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Author
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Topic: Shaedon Sharpe to stay in Draft
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GA Cat
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Member # 642
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posted 04-21-2022 12:20 PM
quote:
Sharpe's case has been one of considerable interest in Lexington and beyond in recent months because of its significance and impact in the landscape of college hoops and the draft. Despite never playing a minute for the Wildcats this past season, he could have been a true difference-maker on their 2022 roster -- one with real title hopes -- next to five-star signees Cason Wallace and Chris Livingston, as well as returning big man Oscar Tshiebwe. In his decision to leave for the NBA, though, he's likely locked in as a top-10 pick with the potential to upend the top of the draft.
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[ 04-21-2022, 12:20 PM: Message edited by: GA Cat ]
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Born Blue, Always Blue
Kentucky Blue, that is...
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m hamilton
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Member # 127
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posted 04-21-2022 12:26 PM
Just read the same thing. Oh well, if he's a top 10 draft pick, you can't blame the kid for chasing his NBA Dreams!
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The potus is planning 1st major tax hike since '93 in next economic package!
I still can't believe some people believed that LIAR!!!
Your whole life is determined(by) 10% what happens to you, and 90% how you handle it!!!
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Tiptree
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posted 04-21-2022 03:57 PM
The only glimmer of hope is that he isn't going "all in" to the draft. He is doing so in a manner that retains his eligibility to play.
But, yeah. All signs say he is a high lottery pick, so he is 99.9% gone...
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Tiptree
“If a nation expects to be ignorant and free, in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and never will be.” Thomas Jefferson
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CatfanRick
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Member # 126
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posted 04-21-2022 06:34 PM
My question, or if you prefer, my concern is why was he even in Lexington in the first place?
He was never going to play for Kentucky, everybody knew that from the start. Only way if if he injures himself while in Lexington and uses a year to get back in form.
First, he took a scholarship, and the benefits it provides. He gave nothing back, not one minute of time to the team, the school, and moreover the fan base. Nothing....zero....zilch.
As a scholarship player he got nutrition training and guidance and food. He got to room with high caliber athletes, travel with the team (which at Kentucky amounts to NBA experience), and experience first hand from the bench some very high energy environments.
He got to train with a very capable staff on some very high grade equipment. Combine that with his diet and you know he grew up in the last few months. Calipari said he would not play him last year because he was not ready, he was not grown up enough. He said it would not be fair to the kid. I guess he is grown up enough now for the NBA.
Also, Sharpe got to go against some very good players every day in practice, and do so in one of the best basketball practice facilities in the country. He got instruction from a few of the best coaches in the game. He got a free basketball camp just given to him. Oh yes, I suppose he did have to study a bit to earn his way.
My question is this, did he qualify for a NIL while at Kentucky? You have high school kids doing it, so why wouldn't he? If he did, do you suppose his value increased because of Kentucky as per his high school?
This takes my disdain for the current men's basketball administration to another level. All sorts of things are ruining college sports for me and the one and done is in the top 3 on my list along with the players first approach depending on the day and the conversation, but this, this is next level stuff. As a fan of college basketball in general and The University of Kentucky Wildcats in particular this really pisses me off.
For lack of a better way to phrase this, I feel prostituted as a fan. Not by Sharpe, he was just given the golden ring. I think this takes Kentucky to a new level of I am quickly losing interest in the Calapari game plan.
Posts: 7200 | From: Florence, Ky | Registered: Sep 1999
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EnterpriseCat
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Member # 2881
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posted 04-21-2022 08:21 PM
I think he came with the understanding that he was too young to be eligible for the NBA until he played a year in college. Somehow, that changed during the course of the season and he became draft eligible. I can’t blame the kid for chasing his dream. I just hate that it turned out this way.
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Romans 8:38-39
JD4U
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Tiptree
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Member # 844
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posted 04-21-2022 08:46 PM
The only person (besides Mr. Sharpe and family) who benefitted from this was Cal. He has one more photo for his wall, one more person for his Instragram "NBAcats" instragram feed, and one more person to brag about to recruits. And those recruits will also just pass through as fast as they can, hardly staying long enough to put name to face for us fans.
I also am pretty damn pissed about this. It just isn't right.
