CBS BB Guy Rothstein Observes UK Practice...One Might Say He Was Very Impressed

[Darryl]

link:

https://twitter.com/JonRothstein

Darryl

[Darryl]

Shocking....but Rothstein has Poythress at the 3.

Darryl

[Bakert]

Very positive about both Willis and Hawkins which is great to hear.

Curious, why do you find it shocking Rothstein has Poy at the three? Isn't that where most of us have been projecting him?

Also, great to hear him talk about Towns' perimeter game which is where I believe he will be most effective.

[Darryl]

Very positive about both Willis and Hawkins which is great to hear.

Curious, why do you find it shocking Rothstein has Poy at the three? Isn't that where most of us have been projecting him?

Also, great to hear him talk about Towns' perimeter game which is where I believe he will be most effective.

Tom, I have been bragging on Poythress for 2 years and saying he will eventually be outstanding at the 3. Some very
vocal skeptics here disagree.

Darryl

[kingcat]

Jon Rothstein@JonRothstein · Jul 21

5 Breakout SEC Players for 14-15: Marcus Lee (UK), Kasey Hill (UF), Anthony Perez (Ole Miss), Damian Jones (Vandy), J Williams III (Mizzou)

[Padukacat]

Man projecting the minutes and where these guys lands is not possible at this point, so many factors come into play. The only sure things at this point are the harrisons getting major minutes. The rest will depend on how bad the others want to play and how much they have improved their weaknesses over the summer. Man I cant wait to see the Bahamas games.

[dan_bgblue]

Shocking....but Rothstein has Poythress at the 3.

Darryl

He obviously does not know what he is talking about.:evilgrin0007:

[kingcat]

I don't anticipate Dakari losing the starting nod. I'd project it as, the Twins, Dakari, Lee, and Poythress for most of the season..

[Padukacat]

I don't anticipate Dakari losing the starting nod. I'd project it as, the Twins, Dakari, Lee, and Poythress for most of the season..

Man that's a LOT of non-handlers for a dribble drive offense. Not saying I disagree that could be the starters, but geez what a dilemma for cal.

[ShoesSwayedBlue]

Towns will start.

[KeithKSR]

I don't anticipate Dakari losing the starting nod. I'd project it as, the Twins, Dakari, Lee, and Poythress for most of the season..

Towns over Lee at the four, we need the scoring.

[Krank]

Towns over Lee at the four, we need the scoring.

I like your theory, but I prefer proven D and experience with Lee. I also like Towns' versatility off the bench for both offense and defense, just using his size all over. I also am guessing that Coach Calipari's affection for shot-blockers, along with Dakari's relative "below the rim game", makes Lee more appealing to limit early scoring from decent opponents.

[anderwt]

Love AP, but he made big plays off put backs and using his unreal athletic ability around the rim..that is where he is best..I'd have him guard 3's on D and play the hybrid 4 on offense..the key to AP getting to that next level is becoming Patrick Patterson with the 15-20 foot jump shot..he can't dribble, therefore I think this is his best route to a great year

[Darryl]

Love AP, but he made big plays off put backs and using his unreal athletic ability around the rim..that is where he is best..I'd have him guard 3's on D and play the hybrid 4 on offense..the key to AP getting to that next level is becoming Patrick Patterson with the 15-20 foot jump shot..he can't dribble, therefore I think this is his best route to a great year

That is a very important point some don't think about; Poy is a terrific defender at the SF position. He helped shut down Hancock
in the Sweet 16 game when Young was just getting abused.

Darryl

[Rock Hard Ten]

Watching the replay of Wisconsin game, on some trips Cal had AP guarding Frank the Tank Kaminsky

[dan_bgblue]

Towns will start.

Totally agree and in my opinion he will start at the 4 spot.

[dan_bgblue]

Watching the replay of Wisconsin game, on some trips Cal had AP guarding Frank the Tank Kaminsky

I believe he can be effective guarding 3 spots, 3,4 and 5 in a lot of games. Not all as there are some mismatch issues with some 5's but other than that, I do not fear him playing D in most games.

Really, really, really hoping the shooting touch from beyond the arc that he displayed as a freshman returns this coming season.

[Bakert]

Tom, I have been bragging on Poythress for 2 years and saying he will eventually be outstanding at the 3. Some very
vocal skeptics here disagree.

Darryl

Put me on your side, then. I think Alex can be an outstanding 3.

[jazyd]

Nice word on Booker

[ETWNAPPEL]

ONly thing suspect in what Rothstein said was his projected lineup was based on what he saw. He had WCS starting, but he is not practicing. I think it remains to be seen how his injury effects him.

