Well, the dominoes are falling one after another. Kentucky Sports Radio is reporting that Michael Avery, the 8th grader that committed to Kentucky last year, has rescinded his verbal commitment to UK. As if that weren't enough, Dakotah Euton has also apparently decided that Coach Calipari's style is not for him.
One thing we know for sure -- Calipari's style of basketball is not conventional in the least, and I think what we are seeing here is a lot of kids realizing (probably with some words of wisdom from the coach) that the Dribble-drive Motion Offense is not the kind offense you can play if you are slow of foot, a post-up player or a spot-up shooter. This offense requires you to be able to get your own shot and take your defender off the bounce. Can't do that? Either go elsewhere or prepare to watch a lot of good basketball from a really good seat, but don't expect to play at Kentucky.
New coach, new style, new Kentucky. How will this all shake out? I don't know, but I do believe that Josh Harrelson is very likely to be the next domino to fall. Do I want that to happen? Well, only if it is in the best interest of both the player and the school, and both parties agree that is so.
One thing we can be sure of -- there will be no seniors leaving, or transferring. That leaves really five players who could decide their interests are better served by changing schools:
- DeAndre Liggins
- Josh Harrellson
- A.J. Stewart
- Darius Miller
- Patrick Patterson
Now Patterson may go pro, but there is no way in Hell he is going to transfer. I'd be very surprised if Miller did not stay, which leaves Liggins, Stewart and Harrellson. Of those three, based on what we have seen with the future recruits it looks to me like Harrellson is the most likely to decide that Calipari's system is not for him. Stewart and Liggins are likely to want to give it a try, and KSR also says that Calipari is going to hold a practice, presumably to evaluate the rest of these guys and tell them how it is likely to shake out.
Some more news and links of interest:
- Vaught says Calipari at Kentucky is no fool.
- The Calipari Effect.
- Heh. Some people just don't get it.
- The C-J on UK's recent recruiting losses.
- Jon Hood isn't going anywhere, and his foot is much better.
- Neither Meeks nor Patterson make the Wooden team.
- Patterson is still undecided about his future.
- UK Wildcat Country thinks Pat Forde is on the hunt for Calipari's scalp. Calipari mentioned at his press conference that it would be an NCAA violation for him to recruit any Memphis commit who has signed an LOI. I'm not sure what all the fuss is about.
- Well, you knew this was coming. I'd be willing to bet that Calipari will do a better job fielding this question than Jim Calhoun did.
- John Pelphrey had no comment when asked about UK's hiring of John Calipari yesterday. That's interesting ...
- Heh. I wasn't even remotely aware of this.
- Don't be a hater.
- Don't go, Brucie. We wanna make you cry.
- Heh.
- According to Mark Story, desperation drove Kentucky to Calipari. He may be right.