[ 04-21-2022, 08:47 PM: Message edited by: Tiptree ]
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Tiptree
“If a nation expects to be ignorant and free, in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and never will be.” Thomas Jefferson
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PaulCat
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Member # 513
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posted 04-22-2022 07:40 AM
I've always believed that college athletes should be allowed to earn money. After all, this is America. Kids should be allowed to have jobs, or make money from autographs, or do normal stuff to make money. As long as they aren't paid by boosters to watch the grass grow. But this NIL thing makes me think it is just that. I've heard that Oscar could have a $500,000 NIL deal if he stayed at UK. The way the NIL stuff is going, it's no different than 30 years ago when a player was being paid under the table to go to a particular school. Would Oscar get that type of deal if he stayed at West Virginia? No way in hell.
I knew from day one that Sharpe would never play a game for UK. And they'll announce him on draft day as a University of Kentucky Wildcat. Not in my book. And I don't blame Sharpe. He's just playing the cards he's dealt. I don't like the entire NCAA institution, and Cal is just making college basketball worse by enabling these one-and-dones.
Posts: 10343 | From: Erlanger, Ky. USA | Registered: Mar 2000
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Tiptree
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posted 04-22-2022 07:57 AM
The One-and-done rule isn't the NCAA's fault. That dishonor goes to the NBA Players Union. They set the rules, and created this monster.
Cal tried to ride the monster, but it hasn't proven to be worth it the past 5-6 years. Perhaps this is just the normal ebb-and-flow of a college program, but UK just doesn't feel like a college program anymore. At best, it is a hybrid college/NBA farm team, providing the NBA with an efficient way to screen the one-and-dones, who are forced to play a non-NBA style with a few "supporting players" who stick around waiting for the next wave of NBA-bound players.
Stepping back a bit, the whole world of post-secondary education is about to undergo a sea-change, with the traditional 4-year degree transforming into something more modular, more flexible, with on-campus and on-line mixed together. Students will be of any age, and can come and go, get some certified skills, and return to the workplace. Perhaps college athletics is just foreshadowing that shift with the One-and Dones.
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Tiptree
“If a nation expects to be ignorant and free, in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and never will be.” Thomas Jefferson
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GA Cat
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posted 04-22-2022 08:27 AM
When Sharpe originally came to Kentucky, it was widely publicized that he would NOT be eligible for the draft, but was eligible for NIL money.
It was sometime in late January or February that word hit that the NBA had ruled that he would be eligible for the draft.
I am not sure what the specifics where of why that changed or what it is that made him eligible vs when they were saying he was not. From the moment the NBA declared him eligible for he draft, I had serious doubts he would ever play for Kentucky.
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Born Blue, Always Blue
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Bama Cat
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Member # 153
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posted 04-22-2022 09:50 AM
Just simply another phase of the "Cal Era". Just something that will make him look like a king to all these young recruits who want to play in the NBA. He should never allow a kid to leave high school early no matter if he loses a kid to another team. These kids need to stay in high school until their time is up. You can never go back to HS. Same for college, you can never go back and complete college as a college person after going to the pros. Money means more than championships now.
[ 04-22-2022, 09:51 AM: Message edited by: Bama Cat ]
Posts: 14161 | From: berea, ky, usa | Registered: Sep 1999
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CatfanRick
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posted 04-22-2022 12:37 PM
Kentucky basketball has gone the way of politics. Every word out of an elected officials mouth is calculated to get votes. Every move that official makes is done so with careful and deliberate consideration towards him/her being re-elected, or his/her party's following candidate.
Likewise, every move Calapari makes is directly related to recruiting. His recruiting sales point is limited to one single plank on his campaign platform...I can get you your best chance to make a living playing basketball. I see it as that simple. He is selling an ideal not the Kentucky tradition.
Yes, they want to win games and yes, they are setting a championship as a goal, but that is not the pitch. Come to Kentucky and play for me. Live and work (train/practice) at some of the best facilities in the nation, play on national tv, have a pro day more or less every game with scouts in attendance, and let me use my influence and connections to get you paid.
I read just the other day that Devin Askew has entered the transfer portal, again. Seems he played fewer minutes and performed not so well at Texas. Is Hopkins the next Askew or the next Juzang?
No, this isn't the players fault, nor is this entirely Caliparie's design, but just because you can, it doesn't make it right. Take away 2012 and without Darius Miller we don't win a championship even with the top players in the nation. He proved that in 2015 when he likely had the best assembly of players in history top to bottom, and fudged up that one. His formula does not work for what Kentucky basketball should be seeking.
Look at the last 5 or so champions, all playing team basketball with individual players improving their abilities over time and practice and coaching.
