Nike’s EYBL Peach Jam in North Augusta, South Carolina is the hottest spot in basketball →
(www.higher-education.marketing.com)
I would like to make some amendments to this chart. The biggest challenges on Facebook right now are as follows:
1) The Cold Water Challenge (64%)
2) The “Beautiful” Challenge (29%)
3) The “Grown A** Woman” Challenge (7%)
4) Wanting to punch everyone who participates (100%)
I don’t know if you’ve taken notice of the current “challenge” trend on Facebook, but I sure have. If you’ve read some of the things I’ve written for KSR before, you surely know that I have a Hate/Hate relationship with Facebook. Why do I still have one, you might ask? I ask myself that question every single day. Probably so I can know if your baby is the size of a coconut or a blueberry this week. What would I do without such vital information? Anyway, I digress… Facebook’s latest craze involves people “challenging” their friends to do something. I’ll be honest… I wanted to watch another Cold Water Challenge video about as much as I wanted to watch your Youth Group’s Harlem Shake video, but I bit my tongue because hey… at least that was for a good cause and money was going to charity (or so you say… some of you I don’t trust… I’m looking at you, everyone I went to high school with). But it’s gotten out of control. Now people are challenging each other to “post 5 pictures of yourself that make you feel beautiful.” Just so we are all clear here… people DO understand that there’s really nothing challenging about something like that, right? Posting your favorite selfies where the light happens to hit you and you look way better than normal doesn’t really classify as a challenge. At least not in my books. And if such things are particularly challenging in your mind… let me suggest that you try something a little more difficult. Sudoku? Tying your shoes? Running a mile? Remembering to Instagram all of the food you ate today? Deciphering one of Tom Crean or Frank Martin’s tweets?
I’m just trying to save the world from being annoying on Facebook. It might be my one mission in life. Don’t do it, people. Don’t succumb to the challenges that aren’t really challenges. And while you’re at it, STILLLLL no one cares to hear about your political views. Rant over, for now…
I challenge you to read tonight’s news and views without being mean in the comment section…
Cal is talking… and we are all listening
As Tyler Thompson likes to say, Swaggy Cal is back. And I think we are all enjoying the juicy tidbits he’s been throwing our way this week. Calipari got our heart rates up on Sunday night when he tweeted out a picture of the team together after finding them playing when he returned from all of his travels. He continues to rave about how much this team enjoys working and playing, and how now they are starting to enjoy working and playing together. Make no mistake about it… Cal is excited. And when Cal is excited… we are excited. Today he threw out another tidbit of information highlighting the luxury of having some veteran players returning for the first time in a long time.
“Boy is it nice to have returning players. I haven’t had that in five years. They understand what we’re trying to do.”
Cal went on to reveal that he will be giving the Big Blue nation a full practice report (the first official one of the summer) on CoachCal.com tomorrow. Refresh. Refresh. Refresh. TELL US MORE!
Cal gets the attention of the recruits with his star-studded weekend
One of the top recruits in the class of 2015, 5-star Jaylen Brown, admitted to being impressed by the fact that John Calipari was at the ESPY’s one night, and then immediately hopped on a flight to make it to his early morning game the next day. Hate on the stuff like Calipari hanging out with Drake as much as you want, but these recruits notice this kind of stuff. And they think it’s cool. I could be wrong, but I doubt that Mark Fox and Bill Self are rubbing elbows with big named stars. It’s getting the recruits’ attention. And if you didn’t believe it from Brown’s comments, then Stephen Zimmerman’s comments (another top 2015 recruit) about how he saw Cal on TV at the ESPYs and texted him to see if he would respond should solidify the fact that these guys are taking note of the buzz around Cal. Swaggy Cal is on the loose.
Mark Stoops was literally everywhere today on ESPN
While Calipari spent the weekend on the run back and forth between LA, Lexington and Augusta….Mark Stoops hit the flights today on his way to ESPN for the “carwash” routine. Stoops was a part of a myriad of different shows, taping some segments that aired today and others that will air later in the week. Not all of the SEC coaches went through the car wash, but Stoops has his program buzzing right now with a level of recruiting the SEC hasn’t seen from Kentucky. Keep an eye out for some quotes and stories as the week goes on.
But he will not be at the Governor’s Cup Luncheon….
Stoops was a lot of places today, but he will NOT be attending the Governor’s Cup Luncheon on Wednesday. While the news just hit the mainstream flow today, apparently Stoops let those in charge know of his decision months ago. With the game no longer at the front end of the season, UK’s Tony Neely said it “didn’t add up” to Stoops to attend. Stoops will likely be spending the time working with his team in preparation for the more immediate future. However, Stoops will keep his speaking engagement at the Rotary Club for Thursday in place.
In about 3 days, no one will really care that Mark Stoops didn’t attend this luncheon that is now taking place months and months in advance to the actual big game. But for now, it gives people something to rant about in the summer.
Never trust people with two first names… or Package Deals in college basketball recruiting
A few weeks ago it seemed as if a Malik Newman/Diamond Stone package deal was quite possibly still on the table. Although package deals rarely hold true in the end, the two top recruits in 2015 seemed committed to the idea early. Now, the package deal seems a lot less “certain.” Diamond Stone plans to announce his decision on National Signing Day in November, and according to Newman’s twitter, he won’t be ready to necessarily make that same commitment, and it might not be to the same school. Stone had also hedged his bets on the package deal this weekend. When asked about the deal, he said “50/50.”
Diamond Stone appears to be UCONN’s to lose at this point, and Kentucky seemed to be in more favorable position for Newman when comparing the two. The news could be positive for Kentucky who will likely remain in the picture for Newman regardless of Stone’s decision.
George Brown watch until Friday
Kentucky’s 3-star OL target George Brown had a great visit in Lexington this weekend and seemed well on the verge of pulling the trigger for the Cats when he decides on Friday. Florida jumped in for one last ditch recruiting pitch and got Brown on campus today. It looks like Brown had a good visit with the Gators as well and now will have to make a decision that will likely come down to Kentucky and Florida. Brown is also considering Alabama, Georgia, and LSU but the Cats and Gators look to be the favorites. Hopefully Florida didn’t sway Brown too much, as he seemed almost a surefire bet for Kentucky after this weekend.
Damien Harris says he will trim to 5 on August 1st, and make his final decision on December 13th
Speaking of top recruits, the #1 running back in the class of 2015 from the state of Kentucky announced via Twitter that he has a more clear cut time table for his decision making process. Harris says he will narrow his list of schools to 5 on August 1st. Kentucky seems all but certain to make the final cut. Harris also said that he will make his final decision on December 13th. Mark your calendars.
Pretty impressive group of schools for Friday’s 1:30 pm announcement. Would be an amazing get for the Cats…
Some good news (from my perspective) on the UK basketball front from Scout.com. The website is reporting that 2015 Big man Caleb Swanigan received an offer from Kentucky today, a big development for the star player. Swanigan had a GREAT Peach Jam and was one of my favorite players during the event. He played against Cheick Diallo and had the better of the matchup and it was that performance that may have pushed Calipari over the top. Michigan State has been the considered leader and Indiana/Louisville are also involved. But with Kentucky in the picture, things may change for a guy with lots of talent and a frame that is ready to compete right away in major college basketball.
(247Sports.com)
Kentucky’s top in-state target in the class of 2015, #1 rated running back Damien Harris, tweeted that he will be making his final decision on December 13th. Before he makes that decision though, Harris will trim his list to 5 on August 1st. Kentucky figures to make the final cut for Harris and he seems to still be very high on the Cats.
Go Cats. Yahtzee? Please?
Sometimes lost in the shuffle of returning starters like the Harrisons and WCS or exciting newcomers like Karl Towns and Tyler Ulis is Marcus Lee. Lee spent most of his freshman year fighting for playing time as he developed his game but it could be his sophomore year that he breaks out. ESPN agrees and today they named him an under-the-radar sophomore to watch. Here’s what the worldwide leader had to say:
Marcus Lee, forward, Kentucky. Lee showed how effective he could be with his 10-point, eight-rebound performance in just 15 minutes in the Elite Eight game against Michigan. But his toughest competition is arguably the Wildcats’ crowded frontcourt. It’s hard to envision how he’ll get enough playing time to stand out.
