catmandoo
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Member # 1284
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posted 11-10-2020 04:46 PM
The Kentucky basketball season is just about two weeks away from tipoff. With no preseason exhibition games or intrasquad scrimmages like the Blue-White game for fans to see, this new group will perhaps carry more intrigue into its first game than many teams before.
Let's do some projecting for this story. It’s the preseason, so why not have some fun? We’ll take a look at some individual superlatives and also team superlatives. Let’s jump in.
Most Valuable Player: Olivier Sarr. I don’t think Sarr will be Kentucky’s best player, but he’s the only true center on the roster. Without Sarr, the ceiling for this team would have to be lowered considerably. Adding a third-team All-ACC performer who turned into a double-double machine down the stretch of his junior season should put Sarr in contention as one of the best transfers of the John Calipari era. Having a proven big man who has performed well against some of the best competition in college basketball should lead to a smooth transition for Sarr in Lexington. I doubt Sarr is the focal point of the offense, but averaging double-digit points and close to 10 boards a game seems realistic for the senior center.
Best newcomer: BJ Boston. Boston or Terrence Clarke will probably be most people’s pick in this category, and I expect both will have their moments where they look like the best player on the team. But I’m gonna give the edge to Boston in this category. He’s my pick to finish the season as the leading shot-taker and leading scorer. A highly skilled offensive player, Boston is the kind of guard who can carry a team in March. He’ll need to continue to add weight to his skinny frame, but his offensive skill set is going to be too much for most of the defenses Kentucky will face.
Biggest surprise: Isaiah Jackson. Jackson was ranked as the No. 30 recruit in the nation by 247Sports.com composite rankings, so it’s not like he flew under the radar as a prospect. But few people were discussing Jackson in a one-and-done scenario. However, Jackson has been one of the most praised players through preseason camp. John Calipari said Jackson “can do more than we thought,” meaning Jackson’s offensive game might be developing at a rapid rate. He’s known for his shot-blocking and athleticism, but if he keeps adding to his offensive repertoire… look out.
Biggest storyline: How much will the COVID-19 pandemic affect this season? Setting a schedule was a major challenge for Kentucky and other college basketball programs. The Wildcats scheduled 27 games, with 18 of those being in the SEC. Scientists have said from the start that the winter would be one of the most challenging times for COVID-19, so a continued rise in cases will make games much more difficult for everyone in college basketball.
Biggest question mark: We’re used to roster turnover in the Calipari era, but even this year is larger than normal. Ten new players are on this year’s team with Keion Brooks being the only returner who actually saw game time a year ago. No matter how much talent has been brought in -- and make no mistake, this will be a talented team -- it will not be easy to mesh that many new players together. The offseason has already been significantly different because of COVID, so more patience than normal might be required for this group. The good news is three of the new players have some college experience, but freshmen are always a big part of what Calipari does at Kentucky. Might the Wildcats slip up early in the year and lose an unexpected game? It’s happened before. But Calipari’s track record tells us that Kentucky should be one of the teams in the mix once the NCAA Tournament begins.
Link
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http://www.ukfightsong.com/
Posts: 186359 | From: st. augustine florida 32092 | Registered: Mar 2001
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