Mar 9, 2013; Lexington, KY, USA; Kentucky Wildcats head coach John Calipari reacts to a call during the game against the Florida Gators in the second half at Rupp Arena. Kentucky defeated Florida 61-57. Mandatory Credit: Mark Zerof-USA TODAY Sports

Well, BBN, as it turns out there IS a method to John Calipari’s coaching madness/genius and it’s not magic or voodoo; it’s intentional planning. That’s right, the brash, no nonsense, psychological thriller of a coach, Calipari is going back to the basics this year en route for his second National Title in five (5) seasons at UK. You see, this historic recruiting class including the Harrison twins, Julius Randle, James Young, Marcus Lee, Dakari Johnson, and Derek Willis is made up entirely of kids, roughly 18 who are studs on the court, athletically and mentally superior to almost every other athlete on the court, in the country. This class is arguably the top recruiting class in history and that not hyperbole. This class is stacked and after the disaster of last season, where Calipari admits he let some people dictate how some things went down that had a negative impact on the team, he vowed to never let that happen again. And according to Sports Editor for the Winchester Sun, Keith Taylor, John Calipari started the follow through on that vow yesterday.

Kentucky coach John Calipari and his staff begin a ‘two-day’ retreat scheduled to start today. The point of emphasis is to plan ahead for next season.

“What we’re primarily going to be doing is (figuring out), ‘What do each of these kids need from us?’ Because every one of these kids we’re bringing in need to be coached and they need something from us. I’ll give you an example: We had Michael (Kidd-)Gilchrist. Michael needed something from us that was different than what Anthony Davis needed from us. Marquis Teague needed us in a different way. Terrence Jones needed something different than Doron Lamb needed or Darius Miller – ‘Be more aggressive!’ I mean, every one of those kids needed us in different ways because it is about them. It is about players first. Well, this team we’re coaching now with eight new players, four or five returning players, each of these guys are going to need us in different ways.”

Calipari added that it will take time for the staff and players, both returning and new, to come together.

“So the process, this galvanizing process, the patience we’re going to need, we’re starting on Monday. We need to say, ‘OK, where are we going to go with this? What do each of these kids need?’ because let me just say this folks: They’re a talented crew, we’ll have a talented team, (but) they need (to be) coached. Each individual player needs (to be) coached. They need direction. They need to be taught the level of commitment, the intensity. The will to win has to come out. The alpha males that we didn’t have a year ago I think we have, but those guys got to do that. They can lead, but they got to lead us in the way we need to be led. Michael Gilchrist, how did he lead us? Breakfast club. What did he do in practice? Was unbelievable in his work ethic. What did that mean? Two years ago, we did not have one bad practice. Not one. Last year we had about five good practices that I would say in my mind over the years would be the kind of practices I felt comfortable with.

“So those are some things to throw out.”

Now it seems a simple task to figure out how to coach each player individually but it if were that simple then Michael Jordan would have won an NBA Title with the Washington Wizards, right? Exactly. There is nothing simple or easy about getting to know a player so well that you can anticipate their mood swings, behavior or thought process and plan accordingly or even deal with them on the fly as they change. These are still kids. Even the returning players are still kids. Anyone who has ever been around a kid knows how complicated they are.

Did Calipari have a two day retreat with his staff last year? I have no idea but based on how things went last year I’d say not and if they did then something went horribly awry. I don’t see that happening twice.

This team has, perhaps, the best combination of talent and experience that Cal has had since he set foot on campus in 2009, including the 2012 National Title team, yet there is still much work to be done with these young men.

This commitment to his players, the program and winning is exactly what the BBN loves about our brash, occasionally controversial psychologist/coach John Calipari.

If you didn’t expect to hang #9 already, let it sink in that on May 20th, John Calipari and his staff are already deep into prepping themselves to understand and help this ridiculous recruiting class and team reach their potential and goals on May 20th, 2013.

If it’s any indication, this season will be historic, with our Kentucky Wildcats wrestling that NCAA Championship Trophy away from those damn Dirty Birds up Northwest.

May 16, 2013; Chicago, IL, USA; Nerlens Noel is interviewed during the NBA Draft combine at Harrison Street Athletics Facility. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports

Tonight, we can start the “where will Nerlens Noel go” debate in earnest. At 8:30PM, the infamous ping-pong balls will drop, awarding one of the NBA’s inept franchises a chance at redemption with a chance to draft the best college basketball player.  And hope springs eternal … at least for a few months until the games actually start again.  Even with the knee injury, Noel is one of the candidates for first draft pick overall and ESPN took a look at what several teams may do with the first pick if they got the lucky ping-pong ball drop.