Kentucky opponents from Louisville and North Carolina also make the list but I think it’s Marcus Lee who could be the break out star of the list. With Lyle’s summer injury Lee will likely get a lot of playing time in the Bahamas and the early season. Perhaps he can work his way into solid rotation minutes. He certainly looks like he’s been putting on some summer muscle and might be able to hold his own against the physical 4s of the SEC. If he shows up each game like he did against Michigan there’s no way he can stay on the bench.
Relive Marcus’ finest hour with the incredible call by Tom Leach:
KSR’s annual trip down south for wings, more wings and AAU basketball provided the opportunity to see several of the high school juniors and seniors John Calipari is eyeing this summer. We’ve known the names and YouTube clips of UK’s targets for a couple of years now, but the July recruiting period is always our chance to see them play in person, and this year was one of the best.
As you know, Matt, Tomlin and I attended the first day of the AUU Finals in Atlanta on Wednesday, followed by two days of basketball at the Nike EYBL Peach Jam in Augusta. We did our best to watch every UK prospect at least once, catching big names like Diamond Stone, Jaylen Brown, and Stephen Zimmerman. We did not, however, lay eyes on Charles Matthews or Malik Newman, two guys we were hoping to see. Newman made the trip but did not play due to injury.
Now that we’re back home and saw what we needed to see and ate the wings we needed to eat (and the ones we didn’t), I took some time to rank the players based on their performances in the games I attended. I’ll say that again: these rankings are based on the games I attended. So before you disagree with me in the comments section, remember, these rankings are based solely on the games I attended. It’s a very small sample size, just one or two games per player, so don’t put a ton of stock in how I number them below.
1.) Malik Monk
Shooting Guard, 2016
I knew very little about Malik Monk before following John Calipari (fresh off his visit with LeBron) to Court 4 on Friday night, where Monk scored 40 points against eventual Peach Jam champion Team Penny. Monk’s 40-piece came on 14-for-20 shooting from the field, including 6-of-10 from downtown.
Currently the third-ranked shooting guard and sixth overall in 247Sports’ 2016 rankings, Monk made a strong case for being the best player in the class. He is an unstoppable scorer, whether it’s attacking the rim off the dribble or shooting from outside.
Watch the highlights from that 40 point effort below:
2.) Jaylen Brown
Small Forward, 2015
As good as Malik Monk was, it still took some serious thinking to put him above Jaylen Brown. I should call them 1a and 1b in the rankings, because Brown was just as impressive. The 2015 small forward target dunked, dunked, dunked, dunked and then dunked again in the Wednesday evening game in Atlanta. Robic sat against the wall under the goal, smiling from ear to ear with each new explosive highlight reel play.
In a class with longtime UK priority Malik Newman and several elite post players to choose from, Jaylen Brown may be UK’s new biggest target. He is the real deal.
3.) Tyus Battle
Shooting Guard, 2016
A teammate of Cheick Diallo, Tyus Battle was Team SCAN’s consistent offensive weapon all weekend. The class of 2016 target can score in a variety of ways and he showed some hops with a couple of flashy dunks in transition. I think he benefited from Diallo and Thomas Bryant drawing attention inside, but I’ll give him the third spot here anyway. He earned it with one of the dunks.
4.) Caleb Swanigan
Center, 2015
Who? Caleb Swanigan. The big guy went up against two top 25 players in Diallo and Bryant and he outplayed them both. His big night in front of the UK coaching staff included a buzzer-beating three to send the game to overtime, followed by another three at the buzzer to force a second overtime. I believe he had 20 and 10 in the game.
UK has been in contact and interest likely picked up after he stole the show at the Peach Jam.
5.) Diamond Stone
Center, 2015
The No. 1 center in the class had his hands full in his first game of the Under Armour event. He drew the task of going up against Doral Moore, another highly-touted center with an offer from Kentucky.
Stone played well but not great, showing flashes of what we’ve long heard about his game: that he is a very skilled post player. However, he settled for long jumpers on too many possessions, rather than using his big frame to get inside and put that offensive skill set to work.
He did finish with 18 points and 12 rebounds, the better numbers in the head-to-head matchup with Moore, but Stone was blocked by Moore with a minute left in a tie game that led to the deciding basket on the other end. He turned it over on the final possession with a chance to tie.
Still, I saw the potential and why some are comparing him to a young DeMarcus Cousins.
6.) Cheick Diallo
Power Forward, 2015
I caught two of Diallo’s games, and though he didn’t blow me away offensively, I see why Slice loves him and was courtside for his every move. Diallo is a high-energy guy that is going to go after every rebound and challenge every shot. He took very few plays off, a rarity in an AAU showcase game, and played great defense, also rarely seen at this level.
There is a lot for Diallo to work on offensively, but his motor is second to none. Kid’s a competitor and he’s strong, two things you can’t teach. The offense will come.
7.) Doral Moore
Center, 2015
The aforementioned Doral Moore did not post outstanding numbers against Stone — eight points, one rebound — but his length and athleticism was on display in the win against the higher ranked center. Moore blocked a couple of shots and altered several others after opening the game with two midrange jumpers, something I didn’t expect to see in his game.
He has room to improve in several areas and needs to add some muscle, but he has the potential to be a Willie Cauley-Stein clone if he puts in the work. He has that rare athleticism and bounce for a 7-footer.
8.) Stephen Zimmerman
Center, 2015
Other than being the tallest guy on the court, Zimmerman didn’t show me a ton of game to back up his high ranking in the two or three games I saw. He has good hands and a soft touch, but most of his points came from gifts down low, right around the basket. Word is he can score from the high post but I didn’t see any of that. Maybe it’s there, but he didn’t use it. I wasn’t overly impressed.
9.) Ivan Rabb
Power Forward, 2015
Rabb, a teammate of Zimmerman, also failed to shine. Like Zimmerman, most of his points came from close range. I thought he could’ve done a better job using his size and strength to grab more rebounds and put himself in position to get more opportunities offensively. He could’ve been more active on both ends, in my opinion.
That being said, he’s big, strong and athletic and will make one college team very happy when he arrives on campus.
10.) Derrick Jones
Small Forward, 2015
Jones is super athletic which makes his performance in the game we saw super disappointing. He didn’t do a lot of scoring, in part because his teammates weren’t giving him the ball, and all of the high-flying dunks we had heard about were absent. I’m chalking this one up to a bad afternoon, although his skinny frame is also cause for concern. He’s all bones right now.
So there ya go. That’s a rundown of what I saw on the KSR scouting trip. Now let’s go out and get Jaylen Brown immediately.
For NBA basketball junkies like myself, the Summer League is an awesome 15 days of action. When the games are in Orlando from July 5-11 fans can only watch on NBA TV, but the “awesomeness” goes to a whole other level in Las Vegas when fans are able to watch up to 8 games a day for just $25.
Image via Bleacher Report
This was my second straight summer coming out to Vegas and catching a little Summer League action. I was in the gym on Friday and had the opportunity to see the three former UK players who were still active. One of the neatest parts of attending NBA Summer League in Las Vegas is how close to the action you can get and how all of the coaches, scouts, front office guys, and even the players just walk the hallways right along with the fans. Having the ability to interact with some of them is a really neat opportunity that you really can’t get, especially for just $25, anywhere but Summer League.
Nerlens Noel: 2 games, 13 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 2 bpg
Nerlens played in just a couple of Las Vegas Summer League games because the 76ers also were a part of the Orlando Summer League; they had him playing every other game for the most part. Overall, Nerlens showcased why he was a top pick last season despite having to sit out the entire year. He is so bouncy around the basket and simply has a knack for making things happen. I think he can give you 10 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 blocks a game from day 1.
Archie Goodwin: 5 games, 12.8 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 1.2 spg
Archie showed off some serious aggression offensively this summer. He really attacked the basket and did a good job of getting to the foul line. One thing that always stands out to me when I see Archie in person is how big he is. He is a legit 6’5′ but seems taller because of his long arms. I think he has a chance to have a good season off the bench for the Suns.
Julius Randle: 4 games, 12.5 ppg, 4.3 rpg. 
In the game that I watched on Friday Julius struggled, but he put up good numbers in his few games with the Lakers out in Vegas. He is strong and athletic, even compared to veteran NBA players, and plays very, very hard. He will go through some growing pains and some of the issues that drove UK fans crazy sometimes (I am talking about you, spin move) will similarly annoy Lakers fans. However, at #7, I think Julius could be one of the best value picks in the 2014 draft.
DeAndre Liggins: 5 games, 7.2 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 1.2 spg
The Summer League is more important for DeAndre than any of the former ‘Cats outlined above. He is playing for more than just some extra minutes, he is playing to earn a roster spot and prove he belongs in the league. In my opinion, he did just that. DeAndre is a very good perimeter defender capable of containing some of the very best players in the league for stretches. Also, he plays so hard and can contribute in a variety of ways. I see him developing in to an important bench player on a championship contender in the coming years.
Brandon Ramsey
@Coach_BRamsey
John Calipari is a happy man right now. Cal is back from his big recruiting trip and working with his team. He posted this update on social media a little bit ago:
“Boy is it nice to have returning players. I haven’t had that in five years. They understand what we’re trying to do.”
Cal says he’ll have a practice report up on CoachCal.com later today or tomorrow. Boy is it nice to have Swaggy Cal back.
Stephen Zimmerman was one of the prospects Cal watched over the weekend at the Peach Jam, and according to Rivals’ TJ Walker, Zimmerman gave Cal a little test on Wednesday night. If you recall, Cal was at the ESPYS that night, and once Zimmerman saw him on TV, he texted Cal to see if Cal would check his phone during the show. He did.
“I saw him at the ESPYs last night and I texted him to see if he would reply to me and he did, so that was pretty cool,” Zimmerman said. “I wanted to see him pick up his phone on TV because I saw him sitting behind a couple people. I was too slow though, but he replied to me, so that was pretty cool.”
Cal flew in to watch Zimmerman and other top prospects the next morning, which the 2015 big man said was “big” considering he was in LA the night before (according to Matt, Jaylen Brown was also impressed with Cal’s jet-setting recruiting style).
Zimmerman just cut Louisville from his list, and plans to visit Kentucky on October 17 for Big Blue Madness. He’s also taking official visits to North Carolina on October 3 and Kansas on October 10. Head on over to Rivals to read more of his quotes about the Cats.
This morning, Matt and Ryan were live from the Don Moore GM Center in Owensboro, and a very special guest came out for the show. THE TRUTH made his first in-person appearance on KSR in the second hour, and you definitely don’t want to miss it. You also don’t want to miss the story behind this picture of Matt and Rick Pitino from the Peach Jam over the weekend:
Matt tells us all about it in hour one, along with all the latest recruiting updates from the Peach Jam and the football team’s three big Yahtzees.
Hour 1:
Hour 2:
Here’s the rest of the tour schedule:
Tuesday, July 22nd: Morganfield- Verlie’s
Wednesday, July 23rd: Madisonville- Hudson Automotive
Thursday, July 24th: Hopkinsville- Holiday Inn Hoptown
Friday, July 25th: Paducah- BW3′s sponsored by IMAC Regeneration
Monday, July 28th: Danville- Bluegrass Community Bank
Tuesday, July 29th: Fort Wright/Northern KY- Dickmann’s Cafe
Wednesday, July 30th: Maysville- Mann Chrysler
Thursday, July 31st: Lexington- TBD
Friday, August 1st: Louisville- TBD
Mark Stoops’ day at ESPN is over, and if you followed along on his adventures via Twitter, he seemed to have a pretty good time. Here are some of the pics he tweeted out, starting with the original ESPN sign, above. Where’s one of those skinny gameshow microphones when you need it?
On the “College Football Live” set with Hugh Freeze and Joe Tessitore:
Sitting very proper for ESPN Radio:
With Rod Gilmore and Heisman winner Andre Ware:
Finally, on the new SportsCenter set:
Next time, use the flash, Coach.
From East Mississippi Community College to Kentucky football posterboy, Za’Darius Smith has helped transform the attitude inside the locker room and the fan base in less than two years on campus. After a solid start in year one, Smith slowed down in SEC play but still managed to finish third on the team in tackles while sacking opposing quarterbacks six times.
Za’Darius was good last year, but this year he can be on of the best in the country.
1. You can’t stop em both. Two is better than one, the math is simple. Last year the Bud/Z duo combined for 13 sacks, and there’s no reason that number won’t be larger in 2014. Opposing offensive lines can only double-team an end on one side, leaving a one-on-one opportunity. If we thought this combo was good last year, it will be entertaining to see their improvements over the offseason.
2. The Spring game screen pass interception. The highlight of the Spring Game for me, was watching Patrick Towles try to bring down Za’Darius at the goal line after Z snagged a screen pass out of the air. It’s just one play, but I don’t care. DO YOU KNOW HOW DIFFICULT IT IS TO PULL THAT OFF? Even if he did pickup on what the offense was doing (he probably had gone against that play more than a dozen times in practice), there aren’t many people on the country that can make that play. If that happens just once this year, it can be the difference between winning and losing a game.
3. JUCOs at UK ‘get it’ much better in year two. The purpose of recruiting JUCOs is receive immediate help at positions of need. Z did his part last year, but there’s a difference between being good and opening a can of whoop ass on a regular basis. WRs Chris Matthews and Stevie Johnson held their own in year one, but nothing compared to year two (see: Stevie Got Loose). Za’Darius came to UK with better fundamentals than anyone at the position, but the speed of the game can make it difficult for things to click in between the ears. Without first-year obstacles in the way, nothing should slow Z down.
4. Taking responsibility as a leader. Za’Darius could not be more appreciative of the shot coach Stoops has given him. From humbled beginnings, Z knows that it’s now or never. He’s assumed responsibility for helping everyone around him get better, the fastest route to success. Last week he told Tyler at SEC media days, “Coach Brumbaugh taught me in junior college, and I have the ability to help the team and know what I’m doing. Just by coming in when he’s not there, I can go outside with all the other guys and be that leader to help them with technique work.”
When Za’Darius became Coach Stoops’ first recruit on campus, he became a symbol for the BBN. This is what Mark Stoops’ players are going to look like. Much like the ‘high noon’ game that can determine how a season will play out, Za’Darius’ second-year success will be a reflection of the direction Kentucky football is heading.
Just in case we needed a reminder that we’re not necessarily the craziest fan base in the SEC, here comes another Alabama fan story. Over this weekend, former LSU/Titans rookie QB Zach Mettenberger was sucker punched by an Alabama fan at Losers Most Wanted Bar in Nashville. According to Steve Ford, the owner of Losers, an Alabama fan said “Roll Tide” to Mettenberger, who replied “Good luck with that,” and then a different Alabama fan sucker punched him:
“I promise you that Mettenberger did not throw a punch. He didn’t do anything. The guy sucker-punched him in the eye, that’s the bottom line, and the guy that punched him started running out the door. My door guys had to chase him down.”
In other news, I really wish the Titans would stop hanging out a bar called “Losers.” Right now, we don’t need to make the jokes any easier than they already are.
If you haven’t seen the picture of John Calipari with Hillary Clinton at the Starkey Hearing Gala over the weekend, well, you’re probably the only one. Cal posted the picture of himself with the former First Lady and Secretary of State with the caption “Got to meet Hillary Clinton. She looked great! Really exciting stuff!”, and immediately, it went viral. So far, the picture has almost 8,000 likes on Facebook, 2,000 likes on Instagram, and thousands of Facebook comments.
It probably won’t surprise you that most of those Facebook comments (like 99.99%) don’t favor Hillary that much, and in turn, Cal got a lot of heat for posting the picture himself. I spent my morning mucking through all of the comments to bring you this most ridiculous. Get ready.
Let’s start with the ones that were actually nice…
A lot of people were happy Hillary was wearing a blue dress:
Some people were shocked that she was actually wearing a dress:
This person thinks Hillary looks really hot:
This person was really upset that Cal commented on Hillary’s looks in general:
These people lost respect for Cal for posting the picture:
This person would rather see Cal with Pitino:
Some people were just straight up mean:
Of course, there was a random Monica Lewinsky fan in the house:
This guy would rather see Cal’s poop than this picture:
These people are no longer Kentucky fans because of the picture:
Because of the picture, this guy thinks Cal needs to go to Cleveland:
All because of one picture. Read the rest of the comments for yourself here.
Can someone fix Stoops’ stool?
Near a TV/WatchESPN app? Mark Stoops is about to be on “College Football Live” on ESPN. Despite what the name of the show would suggest, the segment was actually taped earlier today, and KSR’s ESPN spy Hayley Minogue was able to sneak in and take some pictures. Hayley reports that Stoops seemed really happy with how the SEC Car Wash was going and the folks at ESPN had him doing a lot more than last year, so that’s good. Here’s Hayley and Coach in the ESPN offices:
Looking good, guys.
