Forward Darnell Dodson also follows Calipari to UK

by Ken Pomeroy on Apr 23, 2009 10:04 AM EDT Comment 29 comments

Miami Dade JUCO small forward Darnell Dodson has asked to be released from his Memphis LOI, and has told the UK staff he will play at UK next year.

Dodson was rated a "95" out of 100 initially as a college recruit, which made him a borderline 4/5-star. He signed originally with Pittsburg, but was academically ineligible, and so went to play JUCO ball for a year, only to find that some conference regulation made him ineligible to return to Pittsburg, although not to play elsewhere in the NCAA.

He redshirted one year and played another, so he will have three years of eligibility at UK. His numbers this past season were phenomenal, and he shoots the ball very well from 3.

This would appear to mean that somebody who presently holds a UK scholarship will not be doing so at this point next year. Oh well....

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Darnell HAS BEEN released from his letter of intent.

And Nolan Dennis (previously set to go to Memphis with Cal) just “verballed” to Baylor. This is significant to me, because Dennis and his mother made clear that he would have been willing to walk on broken glass to follow Cal to UK.

That means Cal thinks he has or can get a recruiting class better than what he already had coming in at Memphis, which was then ranked Number 1 (with Xavier Henry, but without John Wall). Basically, he had a great guard begging him for a spot (one he had asked to play for him at Memphis, remember), and turned him down.

It could be just a bad gamble, of course, but I think not.

by Ken Pomeroy on Apr 23, 2009 10:14 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I keep getting the feeling

that Cal has got this all under control and all of the posturing and showing off, and worrying in public by the various parties is just for show…..I really liked the Dennis kid’s profile…and would have loved to ghet the Henry’s, but there is still a LOT of big-time talent out there that hasn’t signed on the dotted line….I would bet that Coach Cal has a lot to do with that

Remember, we're having fun now!!!

by ALLBLUCAT on Apr 23, 2009 10:41 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

is it possible

that coach saw something in practice (ala Liggins/Miller) that may have changed his mind about Dennis??? I was hoping the kid would come as well…but I have faith in the coach…

by fincity on Apr 24, 2009 12:12 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Not really a big deal here....

Dodson is not the best player even at MIAMI-DADE COMMUNITY COLLEGE, that is Will Coleman, who Cal really wanted all along. Cousins will contribute but not early.
John Wall is a MUST-HAVE at this point.
Come on Cal!!!

by ddm on Apr 23, 2009 12:06 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Over/Under?

10 minutes per game for Ramon Harris next year.

The Spork, I'm two things in one.

by the spork on Apr 23, 2009 12:16 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

On average for the season

I’d say Under

the REAL fake Mr. Bob Dobalina
Formerly known as "senowen"

by bluesquire on Apr 23, 2009 12:38 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'll second that.....

if he’s there

Remember, we're having fun now!!!

by ALLBLUCAT on Apr 23, 2009 12:56 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Agree

under and I do think he will be here. What’s the point of transferring and sitting out another year just to play somewhere for one season.

DEEETROIT BASKETBALLL!!!

by davw83 on Apr 23, 2009 12:59 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Diagree

we arent talking final Four here people. Ramon harris is a hard worker and if given 15 minutes or so a game he can make a difference. You can give him 30 one night and 5 the next like Billy did

by Wildcatt on Apr 23, 2009 1:11 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Harris...

is and always has been a liability while on the floor. He will probably get more time on the court than I’m hoping for, but that’s just because I’d rather see him on the bench the entire time, especially with Dodson coming in and giving us 2 quality 3’s in him and Miller.

The Spork, I'm two things in one.

by the spork on Apr 23, 2009 1:16 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I don't agree.

I love to see Ramon on the floor, and I expect to see quite a bit of him. Over.

A Sea of Blue -- Kentucky Sports for the Discerning Fan

by Truzenzuzex on Apr 23, 2009 3:20 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I can see it if we don't get

Jodie or PPat back Tru, but you really think he gets a lot of time with Meeks, Patterson, Orton, Cousins, Miller, (insert point guards here), and Stevenson?

I could see platooning he and Perry as a backup to Patterson at Forward, but a lot of minutes, really?

Remember, we're having fun now!!!

by ALLBLUCAT on Apr 23, 2009 3:40 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I...

just don’t see what he brings to the game other than a little bit of defensive presence, that could easily be tought to a player of greater offensive talent.

The Spork, I'm two things in one.

by the spork on Apr 23, 2009 3:43 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I don't agree with your "I don't agree".

Any UK team that has to have Ramon Harris on the floor for 30 mins a game is in big trouble. Hopefully there will be enough talent on the team next year to limit his playing time. Yes he has always worked hard but he doesn’t bring anything to the table offensively and is overrated as a defender.

by maysvilleblue on Apr 23, 2009 9:00 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I don't think Harris ...

