SB Nation - Joe Crawford

Kentucky Basketball 2008: What have two exhibition games told us?

Truzenzuzex — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 12:58:50 -0000

Now that the exhibition season is in the books, it's time to take a look at what we have learned about the 2008 version of the Wildcats. Most people would agree that you can't learn a great deal in games against strongly over-matched opponents, but I would argue that there are quite a few lessons to be learned, and trends to be uncovered.

The main thing we can look at is offense. Here are how Kentucky's offensive stats look, per half, in the first two games, compared with two of our weaker early-season opponents last year:

Opponent	UMSL	OBU	Avg	UCA (2007)	Liberty (2007)	Avg	Delta
FG% 1st half	0.63	0.59	61.00%	0.4	0.56	47.80%	13.20%
FG% 2nd half	0.47	0.5	48.70%	0.56	0.54	54.90%	-6.20%
3-pt% 1st half	0.43	0.5	46.45%	0.38	0.5	43.75%	2.70%
3-pt% 2nd half	0.4	0.5	45.00%	0.5	0.11	30.55%	14.45%
FG% game	0.55	0.54	54.20%	0.47	0.55	51.00%	3.20%
1st half points	63	43	53	34	36	35	18
2nd half points	48	51	49.5	33	44	38.5	11
Total Points	111	94		67	80		29

So what conclusions can we draw from this? Well, more than you might think, and some of them are fairly obvious. The most glaring difference is in the number of points scored -- UK has scored an average of 29 more points per game this year than last against roughly similar competition. Keeping in mind that a) Jodie Meeks was more or less healthy at this point last year and b) the conventional wisdom is that we had more scoring punch last year with Crawford and Bradley, it seems unlikely that we should be able to put up all those extra points.

The first part of the explanation for these apparently contradictory facts seems pretty clear to me, and probably to most in the Big Blue Nation -- the Kentucky coach was in transition last year trying to install a new system, and this year has no such mountain to climb. The returning players are familiar with what the coach wants to do, and so are more comfortable, confident and efficient running it. Not only that, Gillispie himself is much more comfortable at the helm of Kentucky, and it shows.

But that can't be all. Let's face it, there are many new players on this year's team and none of them was familiar with Gillispie's system prior to coming to Kentucky. Based solely on the foregoing explanation, we would expect to see the first team operate efficiently and the second team struggle, but that hasn't been the case. That fact leads me to the conclusion that the overall talent level on this team is superior to the overall talent level last year, even accounting for player improvement and the two experienced and skillful guards UK lost to graduation and the one (Derrick Jasper) lost to transfer.

Clearly, the additional 29 ppg would seem to lie athwart the assertions of those who have been parroting the conventional wisdom that wonders who will make up Bradley and Crawford's points. The answer, at this point at least, appears to be the "everyone else" that was largely missing from last year's squad.

Now, some of you might wonder why I didn't evaluate the defensive stats, and the reason is that defensive play early in the year is very hard to judge. As we saw against Ouachita, you wind up getting a lot of blocked shots against smaller teams that make the defense look better than it really is. If we examine Ouachita's 3-point shooting stat, (46.4% on 13-28 shooting) we can clearly see that team defense has a way to go in that area, and that particular statistic tends to be a harbinger of a team that has not developed good defensive cohesion. Rebounding stats similarly are misleading, since the exhibition teams tend to be very small. One valuable defensive stat would be deflections, but that statistic isn't publicly available.

The one other statistic worth examining would be turnovers, so let's do so:

Opponent	UMSL	OBU	Avg	UCA (2007)	Liberty (2007)	Avg	Delta
Turnovers	14	20	17	16	13	14.5	2.5
Assists	24	17	20.5	11	18	14.5	6
Assist/TO	1.71	0.85	1.21	0.69	1.38	1	0.21

I consider this a bit less valuable than scoring, but it is still instructive. We are doing somewhat better in the area of turnovers on average, although I would argue that the OBU game is more valuable on that point than any of the others, because they played a very tough man-to-man defense that clearly gave Kentucky some trouble. Even then, however, we see a rather dramatic improvement in the number of assists, if not much change in the area of turnovers. That tells me this team is very much a pass-first team, and that Gillispie's lessons about working the ball for good shots has hit home.

In conclusion, despite the conventional wisdom we have seen spouted from such luminaries as Rivals and CBS Sportsline and many other places around the Internet, in this writer's opinion the exhibition season has dispelled doubts that Kentucky will be the plodding, low-scoring, depth-challenged team of last year. The 'Cats may not challenge North Carolina for national supremacy in the 2008-09 season, but it is clear on just the bare evidence of two "unimportant" exhbition games that, barring injury, this UK team will likely contend for the SEC championship and be a dangerous team well into March.

The D-League Draft in Review

DakotaWiz — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 05:21:04 -0000

So, we're about 18 days, 22 hours, 34 minutes, and 47 seconds until the D-League season starts (Thanks, D-League.com!) Anyway, let's look at each teams roster post-draft to better evaluate how each team drafted. I should really wait to do this tomorrow in case some trades went down that we didn't catch, but I'll update this to reflect that if they happen. Also, quick note, every center able to be drafted, was drafted. Dear Mr. Alpert, I think we need to sign more 5's for next year!

This might be something you print out and read when you have about two hours to kill... Went a little longer than planned, but all good stuff, I guarantee it. If you don't think so, E-Mail me (Check my profile) and I will promptly get you a refund.

Tulsa, with the number one overall pick, picked Chris Richard. Like many teams, it looks like they aren't too concerned with having a center, preferring to go with two big forwards in Richard and Ryan Humphrey, a first round pick of the Jazz in 2002. From there, it looks like returning guard Russell Carter will play at the point, Jeremy Kelly at the 2, and Terrell Everett at the 3. I expect Chris Ellis (returning) and Mikheil Berishvili to also be guaranteed spots, with the rest up in the air. With whoever comes back in the trade of Keith Closs, that player could leave just one spot open for the rest of the players, depending on what the 66ers are getting in return.

Colorado, where is Elton Brown? Where is Eddie Gill? I assume at least Eddie will join them soon. If not, it looks like they'll be led by the tandem of James Mays (Great pick considering he was one of the last cuts of neighboring Denver!) and Josh Davis at the 3 and 4, with random fillers in between. If both Elton and Eddie come back, WATCH OUT! The 14ers drafted two of the better point guards in the draft in Marlon Parmer and John Gilchrist, along with rookie Trey Gilder, a skinny 6'9 post, these are my picks to most likely make the team. It looks like Joe Dabbert, who I'm fairly sure his middle name is Barry, as it rings so well, will play the center for them. I'm not sure why he was allocated to them, as he didn't go to school in Colorado, nor has he ever played for them, but being allocated a decent 5 is always good! I'm also fairly certain Eric Osmundson makes the team, as he's my favorite player ever out of UPenn and has played with them the past two seasons. Jamar Brown, a local guy out of Colorado State also will more than likely make it, being a big in this league not so full of bigs.

Idaho looks strong, as they have been since entering the D-League. Coach Gates always seems to put together a good team, and this year shouldn't be any different. They brought Randy Livingston off the court and onto the coaching staff, though his replacement is the very capable, and more than likely redshirt-rookie, Jamaal Tatum, their first round pick last year. They also return Air Georgia Brent Petway and were allocated former BSU Broncos Coby Karl and Reggie Larry. With first round pick and former Bobcat Jermareo Davidson, this team has a chance of repeating. Add in Ernest Scott, who played 40 games with the Stampede last season, big-man Anthony Coleman, and rookie guard Lanny Smith, and this is one of the top teams in the D-League.

Sioux Falls is VERY VERY VERY strong. Wow. Veteran leadership? Check. Point guard Frank Williams played parts of 3 seasons in the NBA and averaged 16 points with the Skyforce two seasons ago. NBA talent? Check! Bobby Jones has played for approximately 47 teams over the last two seasons. Size? You betcha! 7-1 Frankenstein-like Chris Alexander was the last cut of the Thunder in October and averaged 12 and 12 last season for the Skyforce. Good wings? Two of them! First round pick Gary Forbes and returning Carl Elliott are both all around players that will fill in and do everything that the aforementioned players don't. Add in draft picks Michael Adams (who isn't good, but is big!), Keith Brumbaugh (averaged 35 points, 8 boards, 6 assists last season in college), Ty Morrison, a 6'8 rookie combo forward, and either rookie Gary Ervin (Arkansas) or the vet Brock Gillespie, and this will be a team to reckon with.

Bakersfield, do I think even you guys have a strong team? Yes, I sure do! Wait, even when your top 3 players are returning from a season where you finished 11-39?!? Scary, but yes, and not just because Gates Roth and Deane Martin are running the show. Mateen "I'm Not Cryin" Cleaves at the point, Jeff Trepagnier at the 2, Derrick Byars at the 3, Richard Hendrix at the 4, and Nick Lewis at the 5, and this team is scary. Factor in Justin Reed returning in about a month and Trey Lewis coming off the bench, and this team will be 7-deep solid! Terrance Thomas, who played with Fort Worth a couple seasons ago, and David Berghoefer, a soft big man who averaged 11 and 11 over in Germany last year should also make the rotation.

Fort Wayne, I really hope you do well. Bringing back Ron Howard, fresh off a preseason campaign with the Bucks, along with Walker Russell, a strong backcourt is imminent. The front court, however, is suspect. If first round pick Coleman Collins is as careless on the court as he is when driving, you're in trouble (Just kidding Mad Ants! Hopefully we're still friends!). If I learned I was going to be a Mad Ant, I'd be excited too. I like Torree Morris too, mostly because he's 6-10 in a division that includes Courtney Sims, Chris Alexander, and hopefully, for Erie's sake, a big man from the Cavs. Anthony Kyle is fun to watch and should make the team as the backup point guard he's destined to be. Shawn Hawkins should also be a good player for the Ants. Eric Smith, who I believe was referred to exclusively as "Spider" on all of your radio broadcasts last season (New radio guy for the Mad Ants this year for anyone that wasn't a fan of them last year!), should also be consistent off the bench.

Erie, I'm sorry, but I'm just not a fan of your drafts. First, you inexplicably drafted Idaho assistant coach Randy Livingston in the expansion draft, among about 7 other guys that had no plans to play in the D-League this season and Jeff Hagen. Then, in this draft, you take the enigmatic Erik Daniels a combo forward, when it was fairly clear that a big man was in your NEEDS column after the only guy you picked up in the expansion draft, Jackie Manuel, plays the same position. In the second round, you took Taj McCullough, a Winthrop grad and combo forward. You also bring in Manuel. By my count, that's three guys who are best suited to play the 3, and are also your three top players. You never did draft anyone taller than 6'8. Hopefully Cleveland really likes your pick up of Vernon Hamilton, who was in Cavs camp this preseason, and sends JJ Hickson or Darnell Jackson down to help. Jawad Williams is also a possibility, but I'd assume they'd rather cut him then assign him to the D-League, as he's nothing special to develop. They did draft two of the greater names in the draft though in Cliff Clinkscales and Xavier Whipple, so hats off to you, Erie Bayhawks.

Anaheim, I like your team. Good first three picks in NBA vet Tierre Brown, Flight White, and rookie Roy Bright (Another Delaware State guy, just former D-League stud Jeremy Richardson). Good returnees in Mario Boggan and Mike Efevberha. Good allocated guys in Cedric Bozeman, Noel Felix, and T.J. Cummings, son of Terry (Be careful googling him.. NSFW!). Also, good job drafting four bigs! I hope that was due in part to the genius of new assistant Paul Mokeski, as pictured here in his younger days (Courtesy of The Sports Hernia Blog):

Utah had a decent draft. Bringing in Dontell Jefferson, bring back Brian Jackson, and drafting a couple legit rookies in Gavin Grant and Bennet Davis will help. If Kevin Kruger decides to come back to the D-League, this team is solid. If not, hopefully Utah and Boston help out, as your bench looks weak. Marcus Malone, how did you drop to the tenth round? Please prove me wrong in camp, as I thought you looked good down in Vegas.

Reno, big ups. Like what you did in the expansion draft. Damone Brown, Tony Gipson, Andre Patterson, Jesse Smith, and Jamaal Smith are all solid players that can contribute. In the regular draft, not so much. Antonio Meeking, who, as Matt pointed out, apparently added an inch and dropped 30 pounds, though I highly doubt this. Russell Robinson will be able to run your offense, but don't expect points out of him, as I would assume another Kansas alum, Dakota Wizards GM Tom Wagganer, could beat him at a game of PIG. Sung-Yoon BANG! should be solid, but unspectacular, as seasoning in Korea couldn't have helped him much since averaging 12 points with the Roanoke DAZZLE a few years ago.

Dakota Wizards, you're good, but guard heavy. With Mo Baker and Blake Ahearn, they've got to have one of the best backcourts in the league, if not the best. Renaldo Major will be returning from heart surgery and if he can return to his Defensive Player of the Year and First Team All D-League, he'll more than likely earn another call-up. The trade for Denham Brown will be excellent insurance if Renaldo isn't completely ready, and if he is ready, Brown will be one of the top guys coming off the bench in the league. That's four guys with NBA experience. Add Will Frisby, who was a beast last year when he got the minutes, and if he can stay out of foul trouble, he'll get the minutes, and Quemont Greer, who was with the Wizards two years ago when he averaged 17 points and 6 boards during the championship season, and the returnees are good. Then we get to Marcus Hubbard, the last cut of the Hawks this season (Peachtree Hoops wasn't big on him), will more than likely be one of the top athletes in the league and hopefully improves his basketball IQ. The Wizards are lacking on a center, but between Aaron Spears or Brad Stricker and possible NBA assignee Hamed Haddadi, they'll have the size to compete. Don't rule out a return of Too Much Rod Benson, either, who is averaging just 10 minutes and 2 points per game overseas while I assume he is getting paid a bit more than his production warrants.

RGV, not so sure about you guys. First, I really wish you would have dropped the E in Grande, or decided to pronounce it GronDay. Your best returner is Trent Strickland, and though he averaged 13 points last season, they weren't memorable. Allocated guys Kendall Dartez, who has averaged 6 points and 4 boards in 40 D-League games, and Alton Ford, a guy with forgettable NBA experiences who is a lot like Antonio Meeking, are nothing special. Your draftees are better, and include Smush Parker, who fell to the twelfth pick, and Delonte Holland, who I think should be a good D-League player. I'm also looking forward to seeing what Alpha Bangura (Two guys were drafted with bang in their last name) can do in the D-League, as he's been stateside in the minors for awhile.

LA, you surprised me with your first round pick of Jasper Johnson. I can't give a review of him, because I know NOTHING about him, though hear he was a good pick. Keith Butler is really big, which goes a long way in this draft, and therefore a solid 2nd round pick. The rest of your draft, not too much stands out. Your returning player, Darren Cooper, not exciting. Your allocated guys, however, are quite good. Joe Crawford, Lakers last cut, stud. Brandon Heath, another Lakers cut, should be good. Patrick Sanders, the rookie, should play well. Your local tryout guys are all D-League caliber, which is amazing, as I would have thought they would be in the player pool, rather than needing to go the way of the local tryout, especially since two have been drafted before -- Rashid Byrd, AKA Rashid Hartwick, AKA Seven and Sum Change and Ryan Forehan-Kelly.

Albuquerque, led by Coach Coffino, got the steal of the draft when David Noel dropped to the 12 spot. They're also in contention for best backcourt in the draft, returning Will Conroy and Cheyne Gadson, as they both have NBA talent. Cory Underwood, a former street baller, also returns after joining the Sixers preseason roster for a bit. They drafted quite solid as well, bringing in David Monds, Waki Williams (Never seen him play, but with a name like Waki...), another long 4, and Kris Clack, who played with Austin a couple seasons ago. They also brought in Eddie Robinson, who made 10 million dollars for NOT playing with the Bulls, as they bought out his contract, presumably because he was more focused on his acting career, being the lead in Juwanna Mann.

Iowa should be solid. They return Dwayne Mitchell, who left to go overseas mid-season last year and was with the Lakers this preseason, and Courtney Sims, one of the top big men in the league. Aristide "The Ostrich Riding Dawg" Sawadago was also apparently a big returner for them, as one team (I'll leave them anonymous) tried to draft him. Curtis Stinson, a journeyman D-Leaguer who has played 50 games for five teams over the past two years, also returns. In the first round, they drafted Cartier Martin, who sounds more like an alcoholic beverage than a D-League player, and followed that up with Larry AKA "Elias" or "Old Man" Ayuso, and then Othyus Jeffers, who will turn heads in the D-League. They also drafted Oregon State rookie Marcel Jones, who is also apparently pretty good, as another team tried drafting him later.

Austin, I'm glad you got the last pick, otherwise, you'd be a lot scarier than you already are. Returning Marcus Williams (Legitimate NBA player, not computer-steling-already-NBA-player-with-Golde-State-Marcus-Williams), and bringing in Charles Gaines and Malik Hairston, this teams 2,3,4 spots are probably the best in the D-League. Add Squeaky Johnson and first round pick and this team is solid everywhere but the 5 spot, which is probably why they grabbed 6'10 Mohammed Abukar in the 2nd round. They also got "Better Than" Ezra Williams and Michael Sturns, who were both good pickups in the 3rd and 5th rounds. Add in the possible allocation of Ian Mahinmi, and wow.

I'll let Matt rebuttal, as I'm sure we differ, but I'm ranking the great 8 heading into camp:

1. Dakota -- Six returners, 4 guys with NBA experience, going to be great.

2. Austin -- If they get Mahinmi again, pencil them in for the championship.

3. Albuquerque -- Great backcourt, great front court, great team.

4. Idaho -- Won't fall off much from championship season.

5. Sioux Falls -- Scary back court, scary (and scary looking) front court.

6. Anaheim -- LOTS of NBA talent here.

7. Bakersfield -- Legit starting 5.

8. LA/Reno -- LA built from nothing getting lucky with allocations, Reno built from nothing using the expansion draft.

'08-'09 Kentucky Basketball: The Guards

Ken Howlett — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 10:43:12 -0000

Since the end of last season, arguably the most hotly debated and often discussed topic about the UK basketball team has been the guard positions. With the graduation of Ramel Bradley and Joe Crawford, and the transfer of Derrick Jasper, UK coach Billy Gillispie is left with a number of question marks at the lead guard position, as well as the shooting guard spot.

In this post I will break down what Kentucky lost statistically at both guard positions, and look forward to what the 'Cats have coming back, as well as the newcomers.

So refill your coffee cup, and strap yourself in, because here we go:

2007 - 2008 Statistics, along with a few comments (Alex Legion stats not included. He only played 105 total minutes).

