The rich get richer

[KCmastapeace]

Calipari and Kentucky just got a verbal from the #1 player in the 2009 class in John Wall.  In short time Calipari has assembled one of the best recruiting classes of all time.  Will all these young guns be able to put their ego's aside and win a championship as freshman??

[nyg]

If Patrick Patterson (I doubt) and Jodie Meeks return, then for sure they would contend and probably be #1 ranked team. 

[ChicosBailBonds]

Calipari and Kentucky just got a verbal from the #1 player in the 2009 class in John Wall.  In short time Calipari has assembled one of the best recruiting classes of all time.  Will all these young guns be able to put their ego's aside and win a championship as freshman??

Wall has some legal issues he needs to overcome first.

[nyg]

Patterson is coming back.  So, yes again.

[TJ]

It certainly helps that he was able to use two recruiting budgets to accomplish the feat.  Wall was high on Memphis until Calipari left.  Not to say it's not a great class, and I'm not saying he did anything "wrong," but I think the statement has to be qualified.  "Calipari, using the results of Gillespi's recruiting as well as his own recruiting while coach at Memphis in addition to the recruiting he has done since being hired at Kentucky, has assembled one of the best recruiting classes of all time."

[Nukem2]

Wall has some legal issues he needs to overcome first.

They don't sound serious.  Probably end up with community service requirement.  Nothing like Larry Bradley of Tosa East.

[IrwinFletcher]

Calipari and Kentucky just got a verbal from the #1 player in the 2009 class in John Wall.  In short time Calipari has assembled one of the best recruiting classes of all time.  Will all these young guns be able to put their ego's aside and win a championship as freshman??

Kentucky hasn't been all that rich of late.

[texaswarrior74]

Wall really wanted to play for UNC but Roy never offered him a scholarship and after his recent arrest for breaking and entering any chances of being a Tar Heel were finished. He has a "handler" named Brian Clifton who was his AAU coach and a real hanger on that Roy refused to deal with which resulted in Clifton being very outspoken in his dislike of Roy. Clifton was trying to push him to Duke who had offered him a schollie. The kid just took his SAT in the last few weeks and no one is even sure he will be a qualifier at most schools.

With Wall on board, UK would currently sit over committed by either 3 or 4 scholarships. It will be interesting to see how Calipari resolves that one and how many good kids are squeezed out of scholarships.

Calipari's legacy of recruiting of "one and done's" is unrivaled.

[The Lens]

The big question is will Calipari be able to follow in the great tradition of Rupp, Hall, Pitino, Smith and Gillespie and lose to MU in the NCAAs.

Eddie Sutton is the only UK coach since 1930 to avoid our wrath...ironically he beat us in the 1993 Dance

[77ncaachamps]

Most of these kids have egos that are HUGE.

But fortunately for UK fans and Calipari, the Kentucky tradition is bigger.

Wall's a haul for UK!

[schubert33]

Calipari and Kentucky just got a verbal from the #1 player in the 2009 class in John Wall.  In short time Calipari has assembled one of the best recruiting classes of all time.  Will all these young guns be able to put their ego's aside and win a championship as freshman??

Wall was #5 overall.  He was the number 1 player remaining unsigned.  Still a very good get obviously...

[MR.HAYWARD]

Have any of you guys seen him play?  He is the best HS player I have ever seen, better than Derrick Rose or tyreke Evans, better than MAyo.  The kid is absolutley unbeleivable and will be NBA rookie of the year and an immediate all star it is amazing how good this kid is.  Collge is a waste of time for him, but those are the rules.  he would probably be better off going to europe, he is too good for college ball.

[bma725]

Wall was #5 overall.  He was the number 1 player remaining unsigned.  Still a very good get obviously...

Not exactly. Only ESPN had him #5 overall, and their rankings are dubious at best since they let Bob Gibbons go and hired a bunch of guys that have never done rankings before.

Scout's updated rankings have Wall at #2 overall.  Prepstars updated rankings have Wall at #3 overall.  Rivals updated rankings have Wall at #1 overall.

[Mayor McCheese]

Have any of you guys seen him play?  He is the best HS player I have ever seen, better than Derrick Rose or tyreke Evans, better than MAyo.  The kid is absolutley unbeleivable and will be NBA rookie of the year and an immediate all star it is amazing how good this kid is.  Collge is a waste of time for him, but those are the rules.  he would probably be better off going to europe, he is too good for college ball.