[bigsky]

Towns will start. at the four

[Philly Cat]

I agree with ETWNappel-- I think there's a chance that WCS doesn't start because (1) he might not start at the beginning due to his injury & getting up to basketball speed, and (2) if we're successful early on, Cal will get WCS to embrace the role of leader of the second unit & say that he doesn't want to disrupt the chemistry of the first unit. Something like that.

Also, I think Cal would love nothing more -- for recruiting, sound-bite, and motivational purposes in the future -- than to have a Top-10 NBA lottery pick COME OFF HIS BENCH. I think Towns and WCS are the best candidates for that.

I'm not saying it's likely, but I'm just saying: With this crowded of a front-court, no lineup shuffle is going to shock me. I think you can make a legitimate case for five front-court starters (Poy, WCS, Dakari, Lee, Towns), and a non-laughable case for two others (Willis/Lyles) if certain things happen with their development.

[UKHistory]

I like Rothstein and am giddy about what they are saying in practice. But...I heard this last year too. I don't expect a repeat but I will temper my expectations until I see how we play in the Bahamas.

[uk-4-the-win]

Word around lexington is that Lee is improving a lot and has a face up jumpshot now. if true, he should start as he is a sophomore. ..If not true then Towns eventually but possibly Dakari and WCS at the beginning of the year.

as far as Towns being a 4..... offensively yes.... defensively he will guard the opposing center.

[ShoesSwayedBlue]

Yep. Towns at the four, Alex at the three, the twins and well, it doesn't really matter who at the five because we have like 20 of them who can play there. :happy0001:

[HerbTarlek]

I say we go with the playstation line up: Poythress, Lyles, Towns, Stein, Johnson.

Its a terrible idea, but one I would like to see just once.

[Bakert]

Word around lexington is that Lee is improving a lot and has a face up jumpshot now. if true, he should start as he is a sophomore. ..If not true then Towns eventually but possibly Dakari and WCS at the beginning of the year.

as far as Towns being a 4..... offensively yes.... defensively he will guard the opposing center.

Who does Dakari guard? The other teams five. I think many are going to be surprised at what we have in Towns. He is no more a post up center than AD was.

And why should Lee start just because he is a soph?

[Philly Cat]

Prediction: Towns steps up early and asks to be part of the second unit. It shows deference to "elders." It shows scouts that he's a team-first guy. And I bet Calipari asks him on the sly to do it to set the right tone and serve as a "pressure valve" for some of the older guys who are worried about how "losing" a starting spot would affect their draft status.

And by the way, I'm clear as a bell for months that I think Towns will be the best player on our team. Cal is going to have a heck of a time keeping him off the court... which makes this "ask" by Towns all the easier, because Cal can "start" him on the bench and then just play him major minutes while ceding the (pointless) glory of a starting spot to an upperclassman.

[kingcat]

The best thing about freshman is...they become sophmores.
And those sophmores were tremendous freshman who nearly won the NCAA title. The new kids will defer to most of the second year kids because they will be better college players imho.

[Rock Hard Ten]

Prediction: Towns steps up early and asks to be part of the second unit. It shows deference to "elders." It shows scouts that he's a team-first guy. And I bet Calipari asks him on the sly to do it to set the right tone and serve as a "pressure valve" for some of the older guys who are worried about how "losing" a starting spot would affect their draft status.

And by the way, I'm clear as a bell for months that I think Towns will be the best player on our team. Cal is going to have a heck of a time keeping him off the court... which makes this "ask" by Towns all the easier, because Cal can "start" him on the bench and then just play him major minutes while ceding the (pointless) glory of a starting spot to an upperclassman.

Philly, you aced this one…..Cal can point to Manu Ginobli for a good analogy……never starts, gets lots of minutes including the crunch time…..Cal can also point to MKG stepping aside for Darius…..and to Darius stepping aside for most of his senior season

As an aside, NBA scouts will be camping out at UK practices and will have their conclusions drawn from there along with game time performance…..draft worthiness will be determined by much more than the number of minutes Cal gives an individual

[Padukacat]

My gut tells the that the players we are building into something greater than they will be this coming year are Towns and Lee. I think Towns needs some time to physically mature to catch up to the college game and get his feet under him. I think Lee needs more time as well to learn the game and get some mass. I think both players will be great for us in flashes, and Lee will stick around and come into his own next year with more chances to play. I think Towns is all world in the skill department and within 5 years will be awesome in the league.

[UKStucat]

Where does WCS fit in on the team? Will he be a starter or will he come off of the bench?

[Darrell KSR]

I think a lot depends on his recovery. The more delayed it is (and it may be more delayed than we think), the more likely he comes off the bench when the season starts, and Cal decides to keep things as they are.