Joe Crawford -- Points per game (30 games): 17.7 -- Field Goals: 188-401 (46.9%) -- 3-point FG's: 63-173 (36.4%) -- 2-point FG's: 125-228 (54.8%) -- Free Throws: 99-130 (76.2%) -- Rebounds: 109 (3.6 pg) -- Assists: 64 (2.1 pg) -- Turnovers: 83 (2.8 pg) -- Steals: 17 (.57 pg). Along with his exceptional stats, UK loses a player with the innate ability to finish at the rim among the tall timber. His fearless incursions into the paint provided Kentucky with a scoring weapon not often found in major college basketball. Crawford also displayed true leadership on the court by playing selflessly for an average of 33.6 minutes per game (35.9 mpg in SEC play). Crawford's defensive prowess finally came to the forefront during the second half of last season, and will be missed this year. Crawford's ability to play both the shooting guard, and small forward spots will be difficult to replace.
Ramel Bradley -- Points per game (30 games): 15.9 -- Field Goals: 139-330 (42.1%) -- 3-point FG's: 58-153 (37.9%) -- 2-point FG's: 81-177 (45.8%) -- Free Throws: 142-171 (83.0%) -- Rebounds: 126 (4.2 pg) -- Assists: 101 (3.4 pg) -- Turnovers: 100 (3.3 pg) -- Steals: 48 (1.6 pg). Bradley was considered by most to be the unquestioned leader of the '07-'08 'Cats. He consistently iced games with his final minute free throws, and took over games with his ability to penetrate any man-to-man, or zone defense. Bradley's lock-down defender status was unquestionably one of the improvements responsible for UK's enhanced play once SEC play began. Playing out of position at the lead guard spot for most of the year, Bradley embraced the challenge put to him by Billy Gillispie and produced when others around him were not. During SEC play Bradley averaged an incredible 38.0 minutes per game. He never seemed to tire, and he never allowed his teammates to sulk or hang their heads when games weren't going as planned. He will be greatly missed, and difficult to replace.
Derrick Jasper -- Points per game (20 games): 4.1 -- Field Goals: 29-68 (42.6%) -- 3-point FG's: 16-37 (43.2%) -- 2-point FG's: 13-31 (41.9%) -- Free Throws: 9-25 (55.6%) -- Rebounds: 109 (5.5 pg) -- Assists: 47 (2.4 pg) -- Turnovers: 36 (1.8 pg) -- Steals: 13 (.65 pg). Jasper was simply a nightmare match-up for opposing coaches last year. At 6'6" he was able to play the lead guard, shooting guard, and small forward positions. His ability to pass effectively into the post enabled Patrick Patterson to maximize his talents. Another quality that Jasper brought to the court was the ability to see the entire floor because of his size. Jasper miraculously found his 3-point shooting touch which provided UK with another, much needed, outside shooting threat. Although he never regained his defensive lateral quickness due to his knee injury, he played solid perimeter defense, and was UK's best 'passing lane' defender. His transfer to UNLV leaves UK with a legitimate dilemma regarding the '08-'09 lead guard spot.
Michael Porter -- Points per game (25 games): 2.0 -- Field Goals: 15-49 (30.6%) -- 3-point FG's: 13-31 (41.9%) -- 2-point FG's: 2-18 (11.1%) -- Free Throws: 7-8 (87.5%) -- Rebounds: 29 (1.2 pg) -- Assists: 27 (1.04 pg) -- Turnovers: 39 (1.6 pg) -- Steals: 21 (.84 pg). Porter rode the proverbial roller coaster last year: At the beginning of the year he played double-digit minutes, then saw his minutes evaporate. But, toward the end SEC play his minutes began to pick up again. Through all of the uncertainty Porter remained one of the most intense, hard-nosed, determined members of the team. If there was a statistic for floor burns per minute played he would have led the nation. Although not as gifted athletically as some of his peers, Porter is the type of player that every team needs; he's a totally selfless player who will run through The Great Wall of China in order to gain a victory. Although he suffered through the aforementioned uncertainty regarding his playing minutes, his 3-point shooting accuracy didn't wane. He did struggle at times on the defensive end of the court, but his effort was never in question.
Jodie Meeks -- Points per game (11 games): 8.8 -- Field Goals: 27-88 (30.7%) -- 3-point FG's: 16-50 (32.0%) -- 2-point FG's: 11-38 (28.9%) -- Free Throws: 27-34 (79.4%) -- Rebounds: 29 (2.6 pg) -- Assists: 16 (1.5 pg) -- Turnovers: 12 (1.1 pg) -- Steals: 6 (.49 pg). Meeks had the unfortunate luck of suffering from a steady progression of injuries, one worse than the other. At first there was a stress fracture of his hip, which led to a hip flexor strain, and finally the dreaded sports hernia. That misfortune resulted in the '07-'08 season being all but lost for Meeks. He did show flashes of being the great player many feel that he can be in December with his two 21 point performances against Florida International and Houston. Other than those two games, he clearly wasn't healthy, and was perceptibly frustrated.

With the departure of Crawford, Bradley, and Jasper, Kentucky loses 37.7 points per game, 13.3 rebounds per game, 7.9 assists per game, 7.9 turnovers per game, and 2.8 steals per game from the guard spots. Losses not easily overcome, experience impossible to replace.

The Returning Players

Michael Porter -- 6'3", 198 lb lead/shooting guard, junior: Porter is the pre-season leader to start at the lead guard spot. He has buffed up in the off-season, and spent innumerable hours in the gym working on his shot. What remains a concern for many is Porter's ability to adequately guard his opponent. Only time will tell if an improvement has been made in that area.

What may come as a surprise to some fans is Porter's desire to NOT play the lead guard:

"I can maybe get out (on the fast break) and spot up on threes and knock down shots. I like playing shooting guard and doing some things from the shooting guard spot. I feel like my role can be a little more concrete and we have enough good players that I won't have to take up that role (lead guard) that I don't really know what I'm doing."

Wow!

With a healthy Jodie Meeks, I'm not sure how much playing time can be garnered at shooting guard.

Regardless, Billy Gillispie has certainly been impressed with what he's seen from Porter:

"I've never been more excited about Michael. He's working into a leadership role and I think he's always had that ability but he's deferred to others, but I think he's taking more leadership responsibility than he ever has. He looks 100 times more comfortable out there to me."

With Porter being the most experienced lead guard candidate, I expect to see him manning that position at least until freshman DeAndre Liggins has earned the confidence of coach Billy Gillispie.

Jodie Meeks -- 6'4", 208 lb shooting guard, junior: Meeks simply has to be the co-star of this team (along with Patrick Patterson); the '08-'09 edition of the 'Cats will be only as successful as Meeks' shooting. With limited outside shooting threats at his disposal, Gillispie will be relying on Meeks to carry a large part of the scoring load. There will be ample opportunity for Meeks to take uncontested jumpers because of the presence of Patterson underneath. I expect the 'inside-out' passes to be plentiful, and when the high post offense is being used Meeks should own the wings.

Hopefully, the questions surrounding Meeks' health have been put behind the team. Billy Gillispie certainly seems satisfied with what he has seen from the sharpshooter:

"Jodie has been by far this fall three, four, five or 10 times better than I've ever seen him and hopefully that continues because it's all based on him being healthy. I don't know if he was ever healthy last year and I'm talking about this time of year when we first started because he doesn't look like what he looked like last year. He's in phenomenal condition."

Meeks has taken a philosophical approach to his lost season:

"Seeing what happens when you don't play helped me. I think I became a lot smarter about the game just watching time clock management and how defenses move and react. I believe everything happens for a reason. Maybe I needed that to make me work even harder and come back for a better season."

No attitude adjustment needed here.

I'm expecting an All-SEC type of year from Meeks ... if not, UK risks being one-dimensional, and that's never good.

The Newcomers

DeAndre Liggins -- 6'6", 200 lb lead guard, freshman: Last year at Findlay Prep Liggins averaged 13.6 points per game, 7.6 rebounds, and 5.6 assists. A Derrick Jasper clone in many respects, Liggins is blessed with the unusual combination of size and a point guard skill set, as well an ability to rebound the basketball. His proficiency at threading a pass through defenders is just one of the aspects of his game that excites the UK coaching staff, as well as the UK faithful. He has worked hard on his outside shooting (which means teams can't sag off of him), but on a team with Jodie Meeks and Patrick Patterson, Liggins needs to concentrate on his defense (which is true of most freshman), and his game management skills.

His passing ability has already reached legendary status among his teammates. Junior forward Perry Stevenson had this to say about being ready to receive the rock from Liggins:

"DeAndre is a great passer. I've seen him make passes that NBA point guards make; between the legs, behind the back, normal bounce passes. He can squeeze it in there. Now, it's up to everybody else to catch it, but you're forced to catch it or it will hit you in the chest. It's right there every time."

Liggins also likes to push the ball quickly up the court, which should delight even the most cantankerous of UK fans. With some big-time college experience, Liggins will make UK a fine lead guard ... it's only a matter of time.

Coach Billy Gillispie couldn't be more pleased with his 'lead guard in-waiting:'

"Liggins has been better than I thought he would be and I thought he would be really good. He's shooting the ball much better than I thought he would probably shoot it at this point. Him being able to shoot the basketball is the only thing anyone has ever been concerned about and I thought he was a shot maker when games really meant a lot but I didn't think he would be considered a great shooter. If he can continue (to shoot well) I think he has a chance to be a really good shooter. With all the other things he has, the ability to pass and rebound, I think when he gets some experience he has a chance to be a realy nice player."

Darius Miller -- 6'7", 215 lb guard/forward, freshman: The reigning Mr. Basketball in the state of Kentucky, out of Mason County, averaged 19.9 points per game, 7.9 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 2.9 steals during his senior season. And, oh, his team won the State Tournament, and he won MVP honors.

As smooth as Brad Pitt, and as silky as grandma's chocolate meringue pie, Miller has worked his bee-hind off this past summer honing his jump shot, which has made him a viable threat to enjoy serious playing time on the perimeter, in this his freshman year. With versatility as his primary weapon, Miller has already opened the eyes, and 'posterized' his new teammates.

He's one of the few players who play hard all the time, but look nonchalant while placing a dagger squarely into the chest cavity of his opponents. He simply does it all: rebounds, passes, plays defense, handles the ball, and he has that indescribable instinct -- a nose for the ball.

Billy Gillispie likes what he sees:

"We've always thought he has tremendous upside and ability. I think he has all the intangible things that will make him a special player. He's even more than I would have ever imagined at this point. He's very well taught (thanks Chris O'Hearn), he understands the game very well, he likes to play and I think he's going to have a special time here."

Color Ramon Harris sold on the freshman:

"Darius is really good. When you look at Darius you wouldn't think he can do some of the things he can but he's real quick and real smooth with the ball in his hands. He's got a jumper that's almost guaranteed."

Miller will be counted on to provide perimeter depth, and rebounding. An unusual combination, but Gillispie and UK fans have stumbled upon an unusual player.

Kevin Galloway -- 6'6", 215 lb guard/forward, junior: Last year at the College of Southern Idaho, Galloway averaged 8.4 points per game, 8.6 assists (fourth in the nation), and 4.1 rebounds, while playing only 20 minutes per game. Galloway is another versatile, athletic, and long player ... just the latest piece to the Gillispie puzzle. A point guard in a small forwards body, the JUCO transfer has displayed the skills that led him to originally sign with Southern Cal out of high school: His ball handling is exceptional, and he's an underrated outside shooter. And like Liggins, he sees the floor extremely well.

Galloway is currently having some issues with playing at an elite level against elite competition, but an adjustment period is certainly to be expected. Billy Gillispie said as much with these words:

"He's been exciting for us. He's more athletic than I had imagined and I think he'll grow into being a really good guard for us out there. He's done nothing but win pretty much for his entire career, even last year they only lost twice."

The operative phrase in that quote being 'grow into.'

Perry Stevenson is certainly impressed:

"He's a really big point guard. I haven't seen a point guard that big. He's hard to guard and he's a good shooter, but he's even better at ball handling and getting to the basket. You put a small forward on him and he'll post him up and score right over his head. You put a bigger guy on him and he'll just go around him."

Admit it. It's exciting to think about Liggins at 6'6", and Galloway also at 6'6", manning the lead guard position. That combination is what's referred to as 'hard to guard.'

Galloway, while a bit behind Miller and Liggins at this stage of his development, certainly is an exciting prospect. If he continues to improve and adjust to the major college game, Gillispie will soon have something special invading an SEC arena near you.

Tru did this expose' on Galloway back in the summer.

Donald Williams -- 6'5", 205 lb guard, freshman: Williams, originally from Baton Rouge (he attended the same high school as former LSU star Glen Davis), transferred to Progressive Christian Academy for his senior year where he averaged 25 points per game.

If one remembers, Williams is the player that is supposedly on scholarship for only this year, even though he is a freshman. Tru wrote this about Williams and the scholarship situation not long ago.

It goes without saying that Williams is a bit of an unknown. Gillispie first displayed an interest in the guard in July after Williams went all Allen Iverson at the Tournament of Champions AAU event; he put on a 3-point shooting clinic at the tournament, which resulted in him being recruited by St. Johns, and Marquette, among others.

As one can glean for this Gillispie quote, he's still himself learning about Williams :

"Donald is a guy we added late that we're excited about. We are still learning about him but he gives us another guy that can score, and I think he's a good shooter that can turn into a great shooter. He's another big, tall, athletic guy."

If Williams serves as more than occasional guard depth this year I'll be surprised. He is ambitious, though; he's not been shy about his desire to play at a big time major college program. Well, Donald, desire fulfilled.

Succint Summary

It should be very entertaining and interesting to see how the starting lead guard position is handled as the season progresses. With Porter likely manning the spot early on, I expect to see competent, if unspectacular play at the most important of positions. Liggins will be learning 'on-the-job' with an expectation that he will earn the starting nod prior to the start of SEC play.

What was previously thought to be a possible point of weakness for the 'Cats in '08-'09, could very well turn out to be a strength.

The shooting guard position, with the good health of Meeks and the unexpected exceptional play of Miller, is in good hands. As I noted above, I believe Meeks is in for a monster season, which should help propel UK to many more victories than they enjoyed last year.

But of course, only the upcoming games will tell the tale ...

Thanks for reading, and Go 'Cats!