I long for the days of "pretty" basketball being played once again by the home team in Rupp Arena.
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Bama Cat
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Member # 153
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posted 04-22-2022 04:04 PM
May never come close again until Cal needs a wheel chair. ![[Frown]](frown.gif) And who cares what position you are in with the yearly recruiting standings, It probably won't last because you'll be losing some to the transfer portal.
[ 04-22-2022, 04:07 PM: Message edited by: Bama Cat ]
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PaulCat
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posted 04-23-2022 08:00 AM
Yes, the reason for one-and-dones is due to the NBA rules. With their limits, and lack of a major, attractive minor league system, these kids have to go to college for one year. The NBA needs to heavily invest in a minor league system to attract more of the kids who have no interest in playing more than one year of college. The NBA was very smart to institute their rules and let college weed out the good versus bad players.
But another part is strictly on Cal. Juzang, Wiltjer, Matthews, Whitney, Allen, Hopkins, Askew - these are all one-and-dones (except for Allen) at UK. He just recruits over kids instead of mentoring/coaching them to get better. He cannot manage kids that aren't first-round draft picks. His managerial skills are non-existent. Some of these transfers could've been huge pieces of the puzzle for winning a 9th championship. And the transfer portal is just making this easier for Cal and the rest of college basketball. College basketball basically has free agency, which killed MLB and is making the NBA a joke.
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Tiptree
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posted 04-23-2022 08:38 AM
In all fairness, there are a lot of factors to consider here. Those kids with NBA aspirations will go where their chances of a successful launch are highest. True, dat. UK seems to be one such place, so we get our share of them.
But, kids in general have such little patience these days. The culture has compressed attention spans to seconds, and many cannot imagine spending four years in college to prepare for a career.
The transfer portal just exacerbates the problem. Not getting enough PT? NBA not pounding on your door? Then transfer, young man! Go to another school who will promise you the moon AND a starter position!
Those kids who stick around at UK these days are pretty amazing. Cal has always prioritized kids from good families, and that influence may be all that kept Toppin, Ware, Collins, etc. from slipping out the back door to another school. It is pretty clear that it was Oscar's faith and family that led him to return. Any player on UK's team could have listened to the siren-song of other coaches and transferred. You know they could start almost anywhere. But they stay, despite what everyone here says about Cal. Maybe we are a bit too harsh on him?
Cal chose the path of leveraging UK's name and tradition to "recruit the best of the best", but that comes with the downside that those players are in and out in one year. Now, he is stuck, because as much as we say we want him to change, the process of building a roster of solid, capable 4-year players would mean at least two very poor years. Would we understand? Would we be patient? I doubt it. The calls for Cal's head would be deafening, even if he was doing what we want him to do.
We expect magic from our highly paid coach. But highly paid people don't always deliver consistently. There are ups and downs in the careers of athletes, CEOs, entertainers. And, yes, basketball coaches. We like to think that we "deserve" that every player play to his maximum potential every single game, or that Cal gets to the final four every couple of years. But, players and coaches are humans, and in the case of Cal, we hold him to nearly impossible standards. And for the players, I challenge you to recall how you were at 18 years old. Were you 100% effective every single day? Or did you falter occasionally, or get into a funk because of your girlfriend, your grades, or your friends?
I honestly hope Cal does what we ask, and I hope we give him the time to make it happen. And I really hope we will understand that those exalted players wearing UK uniforms are... kids.
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Tiptree
“If a nation expects to be ignorant and free, in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and never will be.” Thomas Jefferson
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Bama Cat
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posted 04-23-2022 12:30 PM
What we long to see is very possible. Look at Joe B for an example. I've been following UK since their loss in the final to then Texas Western. I used to get the Street and Smith BB Annual and check to see how many of the recruits UK got that were listed on the 1st, 2nd and 3rd team recruits. We would get 2 and sometimes 3 kids listed in the top 3 teams. And Joe could still compete for NCAA championships. It's what he got that were just Honorable Mentions that built the team from year to year. We know it takes kids from all 4 classes to build and keep a competitive team from year to year. That's where Cal follows his own guidance and tries to build a team of 5 kids from the same class and ignore the upper classmen, unless they are a super star. Well, we've finally realized he no longer can recruit all of the top kids, and because of this he is now no better than the other teams who are also losing kids to the transfer rule.
[ 04-23-2022, 04:25 PM: Message edited by: Bama Cat ]
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