We finally know what KY fans feel like with all the 5 star recruits that didn’t live up to the hype or fan expectations. I am just making an observation about all the crap we have given Cal and KY fans over the past 10-15 years. It is tough to get new players every year and get them to play as a team. It is especially tough to get them to play unselfish basketball. I know there were 2 key injuries that affected this team in a very negative way. I predicted this team would struggle before the season started based on a gut feeling. This team has been the most frustrating team since the Joe Johnson team. We can beat 75 percent of the teams in the tourney. I sure hope they make a run
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Not that they are bad kids, but some of them (along with their handlers) are probably more concerned about their NBA career than their college team.
Also, some of them have more “Potential” than players they are playing against. However, in many cases, a 20-21 year old will be smarter and more polished than an 18 year old.
It has happened for years at UK. It happened at UA this year.
The portal is the way to go (not exclusively, of course) and I bet Muss agrees.
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While watching Memphis play I heard one of the talking heads say that Penny had changed his philosophy about recruiting. He said he was more in to developing players and getting transfers to fill in for immediate help. He got burned on his one and done types. It’s worked for him this year.
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I suspect all coaches will take a one and done. The ones saying they don’t want them are unable to get one.
Do you want a Moses Moody? Yup
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Not what I was saying at all! Trying to build a team on all one and dones is what I was trying to convey.
This years team never had the chance to show what they could do at full strength! The poor shooting from the field and free throw line have been hard to watch. They haven’t been much better taking care of the ball.
You are right. If Muss can get 5 one and dones in class of 2024, he will take them. I think Muss is not against getting 5 one and dones. It is too many 4 stars that gives him a headache.
Also, Cal has done well with 5 stars,except last few years. It is wrong to say he has been struggling 15 years. Just check the record. Cal did well when he was the only one getting one and dones. That changed few years ago when Coach K got into the game and he didn’t have top recruit at each position.
I think if we had 5 one and dones this year, we would have done well. Even 3 would have been fine. Problem is we had only 2 most of the year.
Muss was asked at the end of last season about transfers vs 5 star high school players. He said they have began to realize that the teams winning championships are doing it with lottery picks. Transfers aren’t getting drafted that high, if at all. The lottery picks are the 5 star guys, the one and dones. Always exceptions of course, but percentages will tell you the elite talent is what wins trophies. Kansas, Duke, North Carolina are always full of McDonald’s All Americans
Cal has 1 natty, 11 years ago, despite having, what seems like, half the NBA going thru the turnstile in Lexington
Teams built with one and dones have not lately, and will not going forward, win nattys.
And once the NBA starts taking HS players again, it will be a moot point.
IMO, Muss, of course, should take 5 stars, but he needs to build some depth eventually…maybe develop some of the guys he signed, instead of kicking them to the curb after one year.
If I’m him, I don’t worry about signing top 5 HS classes anymore.
The portal is where he shines.
He did not try to build it on all one and dones. He takes transfers and 4 stars too. That’s pretty clear. But I bet he would take Moses and Nick every time.
One thing he said about his transfers in last class stood out. They came from programs that had been losing. He said they did not understand some of the little things you need to win.
I thought the transfers in previous classes knew some of those little things. Maybe not as much this year.
I love to see him push those little things. He knows them.
We will never know if this team could have been a 3 or 4 seed had they stayed healthy.
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Maybe true, but I do sorta have a soft spot in my heart for Burger King All Americans… 
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I’m not sure Baylor 2 years ago had a single McDonald’s AA on the team, but I don’t feel like looking it up.
What wins in March are guards, preferably mature ones, which that Baylor team had. Kansas last year had senior guards…not one and dones.
All that glitters is not gold, and I think teams built around one and dones are fools gold.
It has been proven.
Remember that natty Zion won?
Me neither.
Hopefully the NBA will start taking HS kids again…I too, have a soft spot for Burger King.
Our guards are very good, but mostly immature. Will they be good enough this year…dunno.
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I agree
This years team could have been helped by having Desi Sills available!
I’m guessing muss doesn’t change anything other than making sure he has a sufficient number of guards that can shoot…… and play defense.
Thinking that the Jaxson Robinson for Ricky Council tradeoff might be the one you regret - Jaxson being a pure outside shooter who never got settled in at UA. And, he fits the size/length preferred by Muss.
I don’t think Muss anticipated his outside shooting being so lackluster. Or FT shooting, for that matter.
Council is a good player. Hogs won some games with him for two months. Not as many of late but not sure he had the ball as much.
AB and Nick are the only two first rounders this year. I haven’t noticed anything in either one of them to tell me that they are letting the NBA future effect there play.
Nick could have easily checked out and left to train for the draft. AB has been playing through many nagging injuries that most NBA first rounders would have sat out on.
These young men play almost 40 minutes a game. IMO I just don’t see them dogging it during games.
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Jaxson couldn’t shoot while he was here and couldn’t guard a fence post. If he would have stayed could he have fixed that, who knows.
I observed him (Council) to have the ball but lacked the gaps in defenses available when TB was a constant threat and AB was more comfortable with two breaking scorers. No doubt the injuries kept this group from their single chance at the golden ring, and we will never know if with that chance they might have prevailed in that final four. I hope they are able to win one against the Illini rather lose in the first round as good teams both did in the Sutton and NR years.