September 13, 201313 yr Ulis and Booker both told Cal they were coming this weekend. Both will announce on their own time. Would be awesome if true, although I don't see them really making an impact in the pro's, I think they will both be excellent college players. The both of them have games that are very much geared for success at the college level. Being a smaller point guard isn't as much of a disadvantage as it is in the league. Recent guys like Appling (Sparty), Mccallum (Detroit), Isiah Thomas (Wash), Devan Downey (SC), etc. have shown you can have a lot of success running a team at the collegiate level. Ulis should have more talent surrounding him than any of these guys could have dreamed for. Obviously that is going to help. Also they should have a great inside presence and that will help Booker (along with Ulis getting him looks) get plenty of open looks from outside.
September 13, 201313 yr Could UK conceivably get both Booker and Blackmon? I would think it'd be one or the other, but be nice if they could swing both.
September 13, 201313 yr Could UK conceivably get both Booker and Blackmon? I would think it'd be one or the other, but be nice if they could swing both. I don't see why not, both would likely be 2-4 year guys. Plenty of guard minutes to go around, especially if James Young makes the leap after this year. Dominique Hawkins would be the only guard on the roster basically.
September 16, 201313 yr With Ulis' opting in for the 2014 class, we get a better look at what Calipari is going to try to do in this class. Let me start by saying that this class is likely to be the most unique in Calipari's tenure at UK. Do not expect the track athlete, Adonis bodied run and gunners we are used to seeing, this team will not play like that at all. However, what they will lack in athleticism (an obvious trait of Cal teams), they'll make up for in basketball IQ and skill level. With him targetting Booker and Blackmon overwhelmingly at the 2 spot, it tells me he is trying to lock up a big time shooter, or perhaps two of them. In the past Cal's MO has been to go with slashers at this position, guys who can cut to the rim. What happens on the wing is yet to be seen, but I'm hoping he can still land Stanley Johnson, he would be huge for what they're trying to do. He gives them at least one slasher, when normally he has slashers 1-3. Even if he doesn't land Johnson, he could still end up with Justice Winslow or Kelly Oubre, both would at least give a bigger stronger, more athletic option to be on the court with these guys. At the 4 spot it's looking like Trey Lyles, again another guy with a lot of skill. Maybe not as athletic as a T Jones or Alex Poythress, but can score inside and make the right basketball plays. Same with Towns at the 5 spot (who could also play some 4 I would imagine in slower line ups). Not going to impress anyone with athleticsm, but has a very good basketball mind and can score at a high level, as skilled as a big man can be. So just looking at this its obvious they are going to try to play more around their skill set instead of just running and gunning and making the athletic plays. I would look for them to play just a little bit slower, and focus more on feeding the ball down low. I think Ulis becomes a perfect PG for a system that calls for getting everyone involved, doing it by committee. He can get the guys inside looks, he can get the guys outside looks. With this class I look for them to play toward their skill sets, which Cal is always a master of. That's why he get's these teams going late in the season, he limits them to what they do best. If everything works out recruiting wise for the rest of this class, there shouldn't be a reason to worry (especially if they are not ranked as the #1 class). Even though the style of play is going to be far from what we are used to, I think they can still find results (as long as they close on Lyles, Booker, Blackmon, Johnson/Winslow/Oubre).
September 16, 201313 yr Stanley Johnson down to five schools--three from the Pac 12 & two from the SEC: Arizona Florida Kentucky Oregon USC
September 16, 201313 yr To keep from reading through 400 post, where does this class sit right now... Commits so far... Likely Commits... Targets...
September 16, 201313 yr To keep from reading through 400 post, where does this class sit right now... Commits so far... Likely Commits... Targets... Commits so far: Karl Towns, Tyler Ulis. Likely Commits: James Blackmon Jr., Trey Lyles, Devin Booker. Targets: Stanley Johnson (most likely of anyone else under targets), Jahlil Okafor, Tyus Jones, Rashad Vaughn, Myles Turner, Justise Winslow, Cliff Alexander, Kelly Oubre, and Dante Exum.
