Kentucky Wildcats Basketball: Alex Poythress May be the Star of the 2012 Team

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Mar 26, 2012; Chicago, IL, USA; McDonalds High School All American forward Alex Poythress (22) does a dunk in the dunk contest during Jam Fest at the Gerald Ratner Athletic Center for the 35th McDonalds All American Game. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-US PRESSWIRE

Nerlens Noel is the #1 recruit in the country; Ryan Harrow is a junior that has had a year to adjust to John Calipari’s system; Archie Goodwin has explosive scoring ability; and Kyle Wiltjer is in his second year and looking to have a break out season; but the player that we may all be talking about the most by mid-season is Alex Poythress.

The 6’8, 215 pound forward out of Tennessee may be grossly under-ranked as the #8 player in the 2012 class. His offensive skills are honed and his size, length and athleticism are exactly what John Calipari covets for his system.

Maybe the reason Poythress is so underrated is that he is a quiet, unassuming young man. He worked at Wendy’s while he was in high school and doesn’t brag about his unbelievable skills. Alex has adopted the montra, “I let my game roar”, referring to letting his game talk for him.

CoachCal.com has an excellent profile piece on Alex that is a must read. Here are some quotes from Alex:

I don’t have to be loud or this big person to do the small things that matter.

If we come working hard from day one and we don’t take any days off, just trying to work hard every day, condition every day, listening to what Coach has to say in practice and just taking what he has to say (to heart), I really do believe that we’re going to have a chance to win a national championship.

I’m trying to be a matchup problem every game. I’m kind of big, strong. It’s hard for small people to guard me and it’s hard for big people to guard me too. I just try to be a matchup problem.

This kid might be picking up where Michael Kidd-Gilchrist left off.

Nov 26, 2011; Lexington, KY, USA; Kentucky Wildcats head coach Joker Phillips does an interview after his team defeated the Tennessee Volunteers 10-7 at Commonwealth Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Zerof-US PRESSWIRE

Football coach, ice cream man, Volunteer slayer, the bane of Spurrier, expert diving board back flipper, and country music star. Joker Phillips is a bit of a renaissance man. Joker is currently the star bass player in country musc singer JD Shelbourne’s “Farmboy” video. Full disclosure: I absolutely DESPISE current country music. Give me Johnny Cash, David Alan Coe, Merle Haggard or Waylon Jennings over posers like Jason Aldean, Toby Keith and the like.

So, I’m not the best judge of this video. Take a look and see for yourself. You may like it. Go Joker. Go Cats. Go football: