Nerlens Noel - PF - Tilton School - Everett, MA - KENTUCKY

I agree vd. I don't see the.next crop.of talent to UK having the same impact. This years team was special. A truely talented and unselfish team. that isn't going to happen just because the next class is rated #1 this strategy.won't work every year. .

I argued this before with Fordham96.  I think this season's UK team would beat the 2012-2013 product by 20.  The lack of experience can't be overcome with a handful of top 20 recruits.  I think it could be three years before we see a typical Calipari team at UK if they have a bunch of NBA defections after next season (Harrow, Bennett, Noel, etc).

Quote from: gman on April 19, 2012, 11:06:06 AM

I agree vd. I don't see the.next crop.of talent to UK having the same impact. This years team was special. A truely talented and unselfish team. that isn't going to happen just because the next class is rated #1 this strategy.won't work every year. .

I argued this before with Fordham96.  I think this season's UK team would beat the 2012-2013 product by 20.  The lack of experience can't be overcome with a handful of top 20 recruits.  I think it could be three years before we see a typical Calipari team at UK if they have a bunch of NBA defections after next season (Harrow, Bennett, Noel, etc).

You hit it on the head:

Cannot overlook the experience of Lamb Jones and Miller on this years team even if 2 were soph's. They are going with similar makeup next year but Jones and Lamb > Wiltjer and Harrow in terms of their court experience and previous success 

Quote from: gman on April 19, 2012, 11:06:06 AM

I agree vd. I don't see the.next crop.of talent to UK having the same impact. This years team was special. A truely talented and unselfish team. that isn't going to happen just because the next class is rated #1 this strategy.won't work every year. .

I argued this before with Fordham96.  I think this season's UK team would beat the 2012-2013 product by 20.  The lack of experience can't be overcome with a handful of top 20 recruits.  I think it could be three years before we see a typical Calipari team at UK if they have a bunch of NBA defections after next season (Harrow, Bennett, Noel, etc).

That wasn't the question.  This UK team would beat MOST teams by 20, this year or next year.  All that proves is that this year's UK team was BIG TIME tremendous.  That does not prove other teams are necessarily bad and it certainly does not prove UK this coming year will be bad.

Most people think UK will take a step back.  But so what.  Last year they were a 4 seed in the NCAA's, this was after losing 5 guys to the NBA 1st round including 4 freshmen (Cousins, Orton, Bledsoe, Wall and Patterson a junior).  Guess what?  That 4 seed proceeded to beat no. 1 seeded Ohio St and no. 2 seed North Carolina on their way to the Final Four.  That was taking a step back…

If Justin Verlander goes 20-5 this year does that mean he is a bad pitcher because he didn't do everything he did last year? 

You said SJU was poised to be better then UK because of this over the next 3 years.  You still stand by that argument?

Cal is a great coach.  Slick as can be but is a tremendous motivator and much better gameday coach then people give him credit.

As long as he keeps getting elite 1 and done's or even 2 and done's he will win.

The only catch or flaw I see is, "What if he doesn't land some of these kids?"  In other words what if Noel went to Georgetown?
What if he gets caught with a major roster overhaul but at the same time whiffs on some of his elite targets and is left scrambling for some "lesser" kids?  Unlikely, but it is a risk as long as you keep recruiting kids that you know will not be with you much more then a year and you have to keep replacing them.  But not just replace them but replace them with ELITE kids.

If he whiffed on Noel I'd be more worried about Chandler.  ; )

If this batch of recruits is not nearly as good as last years NC team than maybe most or all stay 2-3 yrs and Cal as great team in 2 yrs instead of this season. Still not a bad deal for UK fans.

If this batch of recruits is not nearly as good as last years NC team than maybe most or all stay 2-3 yrs and Cal as great team in 2 yrs instead of this season. Still not a bad deal for UK fans.

Not true. Most of turn could still turn pro based on potential.

Quote from: Celtics11 on April 19, 2012, 06:12:36 PM

If this batch of recruits is not nearly as good as last years NC team than maybe most or all stay 2-3 yrs and Cal as great team in 2 yrs instead of this season. Still not a bad deal for UK fans.

Not true. Most of turn could still turn pro based on potential.

Lamb and Terrance Jones stayed and they were pretty good and full of potential.

Quote from: Marillac on April 19, 2012, 02:17:08 PM

Quote from: gman on April 19, 2012, 11:06:06 AM

I agree vd. I don't see the.next crop.of talent to UK having the same impact. This years team was special. A truely talented and unselfish team. that isn't going to happen just because the next class is rated #1 this strategy.won't work every year. .

I argued this before with Fordham96.  I think this season's UK team would beat the 2012-2013 product by 20.  The lack of experience can't be overcome with a handful of top 20 recruits.  I think it could be three years before we see a typical Calipari team at UK if they have a bunch of NBA defections after next season (Harrow, Bennett, Noel, etc).

You said SJU was poised to be better then UK because of this over the next 3 years.  You still stand by that argument?

Yes, I absolutely stand by that.  Most people only see that Cal has the stud one-and-dones, but they don't see that the last three great teams he's had included key upperclassman...guys like a junior DeAndre Liggins and seniors like Josh Harrellson and Darius Miller--a kid who played at least 21 minutes per game each of his four years.  They also have had stud sophs like Terrence Jones, Doron Lamb, etc. 

I don't see the type of typical Cal talent in this year's Kentucky class (insane to say that with their haul) and there is next to no experience returning--only a redshirt soph transfer, Harrow, and a rising soph that plays the same position as UK's #2 recruit that only played 11 mpg in his one seson, Wiltjer.

The good news is that a down year for Cal at UK probably still includes an NCAA tournament invitation.
As it stands the starting lineup is probably:

PG- Ryan Harrow - R.Soph
SG- Archie Goodwin - Frosh
SF- Alex Poythress - Frosh
PF- Kyle Wiltjer - Soph
C-  Nerlens Noel - Frosh

I think Cal has himself in a nice position for future runs with this class that, on paper at least, has a few four year players to add to Wiltjer.

Quote from: gman on April 19, 2012, 06:36:45 PM

Quote from: Celtics11 on April 19, 2012, 06:12:36 PM

If this batch of recruits is not nearly as good as last years NC team than maybe most or all stay 2-3 yrs and Cal as great team in 2 yrs instead of this season. Still not a bad deal for UK fans.

Not true. Most of turn could still turn pro based on potential.

Lamb and Terrance Jones stayed and they were pretty good and full of potential.

A lot of freshmen came back last year with the NBA lockout uncertainty.

Quote from: fordham96 on April 19, 2012, 02:47:56 PM

Quote from: Marillac on April 19, 2012, 02:17:08 PM

Quote from: gman on April 19, 2012, 11:06:06 AM

I agree vd. I don't see the.next crop.of talent to UK having the same impact. This years team was special. A truely talented and unselfish team. that isn't going to happen just because the next class is rated #1 this strategy.won't work every year. .

I argued this before with Fordham96.  I think this season's UK team would beat the 2012-2013 product by 20.  The lack of experience can't be overcome with a handful of top 20 recruits.  I think it could be three years before we see a typical Calipari team at UK if they have a bunch of NBA defections after next season (Harrow, Bennett, Noel, etc).

You said SJU was poised to be better then UK because of this over the next 3 years.  You still stand by that argument?

Yes, I absolutely stand by that.  Most people only see that Cal has the stud one-and-dones, but they don't see that the last three great teams he's had included key upperclassman...guys like a junior DeAndre Liggins and seniors like Josh Harrellson and Darius Miller--a kid who played at least 21 minutes per game each of his four years.  They also have had stud sophs like Terrence Jones, Doron Lamb, etc. 

I don't see the type of typical Cal talent in this year's Kentucky class (insane to say that with their haul) and there is next to no experience returning--only a redshirt soph transfer, Harrow, and a rising soph that plays the same position as UK's #2 recruit that only played 11 mpg in his one seson, Wiltjer.

The good news is that a down year for Cal at UK probably still includes an NCAA tournament invitation.
As it stands the starting lineup is probably:

PG- Ryan Harrow - R.Soph
SG- Archie Goodwin - Frosh
SF- Alex Poythress - Frosh
PF- Kyle Wiltjer - Soph
C-  Nerlens Noel - Frosh

I think Cal has himself in a nice position for future runs with this class that, on paper at least, has a few four year players to add to Wiltjer.

I agree UK won't be able to reload as easy as some of the so-called experts think.   They certainly won't be as good as they were this year.
But as much as I'd like to think you're right, that we'll be better than UK over the next 3 seasons.   I just don't see that happening. 

Look at Cal's last 7 or 8 years, between Memphis and now at UK ... we've never seen that type of success in the history of the program.   
'05-  Elite 8
'06-  Elite 8
'07-  Lost in Finals
'08-  Sweet 16
'09-  Elite 8
'10-  Final 4
'11-  NCAA Champions

Even if their talent level is slightly below normal, I don't know how you can say their season "might still include an NCAA invite".
Let's be honest; they have 3 of the top 15 HS players, and could add a 4th in Bennett, plus they retun Wiljter and Harrow who is already better than Teague.    There's no question they're an NCAA team.

