Media continuing to question the return of Kentucky Wildcats Basketball Players

Apparently the NBA “Stay in School” slogan is just that … a slogan as players who forego the NBA continue to be questioned openly in the media. I can see knocking a player that leaves early if they have no prospect of getting drafted in the first round. There is no return to school for them. But the questioning of players that stay in school when there are question marks about where they are drafted? I don’t get it.

ESPN’s resident troll Jeff Goodman singled out not one player from the Commonwealth, but two players as the only members of his “Jury Out” club.

 

Jury out on their return
Montrezl Harrell, Louisville — He was likely a mid- to late-first round pick, but decided to return to the Cardinals in hopes of getting in the top 10. It’ll be interesting to see how successful a season both he and the team have, because he’s certainly passing on making some money this year.

Willie Cauley-Stein, Kentucky – It’s still unclear how much the ankle injury affected his decision to come back for his junior season. He was a lock first-rounder, maybe even a late lottery pick. Just remember it’ll be a crowded frontcourt in Lexington, and there’s a chance his production — and draft stock — could fall.

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Opinions are opinions and everyone has one, and to his credit, Alex Poythress was listed in the “Smart to return” category.  It’s an insider article, but it’s also curious that Mitch McGary’s failed drug test fuel exit was listed as a “Good Timing”.

 

Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

With the announcement that the Harrison TWins are returning, Kentucky’s 2015 stock went from a middle of the road contender to a prohibitive favorite to cut down the nets next April. Mike DeCourcy admits that UK will be loaded, but this is still a team that has things to work on and we should not assumne they will breeze to the title next year.

 

Let’s not assume, though, that Kentucky is a great team just yet.

While it is true the Wildcats came within six points of a championship in 2014, they also came within a few points of losing in the round of 32 (and the Sweet 16, and the Elite Eight, and the national semifinals). They were not dominant. They had flaws. The return of the Harrisons does not immediately solve those problems, because in some cases they were the cause.

• UK was only the 115th most accurate shooting team in Division I last season, and that was with Julius Randle as a 50 percent shooter and a force on the offensive boards; he’ll no longer be part of the team. None of the Wildcats’ perimeter players shot even 42.5 percent.

• UK was 325th in the nation in assist rate – only 44 percent of its baskets came from assists. Obviously, that’s partially the result of a team that could not convert initial passes into baskets, but it’s mostly the result of a team that did not pass particularly well.

• UK was only 229th in 3-point percentage, with a conversion rate of 33.2 percent. James Young’s 34.9 percent accuracy was certainly not pristine, but he did lead the team with 82 makes before filing for early draft entry.

 

Pittsburgh won 77-58. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Curiously enough, there has been no Barry Rohrrsen announcement at UK, but the rest of the basketball world is acting like Kentucky has already announced him as a UK coach. Back at Pitt, there is speculation on Rohrssen recruit, Mustapha Heron, who still says he is a Pitt commit.

Mustapha Heron was in Pittsburgh this weekend for an AAU basketball tournament, but the question is will he be in Pittsburgh for good a few years from now?

Heron is a highly-rated sophomore guard from Sacred Heart High School in Waterbury, Conn. He already has made a verbal commitment to Pitt, but many are wondering what will happen with Heron now that Pitt assistant Barry Rohrssen has left to become an assistant at the University of Kentucky? Rohrssen recruited Heron.

Heron, a 6-foot-4 guard, was in Pittsburgh playing for New Heights in the Under Armour Hoopgroup Pittsburgh Jam Fest tournament. The event is run by Hoopgroup and Heron helped New Heights win the tournament championship in the 17-and-under division.

Before one of the games Heron played at North Hills High School, Heron was asked where things stand with Pitt.

“My commitment is still where it was. I’m still committed to Pittsburgh,” Heron said. “Right now, I’m just working on building a stronger relationship with coach [Jamie] Dixon.”