Having trouble getting registered or subscribing? Email us at info@kysportsreport.com or Private Message CitizenBBN and we'll get you set up!

  • Kentucky basketball faces challenges this season

    by
    Darrell KSR
    Published on 09-30-2015 09:23 AM
    5 Comments Comments
    By: LARRY VAUGHT


    Mychal Mulder - Photo by Vicky Graff

    With the Big Blue Madness campout now underway, what challenges lie ahead for Kentucky coach John Calipari with this team.

    That’s the question I recently posted to Sporting News columnist Mike DeCourcy, the nation’s premier college basketball writer in my opinion.

    “One issue would be whether they have the necessary number of perimeter shooters. Both Jamal Murray and Tyler Ulis are very capable shooters, and Isaiah Briscoe can make a shot. But there's something about having a guy whose whole deal is to make shots. It's such an advantage,” DeCourcy said.

    “That's really all Mychal Mulder would have to do for UK. Come off the bench, guard well enough to last 15-20 minutes, get off four good 3-point shots and make at least half of them. But junior college players often take a little while to adjust, sometimes even a full season.”

    DeCourcy has one other concern.

    “There's also the question of what Skal Labissiere is ready to do. Again, at the Hoop Summit he showed he is ridiculously talented. But it did not help him to be essentially out of competitive basketball last season,” DeCourcy said. “Now he's going to be asked to serve as an important weapon in the intense atmosphere around Kentucky. Calipari has to both push Skal and protect him, to a degree. I'm not sure he's ever had a project quite like this.”
    1. Categories:
    2. Basketball
    Comments 5 Comments
    1. Darrell KSR's Avatar
      Darrell KSR - 09-30-2015, 10:02 AM

      “That's really all Mychal Mulder would have to do for UK. Come off the bench, guard well enough to last 15-20 minutes, get off four good 3-point shots and make at least half of them.

      ....

      “There's also the question of what Skal Labissiere is ready to do..... “Now he's going to be asked to serve as an important weapon in the intense atmosphere around Kentucky. Calipari has to both push Skal and protect him, to a degree...
      Which is the bigger issue?
    1. dan_bgblue's Avatar
      dan_bgblue - 09-30-2015, 10:09 AM
      I would say the 2nd one
    1. UKHistory's Avatar
      UKHistory - 09-30-2015, 10:10 AM
      For my money the bigger issue is Skal. In Ulis, Murray, Briscoe, and even Hawkins we have guards. With his talent and athleticism Murray can be a truly small forward.

      Skal is a huge question mark. On the court and I am guessing he won't have any issues in terms of being cleared but he is a concern.

      We were so big and deep last year. Our front court is a question mark. How will Alex play coming back from the ACL? Will we see Marcus Lee play extended minutes? Will Marcus be more of an offensive threat and a free throw liability? Will Willis play? How about Humprhies the big, strong Australian do.

      Maybe the best guard corps in the country. A potentially very strong front court.
    1. Bakert's Avatar
      Bakert - 09-30-2015, 10:36 AM
      The good news is that no one is questioning Skal's ability to be that guy, rather his ability to be that guy in November/December. I'm not concerned about that. The goal is what happens at the end of the season, not the beginning.
    1. Kacat's Avatar
      Kacat - 09-30-2015, 07:42 PM
      Every team has questions. We have as good a chance to win a NC as anyone.

  • KSR Twitter Feed