Just to add to that...I also think one of Cal's downfalls might be that he is going to compare every future team to this past one. He's going to expect many of those same things I mentioned. While he would never call out his own former players, it's clear which ones didn't "get it" despite having the talent to win it all (2009-10).

What could hurt Cal the most? Not that he can get guys to the NBA, it's that now he's getting credit for taking a group of superior talent and molding them into a team. That's quite the pressure for 18-year old kids...

Shabazz seems like a good kid. Will still be fun to watch him play. He's got mad talent.

Great kid. Not only is he the best offensive player in the class, the most common comparison is with Michael Kidd-Gilchrist when referring to his will to win. That's high praise...

Noel to UK. Apparently they lead for Bennett and maybe Oriakhi as well. Go ahead and send the trophy for next year to Lexington. lol

Oriakhi is puzzling.

On one hand, he had issues at UConn. Numerous reports have come out that he was pissed he took a backseat to a disappointing Andre Drummond after starting for 2 straight years.

On the other hand, he is from the same area as Noel and they both played at the same prep school.

Azubuike24;1142007 wrote:Great kid. Not only is he the best offensive player in the class, the most common comparison is with Michael Kidd-Gilchrist when referring to his will to win. That's high praise...

I will say this. If Austin Rivers had operated with just a modicum of the selfless, team-before-me approach to the game of basketball that Kidd-Gilchrist and the rest of his rookie Wildcat teammates shared this season, Rivers would have had a much longer and more satisfying career in Durham. That, to me, is what made Kentucky's group special this year. It is unbelievable how all of those young kids collectively bought in and suppressed any egos they naturally had to have had for one common goal: winning a team championship. Pretty cool, and a blast to watch.

I love Rivers. He's got the competitiveness of a venomous snake and the shot against Carolina will live on forever. But one star does not a constellation make.

PG - Harrow
SG - Goodwin
SF - Poythress
PF - Wiltjer
C - Noel

Bench

Cauley
Hood
Beckham

Still waiting on Anthony Bennett and Amile Jefferson, both of which could probably play the 3/4, and of course Oriakhi.

Wow. Just wow. I don't think this team would be as good as the team that just won the national title, but it's still pretty damn impressive. Depth at the guard positions could be a problem unless Lamb or Teague decide to come back.

Shabazz Muhammad has declared for the 2013 NBA draft.

Nerlens Noel is expected to sign an agent minutes after Muhammad's announcement.

reclegend22;1142066 wrote:I will say this. If Austin Rivers had operated with just a modicum of the selfless, team-before-me approach to the game of basketball that Kidd-Gilchrist and the rest of his rookie Wildcat teammates shared this season, Rivers would have had a much longer and more satisfying career in Durham. That, to me, is what made Kentucky's group special this year. It is unbelievable how all of those young kids collectively bought in and suppressed any egos they naturally had to have had for one common goal: winning a team championship. Pretty cool, and a blast to watch.

I love Rivers. He's got the competitiveness of a venomous snake and the shot against Carolina will live on forever. But one star does not a constellation make.

This is why I can't dislike Shabazz. I'm obviously not going to be his biggest fan, but there are UK fans out there calling him O.J. Mayo part 2 and that's just crazy. The only similarity is that they are playing in LA.

O.J. Mayo had extreme expectations, but has been an underachiever since he left North College Hill. Even at Huntington he was. It translated to one and done at USC, then it came out why he even went to USC and thus far he's been underwhelming in the NBA.

Shabazz may not win a title but he's got a heck of a team around him and I wouldn't be against the guy...

IU - UK (if it gets resolved...IU - KU if it doesnt)
IU - UCLA at the Garden
IU - Georgetown at the Garden (I assume they play both)
IU - UNC??? Duke???

Some awesome pre-conference games for the Hoosiers. Anyone else know of good match-ups early in the year? I really only know IU and then assume NIT/Maui will provide some.

Kentucky/Duke in Atlanta, GA
Kentucky at Louisville
Kentucky/Maryland in Brooklyn, NY
Michigan/West Virginia in Brooklyn, NY
Kansas/Michigan State in Atlanta, GA
Syracuse/San Diego State on the USS Midway in San Diego, CA
Wisconsin at Florida
Wisconsin at Creighton

Azubuike24;1142289 wrote:Kentucky/Duke in Atlanta, GA
Kentucky at Louisville
Kentucky/Maryland in Brooklyn, NY
Michigan/West Virginia in Brooklyn, NY
Kansas/Michigan State in Atlanta, GA
Syracuse/San Diego State on the USS Midway in San Diego, CA
Wisconsin at Florida
Wisconsin at Creighton

That matchup sucks on the uss midway. And that's one OLD carrier. That's a ww2 carrier. Surprised they arent playing it on one of the brand new ones. Maybe they aren't competed yet.

Not bad. Both should be top 15-25 teams. If there is a team from out west to pick not named UCLA or Arizona, might as well pick SDSU...probably the 3rd or 4th best out West next year.

Azubuike24;1142294 wrote:Not bad. Both should be top 15-25 teams. If there is a team from out west to pick not named UCLA or Arizona, might as well pick SDSU...probably the 3rd or 4th best out West next year.

But national audience wise, ehhh.

Sources say Andre Drummond to the NBA. Announcement today or tomorrow.

For the major lulz...

...Dominic Cheek turning pro. Villanova, JR Guard.

Very glad Indiana didnt end up with that kid.

Bad news for North Texas. They go from a possible sleeper and fringe top 25 team to losing their coach and star player in the same day.

Tony Mitchell going pro.

Bradley Beal has declared for the Draft.

At this point, it's basically C.J. Leslie, the UK 5 and Elias Harris in-terms of guys who need to decide

There are others who are fringe players who some may have considered, but who likely won't even announce anything.

There are also transfers like Rodney Hood, Tony Mitchell and others who could always opt for the NBA, but unlikely.

Early Entrants by Conference:

PAC 12 (3) - Jared Cunningham, Terrence Ross, Tony Wroten
BIG EAST (8) - Dominic Cheek, Andre Drummond, Moe Harkless, Jeremy Lamb, Fab Melo, Hollis Thompson, Dion Waiters, Maalik Wayns
SEC (6) - Bradley Beal, Justin Hamilton, John Jenkins, Khris Middleton, Arnett Moultrie, Renardo Sidney
BIG TEN (2) - Meyers Leonard, Jared Sullinger
BIG XII (4) - J'Covan Brown, Perry Jones III, Thomas Robinson, Royce White
ACC (4) - Harrison Barnes, John Henson , Kendall Marshall, Austin Rivers
OTHER (5) - Will Barton, Damian Lillard, Quincy Roberts, Jonathon Simmons, Raymond Taylor

Once the Kentucky team declares, the number leaving would be the academic rank of the conference.

Jones, Teague and Davis to NBA. Gotta assume that MKG will follow suit. Only waiting on Lamb as Miller was a SR.

Sorry I realize this was probably already mentioned. But at what date does a player announce he's leaving and it hurts the schools apr?

Midstate01;1145250 wrote:Sorry I realize this was probably already mentioned. But at what date does a player announce he's leaving and it hurts the schools apr?

It doesnt, unless the kid had stopped going to class and/or is failing. As long as they leave in good academic standing with the school, they are fine.

April 29th their name has to be in the NBA's system. In theory, a player can wait until then.

So most of them would have needed to withdrawal from classes by now then right?