It’s a pay article, but nine of the fourteen teams listed would take Noel if given the opportunity.  I’m a diehard Orlando Magic fan, so let’s look at what ESPN thinks the Magic would do if the balls  dropped their way:

Orlando Magic

First choice: Nerlens Noel (25.0 percent chance of winning lottery)

Second choice: Trey Burke (21.5 percent chance of drafting second)

Third choice: Ben McLemore (17.7 percent chance of drafting third)

Analysis: Since the lottery began in 1985, Cleveland, the L.A. Clippers and Orlando have made the first overall pick three times, most among all teams. The Magic could strike again for the fourth time. Orlando’s biggest need probably is at point guard, leading many to speculate that Burke could be the pick here. Had Oklahoma State’s Marcus Smart declared for the draft, he would’ve been the choice. But the Magic, who already boast a smallish point guard similar to Burke in Jameer Nelson, would also like size. The Magic already have a young, productive center in Nikola Vucevic, so adding an athletic shot-blocker next to him on the front line makes a lot of sense.

I tend to think that a Vucevic/Noel combination could be dominating in about two to three years, but let’s see what happens tonight at 8;30PM before I get too excited.

Jan 15, 2013; Lexington, KY, USA; Kentucky Wildcats head coach John Calipari reacts to a call during the game against the Tennessee Volunteers at Rupp Arena. Kentucky defeated Tennessee 75-65. Mandatory Credit: Mark Zerof-USA TODAY Sports

Eric Crawford has a somewhat interesting article about how Calipari’s somewhat chameleon like and able to adapt his game plan to his team make up and meet the expectations of the Bluegrass as well.

Calipari said he’ll take his staff on a two-day retreat today and tomorrow to talk about each player and what each one needs from the staff. He said the team is “chasing perfection” and said it would be trying to make history. He also acknowledges the difficulty in what he’s doing. Even the Miami Heat didn’t win in Year No. 1 with LeBron James and Dwyane Wade. Calipari’s next UK team features a collection of recruits that is being described as historic, plus quality returnees with experience. Las Vegas oddsmakers have installed UK as a 4-1 choice to win the national title.

“As we move forward, what we’re about to undertake has never been done before,” Calipari said. “Trying to put teams together like this, where you’re talking a big number of players, whether it be the Lakers, the Miami Heat, it takes time. There’s a learning curve. There’s a galvanizing process that we have to go through. And you know what, we’re going to have to be patient.”

It’s a lot of balls to keep in the air, but Calipari is used to it.

Over the summer, we will see tons of speculation as to how this Kentucky Wildcat basketball team will play and what to look forward to. We have heard to expect a true form of the dribble drive offense that we have not seen in Lexington yet. And we can also expect this team to get back to their defensive roots that Calipari has instilled the previous years.

Kentucky’s defense disappointed last year, posting the worst adjusted defensive efficiency ranking – easily – for a John Calipari-led team in a decade.

And that should mean Calipari will be even more keen to get next year’s Wildcats back into the upper echelon of the nation’s elite defenses.

He’s done it before at UK. In the three years before last season’s run-of-the-mill group that ranked No. 77 in the country in defensive efficiency, the Cats ranked sixth, 15th and ninth.

All those teams had long, athletic players throughout the lineup. But they also had a rim-protecting big man or men and player who could lock down opposing point guards or wings.

Last year, Calipari had the first (and can expect to have the same again with Willie Cauley-Stein, Dakari Johnson and Marcus Lee), but didn’t have the second.

Calipari thought he had another DeAndre Liggins-type defender in Archie Goodwin before the season began, but that comparison never came close to materializing.

Calipari thinks he could actually have that player this year in shooting guard Aaron Harrison.

“(He) should be and will be and is expected to be and will be demanded to be a lock-down defender,” Calipari said.

Calipari said that having the 6-foot-5 Harrisons – Aaron and his point-guard brother Andrew – in the backcourt could allow UK to use a big zone.

After last year’s rollercoaster season, John Calipari is expecting to have one of the nation’s top defenses once again. “I’ll be able to play like we played at Memphis,” Calipari told Andy Katz. “We’ll be pressing and getting after people because we have more people.” Calipari also mentioned that he would also like to transition to using more zone defense. “We should be able to press because we’re going to be so big with our guard play and whoever we put up there,” Calipari said. “But it will start with Aaron.”

After having a somewhat shaky week at the Draft Combine, Archie Goodwin had an interview with Draft Express:

Apr 28, 2013; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Celtics shooting guard Terrence Williams (55) works the ball against he New York Knicks during the fourth quarter in game four of the first round of the 2013 NBA playoffs at TD Garden. The Celtics defeated the New York Knicks 97-90. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports

Former University of Louisville Cardinal and current Boston Celtic, Terrence Williams was arrested Sunday in Washington state for brandishing a gun and making threats to one of two women in which Williams has 10 year old sons with during a custody exchange. Williams, 25, would have been 15 or so at the time each birth.

Bail=$25k for Terrence Williams of @celtics in alleged DV assault case. @kiro7seattle twitter.com/Amy_Clancy/sta…

— AMY CLANCY (@Amy_Clancy) May 20, 2013

Kent PD confirms alleged DV Vic of @celtics Terrence Williams is one of 2 women with whom he had 10yo sons. Court in 30 mins @kiro7seattle

— AMY CLANCY (@Amy_Clancy) May 20, 2013

Prosecutor says Terrence Williams’ 10yo son got between him and child’s mother when Williams pulled a gun. @kiro7seattle @celtics

— AMY CLANCY (@Amy_Clancy) May 20, 2013

A rather sad story given the quotes from Williams earlier last month in an interview with Comcast Sports Net where Williams spoke of his father and his time served in prison:

Williams uses the word “father” very specifically. He has no memories of Edgar, who served time in prison and was murdered the day he was released. Williams was only a child. “I don’t remember anything,” Williams said. “The only image I really have is when he was in jail and I was taking him some shoes with my mom for him to have. I can’t tell you any stories of, ‘Oh I remember this one time playing at the park.’ I’ve always in the past tried to remember – it’s the hardest thing to do. You can’t have a memory of something that you don’t think ever happened. So to me, I didn’t have a father. I had a dad, I had somebody that birthed me. But it’s just blank.”

Williams has at least one other son in Seattle (6) but his kids were something of a red flag during the draft process according to an interview he conducted with Draft Express.

DX: Is being too open with teams in the interview process, is that almost a fault?
TW: Honestly, it is. When you’re going into interviews you’re told to assume they already know the answer. So if they ask you, and this wasn’t one of my questions, were you arrested when you were sixteen and you say no, they already know that. So it’s like you come off as a liar and you don’t want to do that so you tell them the truth and then they start thinking, oh this guy has a bad history with the police or something like that. So you try not to be too open, but we’re told to assume they already know the answers. When I go into my interviews and they ask if I have children, I could easily say no, but they already know the answer and that you’re lying. If I tell them yes then, they get mad that I do. They could have had their first kid at fifteen but I can’t fault them because they’re trying to draft me.

The Boston Celtic guard began this season in China in the CBA before being signed to the Celtics for a 10 day contract that was later extended thru next season, where he was set to earn just under one million dollars.

In 24 games this season, Williams averaged 4.8 points, 1.8 rebounds, and 1.6 assist per game.

It’s easy to forget that at one time, Prestonwood Christian forward Julius Randle was the #1-overall player in the 2013 recruiting class. But a senior season cut short due to a foot injury, coupled with the reclassification of Huntington Prep forward Andrew Wiggins, Randle saw his ranking fall as more attention began being paid to Wiggins, along with Simeon forward Jabari Parker.

The weekend after Thanksgiving in his senior season, Randle fractured his foot playing in a tournament and missed three months as a result.

But that doesn’t take away from the kind of player Randle is, or the impact he’ll have on a Kentucky team hoping to get back to the Final Four after getting their in two of the past three seasons. Only twice before in the program’s tradition-rich history has UK made three Final Fours in a 4-year span. (1948, ’49, ’51 & 1996, ’97, ’98), but Randle is the kind of talent that can help the Cats accomplish this feat.

Once Randle was healthy in March, he returned for the Texas 5A playoffs and led his team to its third state title in four years.

Mike DeCourcy of the Sporting News on what makes Randle special:

If Randle gets the ball in the right spots, he can score off the bounce, go to either hand, overpower guys. He is so freaking quick, too. You have to see him to appreciate how strong and quick he really is.

As a sophomore, I thought he was a big, strong kid who wasn’t athletic. Then the next year I saw him and he was just unbelievable. He is a great athlete, too. He’s really got a chance to be special.

Draft Express’ Jonathan Givony on Randle’s strengths:

-Measured 6-10 in shoes, and 240 pounds at the Nike Skills Academies
-Outstanding athlete in terms of fluidity, agility and explosiveness
-Great first step. Tremendous ball-handler for size, with excellent body control slithering his way around opponents
-Rare combination of finesse and power
-Unstoppable mismatch threat at high school level. Too strong for forwards to handle inside, and too skilled for big men to stop from the perimeter
-Draws fouls, gets to the free throw line prolifically
-Spins, and finishes through contact, bounces off opponents
-Has a back to basket game. Can post up
-Tremendous footwork for a player his age
-Absolutely lethal in transition
-Competes on defense
-Willing to compete inside the paint
-Done a great job with body

ESPN:

He’s a tough one to compare so we’ll roll out Marvin Williams meets Caron Butler with a Kevin Garnett-ish motor. The left-hander is a pro in the making. He loves to catch on the blocks or extended, face and weigh his options. Not afraid to go glass and can drive it from mid-range going either way. Basically, he’s a real problem. When he needs to, he can explode and is a conscientious rebounder. His touch around the rim and ability to leap multiple times is noteworthy. The young man has counters and power moves. If he likes his matchup, he’ll dive right to the blocks and set up shop. There isn’t a spot on the floor where he can’t begin his drive or jumper. Likes the baseline too and will hit high-arching fadeaways. Randle owns a motor and has an affinity for playing hard.

NBADraft.net compared him to former NBA All-Star Chris Webber

Mar 9, 2013; Lexington, KY, USA; Kentucky Wildcats guard Archie Goodwin (10) celebrates after dunking the ball against the Florida Gators in the first half at Rupp Arena. Kentucky defeated Florida 61-57. Mandatory Credit: Mark Zerof-USA TODAY Sports

After seeing several tweets during the Indiana Pacers-New York Knicks series finale comparing Archie Goodwin to Lance Stephenson coming out of college, I decided to give it a look-see and see how it stands up. As it turns out, it’s not really a bad comparison. First let me show you the tweets:

ESPN’s Fran Fraschilla likens Archie Goodwin to Lance Stephenson, a heralded prospect who used the D-League as a launch into the NBA

— Aaron Kall (@AaronsUKBBBlog) May 16, 2013

If Lance Stephenson can make it in the NBA, maybe Archie Goodwin can too.

— Dan Bodner (@KYHoopsBuzz) May 19, 2013

Seriously, Archie Goodwin should pick Lance Stephenson’s brain. Lance was an early 2nd rounder who shot 22% from three in college.

— Dan Bodner (@KYHoopsBuzz) May 19, 2013

Lance Stephenson had twice the doubts that Archie Goodwin has pre-draft. There is hope for you Archie.

— Jay Hochstetler (@JayHochKSR) May 19, 2013

Archie Goodwin can learn a lot from Lance Stephenson.Be patient, listen, learn and work hard.

— Thomas Beisner (@thomasbeisner) May 19, 2013

And now, putting all cards on the table, I remember Lance Stephenson when he committed to the Cincinnati Bear Cats. He was raw, heralded and extremely talented but with as much talent as he had on the court, he had as much propensity to blow it off. That’s baggage that Archie Goodwin didn’t come with.
They both were in the Top 20 in their respective recruiting classes with Rivals.com having Lance Stephenson at #11 and Archie Goodwin at #14. Both are big, athletic shooting guards who can create off the dribble but are questionable decision makers and shot takers. Neither shy away from the spotlight or big shot, yet neither lived up to their expectations as super Frosh. Both played with incredible energy and heart. Interestingly enough, Lance Stephenson, before his freshman season was over, announced that he was returning for his sophomore season at Cincinnati. Sound familiar? Right after the Kentucky Wildcats got popped by Robert Morris in the First Round of the NIT, despite Archie’s herculean effort (18 points and 7 rebounds), he proclaimed to the BBN this:

“I don’t think it’s a question of whether I’m going (to the NBA) or not,” said Archie Goodwin, who led UK with 18 points. “I don’t think I’m ready to go.”
Then Goodwin added, “There’s no reason any of our guys should really leave. We should come back next year . . . and just try to do better.”

Read more here: http://www.kentucky.com/2013/03/20/2564996/three-uk-freshman-indicate-theyll.html#storylink=cpy

Now I’m not dogging him for making a poorly thought out statement in the heat of the moment. He’s just a kid still but it is another similarity.
Neither Lance nor Archie can shoot 3’s worth a crap, 22% and 26% respectively but both can create space and know how to use their bodies to post up smaller defenders. Archie guarded three positions at UK and has better lateral movement than Lance but is about 30 pounds lighter so could get muscled around a bit.
Here are the draftexpress.com profiles of both

Lance Stephenson

April 28, 2010
Kyle Nelson

Toward the end of his freshman season, Cincinnati shooting guard Lance Stephenson surprisingly announced that he would return for his sophomore year. Weeks later, he shocked few when he reneged on that announcement and entered the NBA Draft with an agent (reportedly his lawyer, Alberto Ebanks). While Stephenson always seemed like a one-and-done player, he had a subpar freshman season that exposed many of his flaws and showed the limit of his potential.

Physically speaking, Stephenson has solid height for an NBA shooting guard at 6-5 with good length and a strong frame. As was the case in high school, he relies on his strength to overpower weaker players and compensate for his lack of athleticism. From a conditioning standpoint, he did not appear to be in ideal shape this past season, likely carrying an extra 10-15 pounds on his thick frame. He is quick in the open floor, but lacks the explosiveness and lateral quickness expected from wings at the next level. While he will continue to work on his strength and conditioning, there is no doubt that Stephenson is a below average athlete in the NBA.

His offensive skill set, which is heavily reliant on isolations and muscling his way to the basket, will probably have to be adapted at the next level, given his lack of explosiveness and quickness. While Stephenson’s touch around the basket is not bad, his overall shooting during his freshman season was extremely poor. He shot a dismal 21.9% from beyond the arc, converted under 50% from inside the arc and made just 66% of his foul shots.

On film, his shooting motion with his feet set is not terrible. He has a fairly fluid motion and release. But he has issues with excess lower body movement, and when he shoots off the dribble, his mechanics are less consistent and he has a tendency to fade away while shooting.

The biggest issue here is Stephenson’s decision making. He settles for bad shot after bad shot, in spite of miserable percentages and open teammates. He seems to lack any sort of understanding of shot selection. Even when his shots were not falling, he forced the issue and, if his teammates sought their own offense, he tended to pout and fade into the background. This is likely the primary cause for concern from NBA scouts, as Stephenson has never really shown the ability to play team-oriented basketball and could certainly have issues adapting to a situation where he’s simply a role player.

Stephenson does a good job of creating space off the dribble, showing solid ball-handling skills for his size. The effectiveness of his mid-range game suffers due to his poor shot selection, but he has shown an ability to find shots inside the arc and pull up off the dribble. Similarly, he was at his best last season when he attacked the basket both in transition and in half court situations, where he could use his size and strength to his advantage. He must improve his willingness to find the open man, though, as his tunnel vision often results in offensive fouls and untimely turnovers.

Though Cincinnati did not field the most competitive or disciplined team last season, Stephenson’s lack of offensive efficiency and selfish style of play have been omnipresent throughout his career. During workouts, he must somehow convince scouts that he is capable of playing team-oriented basketball and has the ability to produce efficiently in a smaller role. As we have written before, Stephenson possesses NBA-caliber scoring abilities. His average athleticism and questionable decision making ability, however, may force him to work his way up through the D-League first.

On the defensive end, Stephenson did a decent job at Cinncinati, but his lack of lateral quickness limits his potential in this area at the next level. He will struggle to guard bigger and more athletic guards in the NBA, though his strength and length will likely work in his favor. His strong frame also helps him on the boards, where he averages 7.5 rebounds per 40 minutes, pace adjusted — solid numbers for a wing player.

His behavior off of the court has also been a well-documented issue in recent years. He stayed out of trouble at Cincinnati, but he has accumulated quite a collection of red flags during his brief time as an amateur basketball player. Any NBA team that considers drafting him will have to do extensive research about his background, and decipher why he was in such a big rush to leave Cincinnati after such a sub-par freshman season.

