The Truth About “One and Dones”

This is a topic that always grinds my gears. The national media blasts John Calipari and the University of Kentucky all the time for accepting players who have been dubbed the name “One and Done”. Who are these people? Why do they put Calipari and Kentucky on blast. Do their smarts and common sense meet? Lastly do their comments have any backbone to them? It’s inconceivable for some people to think a school isn’t allowed to go after the best players… and actually get them.

In the past 5 years, Calipari and Kentucky have sent 12 players to the NBA that only played one year at Kentucky. Those players are John Wall, Eric Bledsoe, DeMarcus Cousins, Daniel Orton, Brandon Knight, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Anthony Davis, Marquis Teague, Nerlens Noel, Archie Goodwin, Julius Randle and James Young. Now, take a goo hard look at that list, there is maybe only 1 or 2 players on that list that weren’t for sure “one and done” players before the reached campus.

Ok, let’s think of the top schools in the country. Kansas, Duke, UNC, and Syracuse Going back to the list of players that Kentucky has sent to the NBA after one season, not one of these top schools did not recruit any of those players. What that means, is, EVERYBODY WANTS TO GET THE BEST PLAYERS! Agreed? Matter of a fact, Kansas has had 4, Duke – 4 (Rodney Hood only played 1 year at Duke), UNC – 0, Syracuse – 4 players sent to the NBA after one season. If Kentucky hadn’t beat all these schools out for the 12 that they have, you can bet your butts that every single one of these schools would have taken the players that Kentucky got. If you say they wouldn’t, you’re completely wrong and need to check yourself into a mental ward ASAP.

Earlier today someone with the twitter handle @UNC_Tweets tweeted this out today:

First of all, I do not understand how it can be pathetic. Is it Pathetic that Roy Williams and UNC recruited 10 of those 12 guys? Is it pathetic that John Calipari’s method has made 3 final fours, 4 elite 8’s and 2 title games, winning one… IN 5 YEARS? Is it pathetic that Roy Williams couldn’t get those 10 guys? Don’t even say he didn’t get them because he didn’t want them… He recruited them! What is pathetic how ever is your coach can’t get his “experienced” team to call a timeout which this ended your season this year. Another pathetic stat is of the 14 McDonalds All-Anericans that Roy has had at UNC and are in the NBA only 3 are worth anything.

He also went on to tweet this out:

First, you are hating on 18 year olds, because ultimately it’s THEIR decision to go to the NBA, making themselves “one and dones”. So when you call it pathetic, you’re calling these 18 year old kids pathetic, and as the adult that you are, you are pathetic and the scum of everything awful. Second, how is Kentucky corrupting college basketball? Because they set the NBA age requirement? No. Because they are the only ones that want the best players? No. The NCAA isn’t in charge of setting the NBA age requirement, but if you want to talk corruption, look them up. (See, Enes Kanter, UNC fake classes, Mark Emmert, Corey Maggette).

This guy isn’t the only one that says stupid things like that, it’s most of the national media that derive up these misinformed opinions and then feel obligated to go along with the common belief. These players called “one and dones” have to go to college somewhere, not Kentucky’s fault. Everyone wants the best (and don’t say you don’t), Kentucky is no exception. The only difference is Kentucky gets most of the players that they want, not all of them, the get beat out sometimes, but most of them. That in turn, makes other schools and other schools fans jealous, and yes whether you like to believe it or not, it makes the national media jealous too.

It makes the national media so frustrated everytime Calipari and Kentucky get a good player. Pat Forde and Pete Thamel are the ones that primarily spearhead most of the hatred towards Kentucky. As the saying goes “haters going to hate”. All we do is win. We win with one and dones, don’t like it? That’s fine, stick to and worry about your program. If you do look, we’ll just be over here winning, our way. See you in the Final Four.