Some will say this isn’t a big deal, but I think it’s pretty big. He wasn’t going to start this season, but he was going to be an experienced veteran who could provide leadership. Without him, they will have very little of that. Sure, Poythress and Cauley-Stein will be sophomores, but other than those two it’s all basically freshmen. Successful teams just have to have that veteran presence sometimes.
I agree it’s a big deal. But more than just for Kentucky’s success, it’s in my opinion an indictment of using only one and done players to field a college basketball team. Kids who would be starters on many other top-tier D-I programs getting muscled out because of lack of playing time. Granted, you can have similar situations without one-and-dones, but it seems that things like this are preventable.
Not to be the guy who wants any recognizable transfer, but would he not make a great fit for Beliein’s system?
Not to be the guy who wants any recognizable transfer, but would he not make a great fit for Beliein's system?
You could see it. Big pick and pop guy that will be ready to step in when GR3 and Mitch are presumably off to the league. Most of the scuttlebutt is that WIltjer wants to return to the Pacific NW though.
It’s Kentucky, pretty much to be expected, and if nothing else, Calipari seems pretty up front with the kids about this sort of thing. I would imagine he got the, “You’re not going to get any playing time, you can stay, but if you want to log meaningful minutes you might want to think about going somewhere else,” speech.
Headed to Gonzaga.