… will play thirty minutes, but I expect 15-20.

A Sea of Blue -- Kentucky Sports for the Discerning Fan

by Truzenzuzex on Apr 24, 2009 4:55 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

i believe Harris will surprise a few

folks. He’s got hops, just hasn’t been utilized properly, much like Porter. This style of play should suit him better. And it ain’t no “little bit” of defensive presence, he can make his man give it up.

I go with over.

I FOUND JESUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

He was in my trunk when I got back from Tijuana.

by bluecrip on Apr 23, 2009 3:56 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I agree about Harris

I really dislike the criticism of any of our Seniors to be next season. I like you, bluecrip, feel he was never utilized to his potential and I believe Coach Cal will do that. That concussion last season really affected his playing time and he should have been held out of games. I am looking forward to seeing him on the floor next season. I love the guy.

by kykat51 on Apr 23, 2009 4:27 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I would just like to point out

…that I said nothing critical about Harris as a player or a person. I just don’t think he will average more than 10 minutes per game on the season. I don’t think Cal will see him as a viable option in the DDM offense. I think he’ll mainly see minutes as a situational defender.

the REAL fake Mr. Bob Dobalina
Formerly known as "senowen"

by bluesquire on Apr 23, 2009 8:08 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

me too

DEEETROIT BASKETBALLL!!!

by davw83 on Apr 23, 2009 9:55 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

is it just me

or does the fact that the more guys that jump into the NBA draft pool, the better the chances that PPat and Meeks come back…it seems with the addition of Curry and Ty Lawson into the pool (as well as Johnny Flynn, Wayne Ellington, A.Majok, H.Thabeet etc etc etc) that may push down the projection of the two UK kids to where they feel they need to come back…I keep seeing PPat’s name sliding down the list as more names are added (Curry was projected #8 and Lawson #15)…hmmm…thoughts??

by fincity on Apr 24, 2009 1:07 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I think your logic is very sound -- I would say obvious, actually.

The further they go down the list, the more likely they are to return, and the more names get added at the top, the further down the list they will go (athough that list of guys who can push them down the list is not infinite).

Tru had a post a few days ago, however, in which he asked the intriguing question whether PPat and Jodie might feel an extra push to go due (ironically) to the addition of top flight talent to the UK squad for next year. The argument is that Jodie and Pat looked like men among boys on this UK squad because they WERE — we had no true top level talent to complement them (so goes the argument), thus they looked better than they otherwise might have.

With the addition of the likes of DeMarcus Cousins, Daniel Orton, and Jon Hood (not to mention Wall if he shows), Jodie and Pat will be two of five options instead of the only two options. The ball will NOT have to go through them every trip. Their numbers will get more pedestrian as the rest of the team does its job and plays up to its potential, and their stars will diminish in lustre.

If I were Pat and I believed that, it would certainly cause me to look long and hard at getting while the getting is good.

by Ken Pomeroy on Apr 24, 2009 3:34 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Should we recommend

that the Kansas and UNC starters ALL declare for the Draft and hire agents????….lol

Remember, we're having fun now!!!

by ALLBLUCAT on Apr 24, 2009 7:22 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Diminishing lustre in a group

I disagree. When you are great, those skills show out even when surrounded by top talent and your numbers decline. Remember, on the 1996 team hardly anyone was playing more than 30 minutes a game and Walter McCarty was a first round pick averaging around 12 points a game.

Of course its difficult, its a shortcut... if it was easy it'd just be "the way."

by chirop1 on Apr 24, 2009 7:43 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yes, but I think the argument presumes that neither Pat nor Jodie is really as good as he appeared to be...

due to the lack of stellar talent around.

I’m not at all sure I agree with the argument, but as I said, IF I did believe it (as a player), I would have to think long and hard about returning.

by Ken Pomeroy on Apr 26, 2009 12:07 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Numbers

might not drop that much.

We will likely have a much faster paced offense this next season leading to more touches for everyone. I dont disagree with you Ken but we also cant overlook the effect the new system may have on their games.

DEEETROIT BASKETBALLL!!!

by davw83 on Apr 24, 2009 9:07 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

plus...with more talent around them

they can show off how they can be of value to an NBA team (where their teammates will be NBA quality players)…that’s why I think the 96 team had guys who were not “superstars” drafted in the first round, because they could play with the elite players and still contribute…I think it would help both PPat and Jodie immensely to stay for one year under Cal’s direction and improve their stock playing in an NBA quality offense, with NBA quality players…of course, I am truly biased LOL…

by fincity on Apr 24, 2009 4:39 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs