I always like to check over at KenPom.com and Statsheet.com about this time every year to see which players seem to be doing a particularly good job in some statistical areas. I am not surprised to find only a few individual things to discuss.
If that last comment seems surprising, it shouldn't be. Like all the teams we have had under Calipari, the load is being shared quite widely among the team members for almost every statistical area. I think that's a good thing -- instead of having great guards, or a great center, or a great front court, UK basically have six really excellent players who can do it all to some degree or another.
That flexibility has really served this team well so far, and I think it will be a major asset moving forward. With Twany Beckham now available, that really helps our point guard rotation, and even though we'll continue to see a lot of Doron Lamb in that spot in relief of Marquis Teague, this gives Calipari options, and options are always a good thing for coaches.
But let's see who is making an impact on the statistical scene from Kentucky (note that some rankings differ between KenPom and Statsheet, and where they do, I took KenPom):
Anthony Davis
Davis is highly ranked in a number of statistical areas. It's funny, the things that really stand out watching him play are his blocks and dunks, and as you might expect, blocks are a big part of his statistical impact. Here's where Davis has been in the top 50:
- Blocks -- Davis is #3 nationally in blocks per game, #2 in total blocks, and #9 in block%. What block percent means is Davis is rejecting 14.4% of our opponents total 2-point attempts. What about 3's, you say? Indeed, they aren't included in that particular stat, but he's blocked a few of them, too.
- Shooting -- Davis is #13 in FG% and #21 in effective FG%.
- Per 40 minutes -- Davis is ranked #29 in floor% and #47 in total defensive rebounds.
Doron Lamb
As you might expect, Doron Lamb hits mostly offensive categories:
- 3-point FG% -- Lamb is #19 nationally.
- Offensive rating -- Lamb is #47 nationally.
- Per 40 minutes -- not ranked in any other stat.
Terrence Jones
Jones is ranked in one defensive category:
- Blocks -- Jones is ranked #32 in total blocks and #36 in blocks/game.
- Per 40 minutes -- not ranked in any other stat.
Marquis Teague
Marquis Teague is not currently ranked in the top 50 in any stat.
Michael Kidd-Gilchrist
- General awesomeness -- I know it's not a statistical category, but if it was, he'd be #1.
Darius Miller
Miller is not ranked currently in the top 50 in any stat.
That leaves only one thing, which deserves mentioning -- the team:
Kentucky Wildcats
- Block%, Blocks, Blocks/game -- #1
- Floor% -- #7
- Total rebounds/game -- #9
- Defensive rebounds/game -- #9
- Points/game -- #13
- FG% -- #15
- Points/possesion -- #15
- Offensive efficiency -- #4
- Steal% -- #42
- FG point% -- #3
- True shooting% -- #45
- eFG% Defense -- #4
- True shooting% defense -- #4
- Defensive PPP -- #11
- Steals allowed -- #37
- Floor% allowed -- #39
- Points/Game allowed -- #39
- Defensive reb% allowed -- #41
A very good start to the season, I would say.