A Sea Of Blue - 2013 Kentucky Wildcats Basketball Recruiting: Andrew WigginsOnline Home of the Big Blue Nation: Kentucky Wildcats Sports for the Discerning Fanhttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/46621/aseaof-fav.png2013-05-14T12:20:49-04:00http://www.aseaofblue.com/rss/stream/32251592013-05-14T12:20:49-04:002013-05-14T12:20:49-04:00Kansas Wins Andrew Wiggins Sweepstakes
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<figcaption>USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>The #1 player in the 2013 basketball recruiting class, Andrew Wiggins, selected Kansas today around noon.</p> <p>So the word has been given, and Andrew Wiggins has chosen the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/teams/kansas-jayhawks">Kansas Jayhawks</a> as his school for (most likely) the next year. Here is the tweets from Grant Traylor:</p>
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<p>Andrew Wiggins will be attending Kansas</p>
— Grant Traylor (@GrantTraylor) <a href="https://twitter.com/GrantTraylor/status/334339716306591745">May 14, 2013</a>
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<p>Announcement at 12:09 pm that he will be going to Kansas with Bill Self and Kurtis Townsend.</p>
— Grant Traylor (@GrantTraylor) <a href="https://twitter.com/GrantTraylor/status/334339795608276992">May 14, 2013</a>
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<p>Because of the lack of hype around Kansas' relationship with Wiggins, this falls under the rubric of a major upset, and a major shock to most watchers of the recruitment. Kudos to <a target="_blank" href="http://www.aseaofblue.com/2013/5/14/4329710/kentucky-basketball-handicapping-andrew-wiggins-selection">Jeff Goodman for getting it right.</a></p>
<p>This one falls under the rubric of, "You can't win them all." John Calipari very nearly ran the table on this recruiting class, and had he done so, it would be even more memorable than it already is.</p>
<p>Even with the loss of Wiggins, this Kentucky class is still arguably the best ever, although that is not quite as cut-and-dry as it would have been had Wiggins chosen the Wildcats. Now, the results of the season will weigh more heavily against the historical argument than it might have had Wiggins decided to come to the Bluegrass.</p>
<p>So congratulations to the Kansas Jayhawks on the matriculation of Wiggins, and all the best to Andrew in Lawrence next year. This means that the Jayhawks just got a lot better, although probably not good enough to be a favorite. My guess is that this puts them in the top ten somewhere (some may say top five), and should provide a lot of fodder for basketball writing for some time.</p>
https://www.aseaofblue.com/2013/5/14/4330308/kentucky-basketball-andrew-wiggins-selects-kansas-basketball-universeGlenn Logan2013-05-14T09:07:44-04:002013-05-14T09:07:44-04:00Down The Stretch: Handicapping Andrew Wiggins
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<figcaption>Jeff Gross</figcaption>
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<p>Some last-minute handicapping for Andrew Wiggins before we learn about his final selection circa 12:15 this afternoon.</p> <p><a href="http://www.cbssports.com/collegebasketball/blog/eye-on-college-basketball/22230229/where-will-andrew-wiggins-go">This was linked yesterday,</a> I think by Wild Weasel (corrections welcome), and it deserves a comment. Jeff Borzello, Gary Parrish and Matt Norlander all believe Andrew Wiggins wind up at Florida St., while Jeff Goodman predicts Kansas.</p>
<p>All I can say is, all these guys predicting Florida St. are going to look kind of stupid if it’s one of the bluebloods. Look, I get the parental connection, but we’ve seen that not work before with the Harrison twins. Wiggins’ parents surely see that FSU is not an ideal destination for their when compared with the other three in any meaningful respect.</p>
<p>I’m not cheering against FSU except insofar as I am inherently cheering against anybody but UK, but of all the schools on his list, FSU offers the least positives and most negatives. Would his parents really rather see him there just for alma mater reasons than at one of the genuine contenders for deep NCAA runs?</p>
<p>Keep in mind that I am offering logic here, and logic is likely to take a back seat to emotion, in the end. Young men are almost universally creatures of heart and not head, so Wiggins is likely going to make a heart choice. That would tend to argue for FSU from the perception of the son wanting to follow in their parent’s footsteps, and it would be a compelling argument.</p>
<p>I’m not just arguing for Kentucky here (although I sincerely and passionately want Wiggins as a Wildcat), because in my view, there is very little to separate North Carolina, Kentucky, and Kansas from each other. All three are great programs, all three offer Wiggins a level of exposure and development that Florida St., even in today’s ubiquitous media age, will not. That cannot possibly be lost on his parents.</p>
