Kentucky Sports Radio
[Moderated by Matt Jones, Drew Franklin and Tyler Thompson]
[Moderated by Matt Jones, Drew Franklin and Tyler Thompson]
On two different occasions, once last week and then once tonight, I was able to attend a UK summer basketball practice in preparation for the team’s trip to Canada. The practices were each around 90 minutes, were vigorous and for me at least, fascinating to watch. Some of the notes below are for events that happened last week and some from tonight, but all give an indication of how Calipari is getting the team ready for its trip to Canada and how the newcomers are progressing.
— First, even in the seven days between the first and second practice I attended, the improvement from the young guys was astounding. The first practice was early in the sessions and the guys were still learning the offense and at times, looked lost. Fast forward to tonight and while mistakes were still made, the guys seemed infiintely more ready to play. Calipari said many times that he wanted them to be able to have their “feet moving fast and their mind moving slow” and by today, that seems to have happened much more.
— Last week Calipari expressed his philosophy to the young players as being simple. When you get the ball after a on the offensive end, you have three options, in this order:
1. Get it ahead to the big guys
2. Score
3. Kick it out
— Calipari is clearly taking a different, quicker approach with this team. He told the team that he might play with five guards at times, and it is clear that the plan is to normally have four ball handlers and one big guy.
— Much of what is done in these practices is the equivalent of running fast break drills. Players are placed in 2 on 1, 3 on 2 and other similar fast break scenarios and challenged to run up the court and score as quickly as possible. Passing is encouraged, but equally as important is beating your man and taking it to the basket. Calipari said on the first practice, “we take it to the rim to score, not to pass” and by Monday’s practice, the players did it with authority.
— For these summer practices, the Cats only have ten players on the court. Each day they break into teams of five and this becomes the basis for the rest of the day’s events. There was a 16 minute scrimmage at the end of the second practice, and the teams were:
BLUE:
Enes Kanter
Terrence Jones
Brandon Knight
Deandre Liggins
Jarrod Polson
WHITE:
Darius Miller
Doron Lamb
Jon Hood
Josh Harrellson
Stacey Poole
This seemed to be a very even matchup and the game was competitive throughout, with the Blue team ending up winning 38-26.
— The players themselves are of course the story, so here is my (by no means expert) view on what I saw from the guys over the course of the two practices:
ENES KANTER
He will be a star…we knew that already, but watching him in practice confirms it even more. He and Josh Harrellson spend all the drills working with each other and they have some very good battles. But Kanter is a total beast. His footwork is amazing and his spin moves and low-post skills are unlike virtually anyone I have seen coming into college. Calipari at one point today said he is “the best player on the floor”. Calipari is totally correct. Calipari repeated to the team over and over that he wants them to look for Enes and get him the ball as much as possible. I know it sounds like hyperbole, but I cant remember a kid with these types of offensive skilss at this point. He will be one of the best Freshmen post men to wear the Blue and White….mark it down.
BRANDON KNIGHT:
I was fascinated to watch Knight and to see what he will bring as the heir apparent to the John Wall position. What you immediately notice is that he isnt Wall. He is athletic, but not a freak athlete. However his quickness is apparent and he has a very high basketball IQ. What struck me is just how much better his outside jumper is than what he has gotten credit for. He was likely the most consistent three point shooter over the two practices.
DARIUS MILLER:
Clearly the early leader of the team. Calipari uses him to teach drills and he is the anchor of whatever team he is on. He is playing more as a big man, and generally guards Terrence Jones during each practice. He is able to take the ball to the hole even better than we saw last year and is the most consistent non-Kanter scorer on the team. You can tell he sees his leadership as the being important this year.
DEANDRE LIGGINS:
For me, the revelation of these practices. No player looks better than Liggins, who for the first time in his UK career seems totally at ease on the court. No player had prettier drives to the basket and no player got more consistent praise during the practices than Deandre. Watching this group play, I think he now likely looks like a starter at this point and a guy who can put up points in bunches. I never heard Calipari one time tell Deandre he was in the wrong place or not doing the right thing. HE will be the most improved player this season.
JON HOOD:
Another player who looks to have not only gotten better, but is infinitely more confident. Jon takes the ball to the basket with authority and threw down two amazing dunks over the two practices. On one play, he got out in front of the break and took off just a bit too far away from the rim, causing him to miss it. But it was so impressive in showcasing his athleticism that Calipari stopped practice to say, “MAN, I LIKE THAT!” He is still potentially a step slow on defense, but his ability to master the Dribble Drive and get the ball to the rim means I think he will see minutes this year and be a contributor.
TERRENCE JONES:
Terrence is hobbled a bit by his ankle and clearly is not at 100%. He has a ton of talent and one quality that we have seen over these last two practices that I didnt know about, is his tremendous passing ability. He has the potential to create a one-two punch with Enes Kanter down low that can be very special. Jones’s ability to take it to the basket and then dish it to Kanter is unstoppable and CAlipari encourages it on every possession. He is probably the one who is in the wrong place the most times, but that will come after more practice. But his talent is obvious.
