Marcus Lee is ready to take the next step for Kentucky Wildcats

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Despite all the worrying about the Kentucky Wildcats recruiting as of late and the sudden curious assumptions that John Calipari can not coach, the Wildcats are still going to be OK next year. As in preseason top five OK. Of course, there will be no undefeated talk and hopefully the “demand for nine” by the Big Blue Nation will hold off until 2016 at least, but this will still be a very good basketball team. One of those keys will be Junior Marcus Lee. Lee has shown flashes of brilliance while competing for playing time, but it’s time for the potential to end and the production to begin for Marcus Lee. And Marcus Lee is more than ready for the challenge.

"“It’s a great opportunity,” Lee said. “It kind of just reminds you of your high school year where you’re kind of just starting over and starting new. You’re able to just be free and do whatever you want.” As a freshman, Lee played behind Julius Randle, the No. 7 overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft, and battled with Willie Cauley-Stein and Dakari Johnson as well. As a sophomore, Randle was no longer there, but Cauley-Stein and Johnson remained, and Karl-Anthony Towns, the presumptive No. 1 pick in this summer’s NBA Draft, entered. “He played behind Karl(-Anthony Towns) and Willie (Cauley-Stein),” UK head coach John Calipari said. “In a normal college situation, that is normal. That’s the way it’s supposed to be, but you’re at Kentucky. It’s like warp speed. I am so anxious for him and want this for him. It’s his time and he knows it. I think you’ll see people saying, ‘Cal should’ve played him the last two years. What the heck was he thinking?’ But those guys in front of him were pretty good.” In order to prove Coach Cal’s prediction correct, Lee knows that responsibility will fall on his shoulders. That’s why the 6-foot-9 former volleyball player, who jumps as if his feet are glued to a pogo stick, hasn’t left the Joe Craft Center practice gym."

Mandatory Credit: Andy Marlin-USA TODAY Sports

Incoming freshman Charles Matthews is another player that will get a chance to prove himself as he should have every opportunity to carve out playing time. Let’s just remember that a slew of injuries is what causes Matthews to tumble in the rankings but he is healthy now and his high school coach is adamant he can help the Kentucky Wildcats this season.

"“He had one of the best senior seasons of anyone I’ve ever coached and I’ve coached some great ones,” St. Rita coach Gary DeCesare told CatsPause.com Thursday. “He played fantastic. He was the best player on the court in every game we played. He led us to 26 wins and we beat a lot of very good teams. I don’t know what more he could have done.” Even Matthews’ former Meanstreets AAU teammate, Kentucky point guard Tyler Ulis, took notice. “He’s a completely different player than he was when we played together,” Ulis said. “He’s gonna be a great finisher around the rim and I feel like he’s gonna fit in great.” Based on his play, Matthews earned a roster spot at the Jordan Brand Classic in Brooklyn earlier this month, where he was coached by DeCesare. “I coached the Jordan game and he’s as good as those other guys without a doubt,” DeCesare said. “He’s as good as any of them out there.”"

Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

Sooner or later Jaylen Brown has to make a college decision and if you listen to the pundits, the Kentucky Wildcats are still very much in the running. One thing is for sure … the Kansas Jayhawks seem to have been eliminated, and this is shaping up to be a Kentucky Wildcats vs Michigan Wolverines decision.

"Five-star small forward Jaylen Brown is no longer considering Kansas, according to Matt Scott, who covers the Jayhawks for 247Sports. If true, that would leave Kentucky, California, Michigan and North Carolina as the only schools on Brown’s list. The 6-foot-7 prospect from Marietta, Ga., is considered the No. 1 overall prospect in the class of 2015 by Scout.com. Michigan recently emerged as the favorite in Brown’s recruitment, though Kentucky has also been mentioned prominently over the past couple of days. Brown played for an Adidas program on the AAU circuit, and Michigan would be the only Adidas school on his list if he has eliminated Kansas. UK, Cal and North Carolina are all Nike schools."

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