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Topic: Wthich players could leave
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catmandoo
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Member # 1284
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posted 04-18-2023 11:33 AM
Kentucky's season is over. A campaign that began with great promise — as the favorite to win the SEC and ranked among the top five nationally in the Associated Press preseason poll — ended Sunday at Greensboro Coliseum, with a 75-69 loss to No. 3-seed Kansas State in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
Following UK's second straight early March Madness exit, John Calipari and the Wildcats face questions ahead of the 2023-24 season.
Here's a look at the offseason ahead, and what next season's roster could look like:
Which Kentucky players could leave?
Kentucky honored six players on Senior Night — forwards Oscar Tshiebwe and Jacob Toppin, and guards Brennan Canada, CJ Fredrick, Antonio Reeves and Sahvir Wheeler. Following Sunday's loss, Calipari said he expects all six — who have the option to return as a result of the extra year of eligibility granted to them in response to the COVID-19 pandemic — to leave. Reeves (14.4 points per game), however, left the door open for a return, saying "I'd love to be back."
Which UK players could return?Then there are the two freshmen beyond Wallace. Forward Chris Livingston, who averaged 8.1 points and 6.5 rebounds since Feb. 1, is not a projected 2023 NBA Draft pick, but could test the waters before making a decision on his future. Ugonna Onyenso, who reclassified to join the Wildcats a year early, was never expected to leave early.
Which players could return :
Junior forward Lance Ware could return and see more minutes without Tshiebwe in front of him.
Then there are the two freshmen beyond Wallace. Forward Chris Livingston, who averaged 8.1 points and 6.5 rebounds since Feb. 1, is not a projected 2023 NBA Draft pick, but could test the waters before making a decision on his future. Ugonna Onyenso, who reclassified to join the Wildcats a year early, was never expected to leave early.
Link
-------------------- http://www.ukfightsong.com/
Posts: 186357 | From: st. augustine florida 32092 | Registered: Mar 2001
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rlt4uk
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Member # 3194
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posted 04-18-2023 05:46 PM
Is there any news on the big center from Michigan coming to Kentucky?
-------------------- Bleeding Blue in south Alabama. Kentucky born, Kentucky bred,I'll be kentucky until i'm dead!
Posts: 9776 | From: enterprise, al 36330 | Registered: Sep 2010
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rlt4uk
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Member # 3194
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posted 04-18-2023 10:46 PM
Thanks, Handycat
-------------------- Bleeding Blue in south Alabama. Kentucky born, Kentucky bred,I'll be kentucky until i'm dead!
Posts: 9776 | From: enterprise, al 36330 | Registered: Sep 2010
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Bama Cat
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Member # 153
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posted 04-19-2023 04:15 PM
Personnally I don't think he'll be at UK because I think the NIL will bring Oscar back for another year.
Posts: 14124 | From: berea, ky, usa | Registered: Sep 1999
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Bama Cat
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Member # 153
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posted 04-21-2023 11:20 AM
Yeah. I seen this on the Lexington station last night, and with the breaking news that NIL will keep Oscar from coming back can be seen inn both directions. With the NIL he can afford to come back, and with the NIL he doesn't need to come back. But to fly and visit with Hunter for 2 hours I now feel they have worked it out. I'm not saying it is a done deal and he will be here and Oscar is gone. But that could be true and again it may all be nothing more than smoke. Hunter needs to make a decision soon and I think we could see what happens before the end of this month.
Posts: 14124 | From: berea, ky, usa | Registered: Sep 1999
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handycat
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Member # 2323
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posted 04-21-2023 02:59 PM
I just read where both Collins and Fredrick’s have entered the portal. Sorry, no link to post yet.
Posts: 5379 | From: decatur ill. | Registered: Feb 2005
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Bama Cat
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Member # 153
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posted 04-21-2023 08:40 PM
These were my picks at the end of the season and how I fared.
Wallace draft He stays in draft Livingston draft I still think he goes to draft Oscar draft I still think he stays in draft Reeves stays I think he comes back from testing waters Toppin portal I was wrong, going draft Ware stays pretty sure he stays Frederick portal He will stay in portal Collins portal He will stay in portal Thiero stays I still think he stays Ugonna portal I was wrong, he stays Wheeler portal I think he stays in portal
I was wrong on Toppin and Ugonna I was right on Wallace, Livingston, Frederick, Collins and Wheeler. Still could be right on Oscar, Reeves, I think Reeves comes back and Oscar leaves. Bonus: I now think Hunter dickinson comes to UK.
Roster: Dickinson, Bradshaw, Ugonna and Ware at the bigs.
Thiero, Reeves, Edwards, Wagner at the wings
Dillingham, Shepperd at the guards
If all that happens we have 10 plus Canada who now is on scholarship.
Seniors: Ware, Dickinson and Reeves Soph: Ugonna and Thierro Frosh: Shepperd, Wagner, Bradshaw, Edwards and Dillingham
Dickinson and Reeves would be the experience needed to hold us together.
After that Ware would be the enforcer
Possible starters along with Dickinson and Reeves would be Bradshaw at the other big and Wagner at a wing. The only real PG we have is Dillingham but it would be hard to not start Edwards. We could again have a PG by committee. Don't really see how they could rate us in the top 4 for next year.
We have 11 on scholarship and I look for Cal to find a wing that can be a shooter and scorer for 12 man roster. [ 04-21-2023, 08:47 PM: Message edited by: Bama Cat ]
Posts: 14124 | From: berea, ky, usa | Registered: Sep 1999
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