College is never a waste of time.  I have found that in H.S., many kids look to be fantastic players, we will see how he does in college.  Brandon Jennings thought Europe was a good idea, I don't think he enjoyed it that much, I am sure he would have much rather gone to college, but who knows.

Besides, where have you seen him play, besides stupid YouTube mixtapes that show nothing.

[dwaderoy2004]

i'm pretty sure he'd rather have one million dollars than spend one year in college.

[MR.HAYWARD]

College is never a waste of time.  I have found that in H.S., many kids look to be fantastic players, we will see how he does in college.  Brandon Jennings thought Europe was a good idea, I don't think he enjoyed it that much, I am sure he would have much rather gone to college, but who knows.

Besides, where have you seen him play, besides stupid YouTube mixtapes that show nothing.

wow good post.....yes i guess we will see. 

[Mayor McCheese]

Regardless of how great John Wall is among players like Rose and Evans, he is going to a team in Kentucky that is going to be absolutely stacked next year.  Their recruiting class this year is unreal, not a chance MU has the top recruiting class when Kentucky is pulling in Wall, Cousins, Orton, Hood and Bledsoe as 5/4 star recruits and Dodson as a 3 star recruit.  Add them with Patterson and Meeks (if he decides to stay)... they are going to be unreal next year.  Its the second coming of a Fab Five, with Wall being Jalen Rose, Cousins as Webber, Orton as Howard... and then Hood and Bledsoe being King and Jackson.  I'm excited for this team.

[ecompt]

Calipari will find a way to screw it up. Just watch.

[VegasWarrior77]

Calipari will find a way to screw it up. Just watch.

I think they are at least 3 schollies over the limit.  This could get VERY interesting!

[GOMU1104]

I think they are at least 3 schollies over the limit.  This could get VERY interesting!

Not so much. I'm pretty sure the 3 that are leaving have a pretty good idea on their situation.  They arent Calipari's guys...it will be easy to get rid of who he doent want around.

[GOMU1104]

College is never a waste of time.  I have found that in H.S., many kids look to be fantastic players, we will see how he does in college.  Brandon Jennings thought Europe was a good idea, I don't think he enjoyed it that much, I am sure he would have much rather gone to college, but who knows.

Besides, where have you seen him play, besides stupid YouTube mixtapes that show nothing.

I'm willing to bet Brandon Jennings is OK with his decision. He made a couple million $ between his salary and his shoe deal with Under Armour.  Now he is positioned to be a lottery pick.

[VegasWarrior77]

Not so much. I'm pretty sure the 3 that are leaving have a pretty good idea on their situation.  They arent Calipari's guys...it will be easy to get rid of who he doent want around.

Who are they?  I know Meeks is debating on the NBA...?  Who are the others?  What is their situation?  Why is it so "easy" to get rid of the non-Calipari guys?

[bma725]

Who are they?  I know Meeks is debating on the NBA...?  Who are the others?  What is their situation?  Why is it so "easy" to get rid of the non-Calipari guys?

Mike Williams is already gone, which opens up one spot.  AJ Stewart was supposedly told earlier this week that he was out as well.  But that wasn't really a surprise given that BCG had twice kicked him off the team only to be forced by the AD to take him back.  In all likelihood Deandre Liggins is gone either because he'll be academically ineligible or because Cal doesn't want him and his attitude around the new players...then again Gillispie wasn't particularly happy with him either.  That opens three spots, which is all they need if Meeks stays in the draft.

If he doesn't, there's a number of names UK fans are tossing out for the fourth scholarship.  Perry Stephenson, Kevin Galloway, or Josh Harrelson are the most common.

[GOMU1104]

Who are they?  I know Meeks is debating on the NBA...?  Who are the others?  What is their situation?  Why is it so "easy" to get rid of the non-Calipari guys?

I dont know each "situation"...but I am sure they do.


We constantly speculate on guys, as do most fans.  Fact is...the players and coaches know whats up, and that is all that matters.  (Mbakwe is an obvious expection)

[Murffieus]

Calipari recruits well because he's a "players coach"------those types recruit real well, but underachieve their talent.