Moderators AHF Posted May 19, 2009 Moderators Report Share Posted May 19, 2009 (edited) http://slamonline.com/online/college-hs ... -kentucky/ Sources tell SLAM that John Wall, the nation’s top high school point guard, committed to the University of Kentucky tonight. Wall picked Kentucky over Duke, Miami and Florida, among other schools. The 6-4 senior from Word of God in Raleigh, N.C., is viewed as the missing piece for new Wildcats coach John Calipari. With forward Patrick Patterson recently deciding to return to school (and high-scoring guard Jodie Meeks rumored to also be considering pulling out of the NBA Draft) and recruits like Alabama big man DeMarcus Cousins, as well as a talented core group of returnees, Kentucky is likely to be one of the favorites to win a national championship in 2010. While Alabama point guard Eric Bledsoe signed up to play in Lexington recently, in Calipari’s dribble-drive motion offense, multiple ballhandlers can play together in the up-tempo style. In addition, the recent SLAM co-cover boy is viewed as a one-and-done prospect. Aside from Patterson, Meeks, Cousins and Bledsoe, other future teammates who will benefit from Wall’s playmaking ability include sharpshooting juco recruit Darnell Dodson, incoming freshman big man Daniel Orton and athletic sophomore wings DeAndre Liggins and Darius Miller. Long story short, don’t be surprised if you catch a case of deja vu when you watch Big Blue play next season–Wall will remind you a lot of Derrick Rose and with him on the team, Calipari could have another team back in the chip. http://www.wtvq.com/news/4679-breaking- ... tucky.html http://kentucky.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=947244 http://www.binarybasketball.com/2009/05 ... -kentucky/ http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/30823985/ http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=4178271 Wow! What a class! John Wall PG 6-4 184 - Raleigh, NC - #1 PG/#1 overall DeMarcus Cousins PF 6-9 250 - Mobile, AL - #1 PF/#2 overall Daniel Orton C 6-10 260 - Oklahoma City, OK - #4 C/#22 overall Eric Bledsoe PG 6-1 185 - Birmingham, AL - #3 PG/#23 overall Jon Hood SG 6-6 185 - Madisonville, KY - #11 SG/#40 overall Darnell Dodson SF 6-7 215 - Miami, FL - Original Pittsburgh Signee - Junior College Redshirt - ESPN Scout's Grade 95 http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/recruiting/t...amp;season=2009 http://rivalshoops.rivals.com/viewrank.asp...amp;ra_key=1642 009 Rank Pos Ht/Wt Schools 1 John Wall Raleigh (NC) Word Of God Christian Academy G 6-4/184 Kentucky 2 DeMarcus Cousins Mobile (AL) LeFlore F 6-9/250 Kentucky 3 Derrick Favors Atlanta (GA) South Atlanta C 6-9/220 Georgia Tech 4 Avery Bradley Henderson (NV) Findlay Prep G 6-3/175 Texas 5 John Henson Tampa (FL) Sickles 6 Jordan Hamilton Los Angeles (CA) Dominguez F 6-7/210 Texas 7 Michael Snaer Moreno Valley (CA) Rancho Verde G 6-4/185 Florida State 8 Xavier Henry Oklahoma City (OK) Putnam City G 6-6/225 Kansas 9 Keith Gallon Mouth of Wilson (VA) Oak Hill Academy C 6-8/290 Oklahoma 10 Mouphtaou Yarou Rockville (MD) Montrose Christian F 6-9/210 Villanova 11 Lance Stephenson Brooklyn (NY) Lincoln G 6-6/195 list 12 Kenny Boynton Plantation (FL) American Heritage School G 6-2/187 Florida 13 Abdul Gaddy Tacoma (WA) Bellarmine Prep G 6-3/170 Washington 14 Dante Taylor Fort Washington (MD) National Christian Academy F 6-8/230 Pittsburgh 15 John Jenkins Gallatin (TN) Station Camp G 6-4/175 Vanderbilt 16 Renardo Sidney Los Angeles (CA) Fairfax F 6-10/250 Mississippi State 17 Latavious Williams Humble (TX) Christian Life Center F 6-7/195 list 18 Wally JudgeJacksonville (FL) Arlington Country Day F 6-9/218 Kansas State 19 Royce WhiteHopkins (MN) Hopkins F 6-7/210 Minnesota 20 Ryan KellyRaleigh (NC) Ravenscroft School F 6-9/205 Duke 21 Alex OriakhiTilton (NH) Tilton School C 6-9/245 Connecticut 22 Daniel Orton Oklahoma City (OK) Bishop McGuinness C 6-10/260 Kentucky 23 Eric Bledsoe Birmingham (AL) Parker G 6-1/185 Kentucky 24 Elijah JohnsonLas Vegas (NV) Cheyenne G 6-2/183 Kansas 25 Milton JenningsSummerville (SC) Pinewood Prep F 6-9/200 Clemson 26 Maalik WaynsPhiladelphia (PA) Roman Catholic G 6-1/190 Villanova 27 Solomon HillLos Angeles (CA) Fairfax F 6-6/195 Arizona 28 Tyler HoneycuttSylmar (CA) Sylmar F 6-7/185 UCLA 29 Reginald BucknerMemphis (TN) Manassas F 6-8/210 Ole Miss 30 Dominic CheekJersey City (NJ) St. Anthony G 6-5/175 Villanova 31 Thomas RobinsonWolfeboro (NH) Brewster Academy F 6-8/222 Kansas 32 Mfon UdofiaStone Mountain (GA) Miller Grove G 6-2/180 Georgia Tech 33 Durand ScottNew York (NY) Rice G 6-4/180 Miami 34 Dexter StricklandElizabeth (NJ) St. Patrick G 6-3/175 North Carolina 35 Aaric MurrayConcordeville (PA) Glen Mills C 6-10/230 LaSalle 36 Rakeem BucklesMiami (FL) Pace F 6-8/205 Louisville 37 Lorenzo BrownAlpharetta (GA) Centennial G 6-4/175 N.C. State 38 D.J. RichardsonHenderson (NV) Findlay Prep G 6-3/170 Illinois 39 Peyton SivaSeattle (WA) Franklin G 6-0/165 Louisville 40 Jon Hood Madisonville (KY) Madisonville North Hopkins G 6-6/185 Kentucky Edited May 19, 2009 by AHF Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buckeye242424 Posted May 19, 2009 Report Share Posted May 19, 2009 http://slamonline.com/online/college-hs ... -kentucky/ Wow. Impressive. Congrats. http://www.wtvq.com/news/4679-breaking- ... tucky.html http://kentucky.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=947244 http://www.binarybasketball.com/2009/05 ... -kentucky/ http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/30823985/ http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=4178271 Wow! What a class! John Wall PG 6-4 184 - Raleigh, NC - #1 PG/#1 overall DeMarcus Cousins PF 6-9 250 - Mobile, AL - #1 PF/#2 overall Daniel Orton C 6-10 260 - Oklahoma City, OK - #4 C/#22 overall Eric Bledsoe PG 6-1 185 - Birmingham, AL - #3 PG/#23 overall Jon Hood SG 6-6 185 - Madisonville, KY - #11 SG/#40 overall Darnell Dodson SF 6-7 215 - Miami, FL - Original Pittsburgh Signee - Junior College Redshirt - ESPN Scout's Grade 95 http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/recruiting/t...amp;season=2009 http://rivalshoops.rivals.com/viewrank.asp...amp;ra_key=1642 009 Rank Pos Ht/Wt Schools 1 John Wall Raleigh (NC) Word Of God Christian Academy G 6-4/184 Kentucky Wall, JohnBlazingly fast with the basketball, Wall is an impeccable ball handler with court savvy. The right hander has a penchant for beating defenders with his left hand and can then counter with a terrific left to right behind the back dribble. Finding teammates on the move is his forte, but he is also an excellent finisher at the rim. His jumper is still a work in progress, but it is good enough to keep the defense honest. [b/]2 DeMarcus Cousins Mobile (AL) LeFlore F 6-9/250 Kentucky Power forward with top notch inside/outside skills. 3 Derrick Favors Atlanta (GA) South Atlanta C 6-9/220 Georgia Tech Skilled post player with soft touch. 4 Avery Bradley Henderson (NV) Findlay Prep G 6-3/175 Texas A big time scoring threat from the off guard position. 5 John Henson Tampa (FL) Sickles F 6-10/200 North Carolina Developing prospect has lots of upside. 6 Jordan Hamilton Los Angeles (CA) Dominguez F 6-7/210 Texas Point forward with a strong all around game. 7 Michael Snaer Moreno Valley (CA) Rancho Verde G 6-4/185 Florida State Athletic shooting guard has a complete game. 8 Xavier Henry Oklahoma City (OK) Putnam City G 6-6/225 Kansas Sweet shooting lefty also has size. 9 Keith Gallon Mouth of Wilson (VA) Oak Hill Academy C 6-8/290 Oklahoma Big-bodied post has good feet and hands. 10 Mouphtaou Yarou Rockville (MD) Montrose Christian F 6-9/210 Villanova Physical post player with a skill game. 11 Lance Stephenson Brooklyn (NY) Lincoln G 6-6/195 list Physical guard who plays with an aggressive attitude. 12 Kenny Boynton Plantation (FL) American Heritage School G 6-2/187 Florida Compact scorer has a more than reliable pull up jumper. 13 Abdul Gaddy Tacoma (WA) Bellarmine Prep G 6-3/170 Washington Rangy point guard with a great feel for the game. 14 Dante Taylor Fort Washington (MD) National Christian Academy F 6-8/230 Pittsburgh A raw talent with great upside. 15 John Jenkins Gallatin (TN) Station Camp G 6-4/175 Vanderbilt Big time shooting threat. 16 Renardo Sidney Los Angeles (CA) Fairfax F 6-10/250 Mississippi State Good in both the high post and the low post. 17 Latavious Williams Humble (TX) Christian Life Center F 6-7/195 list Ultra-athletic forward with a high ceiling. 18 Wally Judge Jacksonville (FL) Arlington Country Day F 6-9/218 Kansas State Intriguing forward who can own the boards. 19 Royce White Hopkins (MN) Hopkins F 6-7/210 Minnesota A multi-dimensional forward with a surprisingly polished game. 20 Ryan Kelly Raleigh (NC) Ravenscroft School F 6-9/205 Duke Finesse forward with dangerous face up game. 21 Alex Oriakhi Tilton (NH) Tilton School C 6-9/245 Connecticut Athletic power forward who can go and get the ball. 22 Daniel Orton Oklahoma City (OK) Bishop McGuinness C 6-10/260 Kentucky Long big man who is good in the high post. 23 Eric Bledsoe Birmingham (AL) Parker G 6-1/185 Kentucky Heady guard with a feel for the game. 24 Elijah Johnson Las Vegas (NV) Cheyenne G 6-2/183 Kansas Athletic, slashing point guard. 25 Milton Jennings Summerville (SC) Pinewood Prep F 6-9/200 Clemson A serious inside/outside scoring threat. 26 Maalik Wayns Philadelphia (PA) Roman Catholic G 6-1/190 Villanova Tough, physical point guard in the Philly mold. 27 Solomon Hill Los Angeles (CA) Fairfax F 6-6/195 Arizona Versatile forward with a good feel for the game. 28 Tyler Honeycutt Sylmar (CA) Sylmar F 6-7/185 UCLA Slender forward with a high skill level. 29 Reginald Buckner Memphis (TN) Manassas F 6-8/210 Ole Miss Hybrid forward with strong ball skills. 30 Dominic Cheek Jersey City (NJ) St. Anthony G 6-5/175 Villanova Dead-eye shooter with ball handling skills. 31 Thomas Robinson Wolfeboro (NH) Brewster Academy F 6-8/222 Kansas Athletic post player who is a relentless rebounder. 32 Mfon Udofia Stone Mountain (GA) Miller Grove G 6-2/180 Georgia Tech Competitive point guard can score and run a team. 33 Durand Scott New York (NY) Rice G 6-4/180 Miami Crafty scoring guard with a knack for getting the ball in the hole. 34 Dexter Strickland Elizabeth (NJ) St. Patrick G 6-3/175 North Carolina Great feel for the game and even better scorer. 35 Aaric Murray Concordeville (PA) Glen Mills C 6-10/230 LaSalle Lengthy post player with skill. 36 Rakeem Buckles Miami (FL) Pace F 6-8/205 Louisville Versatile forward in the process of putting his game together. 37 Lorenzo Brown Alpharetta (GA) Centennial G 6-4/175 N.C. State Smooth guard who can make plays. 38 D.J. Richardson Henderson (NV) Findlay Prep G 6-3/170 Illinois A multi-skilled shooting guard. 39 Peyton Siva Seattle (WA) Franklin G 6-0/165 Louisville A great shooter with athleticism. 40 Jon Hood Madisonville (KY) Madisonville North Hopkins G 6-6/185 Kentucky Multi-skilled guard with size. 41 Christian Watford Birmingham (AL) Shades Valley F 6-8/215 Indiana Long, rangy wing forward who can score the basketball. 42 Brandon Paul Gurnee (IL) Warren Township G 6-2/175 Illinois Bouncy guard who attacks the rim. 43 Zeke Marshall McKeesport (PA) McKeesport C 6-11/210 Akron Developing center has a lot of potential. 44 Raymond Penn Richmond (TX) Fort Bend Bush G 5-9/150 Oklahoma State Lightning quick point guard who can put up large scoring numbers. 45 Glen Rice Marietta (GA) Walton G 6-4/175 Georgia Tech A skilled prospect with size as a shooting guard. 46 Tommy Mason-Griffin Houston (TX) Madison G 5-10/206 Oklahoma Strong guard who can put up points. 47 Jeronne Maymon Madison (WI) Madison Memorial F 6-6/235 Marquette Point forward with a physical edge. 48 Kawhi Leonard Riverside (CA) Martin Luther King F 6-5/210 San Diego State Athletic small forward who contributes in a number of ways. 49 Brendan Lane Rocklin (CA) Rocklin F 6-9/200 UCLA Intriguing forward with a sweet shooting stroke. 50 Jamal Coombs-McDaniel Tilton (NH) Tilton School F 6-7/210 Connecticut Active forward with versatility. 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mattlanta Posted May 19, 2009 Report Share Posted May 19, 2009 Damn!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrReality Posted May 20, 2009 Report Share Posted May 20, 2009 And if their new coach doesn't win, he will immediately be on the hot seat. Probably already is. But it comes with the territory. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bird_dirt Posted May 20, 2009 Report Share Posted May 20, 2009 And if their new coach doesn't win, he will immediately be on the hot seat. Probably already is. But it comes with the territory. bringing in this talent, and his friendly disposition with fans and the media has already bought him more time than billy gillespie ever had. no way he is two and done unless he leaves on his own. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators AHF Posted May 20, 2009 Author Moderators Report Share Posted May 20, 2009 And if their new coach doesn't win, he will immediately be on the hot seat. Probably already is. But it comes with the territory. That is such BS it isn't even funny. Gillispie was in hot water for what happened off the court. I won't kid you that people at UK don't like to miss the NCAA tournament but Gillispie would still be the UK coach if he had not told the administration to go screw themselves when they wanted him to do PR for the school and if he had treated the players in a manner consistent with the school's minimum expectations. UK has had 7 coaches since 1931. It has only fired two coaches during that time: Eddie Sutton and Gillispie. Rupp and Hall retired at UK; Pitino went on to millions in Boston; and Tubby went on for lower expectations at Minnesota. At another bastion of stability, Duke, they have had 8 head coaches in that time. Neither Duke nor Kentucky is a place that is constantly running people in and out of the job and both are well below the average for turnover. Expect Calipari to be there for a long time as long as he doesn't hit major issues off the court. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buckeye242424 Posted May 20, 2009 Report Share Posted May 20, 2009 That is such BS it isn't even funny. Gillispie was in hot water for what happened off the court. I won't kid you that people at UK don't like to miss the NCAA tournament but Gillispie would still be the UK coach if he had not told the administration to go screw themselves when they wanted him to do PR for the school and if he had treated the players in a manner consistent with the school's minimum expectations. UK has had 7 coaches since 1931. It has only fired two coaches during that time: Eddie Sutton and Gillispie. Rupp and Hall retired at UK; Pitino went on to millions in Boston; and Tubby went on for lower expectations at Minnesota. At another bastion of stability, Duke, they have had 8 head coaches in that time. Neither Duke nor Kentucky is a place that is constantly running people in and out of the job and both are well below the average for turnover. Expect Calipari to be there for a long time as long as he doesn't hit major issues off the court. There was something more to the Tubby issue, wasn't there? He didn't choose to leave Kentucky for the Big Ten. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators AHF Posted May 20, 2009 Author Moderators Report Share Posted May 20, 2009 (edited) There was something more to the Tubby issue, wasn't there? He didn't choose to leave Kentucky for the Big Ten. Tubby was under pressure after ten seasons at UK, no question. His recruiting had become inconsistent and he finished the season unranked his last two years. He had been asked to shuffle his staff and refused (notably, he hired an entirely new staff at Minnesota). The fanbase was divided into some who really wanted him gone, some who strongly supported him and some who were in the middle. Nevertheless, the fan base strongly continued to support the program, leading the nation in attendance year in and year out. Despite those pressures, Tubby had the strong backing of the administration and was not fired or at risk of being fired. He decided he wanted to go somewhere else and reached out to Minnesota, Virginia and other schools during the season to negotiate his next deal (through his agent - I'm not suggesting he was tanking or anything). Tubby could have stayed and tried to turn things around but decided to move on for a better fit at Minnesota. He did choose to leave Kentucky for the Big Ten. Frankly, I am not sure Tubby made the wrong decision. I personally think he was a great fit at Georgia and would have enjoyed a long, low pressure career there had he chosen to stay. Minnesota is a school that is very similar to Georgia in a lot of ways so I think he wanted to go somewhere that he could simply win 20 games and have it be considered a great season. Tubby never liked recruiting and enjoyed winning with mediocre talent - his x's and o's were his strength. That fits well at Georgia or Minnesota and had he spent his career at a school like that, he would probably be the historical face of their basketball program. Recruiting like that, however, does not lead to final fours and championships and the fan base is not going to be content when you recruit 0 lottery picks and a total of 2 first round picks in 10 years at Kentucky. Tubby inherited more first round picks from Pitino than he recruited in 10 years and, not coincidently, made his only final four and won his only title with those players. Personally, I don't think Pitino would have won a championship with those guys so credit is definitely due to Tubby but his recruiting really tied his hands and capped his success at UK, IMO. While there will always be delusional fans in a base this passionate, the UK fans will be very happen to get consistent talent, make some final fours, and generally be among the most visible and entertaining programs in basketball. Failing to win a championship his first 6 years at Kentucky left Pitino still a god among men in that state. He could have stayed there for the rest of his career. To this point, Calipari could not be embraced any more tightly at UK. I think he is in for some very good times. Edited May 20, 2009 by AHF Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buckeye242424 Posted May 20, 2009 Report Share Posted May 20, 2009 Tubby was under pressure after ten seasons at UK, no question. His recruiting had become inconsistent and he finished the season unranked his last two years. He had been asked to shuffle his staff and refused (notably, he hired an entirely new staff at Minnesota). The fanbase was divided into some who really wanted him gone, some who strongly supported him and some who were in the middle. Nevertheless, the fan base strongly continued to support the program, leading the nation in attendance year in and year out. Despite those pressures, Tubby had the strong backing of the administration and was not fired or at risk of being fired. He decided he wanted to go somewhere else and reached out to Minnesota, Virginia and other schools during the season to negotiate his next deal (through his agent - I'm not suggesting he was tanking or anything). Tubby could have stayed and tried to turn things around but decided to move on for a better fit at Minnesota. He did choose to leave Kentucky for the Big Ten. Frankly, I am not sure Tubby made the wrong decision. I personally think he was a great fit at Georgia and would have enjoyed a long, low pressure career there had he chosen to stay. Minnesota is a school that is very similar to Georgia in a lot of ways so I think he wanted to go somewhere that he could simply win 20 games and have it be considered a great season. Tubby never liked recruiting and enjoyed winning with mediocre talent - his x's and o's were his strength. That fits well at Georgia or Minnesota and had he spent his career at a school like that, he would probably be the historical