But that's my point - a bad year for UK is a sweet 16.    That would be a ridiculous achievement for us in either of the next two seasons.   

http://espn.go.com/college-sports/recruiting/story/_/id/7907691/report-ncaa-looking-top-kentucky-wildcats-recruit-nerlens-noel


Report: NCAA looks at Nerlens Noel
Updated: May 9, 2012, 12:23 PM ET
ESPN.com news services

NEW YORK -- The NCAA is looking into Nerlens Noel, a top prep recruit who has committed to play at national champion Kentucky next season, The New York Times reported.

The newspaper said Tuesday that two members of the NCAA enforcement staff went to Everett, Mass., this week to inquire about the 6-foot-10 Noel, who attended Everett High School for two years but is now at the Tilton School in New Hampshire.

Brennan: No cause for alarm ... yet

If the NCAA finds something improper in Kentucky recruit Nerlens Noel's prep career, that's a big deal. But the news that the organization is checking on the nation's top prospect shouldn't come as a surprise, writes Eamonn Brennan. Blog

Everett High principal Louis Baldi told the newspaper he met with NCAA investigators for 75 minutes. He didn't reveal specific details, and said the NCAA officials "didn't ask me any investigative-type questions."

NCAA investigators were planning to inquire about Noel's relationships with former Providence assistant Chris Driscoll and former Everett High substitute teacher Errol Randolph, according to a person briefed on the investigation, the Times reported.

According to the report, Driscoll was barred from the Tilton School's campus this year, as officials at the boarding school expressed concern that Driscoll was not looking out for Noel's best interests. Driscoll, who has denied the allegation, did not return a call seeking comment, the Times reported.

Randolph previously had a link on his LinkedIn page to the website of the sports agency run by agent Andy Miller, according to the report. Randolph said he had no formal dealings with Miller, whom he knew from another relationship more than 10 years ago, and never received money from him. He said the link to Miller's agency appeared on his LinkedIn page because he was browsing it.

Officials also planned to look into Noel's finances, the Times reported, citing a person briefed on the probe. Noel flew on unofficial visits to Kentucky and Louisville this year and those visits were not funded by the schools, according to the report.

Tilton headmaster Jim Clements said he had not heard from the NCAA. He said he expected Noel to graduate at the end of next week.

Has to take some classes in order to qualify. Kentucky always seems to get them cleared though.

http://www.bostonherald.com/blogs/sports/high_school/index.php/2012/07/09/kentucky-recruit-nerlens-noel-enrolled-in-summer-classes-at-everett-high/

Has to take some classes in order to qualify. Kentucky always seems to get them cleared though.

If they could get Bledsoe through they can get anyone through.

Quote from: NYCoffey on July 10, 2012, 11:34:13 AM

Has to take some classes in order to qualify. Kentucky always seems to get them cleared though.

If they could get Bledsoe through they can get anyone through.

But they couldn't get Kanter eligible.

Quote from: LJSA on July 10, 2012, 12:35:45 PM

Quote from: NYCoffey on July 10, 2012, 11:34:13 AM

Has to take some classes in order to qualify. Kentucky always seems to get them cleared though.

If they could get Bledsoe through they can get anyone through.

But they couldn't get Kanter eligible.

Didn't that have more to do with coming from another country and amateur status than grades?

Quote from: crgreen on July 10, 2012, 04:04:14 PM

Quote from: LJSA on July 10, 2012, 12:35:45 PM

Quote from: NYCoffey on July 10, 2012, 11:34:13 AM

Has to take some classes in order to qualify. Kentucky always seems to get them cleared though.

If they could get Bledsoe through they can get anyone through.

But they couldn't get Kanter eligible.

Didn't that have more to do with coming from another country and amateur status than grades?

Correct.  He played of pay where he came from

Forget academics he might have some serious knee issues that haven't been disclosed. Should be interesting to keep an eye on him, hope he remains healthy and eligible.

Forget academics he might have some serious knee issues that haven't been disclosed. Should be interesting to keep an eye on him, hope he remains healthy and eligible.

In your expert opinion what odds would you place on him being eligible come start of the season?

Has to take some classes in order to qualify. Kentucky always seems to get them cleared though.

http://www.bostonherald.com/blogs/sports/high_school/index.php/2012/07/09/kentucky-recruit-nerlens-noel-enrolled-in-summer-classes-at-everett-high/

History repeating itself - 2nd year in a a row, EPSNU's #1 ranked center in the class needing a couple of summer school classes in order to get eligible.

Anyone else flashing on Norvel Pelle at Rise Academy last summer?