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Posted by catmandoo (Member # 1284) on 10-04-2016, 04:19 PM:

Going into the season Derek Willis is being counted on to be in John Calipari’s eight-man rotation. What Willis has to show is just how high he deserves to be in that rotation.

“The question is, ‘Are you a guy that we know we can count on every game for 25 minutes, 30 minutes or is it every once in a while you can do that?’ Well then what we’re doing is every once in a while we’ll play you 25 minutes. It’s just, ‘What are you? How consistent are you?’” Calipari said.

The UK coach says Willis and Dominique Hawkins, both four-year players, should be mentally and physically ahead of other players.

“(Freshman) Wenyen (Gabriel) should not be past Derek at this point. If he is then … And I would say if you watch they’re two different players. Derek is more of a threeish, four stretch, and Wenyen’s probably a straight stretch four. But he could play three. Wenyen is just bigger. He’s bigger and longer and blocks shots.”

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Posted by SCWC (Member # 2464) on 10-04-2016, 04:43 PM:

It sounds to me like Cal is not going to start Derek this season. Time will tell.

Posted by ukman (Member # 3032) on 10-04-2016, 06:23 PM:

I personally would rather see Derek start if he is playing the way he did at the end of the season. I would like to see these young guys really earn their spot before it is just handed to them. Derek could be a very important player for us this year. He really started to rebound and play good defense at the end of the year. Hope he picks up where he left off, and I hope he makes it hard for some of these younger guys to get that time.

Posted by SCWC (Member # 2464) on 10-05-2016, 03:00 AM:

My sentiments exactly ukman.

Posted by boomdaddy (Member # 2644) on 10-05-2016, 02:34 PM:

I usually don't talk round ball this early. But, since it is Willis, I will chime in with my amateur fan opinion of him. Before last season, I thought Willis would have his coming out party and get lots of playing time. But, until it actually happened, I wasn't 100% sure that he would break out. Willis did have a great season and was a major contributor on the team.

Because of how he played last season, I do not understand the title and premise of this thread that I am posting to.

Willis is a veteran who is a proven player. He will either start the majority of the games or he will get considerable floor time, in every game, unless he gets in foul trouble or has an injury. Maybe some people did not see the same player that I saw last season. I think Willis is the teams best 3 point weapon.

I do think Calipari is challenging him to be an even better player than he was last year. Willis has stated in interviews that he did not put in the work that he needed to, the season before. I think the coach just wants to keep him motivated, because he knows he has untapped potential.

Of the kids that are not one and dones, I believe Humphries is the most over looked. He played last season while only being 17 years old. He is a future NBA player. Hawkins will not make the NBA, but he will be a valuable role player, in my opinion. Tai Wynyard was suppose to be this stout kid that could mix it up on the boards and give them toughness. He didn't play, because they said he needed to get in better shape. I thought Mulder would have been a shooter or something, last year, but did not show much game.

I saw Brad Calipari shoot in high school and the young man can flat out shoot the three. I will enjoy watching him, when he gets on the floor.

[ 10-05-2016, 05:16 PM: Message edited by: boomdaddy ]

Posted by catmandoo (Member # 1284) on 10-09-2016, 06:20 PM:

Willis last season played a average of 18.6 minutes a game, 7.7 points, 48% from the field and 44% from the 3 point line.