September 16, 201313 yr Commits so far: Karl Towns, Tyler Ulis. Likely Commits: James Blackmon Jr., Trey Lyles, Devin Booker. Targets: Stanley Johnson (most likely of anyone else under targets), Jahlil Okafor, Tyus Jones, Rashad Vaughn, Myles Turner, Justise Winslow, Cliff Alexander, Kelly Oubre, and Dante Exum. thanks
September 16, 201313 yr With Ulis' opting in for the 2014 class, we get a better look at what Calipari is going to try to do in this class. Let me start by saying that this class is likely to be the most unique in Calipari's tenure at UK. Do not expect the track athlete, Adonis bodied run and gunners we are used to seeing, this team will not play like that at all. However, what they will lack in athleticism (an obvious trait of Cal teams), they'll make up for in basketball IQ and skill level. With him targetting Booker and Blackmon overwhelmingly at the 2 spot, it tells me he is trying to lock up a big time shooter, or perhaps two of them. In the past Cal's MO has been to go with slashers at this position, guys who can cut to the rim. What happens on the wing is yet to be seen, but I'm hoping he can still land Stanley Johnson, he would be huge for what they're trying to do. He gives them at least one slasher, when normally he has slashers 1-3. Even if he doesn't land Johnson, he could still end up with Justice Winslow or Kelly Oubre, both would at least give a bigger stronger, more athletic option to be on the court with these guys. At the 4 spot it's looking like Trey Lyles, again another guy with a lot of skill. Maybe not as athletic as a T Jones or Alex Poythress, but can score inside and make the right basketball plays. Same with Towns at the 5 spot (who could also play some 4 I would imagine in slower line ups). Not going to impress anyone with athleticsm, but has a very good basketball mind and can score at a high level, as skilled as a big man can be. So just looking at this its obvious they are going to try to play more around their skill set instead of just running and gunning and making the athletic plays. I would look for them to play just a little bit slower, and focus more on feeding the ball down low. I think Ulis becomes a perfect PG for a system that calls for getting everyone involved, doing it by committee. He can get the guys inside looks, he can get the guys outside looks. With this class I look for them to play toward their skill sets, which Cal is always a master of. That's why he get's these teams going late in the season, he limits them to what they do best. If everything works out recruiting wise for the rest of this class, there shouldn't be a reason to worry (especially if they are not ranked as the #1 class). Even though the style of play is going to be far from what we are used to, I think they can still find results (as long as they close on Lyles, Booker, Blackmon, Johnson/Winslow/Oubre). You think this team would be the most similar to the Brandon Knight team?
September 16, 201313 yr You think this team would be the most similar to the Brandon Knight team? Maybe because that team ran a lot of sets and actually ran some form of offense. BUT, I think the Brandon Knight team would still be a lot more athletic than this team. I look for it to maybe be a mix of that team and Cal's first team with Wall, Cousins, and Pat. They won't have the explosiveness of a Wall/Bledsoe from that team, but they will be very post oriented like they were with Cousins, Patterson, and Orton. To be honest I think this team will be very unique, they will play a style all of their own that we have not yet seen in the Calipari era. Especially if one or both come back of Dakari and Marcus Lee. They will have a strong inside presence no matter what, with what is looking to be plenty of shooters on the outside. Mixed with a point guard who can facilitate and distribute.
September 16, 201313 yr It seems that the 2014 class will be unique in that it may only have 1 one and done guy (Towns).
September 16, 201313 yr It seems that the 2014 class will be unique in that it may only have 1 one and done guy (Towns). Lyles and Stanley Johnson would have the chance if they end up coming.
September 17, 201313 yr Author Speculation is that 6'6 slasher Kelly Oubre out of Findlay Prep is down to UK and KU.
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