While there are a tremendous amount of obstacles in his way, Stephenson still has the potential to be a contributor at the next level at some point down the road. While his lack of explosiveness and mediocre shot selection are areas of significant concern, he has good scoring instincts and a decent offensive repertoire. Stephenson is sure to be one of the most controversial players in the draft. There is no guarantee that he will even be picked, but he may be able to carve out a career for himself regardless, a la Stephen Jackson.

From DraftExpress.com http://www.draftexpress.com#ixzz2Tnc6MRXh

http://www.draftexpress.com

Archie Goodwin

April 25, 2013
Scouting Report by Kyle Nelson. Video Analysis by Mike Schmitz

Archie Goodwin entered the University of Kentucky as the 12th-best recruit in the country according to Recruiting Services Consensus Index and a key component of another stellar John Calipari recruiting class.

Things did not come together by any means for Kentucky, though, as the team struggled with inconsistency, maturity, and injuries, ultimately floundering to a first round exit in the NIT and a 21-12 record. Goodwin emerged as the team’s leading scorer and go-to guy, but struggled with inefficiency for much of the year.

Despite the stern comments he made upon being eliminated in the NIT (“If any of us were saying we think we should leave, then we’d all be delusional,”) and supposedly against coach John Calipari’s advice, Goodwin decided not to return to Kentucky, declaring for the NBA Draft with the intent to hire an agent. Now, following a freshman season marked not only by flashes of excellence, but also by long stretches of inconsistency, Goodwin must prove to NBA front offices that he is worthy of a first round selection and is capable of contributing at the next level in the not-too-distant future.

Goodwin is an excellent NBA prospect from a physical perspective, standing around 6’5 in shoes with a massive 6’10 wingspan and a developing 198-pound frame. Additionally, he is an explosive athlete around the basket, quick in both transition and off-the-dribble. Simply put, Goodwin has the physical profile of an NBA shooting guard with athleticism and length that will allow him to compensate for any height deficiencies at the next level once his frame fills out.

His prospects are less sure when analyzing his performance on the offensive end of the floor. As an 18-year-old freshman, one of the youngest players in college basketball, Goodwin played a significant role for the 21-12 Wildcats, commanding a team high 27.5% (by a wide margin) of Kentucky’s overall possessions and scoring a solid 17.4 points per 40 minutes pace adjusted. Furthermore, he was at his best against Kentucky’s best competition, posting solid scoring numbers in early-season contests against Louisville, Duke, Baylor, and Maryland.

His lack of productivity can, in part, be attributed to a prolonged slump once Kentucky reached conference play, during which he averaged 12.7 ppg and shot just 18% from beyond the arc and 57% from the free throw line, but his inconsistency amidst his significantly better run in November and December suggests that this may be more of an issue than simply hitting the freshman wall. SEC teams undoubtedly figured out how to stop Kentucky and Goodwin struggled badly under the pressure of being the only player on the roster capable of creating their own shot effectively. The scrutiny that comes along with playing at such a large program coming off a national championship may have been more than he was ready to handle at this stage of his career.

Goodwin’s offensive struggles begin with his inefficiency from the perimeter. According to Synergy, he makes just 33% of the 90 overall jump shots he attempted this season, while making just 27% of his three-pointers. While Goodwin started off the season fairly well, making 40% of his 3-point attempts in the non-conference portion of Kentucky’s schedule, he lost his confidence midway through the season and saw his shooting mechanics break down almost entirely, dipping the ball nearly to his knees upon the catch, elevating and releasing the ball from different vantage points, looking extremely off-balance with his footwork, and thus short-arming many of his shot-attempts.

Even though he does not get that much arc on his jumper, Goodwin appeared to be capable of making shots from the perimeter when taking open attempts in rhythm with full confidence. When guarded, he tends to force and rush shots, compromising his rhythm and mechanics in the process. Ultimately, even in his best moments as a shooter, the question still remains as to whether he can make perimeter jump shots from NBA range against bigger and more athletic defenders, something that will play a large role in his ability to be an efficient contributor long-term.

Looking elsewhere, Goodwin already shows significantly more potential, especially operating in transition, isolation and pick-and-roll situations, which comprise the biggest share of his offensive contributions. Though he must continue to develop his ball-handling ability in half-court situations, he already shows a very good first step and the ability to get to the basket at will. Additionally, he makes 54.5% of his shots around the rim and attempts an outstanding 7.9 free throws per 40 pace adjusted, fourth best amongst NCAA shooting guards in our top-100 rankings. He still has room to improve on his ability to finish through traffic, something that could come with added strength, and he will have to show he’s at least a capable shooter for defenders not to completely sag off him in the NBA.