face of their basketball program. Recruiting like that, however, does not lead to final fours and championships and the fan base is not going to be content when you recruit 0 lottery picks and a total of 2 first round picks in 10 years at Kentucky. Tubby inherited more first round picks from Pitino than he recruited in 10 years and, not coincidently, made his only final four and won his only title with those players. Personally, I don't think Pitino would have won a championship with those guys so credit is definitely due to Tubby but his recruiting really tied his hands and capped his success at UK, IMO. While there will always be delusional fans in a base this passionate, the UK fans will be very happen to get consistent talent, make some final fours, and generally be among the most visible and entertaining programs in basketball. Failing to win a championship his first 6 years at Kentucky left Pitino still a god among men in that state. He could have stayed there for the rest of his career. To this point, Calipari could not be embraced any more tightly at UK. I think he is in for some very good times. Thanks for the insight. Being a fan of the Big Ten, I was happy to see Tubby join the conference. I'm a homer, but getting Tubby, Beilein from WVU, and Tom Crean from Marquette...the coaching in the Big Ten has improved dramatically. Anyway.... Calipari is one helluva a recruiter, obviously...I think Kentucky will be right back among the nation's best... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bird_dirt Posted May 20, 2009 Report Share Posted May 20, 2009 Thanks for the insight. Being a fan of the Big Ten, I was happy to see Tubby join the conference. I'm a homer, but getting Tubby, Beilein from WVU, and Tom Crean from Marquette...the coaching in the Big Ten has improved dramatically. Anyway.... Calipari is one helluva a recruiter, obviously...I think Kentucky will be right back among the nation's best... AHF speaks the truth. i think crean will do wonders at iu. so long as pitino stays at u of l, there is going to be major success in the iu, uofl, uk triangle for a long time that has me (as well as most of the region) psyched. i really hope it brings out the best in college hoops around here giving the area a return to past glory days. it's been a while since fans from all three schools (all followed heavily here in louisville) have been able to sincerely trash talk one another and all have good reason for doing so. exciting times lay ahead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buckeye242424 Posted May 20, 2009 Report Share Posted May 20, 2009 AHF speaks the truth. i think crean will do wonders at iu. so long as pitino stays at u of l, there is going to be major success in the iu, uofl, uk triangle for a long time that has me (as well as most of the region) psyched. i really hope it brings out the best in college hoops around here giving the area a return to past glory days. it's been a while since fans from all three schools (all followed heavily here in louisville) have been able to sincerely trash talk one another and all have good reason for doing so. exciting times lay ahead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buckeye242424 Posted May 20, 2009 Report Share Posted May 20, 2009 Ditto. Although, I didn't used to feel that way. I thought Crean was an arrogant, pompus a-hole. But, after watching Indiana play this year - with the cupboard bare - and the enthusiasm and effort they gave, was awesome. It was all Crean. I was clearly wrong. Dude must walk 5 miles on the sidelines during the game! Coaching box to baseline, over and over, and over again.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrReality Posted May 23, 2009 Report Share Posted May 23, 2009 Good move for him and his basketball future, even better move for him as a young kid. Nothing like college life. Wish Smoove had gotten one year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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