<p>Some would point to Kevin Durant’s time at Texas, but keep in mind that Texas is a media giant of a school that can draw all the attention it wants with the snap of its metaphorical fingers. Any excuse to cover Texas would be snapped up by the sports media, not to mention that Texas had players besides Durant: <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/26234/dexter-pittman">Dexter Pittman</a>, <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/26227/d-j-augustin">D.J. Augustin</a> and <span><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/26226/damion-james">Damion James</a></span>, all three of whom are playing in the NBA right now.</p>
<p>Florida St. is manifestly not Texas, nor is it in any way a blueblood basketball program. Even with Wiggins, it is unlikely FSU will seriously contend for the ACC championship, let alone the NCAA title. Florida St., even with the excellent <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/99798/michael-snaer">Michael Snaer</a> and a bunch of upperclassmen could do no better than 18-16 last year.</p>
<p>Teams would just try to take Wiggins away From the Seminoles and force the rest of the team to beat them, and that looks unlikely with leading scorer Snaer graduating and third leading scorer <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/99797/terrance-shannon">Terrance Shannon</a> transferring. From where I’m sitting, the Seminoles would have to be no better than even money to win 20 games next year with Wiggins.</p>
<p>Is a good season with a possible NIT ending really what Wiggins’ parents want for him? I doubt it, and I’m sure that they have a clue. Just as in the case of the Harrison twins, I expect Wiggins to make up his own mind, and I expect that comfort with the coach will be the deciding influence.</p>
<p>So I’m going out on a limb and handicapping the Andrew Wiggins sweepstakes, thus:</p>
<table>
<thead><tr class="header">
<th align="left">School</th> <th align="left">Odds</th>
</tr></thead>
<tbody>
<tr class="odd">
<td align="left">Kentucky</td>
<td align="left">8-5</td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td align="left">UNC</td>
<td align="left">2-1</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td align="left">Kansas</td>
<td align="left">9-2</td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td align="left">FSU</td>
<td align="left">5-1</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td align="left">Field</td>
<td align="left">30-1</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p>Right or wrong, it doesn’t matter to Kentucky’s chances UNLESS Wiggins choses North Carolina. Kansas will be good, but they aren’t likely to be top 5 good even with Wiggins. North Carolina becomes an instant top 3 team with Wiggins on board.</p>
<p>Jeff Goodman could be right about Kansas, but when it comes down to comfort with the coach, as it so often does, my money is on Coach Cal.</p>
https://www.aseaofblue.com/2013/5/14/4329710/kentucky-basketball-handicapping-andrew-wiggins-selectionGlenn Logan2013-05-13T20:00:06-04:002013-05-13T20:00:06-04:00Andrew Wiggins: Just Watch And Enjoy
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<p>Tired of all the "Wiggins' Watch"? Don't be. The long wait is better for Kentucky, no matter where he goes.</p> <p>Before I delve into this, let me qualify my remarks. I want Andrew Wiggins at Kentucky. Wiggins will be very successful anywhere he goes, but his skills are best displayed here at UK. I personally believe he will be in Blue and White when all is said and done tomorrow afternoon.</p>
<p>But you’re tired of waiting are you not? You’re ready for all this to be over with. You want his name on the Letter of Intent and his feet in the gym. Just relax, all is going according to plan. The longer Wiggins waits, the more pressure there will be on other teams to fill out their rosters.</p>
<p>Kentucky has a slot, and will have a slot, no matter what happens. We are loaded, with or without Wiggins. So if he chooses to go elsewhere tomorrow, then so be it. Good luck to the young man.</p>
<p>But if he falls into this class at the last minute, it will signal a complete power shift from everywhere else in the world to Kentucky in college basketball. Some of the best players in the world will be suiting up for one Commonwealth team or the other. Although I am not 100% sold on U of L’s #2 ranking, it does show that if you want to see the best, play with and against the best, and be coached by the best, you come to Kentucky.</p>
<p>So while you may be wringing hands over what may or may not happen, relax. Let those who are betting their entire year on this young man do the worrying. When he comes to UK, it will be that much sweeter and easier to enjoy.</p>
https://www.aseaofblue.com/2013/5/13/4319090/kentucky-basketball-why-waiting-for-andrew-wiggins-is-good-for-ukGreg Alan Edwards2013-05-13T08:01:36-04:002013-05-13T08:01:36-04:00Andrew Wiggins Will Announce Tuesday
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<p>Word has come that Andrew Wiggins will choose his college Tuesday, May 14th, at 12:15. We examine the positives and negatives of each of the schools reported to be on his list.</p> <p>The word has finally come that <a target="_blank" href="http://collegebasketballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/05/12/andrew-wiggins-will-announce-his-decision-tuesday-afternoon/">Andrew Wiggins will announce his college choice Tuesday,</a> May 14th around 12:15 PM. No big press conference, no hat-picking, just his family and one member of the media, according to reports.</p>
<p>As to the whys and wherefores of waiting until the penultimate day of the signing period, I have no idea. The reporting has been that Wiggins is genuinely conflicted about which school to pick, and given the ones on his list, I suppose that is understandable. On the other hand, he really can’t go wrong with any of them, even Florida St., as almost everyone acknowledges that whatever school he chooses will be no more than a one-year stopover, anyway.</p>
<p>Who will he choose? From Wiggins’ perspective, there are no bad choices, really. Every one of the schools on his list can provide him with a good college experience and every one of the coaches can help him prepare for his likely next step of moving to the NBA. Let’s take a look at the pros and cons from each school, and for those of you visiting fans of other schools, keep in mind that I am a Kentucky partisan and should not rationally be viewed as "objective."</p>
<h4 id="kentucky-wildcats"><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/teams/kentucky-wildcats">Kentucky Wildcats</a></h4>
<h5 id="reasons-to-be-confident">Reasons to be confident:</h5>
<ul>
<li>
<p>John Calipari – Calipari is, quite simply, the best recruiter in college basketball.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Kentucky has become the preferred school in the nation for players who only expect to spend a year or two in college.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Opportunity to be a member of, and play with, the best recruiting class in NCAA history bar none.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Joining what is already acknowledged to be the consensus #1 team next year, and the favorite to win the NCAA Tournament in 2013-14. Wiggins will only make UK more of a favorite.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>The style of play at Kentucky fits Wiggins’ game to a "T."</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>At Kentucky, Wiggins will be competing against future NBA players every single day in practice.</p>
</li>
</ul>
<h5 id="reasons-to-worry">Reasons to worry:</h5>
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<li>
<p>If Wiggins wants all the press clippings, Kentucky is not the place to come. He will be one star in a virtual galaxy at UK. If he underachieves a little, he could get muscled out of the spotlight by his own teammates.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>The pressure to win every game at UK with be enormous next year, and it will be less crushing at every other school on his list.</p>
</li>
</ul>
<h4 id="kansas-jayhawks"><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/teams/kansas-jayhawks">Kansas Jayhawks</a></h4>
<h5 id="reasons-to-be-confident-1">Reasons to be confident:</h5>
<ul>
<li>
<p>Bill Self is an outstanding coach who always gets quality players. He is a terrific recruiter, perhaps the second or third-best in the college game.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Kansas is a blueblood program that is almost always at the top of every player’s list.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Wiggins will be the star at Kansas, but not so much that he would feel all the pressure himself.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Kansas’ style fits Wiggins game very well.</p>
</li>
</ul>
<h5 id="reasons-to-worry-1">Reasons to worry:</h5>
<ul>
<li>
<p>Kansas is not considered to be among Wiggins’ top two, but since that top two is pure speculation anyway, that may not matter.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Wiggins would be expected to carry a lot more of the load himself at Kansas.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>North Carolina and Kentucky look more attractive on paper.</p>
</li>
</ul>
<h4 id="north-carolina-tar-heels"><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/teams/north-carolina-tar-heels">North Carolina Tar Heels</a></h4>
<h5 id="reasons-to-be-confident-2">Reasons to be confident:</h5>
<ul>
<li>
<p>North Carolina is a blueblood school, has a great location, social setting and a large media presence.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>The ACC is the most prestigious when it comes to basketball among the three conferences that contain Wiggins’ top four schools.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>The pressure to win every game will be present, but tolerable.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>The addition of Wiggins would make UNC a contender for the NCAA Tournament title.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>North Carolina’s style fits Wiggins as well as Kentucky’s.</p>
