[Ballers]

Lets hear it.
Who stays and who goes pro?
What does UK look like next year?
I think the twins stay, probably lose all of our size in Towns and WCS. Dakari definitely stays, Lee stays, Booker is gone I believe. Of course Willis and Mr. Basketball stay. Lyles leaves, Ulis stays.

Thoughts?

[Hoot Gibson]

My predictions:

WCS - gone
KAT - gone
Twins - gone
Lyles - 50/50 - may declare and then withdraw
Johnson - 50/50 - may declare and then withdraw

Ulis - next season's starting point guard
Booker - next season's starting shooting guard
Poythress - finally becomes the player that 'Cats fans hoped he would be
Lee - returns and gets enough playing time to impress NBA scouts for the 2016 draft

[Real Badman]

Seniors:
Brian Long
Sam Malone
Tod Lanter

NBA Departures:
Willie Cauley Stein
Karl Anthony Towns
Trey Lyles
Devin Booker

Key Returners:
Alex Poythress
Andrew Harrison
Aaron Harrison
Dakari Johnson
Marcus Lee
Tyler Ulis

Other Returners:
Dominique Hawkins
Derek Willis
EJ Floreal

Committed Recruits:
Skal Labissiere ***** C 6'11" 215LBS
Isaiah Briscoe ***** G 6'3" 215LBS
Charles Matthews **** G 6'5" 180LBS

I would venture to say that is another run for the 2016 NCAA Championship..And we can keep our Platoon tshirts.

[catwoman]

Im hearing only willie and Townes. It could be more but it they are not 1st round and a guarantee they better come back. back to the best place in the country. Harrisons Booker Lee and Johnson. Ulis, willis, and manchild poytress. Im 54, trust me it will change every day the next week. Some think we lose 6. We could win it all next year. Preseason number 1. Be proud guys. Great great season.

[Strikeout King]

Kentucky has 3 top 10 lottery picks with Towns, Willie and Lyles. Twins are late and I mean late 2nd rounders. Booker was like 19th overall if I remember correctly

nbadraft.net

Willie did make the statement that he needed to make the next step that he knew what he wanted to do but he had to talk to couple more people but that this was probably his last game at Kentucky

[RunItUpTheGut]

Im hearing only willie and Townes. It could be more but it they are not 1st round and a guarantee they better come back. back to the best place in the country. Harrisons Booker Lee and Johnson. Ulis, willis, and manchild poytress. Im 54, trust me it will change every day the next week. Some think we lose 6. We could win it all next year. Preseason number 1. Be proud guys. Great great season.

Definitely best case scenario.
IMO, KAT is the only one READY to go pro.
Willie isn't ready, but hes a lottery pick and would be stupid not to.

[RunItUpTheGut]

Seniors:
Brian Long
Sam Malone
Tod Lanter

NBA Departures:
Willie Cauley Stein
Karl Anthony Towns
Trey Lyles
Devin Booker

Key Returners:
Alex Poythress
Andrew Harrison
Aaron Harrison
Dakari Johnson
Marcus Lee
Tyler Ulis

Other Returners:
Dominique Hawkins
Derek Willis
EJ Floreal

Committed Recruits:
Skal Labissiere ***** C 6'11" 215LBS
Isaiah Briscoe ***** G 6'3" 215LBS
Charles Matthews **** G 6'5" 180LBS

I would venture to say that is another run for the 2016 NCAA Championship..And we can keep our Platoon tshirts.

I just don't see Booker going.

I think it shakes out like this.

NBA- KAT, WCS
Leaning Pro- Harrison Twins, Lyles
Leaning coming back- Johnson, Booker

Def. Coming back- Ulis, Lee, Poythress, Hawkins, Willis, and Floreal.

Now, we already have 3 guys coming in next year.

My question is, what if only KAT and WCS leaves? That will leave 11 scholarship players held over. If im not mistaken, we only get 13. I could see Willis and Floreal taking a redshirt, and Willis may even transfer. I cant remember if Floreal has a scholarship where his dad is track coach though. May not be athletic. Still, we would need more spots if more of these recruits pick UK. Hawkins may have to redshirt.

[Real Badman]

I think the big question regarding the Harrison's, are the twins ready to play without the other? They may have a little more tied into Kentucky, and while they still have 2 more seasons to put in their draft stock.

[Hoot Gibson]

If the Harrisons return, I would seriously consider transferring if I were Ulis. If I were Booker, I would probably declare for the draft. IMO, if Ulis and Booker had been given the PT that they earned early this season, UK might not have stumbled to a loss last night.

The platoon system is plain stupid in basketball. There is nothing wrong with a 9 or 10 man rotation but line-ups and substitution should be made to suit the situation.

[-STAT-]

Cauley-Stein, albeit he isn't nearly as ready as Towns, will declare, as will Towns, who has potential to be the #1 overall pick.

Towns, and Lyles will be the only freshman to declare for the draft, Booker really should come back for one more season, to improve his stock for next season. Ullis? His size hurts him, he could honestly be a 4 year player at Kentucky, and a 3 year starter. Talk about an unbelievable back court with him and Booker.

Sophomore class, Johnson, and the Harrison twins need to stay as long as possible. Johnson especially, with all the promise he had last season, he never took any big leaps forward to improve his game in ever facet. Yeah he toned down, lost some weight, but that didn't help his overall improvement. Harrison twins had their moments in the tourney the last 2 years, other than last night that is. It seems like down the stretch against Wisconsin, they really forced the issue, like we've grown accustomed to seeing. Again, they have had some great moments in their 2 years, but they've also had plenty of frustrating moments as well.

Junior class? Stein is gone, he really didn't come out and say it, but the writings on the wall, he played his last game at Kentucky. Poythress, even if he didn't sustain the ACL injury, I think he would've came back. He brings a ton of energy off the bench, or whatever role he has, but similar to Cauley-Stein, his offensive game is limited. Both are great defenders, especially WCS on the perimeter.

Plus you have to factor in the recruiting class like others have said on here, with the 3 players they have coming in, and a few others who are undecided, and interested in UK. Maybe these recruits are waiting on what some of the players actually do, either stay or go pro.

It should be a very interesting off season, as it always is for Kentucky Basketball.

[honestjchsfan]

My predictions:

WCS - gone
KAT - gone
Twins - gone
Lyles - 50/50 - may declare and then withdraw
Johnson - 50/50 - may declare and then withdraw

Ulis - next season's starting point guard
Booker - next season's starting shooting guard
Poythress - finally becomes the player that 'Cats fans hoped he would be
Lee - returns and gets enough playing time to impress NBA scouts for the 2016 draft

I think you got it right again Hoot! I think Booker's father is in no hurry to push him too the NBA.

[honestjchsfan]

If the Harrisons return, I would seriously consider transferring if I were Ulis. If I were Booker, I would probably declare for the draft. IMO, if Ulis and Booker had been given the PT that they earned early this season, UK might not have stumbled to a loss last night.

The platoon system is plain stupid in basketball. There is nothing wrong with a 9 or 10 man rotation but line-ups and substitution should be made to suit the situation.

If I was going to run a platoon system I would press and press all out the whole game tying to wear the other team down. I thought the best game Kentucky played in the tourney was VS WVU when they pressed! I am not sure why Cal didn't press last night he had the athletic and numbers advantage???

[Hoot Gibson]

If I was going to run a platoon system I would press and press all out the whole game tying to wear the other team down. I thought the best game Kentucky played in the tourney was VS WVU when they pressed! I am not sure why Cal didn't press last night he had the athletic and numbers advantage???

We agree again. When a team holds a big advantage in depth and athleticism, then it should do all it can to force a fast tempo to wear down the weaker team. UK allowed Wisconsin to play its style of offense the entire game. I would have loved to have seen this team play the style that Pitino had his UK teams play.

[Hoot Gibson]

I think you got it right again Hoot! I think Booker's father is in no hurry to push him too the NBA.

I agree again. I have a feeling that Booker's father, having had a short NBA career himself, will not encourage his son to make the jump too soon. Booker just has not had enough minutes at the collegiate level to prove that he is too good to flop at the next level. NBA teams are much more patient with 7-foot post players than it is with 6-5 guards who have never started a college game.

[Shady Grady]

Gone to the draft:

WCS
Towns
Lyles
Booker
Andrew
Aaron

Remember, Cal said a bunch would be leaving. I don't think Briscoe signs if he don't have a pretty good guarantee that Andrew is gone.

[Spud6]

I'm just going off of what Cal said in his tweets that I read about who was leaving. But I loved what he told Ulis about how he wants to build a team around him and for him to get his guys down to Lex. I really have high hopes for Ulis, he just seems like a guy who hates to lose and that's what we need. The way he talked about the season was a waste really opened my eyes to him and showed that he really is wanting to win a championship with the University of Kentucky!

#InUlisITrust

[Ballers]

I had my doubts about Ulis, but he has been the point guard we have seeked for a while. I still can't believe we are not playing in the championship game. But I'll make a bet... I bet that if Ulis stays, we win a championship. It might not be next year (it may be) but he looks to pass and makes good decisions. We haven't had a great point guard in a while. John Wall was good, but he didnt shot the 3 very often. Wall did exactly what Ulis does, only with more minutes and more flash.

[Ballers]

And I disagree Hoot.
Bookers season was enough to push him to probably a 16/17th pick.
He will leave the BBN.

[Hoot Gibson]

And I disagree Hoot.
Bookers season was enough to push him to probably a 16/17th pick.
He will leave the BBN.

I don't disagree that Booker will go in the first round, but NBA teams are not as patient with 6'5" guards as they are with 7-footers. Melvin Booker had a pretty short NBA career and I believe that there is a chance that Booker will come back for a season as a starter.

I will never understand why Calipari did not start his best play-making guard and his best shooting guard this season. Kentucky's front court should have dominated the competition this season, and I think that WCS, Lyles, Towns, and Johnson will all have good to great NBA careers.

I think that Booker will have a nice career as well, but it is riskier for a non-starting guard, even a first-rounder, to make the jump. Booker would have been better off starting for another team than sharing playing time with a much less talented guard at Kentucky.

It says something about Calipari's coaching that Booker will probably be drafted much higher than either of the guards who started for UK this season.

If Booker can afford to stay another season, then that is what he should do.

[honestjchsfan]

I don't disagree that Booker will go in the first round, but NBA teams are not as patient with 6'5" guards as they are with 7-footers. Melvin Booker had a pretty short NBA career and I believe that there is a chance that Booker will come back for a season as a starter.

I will never understand why Calipari did not start his best play-making guard and his best shooting guard this season. Kentucky's front court should have dominated the competition this season, and I think that WCS, Lyles, Towns, and Johnson will all have good to great NBA careers.

I think that Booker will have a nice career as well, but it is riskier for a non-starting guard, even a first-rounder, to make the jump. Booker would have been better off starting for another team than sharing playing time with a much less talented guard at Kentucky.

It says something about Calipari's coaching that Booker will probably be drafted much higher than either of the guards who started for UK this season.

If Booker can afford to stay another season, then that is what he should do.

I hope Booker comes back, I like his game a lot! I have defended the twins on here all season but I have grown tired of watching there style of basketball. I would like to see a UK back court with more quickness. I think if Booker does go pro that Cal will sign the Newman kid. On a different note I think if this UK team had lost a couple of those OT games during the regular season and had not been dealing with the 40-0 pressure they would have had a better shot at winning the title.

[Truth]

Does it really matter?

[Strikeout King]

First domino has fallen, Dakari has declared for the NBA draft. Cal said tonight on his talk show he now see's 6-7 going. Booker is gonna talk it over with his family then make a decision.

Ulis, Lee, Willis and several others are coming back. Poythress is still weighing his options

[Strikeout King]

As soon as I posted that last post, reports are coming out that WCS will enter the NBA Draft.

Two gone

[cuppett777]

the Twins will enter the draft as well

[WideRight05]

Dakari Johnson will enter the draft.

[Strikeout King]

the Twins will enter the draft as well

Don't know why because their stock is way down, like late 2nd rounders.....unless they know something about some of the incoming players/recruits that Cal's still recruiting that we don't know...

[cuppett777]

Don't know why because their stock is way down, like late 2nd rounders.....unless they know something about some of the incoming players/recruits that Cal's still recruiting that we don't know...

I even seen where they could be 2nd round or undrafted...had Andrew being picked b4 aaron..

[catwoman]

Ky needs to run a 9 man rotation not 2 plattons