-50 ranking would appear to be the sweet spot for KU.

What an incredible talent Josh is. No question that he has set the bar very high for future OADs and has lived up to Coach Self's "unpacking the bags" catchphrase. Here is a nice write up about Jackson's start at KU. ↗

@elpoyo

If someone is going to talk about getting owned, it should be you; after all, who knows more about getting owned than you.

@Crimsonorblue22

I said the "competition" is one step above HS level an I stand by that comment. Sure, there are some very good players in JuCo but most of the better players (with exemptions, of course), if they are any good they are playing in one of the NCAA higher Division and not necessarily JuCo. Just because there is a few quality players in JuCo does not mean the overall competition level is high.

Again, you can pick an exception to any group, but just because Jimmy Butler, arguably the most successful JuCo player ever and one who played only one year at JuCo, made it to Marquette and the NBA does not mean the level of JuCo play is high or that every decent JuCo player will make it at the next level.

Again, I did not say that he is not a good player, simply an unproven one, and a player I would not mind playing for KU.

BTW, Marquel Combs says Hi. :smile:

@justanotherfan

Spot on.

@BShark

I agree, this is why I indicated 5-10 minutes a game as a fill in for Coleby. I would be surprised if Tilmon does not go to MU where he will have all the playing time he wants and still be middle to bottom half of the SEC. Having one big name player has proven to be unproductive absent superior or even decent coaching. Ben Simmons could not do it at LSU or Fultz at Washington or Raab at USC (playing for one Cuonzo Martin) even when they had well above average supporting casts but below average coaching.

@Crimsonorblue22

Juiston has been really good so far but you have to consider that the competition up to now has been just one level above HS and we really don't know how well he will do against Division I players. He is the prototype tweener and I see him having a role similar to that of Jamari, a good Division I backup player but not necessarily a game changer or even a starter.

I really like the kid's motor and attitude which again, reminds me of Jamari, but his potential at this time is largely unknown. If KU can get him and he can perform as well as Jamari did, I would be happy.

@BShark

Coleby filled in adequately towards the end of the season and he is good for 5-10 minutes per game.

@Kcmatt7

LOL. Better to let you coat get ruined than let you people see you like that. I know lots of coaches change at least shirts at half time. One time Pitino was wearing a seersucker/linen white suit ↗ that started to become see through and he changed at half time.

@BShark

If Preston and Udoka develop and perform like we hope they will, the team will have no weaknesses.

@BeddieKU23

I agree. He might end up being the steal of the class. Rivals has him now at #38 and he might well be top 30 when all is said and done.

@joeloveshawks

Didn't Coach self saiy...it is easier to teach defense to an offense oriented player than to teach offense to a defense oriented player...or word to that effect?

@BeddieKU23

If a player thinks he cannot compete with the Lawson Brothers then he has no chance of making it to the NBA and might as well go to place where he will get good education. I like Duval's "I can play anywhere and with anyone" attitude.

@Kcmatt7

Not exactly. Diallo was allowed to practice with the team in October and before that the number and extent of practices was limited by the NCAA and during the season practices are limited since the players are, at least in theory, still student and school work takes the bulk of their time.

At NO and the D-League he was able to concentrate 24/7 to basketball with no other distraction; Diallo was just too raw in term of polished/acquired skills and basketball IQ. It has taken him a year of intense practice to be able to get a couple of minutes of playing time here and there and the additional practice at KU no doubt would have helped but not enough to make him a starter.

@HighEliteMajor

Considering his background and upbringing, I can see Svi going to the NBA and finishing his degree on line like Aldrich did. I just don't see him going to Europe at this time. He is still pretty young so time is on his side.

@KUSTEVE

In all fairness, most (not all) coaches are that way; some have more visibility than others.

@Crimsonorblue22

Selden has started 5 time already, 3 with NO and 2 with Memphis...

!0_1492323679688_upload-4817911d-1f70-4be5-94b1-fcc67d61ad14 ↗

@Lulufulu

I will not comment on the merits of the bathroom law other than to say that it willl most certainly get to the Supreme Court since it involves a group of people not restricted to one state and would constitute a class action.

@Crimsonorblue22

You posted...

Mess around on the edit page or test page. I did. You can practice on any of my posts

...and I took it to mean that he could edit your posts...

@Crimsonorblue22

You must have administrator privileges, the rest of us can only edit our own posts.

His outside shooting became a lot better in the second part of the season and I wish they would have shown more of that. The highlight video is very nice but also one dimensional.

@HighEliteMajor

For the last couple of years we have seen a less rigid, more pragmatic Coach Self and perhaps two of his better coaching jobs.

No question that the high low has been his preferred system the majority of his career but in the last two years he has been more open to try different systems better suited to the available personnel. While it would no surprise me to see him go back to the high low, I imagine it will depend on whether Svi comes back and who else he sign in the off season. If he signs an impact PG like Duval, we will probably see more of what KU played last season. If he signs an impact big, there is a good chance we see the high low. Of course, we might see a hybrid that combines both systems, as you mentioned. Hopefully in the next few weeks the player situation will become clearer and he can start planning nex season.

@justanotherfan

I believe Preston is 6'-9", right?

@Crimsonorblue22

I am not sure he had a policy through the NCAA, his was probably through the 76ers.

@Crimsonorblue22

The NCAA has the Exceptional Student-Athlete Disability Insurance program that provides insurance up to a limit of $5M depending on the projected draft position of the individual athlete. Obviously Josh would qualify for the top limit but the cost is about $30K per year that the NCAA will finance but the interest rate is high and the policy pays only in case of a career ending injury. Students can get additional insurance on their own but the cost is extremely high.

His best option is to get drafted and get a guaranteed contract.

@Fightsongwriter

Agree on JJ being more athletic, Josh is an athletic freak.

@Lulufulu

In all fairness, Embiid embarrassed much bigger names than Whitey...:smiley:

@BShark

They are acting like brides that found out their fiancés were cheating with their BFFs. :smiley:

@nuleafjhawk

Different end result but same principle.