TheCatsDomain.Com Message Boards: Cal needs to change his recruiting approach

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Posted by catmandoo (Member # 1284) on 12-11-2018, 03:06 PM:

Big Blue Nation has been up in arms over John Calipari’s recent recruiting woes.

However, I don’t think it’s necessary for BBN to panic….yet. Coach Cal is still bringing in elite level talent, and this talent can and will compete for Final Fours.

But let’s be real, the best Calipari teams have had top 5 talents and potential #1 NBA Draft picks. In this realm, Calipari is certainly in a slump.

How can he fix it?

Calipari still possesses his “Swaggy Cal” demeanor. He’s still a Hall of Fame coach. He’s still the coach that has produced multiple #1 NBA Draft picks. And Cal is still the coach that has the most current NBA players out of any collegiate coach. He is smooth, he is charismatic, he is a marketing guru - none of that needs to change.

Cal, however, needs to update his offensive scheme, and this needs to happen ASAP. Coach K was able to bring in Zion, Reddish, and Barrett because he sold them on the Golden State Warriors model of offense. This includes spacing, driving lanes, ball movement, and getting up shots.

The Warriors have All-Stars in Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, Kevin Durant and Draymond Green. They do this because they each get shots, they space the floor for each other, and they have the spacing for drives and dunks. Coach K has the best sales pitch in the game right now: “Come play for me with other studs and we’ll look like the Warriors.”

Unfortunately for Calipari, his pitch seems to pale in comparison to Coach K. Calipari’s offense is much more stagnant, much less spacing-oriented, and far less appealing to elite players. If you watch UK film from this season and from 4 seasons ago, you’ll see the same offensive sets and patterns. This shouldn’t be the case anymore, IF you want to bring in elite talent in groves, such as what Coach K did with this freshman class.

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Posted by ukcatfannfl (Member # 1425) on 12-13-2018, 05:37 PM:

There are 5stars and then there are "elite" 5stars. Elite being Davis, Wall, Cousins etc for ky and Reddish, Williamson and Barrett for Duke.

We don't get them it appears. Heck we don't get the Randle's imv.

Something is wrong with our recruiting and a top 20 recruit is just not as good as a top five recruit in most cases.

Hope we get a cpl of Davis, Wall et al or we will be like the last cpl yrs or so each yr..

Posted by Bama Cat (Member # 153) on 12-14-2018, 02:40 PM:

The 2019 class is already headed in that direction. We are not getting one of the top 3 or 4 big guys and that leaves us behind in recruiting. Cal has had to redirect his vision to look for some unknown that will probably not help us that much. the current 3 guys are good ball players but not enough to bring us into the final four.

Posted by catmandoo (Member # 1284) on 01-02-2019, 11:06 AM:

Hope Cal can get back to recruiting like he was doing a few years back.

Posted by Bama Cat (Member # 153) on 01-02-2019, 11:41 AM:

I'm afraid a lot of the kids are starting to realize UK is not the only place they can succeed. With us starting to have transfers like the last couple years is not going to help us either. I am believing that Quickly will transfer at the end of this year unless Cal can get him more involved than he is now. I think he jumped on Quickly too soon and then recruited over him with Hagens, which was a smart move on his part. Kids sign on early thinking they are going to be the ONE and then later a better kid becomes available and they are disappointed.

Posted by WHO?UK (Member # 2286) on 01-06-2019, 08:00 AM:

I for one don't see the 2019 class hurting us that much because we will have a lot of guys coming back. I hope Cal recruits by keeping some of our current players from Transferring. Only players I see as jumping to the NBA is Keldon and PJ. Travis has to leave and the rest should stay.

Posted by Bama Cat (Member # 153) on 01-06-2019, 09:06 PM:

I'm afraid that by the end of this year Hagins will be testing the waters also. Richards and Baker as juniors and Quickly, Herro and Montgomery as sophs. That is 5 guys who could be the nucleus of next years team. But we only have 3 recruited so far for a total of 8 kids. Cal needs to get 2 or 3 more good, good, good players. Could we start next year with 5 seasoned guys? Richards and Montgomery on the front line with Baker and Herro at the wings and Quickly as the PG? Right now I would shudder at that thought, but by next year who knows.

Posted by WHO?UK (Member # 2286) on 01-12-2019, 06:21 PM:

quote:
Originally posted by Bama Cat:
I'm afraid that by the end of this year Hagins will be testing the waters also. Richards and Baker as juniors and Quickly, Herro and Montgomery as sophs. That is 5 guys who could be the nucleus of next years team. But we only have 3 recruited so far for a total of 8 kids. Cal needs to get 2 or 3 more good, good, good players. Could we start next year with 5 seasoned guys? Richards and Montgomery on the front line with Baker and Herro at the wings and Quickly as the PG? Right now I would shudder at that thought, but by next year who knows.

Some of these guys may test the waters but the only ones who will go IMO will be: Reid because he has too. Washington because this is as good as its going to get for him. Keldon because $$$. I see Cal recruiting for 2019 by keeping the guys he already has (unlike he has done in the past). The thing going for him is that players like Marques Teague, Lamb, Goodwin and Dakari are all players that should have come back. This years team is filled with guys that fit that category and I truly believe next years team will be ridiculously GREAT. Hagans will be back because look at the rest of the PG's in the league. Richards will end up in China playing ball if he doesn't come back. Who the heck is Hero going to guard in the NBA? Montgomery just not even close to being ready.

All those guys will be back. Cal will get Jaden Mcdaniels/Hurt and one or two others. The 2020 team will be dynamite!!!

I say all this and still think UK has a chance to win it this year. But if they do that means there will be some drastic improvement from all the guys who are not ready. And that will change who goes and stays overnight.

[ 01-13-2019, 05:26 AM: Message edited by: WHO?UK ]

Posted by Bama Cat (Member # 153) on 01-13-2019, 04:47 PM:

Spot on! Washington is a big disappointment so far. Travis was over hyped. Herro is too inconsistent. Baker hasn't had enough time to get back in the flow yet. One surprise is Quickly. He is now starting to get more minutes and he is looking better each game.

Posted by WHO?UK (Member # 2286) on 01-14-2019, 08:22 PM:

quote:
Originally posted by Bama Cat:
Spot on! Washington is a big disappointment so far. Travis was over hyped. Herro is too inconsistent. Baker hasn't had enough time to get back in the flow yet. One surprise is Quickly. He is now starting to get more minutes and he is looking better each game.

Bama with that being said. Where do you think we are in landing Jaden or Hurt? Also is there any other big names we could steal? I know you are the pulse of recruiting Bama. Give us the inside scoop.