catmandoo
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Member # 1284
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posted 11-13-2020 04:37 PM
1. BJ BOSTON LOOKS THE PART
When Brandon Boston Jr. finished the 2020 recruiting cycle ranked No. 5 overall, he became Kentucky's first top-5 signee since Skal Labissiere in 2015.
Having already been named a preseason All-American, to the Julius Erving Award watch list for the nation's top small forward and a preseason First Team All-SEC selection, Boston has the hype of the next great Wildcats freshman.
During Pro Day, Boston showed he has the game to go with it.
Boston had his jump shot working throughout the night and looks to be one of the best shooters on this UK team. Measuring at 6-foot-6¾ in shoes and 185 pounds with a 6-foot-11½ wingspan, Boston also knows how to use his length to finish around the rim and cause disruption on the defensive end.
2. SO DOES OLIVIER SARR
For the second time in three years, Kentucky added the nation's No. 1 free agent in top transfer Olivier Sarr, who was an All-ACC performer at Wake Forest as a junior last season.
One of college basketball's major storylines of the offseason, the general consensus was that the Wildcats would need Sarr to be eligible in order to be considered a legitimate national title threat. Sarr averaged 13.7 points while shooting 52.7 percent from the floor to go with 9.0 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game, recording 11 double-doubles en route to Third Team All-ACC honors.
He went for 21 points and 13 rebounds in a December loss to No. 14 Arizona. In back-to-back outings in late February, he scored 25 points in a double overtime win over Duke and put up 30 points and 17 rebounds in a win over Notre Dame. In the season finale, he posted 20 points and 13 boards in a loss to Pittsburgh.
3. ISAIAH JACKSON LIVES UP TO THE HYPE
For the second time in three years, Kentucky added the nation's No. 1 free agent in top transfer Olivier Sarr, who was an All-ACC performer at Wake Forest as a junior last season.
One of college basketball's major storylines of the offseason, the general consensus was that the Wildcats would need Sarr to be eligible in order to be considered a legitimate national title threat. Sarr averaged 13.7 points while shooting 52.7 percent from the floor to go with 9.0 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game, recording 11 double-doubles en route to Third Team All-ACC honors.
4.DAVION MINTZ LOOKS COMFORTABLE
The point guard battle between freshman Devin Askew and grad transfer Davion Mintz has been one of the major storylines of the preseason.
And while Askew has more long-term potential and a higher upside, Mintz is going to be hard to keep off the floor this season.
In addition to being one of the team's top perimeter shooters and defenders, Mintz started 79 career games at Creighton and provides some much-needed experience to the UK backcourt. Mintz has been around the block a time or two and his experience will provide Calipari with a steady hand, especially during what is likely to be a steep early-season learning curve. He's also the strongest player on the team, recording 14 reps of 185 pounds on the bench press.
5. LENGTH ON LENGTH ON LENGTH
After 11 seasons of Calipari at the helm, it's crystal clear what he covets in a team: size and length.
He'll have that in spades this season.
COMMENTS
Top to bottom, this group of Wildcats is one of the tallest and longest squads he's put on the floor at Kentucky, with nine players 6-foot-6 or taller and five players with a 7-0 wingspan or longer. By comparison, Calipari's longest team (2014-15) had 10 players 6-6 or taller.
Calipari said in the preseason that this team resembles some of his best teams defensively in terms of shot-blocking ability and rim protection and that kind of height and length will make up for a lot of mistakes from a young team in terms of positional defense.
Most of Calipari's Kentucky teams have ended the year near the top of Ken Pomeroy's defensive efficiency ratings. And so when you take into account that baseline and add in the versatility and interchangeable parts of this team, 2020-21 has the ceiling to be one of the best defensive teams in the Calipari era come tournament time.
Link
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http://www.ukfightsong.com/
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