Are the 2011 Cats more talented than the John Wall Team?

The first year that John Calipari came to town was the most exciting season since the Wildcats won it all in 1998. Cal brought a rock star persona with him as well as new rock star recruits. The country was abuzz with his new look Kentucky Wildcats: Big, Brash, Confident and full of talent.

Most of the excitement came from a trio of freshman; John Wall, DeMarcus Cousins and Eric Bledsoe. They were part of the #1 recruiting class that year and were thought to be the most talented group of players to have ever stepped foot in Lexington. The John Wall Team, as they are affectionately called, beat up and bullied almost every team they came into contact with and had a swagger that was rarely seen on a college court. They looked like the new version of the Fab Five.

This year Cal has another stunning #1 recruiting class that may be more talented and may have even more help around them. Anthony Davis, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Marcus Teague and Kyle Wiltjer are this year’s edition of the young Kentucky studs.

Let’s compare the teams:

2009/2010 Wildcats

Ramon Harris-3 star recruit

Perry Stevenson- 4 star recruit

Josh Harrellson- 3 star recruit

Patrick Patterson- 5 star recruit

Darnell Dodson- 3 star recruit

Deandre Liggins- 4 star recruit

Darius Miller- 4 star recruit

DeMarcus Cousins- 5 star recruit

John Wall- 5 star recruit

Daniel Orton-5 star recruit

Eric Bledsoe- 5 star recruit

Jon Hood-4 star recruit

Average: 4.2 Stars

2011/2012 Wildcats

Darius Miller-4 star recruit

Terrence Jones- 5 star recruit

Doron Lamb-5 star recruit

Kyle Wiltjer- 5 star recruit

Anthony Davis- 5 star recruit

Michael Kidd-Gilchrist- 5 star recruit

Marquis Teague- 5 star recruit

Jon Hood- 4 star recruit

Stacey Poole, Jr.- 4 star recruit

Jarrod Polson- No ranking

Eloy Vargas- 4 star recruit

Sam Malone- No ranking

Brian Long- No ranking

Average: 3.5 Stars

Average without 3 walk-on players (Polson, Malone, Long) 4.6

2009/2010 Recruiting Class Average: 4.8 stars

2011/2012 Recruiting Class Average: 5 stars

*Recruit rankings info gathered from Yahoo! Sports

As you can see, the 2011 Cats as a whole has a higher ranking average (not counting walk-on players) that the 2009 Cats. The 2011 Cats also have a higher recruiting class ranking that does the 2009 version.

If we look at the situation that the 2009 class was walking into compared to this year’s class then the picture becomes a little clearer. The 2009 freshmen did not have the same type of supporting class that this year’s recruits will have.

In 2009, Patrick Patterson was the lone returning 5 star player and there were three 4 star players coming back, two of which had significant playing experience.

Fast forward to this year. Terrence Jones is not only a five star player, but he was a stand out player for most of the year on a Final Four team as well as a preseason All American. Doron Lamb started a portion of the season for Calipari and is heralded by his coach as the best player on the team.

Darius Miller is a senior that has steadily improved during his time under Calipari and will be a three year starter, as well as the SEC Tournament MVP and in my view the most improved player on last year’s roster. His size and speed will make him an almost impossible match up for anyone to guard this season.

The 2011 class will be coming into a more established team with better players in key positions. John Calipari has now been here three years and does not have to make any cultural changes or adjust the attitudes of his returning players. His system and personality are all they know.

The 2009 class had the consensus #1 NBA draft pick rolling into Lexington in John Wall along with the best big man recruit in the country in DeMarcus Cousins and one of the nation’s top point guard recruits in Eric Bledsoe. Daniel Orton saw very limited playing time as did Jon Hood. Orton saw more of the floor and was more productive but he did not start a game.

This year’s group again has the possible #1 NBA draft pick in Anthony Davis as well as the nation’s top point guard recruit, the top small forward in the country and a top 11 player in Kyle Wiltjer. This group is more diverse in what they are bringing to the table.

John Calipari is also more vocal about this team’s talent level than he was with his group two years ago. He is telling everybody within earshot that Anthony Davis is the real deal and is a more refined Marcus Camby. He is saying that Marquis Teague is the best pick and roll point guard he has ever coached. He is also high on Kidd-Gilchrist’s hustle and work ethic.

And what about starting line ups? In 2009 we pretty much knew what it would look like:

John Wall-Point Guard

Eric Bledsoe- Point Guard/Shooting Guard

Darius Miller- Small Forward

Patrick Patterson- Power Forward

DeMarcus Cousins- Center

This year the talent is so rich that there is a line up controversy. There are a few options:

Marquis Teague-Point Guard

Doron Lamb-Shooting Guard

Darius Miller-Small Forward

Terrence Jones-Power Forward

Anthony Davis- Center

This is the line up I think we will see the first game of the season. Which leaves the nations top small forward and #3 overall player on the bench.

John Calipari now also has the luxury of going big:

Marquis Teague- Point Guard

Darius Miller- Shooting Guard

Michael Kidd-Gilchrist- Small Forward

Terrence Jones- Power Forward

Anthony Davis-Center

And what if Cal wants to go small and fast?

Marquis Teague-Point Guard

Doron Lamb- Shooting Guard

Michael Kidd-Gilchrist- Small Forward

Darius Miller-Power Forward

Terrence Jones-Center

The great thing about this year’s team is that there is a true veteran shooting guard with Doron Lamb instead of a hybrid that played out of his position like Eric Bledsoe.

Also, Miller really can play three positions. His size will give smaller players fits at the 2 and 3 spots while his speed will allow him to bring players out at the 4 spot in order to drive on them or shoot over them.

Kentucky has an embarrassment of riches this season. After analyzing everything I believe that this year’s team has the potential to be more talented and the potential to rival the 1996 team as the best ever at Kentucky.

But March is a funny thing. The John Wall Squad was the overall #1 seed in the tourney but fell to a less talented West Virginia team in the Elite Eight while the 2010 Cats played with a talented but short six man rotation, earned a low, ludicrous 4 seed and made it all the way to the Final Four.

I think this year’s mix of veteran talent and young talent will be the right recipe for a national title. Will they roll over everybody like the ’96 team? I’m not so sure about that. But if the numbers and the mix are correct, then the NCAA needs to be on notice.

The Big Blue Nation is coming with a vengeance.

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