</li>
</ul>
<h5 id="reasons-to-worry-2">Reasons to worry:</h5>
<ul>
<li>
<p>Kentucky has been on Wiggins longer, and when Calipari is the recruiter, that matters even more than normal.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Roy Williams does not have the track record developing pros that Calipari does.</p>
</li>
</ul>
<h4 id="florida-st.seminoles"><span><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/teams/florida-st-seminoles">Florida St. Seminoles</a></span></h4>
<h5 id="reasons-to-be-confident-3">Reasons to be confident:</h5>
<ul>
<li>
<p>Both Wiggins’ parents attended Florida St., and the ACC is a great conference to play in.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Leonard Hamilton is an extremely good recruiter, underrated and dangerous. He has a track record of surprising people with the players he’s able to get.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>At FSU, Wiggins would be "the man." He would be expected to carry the team offensively and get most of the press attention.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>The pressure to win would be very low compared to the other teams on this list. Wiggins could enjoy his college experience and compete at a high level without a lot of a fan pressure.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Outstanding location, weather, and social setting.</p>
</li>
</ul>
<h5 id="reasons-to-worry-3">Reasons to worry:</h5>
<ul>
<li>
<p>Florida St. is manifestly a football school, not a basketball school. Fan support for basketball is only average, and perhaps a little below average.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>FSU’s basketball facilities are inferior to the other schools on this list.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Leonard Hamilton’s grind-it-out style does not fit Wiggins’ game well.</p>
</li>
</ul>
<p>There is one negative for every school other than Kentucky that deserves special mention – John Calipari.</p>
<p>Calipari is far and away the best at recruiting the top talent in the land, and nobody else is really even close. It’s hard to say whether he is the Nick Saban of college basketball, or if Saban is the John Calipari of college football. Either way, Calipari very rarely misses a player he wants badly, and he is particularly motivated after the tough year Kentucky had last season.</p>
<p>With that said, Wiggins is not your typical college player. He hails from Canada even though he goes to school in the USA, and he is not the "alpha dog" most of the players that come to UK are. He may be uncomfortable in such a setting, even if it may, in fact, be the best for his development.</p>
<p>So that’s it. Tomorrow, we’ll all know Wiggins college destination, and the pieces for next year will be set.</p>
https://www.aseaofblue.com/2013/5/13/4326054/kentucky-basketball-andrew-wiggins-sets-the-dateGlenn Logan2013-04-29T14:00:05-04:002013-04-29T14:00:05-04:00Is UNC A Better Destination Than UK For Wiggins?
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<p>Is Andrew Wiggins better served joining the North Carolina Tar Heels or the Kentucky Wildcats. We analyze this question.</p> <p>An <a target="_blank" href="http://www.rantsports.com/ncaa-basketball/2013/04/28/north-carolina-is-best-fit-for-top-recruit-andrew-wiggins/">article by Anthony Lenahan over at Rant Sports</a> argues that the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/teams/north-carolina-tar-heels">North Carolina Tar Heels</a> is the best destination for Andrew Wiggins. His reasoning boils down to this:</p>
<ol style="list-style-type: decimal">
<li>
<p>No star player wants to be on a team that can’t compete for the NCAA Tournament championship;</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>North Carolina is a truly historic basketball school;</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/124043/reggie-bullock">Reggie Bullock</a> leaving gives Wiggins the best chance to shine as a player;</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>There are no players behind Wiggins to take minutes from him;</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Wiggins wouldn’t get "the attention he deserves" at Kentucky.</p>
</li>
</ol>
<p>First of all, let’s just stipulate points 1-4. After all, most of those are simply facts with the exception of 1 and 2. Both, however, are an opinion I think most college basketball fans share, even though Kentucky, Duke, UCLA, Kansas and Indiana all fit the description at least equally well for point 2.</p>
<p>Which brings us to point five, which is really the only argument anyone has ever advanced as to why Wiggins <i>should</i> chose someplace other than Kentucky. At UK, Wiggins will be competing for playing time with his peers, and he’ll have to share minutes here. That seems indisputable to some degree, although the exact magnitude of that degree is unknown. After all, Calipari is fairly famous for playing starters big minutes, along with a couple of subs. He’d have to deviate significantly from that next year in order for Wiggins to see substantially fewer minutes than he would at other schools.</p>
<p>But for the sake of argument, let’s just stipulate that Wiggins’ minutes would be reduced at Kentucky as well. Despite Calipari’s tendencies, he’s never had a team this deep, and Calipari is also known for adjusting his strategy based on the players he has available.</p>
<p>So does that validate Lenahan’s argument? I say no, for the following reasons:</p>
<ol style="list-style-type: decimal">
<li>
<p>Wiggins’ abilities are already well known to the pros. He’s likely to be the top draft pick based solely on his body of work in the AAU, and his proven athleticism, no matter who he plays for. In addition, he'll get virtually the same amount of exposure at all his remaining schools, although his role would vary somewhat in that exposure;</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Assuming #1 is true, would Wiggins actually be unhappy not being "the man?" His high school career suggests not, since he was more of a complimentary player at Huntington prep. Yes, he occasionally put up huge numbers, but he played within a system and seems comfortable doing that;</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Also assuming #1, would it not be better to train and play daily against the best talent available, and be certain to compete for an NCAA championship, than to shine like a superstar in a school with a less talented team?</p>
</li>
</ol>
<p>It seems too facile by half to say that all players at Wiggins’ level are looking to stand out from the crowd. If that were so, how could Kentucky recruit a class that contains six McDonald’s All-Americans? It should be impossible to recruit so many high-profile players if that argument holds sway.</p>
<p>The assumption that all this talent will prevent, rather than facilitate, the growth and development of Wiggins as a player is simply not borne out by history. What is supported by history is that Roy Williams is a coach that will put pressure on players to return to college rather than give them genuinely honest assessments, and facilitate their movement to the next level. John Calipari, on the other hand, is famous for his willingness to push players on to the next level if they're ready, rather than having them stay and risk injury.</p>
<p>So my argument would look like this:</p>
<ol style="list-style-type: decimal">
<li>
<p>Wiggins has a chance to complete a truly historic class at Kentucky;</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Wiggins has the best chance to win a national title at Kentucky;</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Wiggins knows Calipari’s record of getting players drafted high;</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Wiggins' draft position is unlikely to be affected by his minutes, or role on the team. You can't be drafted higher than #1, and Anthony Davis went #1 despite getting fewer shots than several of his teammates;</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Wiggins will have better competition day in and day out at Kentucky, and will greatly benefit from it;</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>All the above more than makes up for the fact that he will be a star among stars, rather than "the man."</p>
</li>
</ol>
<p>Ultimately, my view is that all of these things, both the ones I laid out and the points made by Lenahan, are secondary considerations. Having watched recruiting carefully over a number of years, the two biggest factors in most recruits’ decision are:</p>
<ul>
<li>
<p>Which coach do they feel most comfortable with;</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Are they comfortable with the kind of game the coach plays, and;</p>
</li>
<li>Are their parents, guardians, or other confidants controlling the decision.</li>
</ul>
<p>Those will be the big factors. History, competition for playing time, etc. will all be secondary. Recruits at Wiggins' level have universally expressed their satisfaction with Coach Cal's style, so the only real considerations left is his comfort with the coaching staff and role of his parents in the decision.</p>
<p>If his parents are controlling the decision and/or have reservations about Kentucky, that could override Wiggins' desire to play here. We have seen this before with Stacey Poole, and we have seen the opposite with the Harrison twins, who's father favored Maryland. In short, we don't know who's opinion carries more weight in the family, and Wiggins isn't talking.</p>
<p>If it comes down to the parents, it will likely be Florida St. If Wiggins' parents have some major objection to Kentucky and Wiggins doesn't like Florida St., it could be UNC or the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/teams/kansas-jayhawks">Kansas Jayhawks</a> as compromise candidates.</p>
<p>But if it comes down to coaches, I really, really like our chances.</p>
https://www.aseaofblue.com/2013/4/29/4281786/kentucky-basketball-are-the-tar-heels-a-better-fit-than-the-wildcatsGlenn Logan2013-04-25T18:31:07-04:002013-04-25T18:31:07-04:00Catching Up With Wiggins, And Louisville.
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<p>Andrew Wiggins is, of necessity, getting closer and closer to his decision. We also have some Louisville commentary to round out the evening.</p> <p>It’s Andrew Wiggins Watch time here at A Sea of Blue, and the last 24 hours just happens to be loaded with Wiggins-related articles and analysis.</p>
<p>We begin with <a target="_blank" href="http://www.sbnation.com/college-basketball/2013/4/24/4259038/andrew-wiggins-recruiting-kentucky-florida-state-kansas-unc">Aaron Torres over at the Mothership</a>:</p>
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<p>However, adding Wiggins to that [UK’s current class] group, as well as fellow veterans Willie Cauley-Stein, Alex Poythress and Kyle Wiltjer would make Kentucky an overwhelming title favorite in 2014. It would also make the Wildcats a club with the potential to go down as one of the best in college basketball history.</p>
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<p>What makes this true is, of course, the players, but also the coach. John Calipari is well known for being able to forge a bunch of young stallions into a team that pulls in the same direction. That didn’t work out as well last year, but I suspect that was an anomaly that isn’t likely to be repeated. I do have to say, in fairness to mostly Louisville fans, that I am speculating a little bit here.</p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.rantsports.com/prep-sports/2013/04/24/eamonn-brennan-comes-up-with-best-nickname-for-andrew-wiggins/">Rant Sports blogger Dave Daniels</a> thinks, apparently, that either he or Eamonn Brennan (in a tweet) came up with the nickname of "Ender" for Andrew Wiggins:</p>
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<p>I previously wrote that it was kind of a fantastic coincidence that Andrew Wiggins had the same name as the protagonist of "Ender’s Game", which happens to be a favorite book of mine. Kudos to Brennan there!</p>
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<p>Pity he doesn’t seem to know that the surname of the protagonist in question is actually "Wiggin" and not "Wiggins."</p>
<p>I recall many people on this blog and probably others proposing the nickname "Ender" for the undecided Wiggins way back last year, and possibly even earlier. In fact, here is <a target="_blank" href="http://www.aseaofblue.com/2011/8/2/2339933/kentucky-wildcats-basketball-recruiting-roundup#73628389">our own JLeverenz nicknaming him</a> back in August of 2011. So this is hardly new, and if Brennan or Daniels thinks they thought of it first, well, let me disabuse them both of that notion.</p>
<p>Every now and then, the whole recruiting thing drives people to the edge of sanity, and a little beyond. I’ve seen it here, people complaining that Wiggins’ long recruitment is hurting him, or could hurt Kentucky, or whatever. I understand, I think, the motivation behind it. It’s pure fandom, people thinking that anyone who could inconvenience our great program is probably not worth the trouble. That and the fact that he is keeping his opinions to himself, frustrating people who think they are entitled to know.</p>
<p>The North Carolina blogger over on Fansided actually presented the argument that Wiggins was a bad apple, and UNC would be better off without him. The response was so extreme from UNC fans (apparently in disagreement) that he took down his commentary altogether and <a href="http://keepingitheel.com/2013/04/25/andrew-wiggins-article-from-yesterday/">replaced it with this post.</a> What I found funny was not his retraction, but this nice little I-love-you:</p>
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<p>Believe me when I say, we all want the best for UNC, whatever shape that takes in the future. <b>Go Heels</b> and <b>Go to Hell, Kentucky/Dook.</b></p>
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<p>Heh. Who, prithee, is Kentucky/Dook?</p>
<p>By the way, this is a quote from his piece, found in a <a href="http://www.rantsports.com/prep-sports/2013/04/24/andrew-wiggins-recruitment-is-a-closed-book-to-all-media-so-personal-bias-is-reflected-back/">another article mocking him</a> before he took it down:</p>
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<p>The piece claims Wiggins is "an attention seeker. He’s a drama-king. Andrew Wiggins is a one-and-done type of athlete. Hey, actions speak louder than words and all signs point to a look-at-me type of personality."</p>
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<p>See what happens when we think we can divine motivation and intent merely by watching a player play the game? This is a lesson most of us have learned well.</p>
<p>Here is yet another article with a very brief interview of Wiggins talking about <a href="http://www.stack.com/2013/04/24/andrew-wiggins-kentucky/">possible future teammates</a> when he was discussing playing with other top high-school players. I don’t read a lot into that, but others might.</p>
<p><a href="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/4810/storyend_dingbat.gif" target="_blank"></a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Storyend_dingbat_medium" src="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/4810/storyend_dingbat_medium.gif"></p>
<p>Just to get off the Wiggins train for a second, now that Russ Smith has decided to stay at Louisville for another year, some are placing the Cardinals very high in next years’ rankings with a decent chance to repeat. <a target="_blank" href="http://wildcatbluenation.com/2013/04/24/the-louisville-cardinals-stand-no-chance-of-repeating-as-national-champions-against-the-kentucky-wildcats-even-with-the-return-of-russ-smith/?utm_source=FanSided&utm_medium=Network&utm_campaign=Hot%2BTopics">Wayne at WBN</a> scoffs at the idea:</p>
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<p>Is it enough to put them in consideration for back-to-back National Championships?</p>
<p>Hahaha</p>
<p>Get a grip. They are going to be good but the "flash in the pan" Hancock isn’t going to stand out so Louisville fans need to take a step back and just enjoy their 2013 National Championship. It’ll be their last for another 20+ years.</p>
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<p>Well, tell us what you really think, Wayne.</p>
<p>As a rebuttal to Wayne’s position, I give you our <a href="http://www.wdrb.com/story/22068681/bozich-vitale-likes-kentucky-at-no-1-what-about-louisville">second-favorite Rick Pitino fan</a> (next to Pat Forde, of course), Rick Bozich:</p>
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<p>But here is where I fussed at [Dick] Vitale: He believes that the addition of freshmen Andrew and Aaron Harrison automatically gives Kentucky an elite backcourt.</p>
<p>Sorry, Dick. The Harrison twins are terrific. But they won’t be better than Russ Smith – and the guard that Rick Pitino decides to pair with Smith in the backcourt, no matter if it is Ware or one of three recruits – Chris Jones, Terry Rozier or Anton Gill.</p>
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<p>Having seen Gill play, I think I can rule out an elite back-court in his case. He’s talented, but not elite, and Russ Smith won’t make him elite.</p>
<p>So what Bozich is saying, by the process of elimination, is that Smith, along with another sub-6’1" 4-star freshman point guard is going to be better than two identical twins who are #1 in their respective positions and the size of small forwards?</p>
<p>No wonder Dick Vitale wasn’t buying what Bozich was selling.</p>
<p>Well, that’s what I have for now. I’ll be putting up an open thread for the NFL draft, I know we have some people who really dig the NFL (myself, I’m at best an indifferent NFL fan).</p>
https://www.aseaofblue.com/2013/4/25/4267012/kentucky-basketball-andrew-wiggins-all-the-time-plus-a-littleGlenn Logan2013-04-22T11:37:56-04:002013-04-22T11:37:56-04:00UK Signees At The Nike Hoop Summit
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<p>A quick look back at the Nike Hoop Summit, and how the Kentucky 2013 signees, plus Andrew Wiggins and Karl Towns Jr., did.</p> <p>The Nike Hoop Summit provided us yet another look at some of Kentucky’s players. There were actually only 3 invited from the 2013 class, but Karl Towns Jr. was there playing for the International squad despite the fact that he’s in 2014, and as he is committed to Kentucky, we will include him. We’ll also include Andrew Wiggins, who is still uncommitted, but has UK on his list.</p>
<h4 id="aaron-harrison">Aaron Harrison</h4>
<p>Aaron has been struggling with his shooting in the all-star game season, and in this game, he didn’t take a single 3-point shot. Aaron was 3-5 from the field for 9 points, and 3 of 5 from the line. He added a rebound, assist, and 2 turnovers. Aaron played well, but not great.</p>
<h4 id="andrew-harrison">Andrew Harrison</h4>
<p>Andrew has been playing better than his brother in almost every respect, and this game was no exception. Andrew was 4 of 11 from the floor, including 1-4 from the arc, but he got to the line a lot, and made 10 of 12 free throw attempts for a total of 19 points. He added 3 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals and 3 turnovers. All in all, a very good game, tied with Julius Randle for second-high scoring honors on Team USA.</p>
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<b>More</b>: <a href="http://www.usabasketball.com/misc/13_hsum_box_score.pdf" target="new">Nike Hoop Summit Box Score</a>
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<h4 id="julius-randle">Julius Randle</h4>
<p>As he was in the Jordan Brand Classic, Julius Randle was extremely beastly in this game. He had 19 points on 9-17 shooting, mostly dunks and slashes to the basket, but also some put-backs and at least one face-up jumper from about 14 feet. Several of Randle’s assaults on the rim were spectacular, including this filthy one below (courtesy of <a target="_blank" href="http://kentuckysportsradio.com/?p=132005&utm_source=feedly">KSR</a>):</p>
<p><iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/AHozoe-8Obk?rel=0" frameborder="0" height="480" width="853"></iframe></p>
<h4 id="karl-towns-jr.">Karl Towns Jr.</h4>
<p>Towns was very good, although he didn’t do anything eyepopping or spectacular. He mostly had a quiet 7 points, 3 rebounds, and 4 assists. He added 2 steals and a turnover to a nice, but not particularly noteworthy performance. He spent most of his time in the paint, which is a Good Thing<sup>TM</sup>, because his tendency to drift away from it has been a source of some concern to his coaches. When you are 7’ tall, you should hang around the rim.</p>
<h4 id="andrew-wiggins">Andrew Wiggins</h4>
<p>Wiggins was his usual self, although I thought he was more aggressive than I’ve seen him in this game. He took quite a lot of shots for him – 16 – making 6 and going 4 of 5 from the line, including 3-3 to end the first half after he was fouled on a half-court heave. Wiggins had a team high and game high 31 minutes of play, collected 9 rebounds, 4 assists and 4 turnovers. He scored 17 total points in the winning effort for the International team. Wiggins did make a 3-point shot, but it took him 5 attempts.</p>
<p>Overall, I thought this game was sloppy, even though the FG% is pretty good at 49 for the World team and 46 for Team USA. The World team was simply better on the offensive glass, and they played a touch more defense than Team USA.</p>
<p>This was a very competitive game overall, but the defense, in my view, wasn’t as intense as the Jordan Brand Classic, and one would have thought it would be more so. I chalk it up to a tired bunch of guys traveling hither and yon for this all-star season.</p>
<p>Also, here is a <a target="_blank" href="http://www.draftexpress.com/article/2013-Nike-Hoop-Summit-Game-Recap-4149/?utm_source=feedly">review of the game from Draft Express</a>, which is pretty good.</p>
https://www.aseaofblue.com/2013/4/22/4252478/kentucky-basketball-uk-signees-at-the-nike-hoop-summitGlenn Logan2013-04-19T12:00:09-04:002013-04-19T12:00:09-04:002013 Nike Hoop Summit Preview
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<figcaption>USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Three Kentucky 2013 signees and a 2014 commit will participate.</p> <p>The last of the major high school post-season All-Star games, the Nike Hoop Summit, takes place this weekend. The event will be on April 20 at 4:00 p.m eastern time. The game is played at the Rose Garden in Portland, Oregon, and will be broadcast by Fox Sports (check regional listings).</p>
<p>The Nike Hoop Summit differentiates itself from the McDonald's All-American and Jordan Brand Classic games because of its "USA vs. the World" format. As a result, only three of the six McDonald's All-Americans that committed to the Kentucky Wildcats will participate. All three of them are Texans: point guard Andrew Harrison from Fort Bend Travis, his twin brother, shooting guard Aaron Harrison, and power forward Julius Randle from Plano Prestonwood Christian.</p>
<p>All of the Team USA participants played in the McDonald's All-American game, including Aaron Gordon, who won MVP honors. Randle and Jabari Parker, who shared MVP honors at the JBC, will be participating as well. Only one player from the World Team, Andrew Wiggins, was a McDonald's All-American participant. As everyone and their mother know, Wiggins remains undecided on which school he will attend.</p>
<p>Two of his World teammates are well-known in the states. Joel Embiid, from Cameroon, played last season at The Rock in Florida and will join the Kansas Jayhawks next fall. Meanwhile, Karl Towns is a UK favorite, as he <a href="http://www.aseaofblue.com/2012/12/4/3726346/elite-center-karl-towns-commits-to-the-kentucky-wildcats">committed to the Wildcats</a> last December. Towns, a Dominican Republic native, played for Kentucky head coach John Calipari on the DR National Team last summer in Olympic qualifying. He currently plays for St. Joseph in New Jersey.</p>
<h4>Complete Rosters</h4>
<p class="pgh-paragraph" id="paragraph14"><b>USA Team</b><br> Aaron Gordon | PF | Archbishop Mitty (CA) | Arizona<br>Aaron Harrison | SG | Travis (TX) | Kentucky<br>Andrew Harrison | PG | Travis (TX) | Kentucky<br>Kasey Hill | PG | Montverde Academy (FL) | Florida<br>Rondae Hollis-Jefferson | SF | Chester (PA) | Arizona<br>Demetrius Jackson | PG | Marian (IN) | Notre Dame<br>Jabari Parker | SF | Simeon (IL) | Duke<br>Bobby Portis | PF | Little Rock Hall (AR) | Arkansas<br>Julius Randle | PF | Prestonwood Christian (TX) | Kentucky<br>Noah Vonleh | PF | New Hampton (NH) | Indiana</p>
<p class="pgh-paragraph" id="paragraph15"><b>World Team</b><br> Gabriel Deck | PF | Argentina | Association Quimsa Santiago del Estero<br>Tomas Dimsa | SG | Lithuania | Zalgiris<br>Joel Embiid | C | Cameroon | The Rock (FL) (Signed w/ Kansas)<br>Dante Exum | SG | Australia | Australian Institute of Sport<br>Nikola Ivanovic | PG | Montenegro | KK Buducnost<br>Mouhammadou Jaiteh | C | France | SO Maritime Boulogne<br>Livio Jean-Charles | SF | France | Asvel Lyon-Villeurbanne<br>Sergey Karasev | SF | Russia | Triumph Lyubertsy<br>Dennis Schroder | PG | Germany | NY Phantoms Braunschweig<br>Karl Towns, Jr. | C | Dominican Republic | St. Joseph (NJ) (Committed to Kentucky)<br>Andrew Wiggins | SF | Canada | Huntington Prep (WV) (Undecided)</p>
https://www.aseaofblue.com/2013/4/19/4238676/2013-nike-hoop-summit-future-wildcats-will-face-offjc25