The Big Blue Daily Mail -- Day 1 of Draft Week Edition

Lots and lots of NBA draft news for Kentucky Wildcats' entries, plus some other goodies.

• Not Your Mom's Player Profiles: Patrick Patterson - Ridiculous Upside

  SB Nation's Ridiculous Upside takes a long look at Patrick Patterson.

• Despite the angst that his father's jail stint and death created, John Wall reveres him

  Wall's aggression was so intense that, because he lived some 30 minutes from school, his mother would drop him off and sit in the parking lot because she knew he would be sent home in less than two hours. Pulley was unsettled at where she saw her son's life heading. "The same way his father's life was: prison," she said. "In trouble, mostly. It was sad. That was the sad part."

  Wow.  You must read this piece on John Wall.  He hasn't just come a long way, he has come across light-years and lifetimes to where he is today.

  Just read it.

• NBA.com: Draft preview: Ranking the point guards

  "He's got God-given speed and quickness," said a college head coach whose team played Wall's Wildcats last season. "He does that on every level. He did it in high school. He's just got that gift. Anywhere that's rewarded, he's a prime candidate. The kid has (guts). How many big game winning shots did he make? He has that 'it' quality. He's going to have success at the next level."

  This is a pretty good evaluation of NBA point guards and where they stand.

• Why college coaches do not succeed in the NBA - by Todd Pheifer - Helium

  Professional basketball players make a lot of money. Professional sports in one of the few industries where the employees make money than the supervisor (coach). This means that some players simply do not listen to the coach very much. After all, the players makes a lot of money and they are the star. The needs and desires of the coach may be secondary to some players, particularly if people feel that the coach may not be around forever.

  I think this is the biggest hurdle to overcome in the college-to-NBA transition.

• Nets face questions in Favors, Cousins - NYPOST.com

  "That's been the question the whole year, my so-called 'red flags,' but I'm misunderstood a lot. It's just something I'm trying to [disprove]," Cousins said at the Chicago pre-draft combine. "My work ethic is a lot better than it used to be. I was on one of the biggest stages [at Kentucky] -- it helped me tremendously."

  We'll know in a few years if Cousins is what Gary Parrish of CBS Sportsline calls a "knucklehead" or not.  My guess is, not.

• Kentucky's Patrick Patterson, Ole Miss' Terrico White work out for Grizzlies " The Commercial Appeal

  As Patrick Patterson has worked his way through the NBA draft process, he's learned quite a bit -- including some things he didn't know about himself.
  
  "Someone told me they see me as a shooter," Patterson said. "I've never heard that before. I have no problem with that."

  Heh.  Well, you never would have said that about him after his sophomore year, that's for sure.

• Kentucky Sports Radio " Blog Archive " Eminem’s Monday News and Views

  Former 'Cat Ramel Bradley will be joining Kentucky Sports Radio every day this week to talk about the NBA draft.

• Sizing up NBA draft prospects: Top five players by position - USATODAY.com

  Lots of Kentucky players in this article.  What a nice change from the usual.

• Recruiting Insider | Chicago forward Shaw 'really open' on choice | courier-journal.com | The Courier-Journal

  "It's really early, and I have to look at all of my options," he said. "But Calipari called me on the first day. He puts players in the league, so you have to look at them."

  This is a reputation (that he puts players in the NBA) that is an overwhelming recruiting advantage for Cal.

• Former UK standout poised to make history - USATODAY.com

  The standout guard could become the first University of Kentucky player to be the first pick in an NBA Draft. That statistic even surprises former Kentucky great Sam Bowie. He told the Lexington Herald-Leader that he just assumed with Kentucky's rich tradition that the Wildcats would have produced a No. 1 pick.

  Hard to believe that in all our storied history, Kentucky has never had a #1 pick.

• Rush The Court " Blog Archive " RTC NBA Draft Profiles: DeMarcus Cousins

  Needs Work: If DeMarcus can extend the reliable range on his jumper to 18 to 20 feet, he’ll extend both his time and effectiveness in the league. When he received the ball outside the paint in college, he was able to bull his way closer to the basket, so he never had to rely a lot on the jumper. He’ll have to prove himself there. He also needs to be a little more consistent from the free throw line, a place he’ll likely visit often.

  Nice work by Rush the Court as always.

  I think the questions about Cousins' outside shot are interesting, and mostly caused by the fact that Calipari did not want him to shoot from outside.  Cousins was known for his perimeter game in high school, but it is yet another interesting thing about him that he absolutely declined to shoot from outside in college, undoubtedly on orders from the coach.