JOSH HARRELLSON:
When you watch the games in Canada, no one will look like a different person to a greater degree than our man Jorts. He is slimmed down and in much better shape. He battles with Kanter hard and has shown a significant improvement in his quickness on defense and ability to move his feet. HE will be the backup Center, but Harrellson does a strong job in practice and will see time on the floor. He is very physical and seems to give Kanter all he wants.
DORON LAMB:
Lamb is engaging in some great one on one battles with Brandon Knight in the workouts and he is a fun player to watch. As I viewed the practice, others and I would speak about how amazing his running teardrop jumper is. On play after play, he makes it in traffic and Calipari told him at the end of Monday’s session, “I want you to shoot that ten times a game.” I havent seen him shoot enough to see if he is the deadeye three point shooter we have heard about, but his overall game is at a high level.
STACEY POOLE:
Probably the player that needs the most work at this point is Poole. His athleticism has been clear, but he is often in the wrong place on offense and is clearly the player who gets the most of Calipari’s teaching. He was very quiet over the two practices and wasnt very aggressive in either session. It was to him that Calipari said, “We drive to score, not pass” and he seems to be encouraging Poole’s confidence. It will be interesting to see him again after he takes the floor in Canada.
JARROD POLSON:
Few people know Jarrod, but a fan favorite he will be. He is the tenth guy practicing and he clearly is giving it his all. HE looks like he should be in a boy band, but the kid is all over the place in practice and holding his own. At the end of Monday’s session, he had a breakaway and threw down a dunk that I still cant believe I saw. Calipari asked, “did Jarrod just thrown down a dunk?!?” Polson will be a guy fans love and his teammates seem to as well.
So there you go….the player breakdown. I will have some more notes on the practice tomorrow, specifically how the practices have made the goals of Calipari in the Dribble-Drive Offense much more clear to me. We are just a few days away from the first summer game, and the group above (along with Eloy Vargas) will be this year’s Cats team. After watching them for two practices, I am excited about what they can become.
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August 9th, 2010 at 8:08 pm
And as a side note, watching these practices was one of the coolest things from a basketball perspective that I have ever done. You think you know a sport until you spend time watching those that truly know a sport…it is invigorating and interesting.
August 9th, 2010 at 8:09 pm
Matt, my basement is all UK, has been since I was a child. I’m just carrying on a family tradition. You’re very lucky to be able to sit in on these sessions. Only wish I could too. Keep up the great reports:)
PS: My woman and I have been playing a game. It’s called “Fifteen seconds.” She beats me everytime, but it’s fun.
August 9th, 2010 at 8:19 pm
Kudos, Matt. Question: Can we expect to have a top 10 season with this club this year? I love the hype with Canter. To make such bold claims, with the 1-2 punch of Jones is awesome to consider.
#2) My eyeballs got raped after reading whatever the hell you just said.
August 9th, 2010 at 8:21 pm
Kanter. My bad.
August 9th, 2010 at 8:32 pm
Matt – Thanks for the insights. It’s great to hear that Darius seems ready to step up and lead this team. That will be much needed. If he develops a take charge attitude, this could be his break out year.
August 9th, 2010 at 8:33 pm
Any indication on which way the wind is blowing regarding Kanter’s eligibility? Is Calipari as clueless as he claims to be? Man, I hope the NCAA doesn’t drag this out. Knowing that organization, anything is possible. With Kanter eligible and Jones at 100%, this team could be very very good – like Final Four good.
August 9th, 2010 at 8:40 pm
My take on your take:
1. I wasn’t expecting Lamb to bomb it from down town. All the video I have seen has dominate the mid-range and float that tear drop on everyone. Just as effective and will great.
2. TJ will have a triple double. Just watch. Long rebounds, dropping dimes and scoring at will. He will have a triple double no doubt.
3. Knight will more than fill the bill and I am excited to watch him.
4. Liggins will lead the charge on defense and rally the troops. Great to see him doing well because I had all but written him off after BCG got in his head. I was in Vegas when he refused to enter. Sad moment and I was disappointed. Glad to see he is having fun and learning. Glad he stayed.
5. Poole will be good, just give him time. Sounds a lot like another player we all love. Darius Miller anyone?
6. Speaking of D. Miller. IF he takes the lead role on this team–it is likely that he will gone after this year. He has all the talent and Cal will push him hard.
7. Jorts and Hood are great to have on the team. Good to see John settling in and will excel in this system. That is, if he can ignore his twitter account and kick people off when he is tired of them. As for Josh, this is why he came. True Blue through and through. Glad to see he is having fun and if Mark Pope can play that many years in the NBA, surely there can be a place for Josh.
8. Polson–FAN FAVORITE the day he made his decision. What is not to like about him. Star in the making. Don’t believe me? Just ask Cameron Mills (or is it Chris Gettlefinger-I get them confused).
Thanks for the update Matt. Glad to see you are settling into this “blogging/TV/Radio/Marketing/Promotion/explanation” gig.
August 9th, 2010 at 8:44 pm
This is the kinda REPORT I am talkin about!! Man, this report makes me wanna shoot mescaline in my eyeball. I can’t wait till sunday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
August 9th, 2010 at 8:45 pm
The reason Coach Cal has been showing praise and talking up Doron Lamb lately is to give the kid a confidence boost and to get him to accept
playing behind DeAndre Liggins. Matt’s observations of Liggins seem to confirm his improvement and that he will start ahead of Lamb.
My starting five (barring something unforeseen): Kanter, Jones, Miller, Liggins, Knight
August 9th, 2010 at 8:50 pm
what’s your all’s take on kanter’s eligibility situation? When (if ever) do you think he’ll be cleared?
August 9th, 2010 at 9:02 pm
Posted this earlier. I have 2 seats available to ride up (and back on Wednesday) to Windsor and 2 tickets available for the first game. Could potentially also have a hotel room but no guarantees on that.
Let us know, email me owen.m.wirth@gmail.com
August 9th, 2010 at 9:07 pm
9.) that would be solid. a tall starting line. 6’3, 6’7, 6’6/7, 6’9, 6’10. good size across each position.
August 9th, 2010 at 9:18 pm
I tried to get in to scout Louisville,. but couldn’t get past Vinny.
August 9th, 2010 at 9:35 pm
Matt, did I read that our boy Collier Mills is out there with the team helping out?
August 9th, 2010 at 9:36 pm
That’s a photoshopped picture of Cal. It’s actually a Memphis shirt.
August 9th, 2010 at 9:42 pm
Sex, That doesn’t take much does it? LOL
Let us hope you don’t run into Karen after you do this.
August 9th, 2010 at 10:04 pm
Matt Jones! I mean Maaaatttt Jooooonnneesss! U DA MAN.
August 9th, 2010 at 10:18 pm
And…,
on the Seventh Day, God rested.
It’d been a good week.
But he got a little bored.
So, on the Seventh Day, God created basketball.
And it was good…
The angel Gabriel kept feeding the ball inside to Michael the Archangel and they crushed the blue devils.
And it was good…
Basketball in August
It’s goooood.
August 9th, 2010 at 10:27 pm
I got dibs on the point after SexnNursinHomes gets off.
It can’t get any better than this. My Cowboys are BACK! My Wilcats play three on TV in August (which I get in Texas thanks to FSN and DIRECTV)!!
What else do I need…O yeah…..BEAT THE HELL OUTTA THE ROCKY TOP THIS YEAR!
August 9th, 2010 at 10:33 pm
15) Yeah it must be, Josh Pastner is sitting on the bench a couple seats down.
August 9th, 2010 at 10:45 pm
I was just about to finish the day as
“master of my domain” and then I clicked
on KSR one more time and read this.
Thanks- sort of.
August 9th, 2010 at 10:54 pm
It’s good to hear that all players all doing well. I’m really glad to see that Miller has improved his leadership skills, he needs to be the leader…and Liggins. I would think with Harrellson having banged at against all these great big men and how he did in China, would be significantly better. Coach loves him, that’s obvious because he’s still here. I really dont see any players except maybe Kanter playin a whole lot of minutes…I think this year the minutes are gonna be divided up pretty evenly kinda like the 96 team. I like reading these reports, makes me even more excited for Sunday to get here!
August 9th, 2010 at 10:55 pm
And Austin chose Baylor as we all knew. He looked like the perfect fit for Cal’s offense too. Oh well, cant blame a kid for stayin home.
August 9th, 2010 at 11:03 pm
I love that our walk-ons can dunk.
August 9th, 2010 at 11:03 pm
im surprised people havent made more jokes about Peter Jurkin committing to IU. I guess if IU was still a viable rival the commenters would be allll over that one.
August 9th, 2010 at 11:24 pm
Pe-ter Jurk-in clap clap, fapfapfap
August 9th, 2010 at 11:46 pm
23) dont count Austin out until he signs the paperwork
and Matt, if you thought Lamb was a ‘dead eye three point shooter,’ you are mistaken. Good, yes, but nowhere near great.
But very cool practice rundown, I am jealous you got to watch.
August 9th, 2010 at 11:57 pm
Anybody else facebook friends with Micah Pearson?? He is saying Austin Rivers may be leaning UK. This is the first I’ve heard this as most experts have long been saying Duke is a lock. But I would love to add Rivers to Gilchrist, Teague, and either Miller/Davis. Hey Matt, or anybody at KSR, do you guys have anything on this? I trust your word more than anybody.
August 10th, 2010 at 12:33 am
28) tides are swinging with Rivers since a little after Germany is the [inside] word.
August 10th, 2010 at 12:39 am
Despite the fact that Coach Cal and Doc Rivers are supposed to be good friends, I never thought for a moment, until now, that we had any shot at getting Austin.
August 10th, 2010 at 6:52 am
16- hahaha, karen is the door prize