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  • "Young" gun rough enough for Calipari, tough enough for Rock?

    By: LARRY VAUGHT



    There was never any doubt in John Calipari’s mind that James Young could shoot the basketball. When it came to Young’s physical toughness, though, Calipari did have doubts.

    “I'm watching him and I always questioned, 'OK, is he rough enough?' On this team, you don't really have to be rough because you've got three guys (Aaron Harrison, Andrew Harrison, Julius Randle) that are pit bulldogs, three. OK? So that's pretty good on one team to have three guys like that. But I always said, I want to see,” Calipari said about the freshman guard. “So he played a team (in an AAU game) that put a football player on him, and I watched the whole game.

    “And the guy beat the living crap out of him. He went inside, he wasn't afraid, he still scored and it didn't phase him. And the dude put him in as a football player to play him and try to beat him up, and he held his own. From that point I was sold. I was like, 'OK, let's get this kid.' Cause that was my only question: when this stuff gets rough, what's he going to do. He didn't back away one bit.”

    Young just laughed when told about Calipari’s story — and quickly admitted he remembered that summer game in 2012 well.

    “I do remember. They tried to put a really big guy on me. I feel like the bigger they are, the slower they will be. I used my speed and quickness to get around the person and I used my height to rebound over them with my jumping ability,” Young said. “I think it is a work ethic thing. Once you feel you can go get it, you just have to strive to do that. I knew he was watching me that game, so I just concentrated on playing through anything that happened,” Young said.

    The 6-7 Young averaged 27.2 points, 16 rebounds and 5.7 assists per game at Rochester Hills (Mich.) High School. As a junior at nearby Troy High School, he averaged 25.1 points, 10.5 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 2.5 steals.

    Young says he’s been working on using his right hand more — he’s left-handed — and lifting weights.
    “I am lifting heavier weights. It is earlier every day that we do it. It is just crazy, but I like it,” Young said.
    He said strength and conditioning coach Rock Oliver has been the biggest help to him of any coach or player since he got to Kentucky in late August.

    “He has definitely taken my body to the next level and I appreciate it,” Young said. “He can be tough. He pushes us. He loves us all, but he pushes us and that helps us and makes us a tougher person. Sometimes he can be intimidating if you mess up and he really gets into you, but if you do what you are supposed to do and do the right things, he is a great guy.”

    Calipari will think Young is a “great guy” as he continues to add strength so he can finish stronger at the basket to go with his outside shot.

    “First of all, his core strength has to improve, because to play the way we're playing, when you get the bump, you've got to be in a position and your core strength is what leverages you to be able to stay the course. I call it bulldogging. You can bulldog if you have to. He doesn't have that yet,” Calipari said. “His is more of a slippery game. If he gets bumped, he'll kind of ... but he can really score, and he's really skilled. He plays low already.”

    Young calls himself a “great scorer” who could play shooting guard if needed along with his more natural small forward position.

    “My role will be to get everybody around me open and create open shots,” Young said. “I have to do what I did in high school and I will be fine. I know Coach wants me to finish stronger at the basket. He is just motivating me. I am working on getting stronger to the basket and taking it through the contact. I do finish.

    I just usually go around the defender. He just wants me to go through the defender.”
    Young calls himself a “natural shooter” who probably doesn’t work on his shot as much as many might expect.

    “I have always heard that left-handers have a nice stroke, so I just took that and worked on it day by day. It was just all natural,” Young, who says left-hander Tayshaun Prince is his favorite former UK player because their scoring ability is similar, said. “I am so excited to be on a team this good, too. I won’t have to worry about double- and triple-teams. I will actually get to play somebody one on one. It’s great to see what will happen and if I can get around just one defender for a change.”

    Young thinks his rebounding might surprise UK fans — and opponents.

    “Some people don’t think I can actually jump that high but I think that is going to be a big shock to everybody when they see how high I can jump and how fast I am going up and down the floor,” Young said. “I worked on my legs a lot during the summer and I can jump out of the gym.”

    He did not spend the summer in Lexington, something that had many wondering about his academic status for this season.

    “I just had a little credit issues switching schools between my junior and senior years. I was just going to summer school and getting it all right,” Young said. “I knew I was going to come here. I was not worried. My step-dad took me to trainings all the time for basketball. I worked out the whole time every day just working on left hand, right hand, conditioning.

    “My step-dad is like my mentor. He takes me through a lot and we have been through a lot together. He is just a great man. He can be tough and loving. If I mess up, he is always there to talk to me about my wrongs, my rights. He loves me at the same time. He loves me tremendously.

    “And my mother would go through anything for me. My mom and grandmother. I love them both and miss them dearly. They will be at every game sitting right in the front row. Mom was always there to support me. It was me going through life to get ready for basketball, and now here we are.”
    Young has believed from the time he signed with Kentucky that the Wildcats would win the national championship this season.

    “Kentucky was just always my dream school. Once I came here, I loved the campus, loved having great players around me. I felt like we could do a lot of damage next year. We are just going to take it day by day and see how it goes, but I like our chances,” he said. “I can’t wait to play in Rupp Arena. It is going to be so exciting. Nothing like that in my life before. I can’t wait.”

    He got a taste of what life at UK would be like during postseason all-star games when he played with five future teammates.

    “I think it just got everybody closer together off the court, and on the court I got to watch a lot of talent run up and down. I had never seen that before, so it was a great experience in those games,” Young said.

    “At first, we didn’t talk that much. As the days went by, we all got closer together because we knew we were going to the same school and that helped us a lot. And it will help us this season.”
    Comments 6 Comments
    1. CitizenBBN's Avatar
      CitizenBBN -
      Great piece. Cal really looks for that physicality, being able to play through contact.
    1. Padukacat's Avatar
      Padukacat -
      Quote Originally Posted by CitizenBBN View Post
      Great piece. Cal really looks for that physicality, being able to play through contact.
      Cal is great because he adjusts, hes tired of watching them beat us to death with no calls...
    1. Darrell KSR's Avatar
      Darrell KSR -
      Unsticking all threads from yesterday.
    1. Krank's Avatar
      Krank -
      Love this whole quote by Coach Calipari...


      “First of all, his core strength has to improve, because to play the way we're playing, when you get the bump, you've got to be in a position and your core strength is what leverages you to be able to stay the course. I call it bulldogging. You can bulldog if you have to. He doesn't have that yet,” Calipari said. “His is more of a slippery game. If he gets bumped, he'll kind of ... but he can really score, and he's really skilled. He plays low already.”


      It says EXACTLY what the focus is for James. The descriptive color, "bulldogging" and "slippery game" is great.

      I had meant to post on this one a while ago. Thanks Larry for another good one!
    1. Rock Hard Ten's Avatar
      Rock Hard Ten -
      Chatter elsewhere that some NBA scouts have fallen in love with JY.....this coming from Cal......saying he could be one of the very best players in the country this year

      Based upon BrianW's repeated reporting......we need to develop a recrutnik mindset that JY is clearly OAD.....think Marvin Williams....a young man does not need to start in order to be a lottery pick....assuming JY does not start
    1. Carolinawildcats's Avatar
      Carolinawildcats -
      Love those lefties!!!! We have 2 dandies!!!!

      Peace

      Richard (CW)
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