Forgive me if this has been discussed. If so I’ve missed it, so please berate me and allow me to go on my merry way.

My miscellaneous thought of the day.

Why do we still have an open scholarship? I have head several possible guesses. A walk on will get for next year. Matt Pilgrim may be back (unlikely but it’s been a rumor). A Chinese shooting guard to replace Jody. A mystery recruit we will add. I tend to think it’s a little different than that. I think Coach Cal is showing his class here.

I think the scholarship is still Jody’s and Cal is holding it until after the draft.  As some of you may know, if a player with collegiate eligibility goes undrafted after declaring for the draft he may return to school if he notifies his coach within 30 days of his intention (Link here). This is also a rule that will be eliminated next year (link).

With this in mind, what would happen if Jody does go undrafted and coach has already filled his spot? We would leave this young man in limbo with no where to go but overseas or into basketball obscurity. Sorry Jody I know you were our leading scorer last year and all but we have given your scholarship away to someone else.

Now with that rule in mind, lets review the current situation. Jody is entering the draft, projected everywhere from end of the first to undrafted. Imagine the pressure on the kid? I wouldn’t want to quit my job to go apply for a job I have no assurances of landing. So what does our new coach, a coach Jody has never played for, do? He assures Jody will have a home should the worst happen and he goes undrafted. Hey kid you have too much to worry about. If things don’t work out you can come back and we’ll just go win a national championship.

I’m guessing after the draft tonight we will see some action with the open scholarship. Either it’ll be Jody’s if he isn’t drafted, or someone else will fill it (I would guess Pilgrim or a walk on for a year).

Now, how does that make you feel about our coach? I have no inside knowledge so I can’t say for certain this is what the situation is. But my common cents tells me we have one hell of a coach and doesn’t want to leave a kid, especially one as talented as Jodie hanging.

Oakie

Assuming Meeks returns and from this slip up here it seems likely.

"He seems like a great guy," Meeks says. "I can't wait to play for him." Dramatic pause. "IF I come back."  Wink. Wink. Nod. Nod.

SO the 2009 version of the Cats could verywell end up with 4 first round draft picks.

• Wall (lock)
• Patterson (lock)
• Cousins (project by nbadraft.net as a frist rounder)
• Meeks ( is see nothing but improvment if he returns)

How flippin' exciting is that? Has a team ever had 4 first rounders in one season. I admit I'm lazy and don't know where to look to find out.

I remember a time I liked the fact UK did not get one and dones. But now I am truely looking forward to seeing these players wear blue. And I will look foward to watching them on draft day. And I may even start watching the NBA, since I believe coach Cal is now in talks to have it renamed. The NBA of UK has a nice ring to it.

Towards the bottom of the page and appearently from Eric himself.

Link here

So UK has offered Bledsoe. And Dodson has inked his name to a scholarship. By my count that would put us 2 over of scholarships, 3 if we get Wall.

What are the implecations here?

Have we given up on Wall? I would say hell no.

Are we losing the Orton commit? The young man and father have both said no.

So does this mean Cal is expecting to cut 3 current players? My magic eight ball says 'duh'.

Thoughts?? Feelings??? Emotions???? Headaches?????

I know we still have questions for this years roster, but looking at the number of open slots we could potentially have for the 10-11 season I'm mind boggled. I’ll pose this just for discussions sake.

Assuming we lose no more seniors (like Porters early retirement) from this year’s team (and from Cal’s comments we won’t) and Patterson stays one more season.

• For 10-11 we will lose 4 scholarship Seniors (Meeks, Harris, Galloway, Stephenson)
• We would more than likely lose Patterson to the draft (again assuming he stays for this season)
• We have Cousins as a potential one and done

• If we bring in Wall to replace a player currently on scholarship

  • Wall will go one and done
• If we bring in Henry to replace a player currently on scholarship
  • Could Henry go one and done too? (I'll assume he does for dramatic effect)
• I’ll assume we retain Orton as well even though if we get Henry that is unlikely

That gives us POTENTIALLY 8 to 7 scholarships opening for the 2010-2011 season.

This would leave only 5 to 6 scholarship players to start that season.

WOW!!! Talk about a young team. Obvious questions:

• Does the 2010-2011 high school class have that much talent for us to bring in that number of players?
• Will we go some Juco?
•  If this happens are we going to set ourselves up for the same thing  4 years later?
• Will this become a common trend? Assuming we begin to get more one and done players.