Tubby compares Mbakwe to....Blake Griffin.

[SaintPaulWarrior]

"Marquette is having an excellent year. I can't imagine what they'd be like with him," Smith said. "He's a guy, we really don't have anybody in our program like Trevor. He plays a lot like ... Blake Griffin. I was watching him diving yesterday in the game and they had highlights on him. He's probably the No. 1 player in the country, from Oklahoma. He plays with such a passion. And Trevor does the same thing. He plays with that type of toughness. And that's [something] that we like right now. He's a special player. Again, he's very mature, a very serious-minded player."


http://www.startribune.com/sports/vikings/41267397.html?page=3&c=y

[chapman]

Again, he's very mature, a very serious-minded player.

Spoken like a coach that ran the winningest program all-time into the ground with crappy recruiting. 

[GGGG]

Into the ground?

He won 22+ games, made the NCAA tournament, and won at least one tournament game in the ten years he was at Kentucky.  He made the Elite 8 twice with his own recruits.

[Tom Crean's Tanning Bed]

Tubby's sure he's talking about Mbakwe, right?  He hasn't gotten him confused with another one of his recruits perhaps?

[Joe Thompson]

Spoken like a coach that ran the winningest program all-time into the ground with crappy recruiting. 

Smith may have been a crappy recruiter but he's always been a good coach. crap, look what he got out of those kids compared to what Buzz' mentor got out of those kids this season.

It's pathetic in this soft bubble that Kentucky can't even get into the Tournament.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Tubby's sure he's talking about Mbakwe, right?  He hasn't gotten him confused with another one of his recruits perhaps?

We saw the injured Mbakwe as a freshman.  Something tells me that by the time he is done, he will be pretty good at Minnesota.

[Tom Crean's Tanning Bed]

We saw the injured Mbakwe as a freshman.  Something tells me that by the time he is done, he will be pretty good at Minnesota.

I'm more so referring to how Tubby is classifying him as a mature, mentally-tough player.  Seeing how Trevor has made a living since he got to HS bailing on a different school/program every year, running out the door here the day before classes started, etc., color me confused I guess.

Physically gifted?  Yes.  Mental headcase?  Absolutely. 

[Nukem2]

We saw the injured Mbakwe as a freshman.  Something tells me that by the time he is done, he will be pretty good at Minnesota.

Agreed.  Trevor had a very good season at Miami-Dade averaging a solid double-double for a good team in a good JUCO conference and among the leaders in rebounding for the NJCAA.  As Chicos says, we saw a rehabilitating Trevor last year.  Whatever people think of his departure, it had a lot to do with those advisors in his ear.  His on-court teanicty should not be questioned.  He is a tough dude with a lot of phsical ability.  We did truly miss him.

[Nukem2]

I'm more so referring to how Tubby is classifying him as a mature, mentally-tough player.  Seeing how Trevor has made a living since he got to HS bailing on a different school/program every year, running out the door here the day before classes started, etc., color me confused I guess.

Physically gifted?  Yes.  Mental headcase?  Absolutely.  

Maybe.  But, not on the court.

[jfmu]

i think hell be good but there is no way he is even close to griffin. i can see him having another knee injury, he feet are basically pointed at eachother

[ecompt]

The fact that Minensota will have someone takes Trevor's classes for him will take a lot of pressure off the young man. That said, I would be shocked if Trevor turns out anything like Blake Griffin.

[Nukem2]

The fact that Minensota will have someone takes Trevor's classes for him will take a lot of pressure off the young man. That said, I would be shocked if Trevor turns out anything like Blake Griffin.

He won't be Griffin.  But, he won't be bad either.

[Blackhat]

Tubby was handed a well oiled machine from Pitino and eventually did lead Kentucky downward with 4th and 6th place finishes in the SEC in '05 and '06.  He's a pretty good coach who won a championship with Pitino's players and then, yes by Kentucky standards ran the talent level into the ground. 

[NCMUFan]

It will be interesting.  Just like we had people who would put up Amo's results. I can see Trevor being up to Amo's level.  Either way, who cares, he is gone.

[GGGG]

Tubby was handed a well oiled machine from Pitino and eventually did lead Kentucky downward with 4th and 6th place finishes in the SEC in '05 and '06.  He's a pretty good coach who won a championship with Pitino's players and then, yes by Kentucky standards ran the talent level into the ground. 

He had two tough years his last two by Kentucky standards.  (And still has done better than Gillespie has done his first two years.)  But before then, regularly won league titles with his own players.  They unfairly bailed on him and now it's biting them in the ass...and deservedly so.

[mviale]

and the New York Mets will win the world series this year

[Blackhat]

He had two tough years his last two by Kentucky standards.  (And still has done better than Gillespie has done his first two years.)  But before then, regularly won league titles with his own players.  They unfairly bailed on him and now it's biting them in the ass...and deservedly so.

Hiring Tubby ultimately bit them.... Gillisipie was relegated to Tubby's players in '07 and had a young roster in '08.   There are no excuses in Kentucky though and for Gillispie he better turn it around quick.   

[4everwarriors]

Yeah, they compare very well to each other. One was a McDonald All-American and the other will soon be flipping burgers at McDonalds.

[Tom Crean's Tanning Bed]

Tubby had 2 bad years there.  Otherwise, he won a national title, 4 SEC regular season titles, 4 SEC tournament titles, made 3 Elite 8s, and 2 Sweet 16s.  Hell, he never even lost a first round game when he was there.  2 of those elite 8s (2003 and 2005) were all with his own talent. 

Gillespie, though, has made one NCAAs (lost in the 1st round) and missed the NCAAs in 2 years with a similar talent level to what Tubby had in his last 2 years there before getting ridden out of town. 

[HarryBalczak]

We saw the injured Mbakwe as a freshman.  Something tells me that by the time he is done, he will be pretty good at Minnesota.

I think I saw Mbakwe play in a summer scrimmage, but it's hard to tell since he didn't play with any fire or emotion and was probably below Hazel and Butler that day and definitely below Fulce who was the best player behind Matthews, McNeal and James.  I don't even think Trevor played a whole game to 10 that day.  Must have decided he was going to transfer by that point and was just going through the motions.

[Murffieus]

Mbakwe----is raw but has loads of potential----excellent lateral and straight ahead quickness-----also probably the quickest leaping 6' 7" guy i have ever seen. Strong as well------Several times last year he had 3 offensive rebs in succession (had trouble finishing though).

[HarryBalczak]

Trevor can be very good if he wants to play.  If he is going through the motions, he's just another reserve.  I hope going home motivates him. 

[Mayor McCheese]

Tubby got this impression after reading the epic "Mbakwe" thread on this board...


If you don't know what I am talking about, it was easily one of the top 3 threads ever on this board.