More intriguing is his ability to operate as a shot creator out of the pick-and-roll, primarily in terms of attacking and creating good looks around the basket. Though he never lived up to his billing as a potential combo guard, he did emerge as a solid, albeit limited, distributor as a freshman. Along these lines, his 3.3 assists per 40 minutes pace adjusted and 3.8 turnovers show both the good and the bad.

Goodwin shows excellent potential on the defensive end – guarding three positions at the collegiate level – primarily due to his good lateral quickness and excellent length. Consistency and focus are significant issues for him at times, as they are for many freshman wings, but that he does show the ability to fight through screens and stay involved after he has been beaten speaks well to his prospects. He was, by far, Kentucky’s best perimeter defender as a freshman, and scouts will be evaluating his ability to consistently stay in front of NBA-caliber shooting guards throughout the pre-draft process.

While Goodwin presents quite a few weaknesses to scouts, it’s hard not to be intrigued the potential he brings to the table as an NBA prospect. Between his ability to get his own shot around the basket, his well above average physical profile, and his upside as a defender, Goodwin looks the part and already does a few things that NBA teams value highly in young players. That being said, his extreme youth, average fundamentals, inconsistency, and lack of comfort as a jump shooter will likely prevent him from contributing right away, making him more of a project than some expected him to be coming out of high school. Additionally, NBA scouts will want to do their due diligence surrounding his strange departure from Kentucky.

At the end of the day, however, Goodwin shows a good amount of promise for an 18-year-old freshman. His draft prospects are far from sure at this point, but he has every opportunity to solidify himself as a first round pick with solid showings in pre-draft settings, and could certainly emerge as a steal later on in his career if a team is willing to be patient with his development.

From DraftExpress.com http://www.draftexpress.com#ixzz2TncEWPYr

http://www.draftexpress.com

Lance was the 40th pick in the 2010 NBA Draft and though most have Archie going anywhere from 18-Second Round, one thing is certain and that is NBA scouts won’t hesitate to send you to the D-League for development. Just ask Terrence Jones or DeAndre Liggins or Daniel Orton. They spent significant time down there this season.

But in the most important game of the Indiana Pacers season, Lance Stephenson showed just how justified Larry Bird was for drafting him at all. He led the Pacers in scoring with 25 while pulling down 10 rebounds to bounce the Knicks. Though the result was different for their season saving/moving on games, Archie Goodwin put his team on his back against Robert Morris but just didn’t have enough to overcome what seemed like destiny.

So, BBN, there is hope for Archie. Though he led the team in scoring at 14.1 PPG, that’s still short of what anyone expected and when you account for having to play PG when Harrow was out, and not having a great one when Harrow was back, he has some serious upside.

And I can’t wait to see it.

So what say you, BBN? What type of NBA player will Archie Goodwin be? How long will it take him to reach his potential? Who should take the chance?

I’d love to see him in Boston or Memphis. Hell or even Indiana.

May 16, 2013; Chicago, IL, USA; Nerlens Noel is interviewed during the NBA Draft combine at Harrison Street Athletics Facility. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports

Now that the 2013 recruiting class has pretty much been set in stone, it’s time to focus on the next big event on the calendar for Kentucky Wildcat basketball fans. Even though he missed part of his senior with an ACL injury, Nerlens Noel still has a pretty good chance at being the top pick overall in the NBA Draft. Becoming the number one overall draft pick has become something of a regular thing since John Calipari arrived in Lexington. John Wall was first overall in 2010 and Anthony Davis last season. It’s not set in stone yet, but Noel will be considered for the top spot. At least Noel does not think that his injury will keep him from being selected first:

“I feel I should be the top pick because I’m a great teammate, I really care about where I’m going to play and I’m going to give all my heart and 100 percent effort to get my team back to the promised land, which is where we all want to be,” Noel said. “I’m just going to contribute my best and give all my effort.”

Many executives believe that Noel has the most potential of any player in the draft because he just turned 19 years old and he has a lot of the things that you can’t teach – size, athleticism, length and instincts – that could allow him to be great. He has also made it clear throughout this process that he’s a gym rat and that he can’t wait to finish his rehab and get back on the floor. He doesn’t just want to be good; he wants to be one of the league’s elite players. It’s clear that his best basketball is still ahead of him and he believes that his injury won’t limit him from realizing his full potential.

“I’m 100 percent confident that I can not only get back to [where] I was at, but get stronger and come back better,” Noel said.

May 16, 2013; Chicago, IL, USA; Nerlens Noel is interviewed during the NBA Draft combine at Harrison Street Athletics Facility. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports

Noel, by no means, is not a consensus number one pick.  And at the NBA combine, Noel took some heat for showing up at just 206 pounds.  

Projected No. 1 overall pick Nerlens Noel weighed in at 206 pounds at the NBA Draft Combine in Chicago and immediately took some heat as a result.

Anthony Davis, the No. 1 pick in last year’s draft, weighed 222 pounds at the combine and the ESPNU crew wonders how Noel will be able to post up and defend NBA big men at that weight.

Can his frame handle much more weight?

“I’m 206, I can post up,” Fran Fraschilla said on ESPNU, adding that he didn’t think Noel is the consensus No. 1 pick.

“I talked to a number of NBA general managers last night who echoed Fran’s concerns about this,” Chad Ford said. “206, even at the power forward position if you project him, that’s really light.”

One Western Conference GM said Noel’s weight wasn’t an issue, though.

“He’ll get stronger but his game is based on fast-twitch, quickness, mobility and agility,” the GM told SNY.tv.

The former Kentucky freshman did measure 6-10 in socks and 6-11 1/2 in shoes with a 9-2 wingspan, all of which are bigger than Davis.

Noel told Andy Katz he interviewed Thursday with six teams — Boston, Orlando, Charlotte, Phoenix, New Orleans and Cleveland.

 

Granted,  whoever picks Noel will have to wait as he is not expected to return to action till probably December.

Mar 9, 2013; Lexington, KY, USA; Kentucky Wildcats guard Archie Goodwin (10) before the game against the Florida Gators at Rupp Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark Zerof-USA TODAY Sports

While at least Noel is still being considered as the number one pick overall, the feedback on Archie Goodwin has not been as positive. Here is a video breaking down Goodwin’s game and some comments by Archie:

Oh no, it’s been like five days since a commitment? What is going on? Have Stoops and staff lost it? (more…)

The 2012-2013 regular season ended for the Kentucky Wildcats yesterday.  Although they lost the series, they defeated Missouri yesterday to end the regular season with a win.  This season certainly hasn’t gone the way the Wildcats and many others expected.  The Cats started the season highly ranked and got off to a hot start by winning 16 of their first 19 games.  The second half of the season is when the Cats played primarily SEC teams and really struggled.  The team was able to finish the season with an overall record of 30-24 and a conference record of 11-19.

Despite their struggles, the Wildcats have made it back to the SEC Tournament.  This is the first time in 14 years that the Cats have made back-to-back SEC Tournament appearances.  They will be ranked as the No. 11 seed and have drawn No. 6 seed Ole Miss to play in the opening game of the tournament.  Kentucky won two of their three games against Ole Miss this season, nearly a month ago in April.  Therefore, the Cats should be confident in playing Ole Miss.

The UK/Ole Miss game is set to be played this Tuesday at 9:30 a.m. ET at Hoover Metropolitan Stadium in Hoover, Alabama.  It is a single elimination game and can be seen on Fox Sports Net or heard on the UK IMG Radio Network.

Scoring only one run in the fifth inning, UK softball defeated Virginia Tech to advance to the Super Regional for the second time in three years. The Cats will take the NCAA Lexington Regional title after playing in front of a home crowd. UK was looking to avenge their home turf, after losing in the first round of the SEC tournament which they also hosted at the new John Cropp Stadium.

Junior, Lauren Cumbess started out on the mound, relieving freshman Kelsey Nunley who pitched an entire game just an hour before. Nunley came back into the game in the fourth inning with loaded bases and two outs.

Cumbess also had the hit that allowed freshman outfielder Sylver Samuel to score UK’s one run and put them ahead of VT in the top of the 5^th inning.

UK has had only two Super Regional appearances in school history. Kentucky also becomes one of two schools to have women’s basketball, softball and volleyball all advance to the Sweet 16 in the same year. This win also broke the previous record of a 40-win season, which they tied yesterday, making their record 41-19.

Head coach Rachel Lawson and the Wildcats will play Arizona State or Georgia next weekend. If Georgia beats Arizona State twice, they will host the next round in Athens. If not, the Cats head to Tempe to take on the Sun Devils.