Jerry Tarkanian's Thoughts On UK's Problems

[Wireman]

I browse the Las Vegas Sun's website about once a week to check up on Jerry Tarkanian's "Shark Bytes" page. In his latest article he makes a few mentions about the Kentucky Wildcats. He thinks the Cats' problem is a pretty simple one. Here are Tark's thoughts:

 

Kentucky played a tremendous first half. Obviously, Kentucky would be a heck of a team if they had a point guard. But the point guard they had, Derrick Jasper, transferred to UNLV and is sitting out.

 

Kentucky has some good players and Billy (Gillispie) is a good coach, he just doesn’t have a point guard.

 

It is always interesting to hear the thoughts of a great basketball mind. Check out Tark's article here: Heart, Dean and Digger

[CatsCatsCats]

I browse the Las Vegas Sun's website about once a week to check up on Jerry Tarkanian's "Shark Bytes" page. In his latest article he makes a few mentions about the Kentucky Wildcats. He thinks the Cats' problem is a pretty simple one. Here are Tark's thoughts:

 

Kentucky played a tremendous first half. Obviously, Kentucky would be a heck of a team if they had a point guard. But the point guard they had, Derrick Jasper, transferred to UNLV and is sitting out.

 

Kentucky has some good players and Billy (Gillispie) is a good coach, he just doesn’t have a point guard.

 

Heart, Dean and Digger

 

I have thought this all along. BCG is a proven winner, YOU JUST CANNOT WIN WITHOUT A POINT GUARD!!!! I don't care how good Meeks or Patterson are, if you are making 24 turnovers a game you won't beat many division 1 basketball teams.

 

Sure someone like Pitino or Ben Howland probably could have squeezed a few more wins out of UK, but certainly Travis Ford or John Pelphrey wouldn't have. Neither would Tubby. UK progressively got worse with him at the helm, and I think they would be even worse off. The last few years with OTS they were a bubble team, which is pretty much what UK was before last 3 losses. WE DON'T HAVE THE TALENT to be an ELITE BASKETBALL team right now.

[futurecoach]

I have thought this all along. BCG is a proven winner, YOU JUST CANNOT WIN WITHOUT A POINT GUARD!!!! I don't care how good Meeks or Patterson are, if you are making 24 turnovers a game you won't beat many division 1 basketball teams.

 

Sure someone like Pitino or Ben Howland probably could have squeezed a few more wins out of UK, but certainly Travis Ford or John Pelphrey wouldn't have. Neither would Tubby. UK progressively got worse with him at the helm, and I think they would be even worse off. The last few years with OTS they were a bubble team, which is pretty much what UK was before last 3 losses. WE DON'T HAVE THE TALENT to be an ELITE BASKETBALL team right now.

 

Hmmmm yeah you definitely are wrong here, and you have no argument to support it either....

[Michael Corleone]

Hmmmm yeah you definitely are wrong here, and you have no argument to support it either....

 

Definitely wrong? Because you don't share his opinion? You can't possibly argue that UK got worse under Tubby's watch can you?

[hoopboy]

Hmmmm yeah you definitely are wrong here, and you have no argument to support it either....

 

04 - 05 - 28 - 6

05 - 06 - 22 - 13

06 - 07 - 22 - 12

 

:thumb: There I go, backing things up with fact. :eek:

[KYHOOP]

04 - 05 - 28 - 6

05 - 06 - 22 - 13

06 - 07 - 22 - 12

 

:thumb: There I go, backing things up with fact. :eek:

 

 

:clap: I did not like Tubby and I'm glad he left. I like Billy but in a couple of years if UK is still a bubble team, then it will be time for him to go has well.

[westsider]

04 - 05 - 28 - 6

05 - 06 - 22 - 13

06 - 07 - 22 - 12

 

:thumb: There I go, backing things up with fact. :eek:

A three-year snippet out of 10 seasons ...

[ColonelCrazy]

A three-year snippet out of 10 seasons ...

 

His argument was taht they got progressively worse. The last 3 seasons would seem to indicate that, although it's obviously not absolute.

 

With that said, when you win a national championship in your 1st year, can things get better?

[The Scribe]

How many players left early for the NBA during those three seasons compared to the other seven?

[CatsCatsCats]

Hmmmm yeah you definitely are wrong here, and you have no argument to support it either....

 

Ha ha ha, I'm definitely wrong? Which UK team have you watched for the last 6 or 7 seasons. Here are the facts "Mr. Knowitall".....

 

Side note the class are the incoming Frosh that played on each team.

 

1998-OTS's first season....with Pitino's boys. Hmmm, Let's see a national championship and a sparkling 35-4 record. Don't mention that this team had been in the title game in both 96 and 97. I could have led them to this title.

Players included- Jeff Sheppard, Wayne Turner, Nazr Mohammed, and Allen Edwards. His recruits were only......Saul Smith, Michael Bradley, Myron Anthony, and Ryan Hogan. Bradley transferred and went on to play a few seasons in the NBA.

 

1999- Still plenty of Pitino's boys- 28-9. Lost to Michigan State in the Elite 8.

Players included- Jamal Magloire, Scott Padgett, Wayne Turner and frosh Tayshaun Prince. Other Frosh on the roster besides Prince were............Jules Camara, Steve Masiello, and Todd Tackett.

 

2000-Went in with a spectacular record of 23-10. Wow! Even better was the fact that they got taken out in the round of 32 by Syracuse. Hmm, great. Key players were Tayshaun Prince, Jamal Magloire. His class wasn't that bad this year, and was actually very underrated. It included Keith Bogans, Marvin Stone (who like M.Bradley would transfer), Marquis Estill. Not a bad class.

 

2001-UK again lost 10 games winning 24, finishing at the sweet 16 with a loss to USC.... Key players were Tayshaun Prince, Keith Bogans, Maquis Estill and Jules Camara. Recruiting class included Jason Parker, Cliff Hawkins, Eric Daniels, Gerald Fitch and Matt Heisenbuttel and Corey Sears. Not bad but nothing to brag about.

 

2002-"Ten-loss Tubby" was born as UK lost 10 games once again, winning 22. Loses included Western KY, and 4 other unranked teams. UK was beaten in the sweet 16 by a very good Maryland squad. Players included Prince, Bogans, Gerald Fitch, Cliff Hawkins and Marquis Estill. This recruiting class included underrated Chuck Hayes (although he was later overrated by many UK fans), waste of a scholarship Rashaad Carruth, Josh Carrier, and Adam Chiles.

 

2003- The year OLT seemed to have UK on track. They only lost 4 games, winning 32 and didn't lose a game in the SEC. The run ended with a loss to Marquette and future HOF Dwayne Wade. Bogans, Hayes, Camara, Fitch, Hawkins, and Estill lead the way. This class included Kelenna Auzibuike, JR. Antwain Barbour, Brandon Stockton, Ravi Moss, Benard Cote, and Preston Lemaster.

 

2004- UK won 27 and lost 5 finishing 2nd in the final regular season poll. Once again UK lost in the tournament this time to UAB. UK was lead by Fitch, Hawkins, Auzibuike, Hayes and Hawkins. Frosh that year were Sheray Thomas, Lukaz Orbzut, Bobby Perry and Shagari Alleyene.

 

2005- UK was 28 and 6, losing again to MSU in the Elite 8. Key players were Auzibuike, Hayes, and Pat Sparks. Frosh were Randolph Morris, Rajon Rondo, Ramel Bradley and Joe Crawford.

 

2006- Team turmoil went an amazing 22 and 13 and lost to UConn in the Second round. Morris, Rondo, Crawford and Sparks led the way for the Cats.

Incoming this year was Jared Carter and Mike Williams.

 

2007- UK finished at 22 and 13, losing to Kansas in the 2nd round. UK was led by Morris Crawford and Bradley. Frosh that year were Jodie Meeks, Perry Stevenson, Michael Porter, Ramon Harris, and walk on Dwight Perry.

 

Discounting the 98 and 99 teams which had plenty of talent left from the Pitino era, Tubby only had 3 seasons of great success at UK, with the best overall efforts leading to Elite 8 runs.

 

Tubby's recruiting did him in, and UK IMO. He got very lucky on Tayshaun Prince, Chuck Hayes and Jodie Meeks. And for all of Morris, Rondo, and Crawford's hype they never became the kind of class people thought they would have been. Rondo was much better in the pros. In ten years Tubby recruited 7 NBA players

1. Tayshaun Prince- who went on to become a 1st rounder and a very good player.

2. Keith Bogans- NBA player

3. Chuck Hayes- Undrafted NBA player, but has worked his way to becoming a fixture in the league.

4. Randolph Morris- went undrafted and never lived up to his hype

5. Rajon Rondo- 1st round pick, who became much better in the pros.

6. Kelenna Auzibuike- also undrafted I believe, and left school early to get away from UK.

7. Jodie Meeks- will be an NBA player in the future

 

But, he also filled his roster with many players who aren't really even mid-major worthy which include:

Saul Smith, Myron Anthony, Ryan Hogan, Todd Tackett, Corey Sears, Josh Carrier, Adam Chiles, Brandon Stockton, Benard Cote, Preston Lemaster, Sherray Thomas, Orbzut and Alleyene, Jared Carer, Mike Williams.

 

The roster he left following his last year included:

Jodie Meeks, Ramel Bradley,Derrick Jasper, Joe Crawford, Ramon Harris, Perry Stevenson, Michael Porter, Mark Coury, Jared Carter, Mark Krebs, and Dwight Perry. Patrick Patterson, Alex Legion were brought in along with a few other players.

 

People that isn't a good roster. Most importantly it's not built for the future. Bradley and Crawford were graduating leaving 1 PG on the roster in Jasper. The only true post players on the roster worth a scholarship were Stevenson and Patterson, and Stevenson was still a major project. That team wasn't well built.

 

Lazy recruiting put UK in this position. Only extreme luck allowed UK to have their 3 big seasons in the middle of OTS run. Players like Chuck Hayes, Gerald Fitch and Auzibuike ended up being better players than their star rating had suggested. Had OTS ever been a good recruiter or coach, these seasons would have been the norm. How do you follow up 3 straight title game appearances with two straight classes whose 3rd best player ended up being Saul Smith? That is inexcusable especially at UK.

[CatsCatsCats]

His argument was taht they got progressively worse. The last 3 seasons would seem to indicate that, although it's obviously not absolute.

 

With that said, when you win a national championship in your 1st year, can things get better?

 

Actually the real 3 years to look at are 2003-05. Those seasons were the abnormality as UK actually experience "UK Type" success. 3 out of 8 because I don't think 98 and 99 can be judged fairly. How much was Pitino and how much was Tubby Smith? We will never know.

 

Or maybe from looking at the OTS tenure we actually do. Give BCG a chance. No one is going to be a legit team with only two scorers and no point guard. The second best perimeter scorer was a frosh, who is good but isn't in the class of the one-and-done's who can take over as soon as they get on campus. What did you expect?

[UKMustangFan]

^I stopped reading after you listed Massiello as a Tubby recruit....

[CatsCatsCats]

^I stopped reading after you listed Massiello as a Tubby recruit....

 

Ah it was an overcite. I just listed the frosh on the rosters when Tubby coached, and then put them on there. My mistake I'll fix it. Then is it alright? Or maybe you can do better.

[UKMustangFan]

Ah it was an overcite. I just listed the frosh on the rosters when Tubby coached, and then put them on there. My mistake I'll fix it. Then is it alright?

 

I'm almost positive he wasn't a freshman under Tubby....He played for Pitino at least 1 year I'm sure.

[CatsCatsCats]

I'm almost positive he wasn't a freshman under Tubby....He played for Pitino at least 1 year I'm sure.

 

Thats what this UK report thing said that had all the stats I was using. I was thinking the same thing, especially since they are such good friends now, and Masiello coaches for him. I honestly thought he was on the '97 team.