Hey top recruits! Pertinent info re: Kentucky, Duke, etc. c/o Marcus Lee

[Mano]

Just some interesting quotes coming out of Marcus Lee as to how he views his NBA chances and the effect his time at UK might have had on them. Article.

"I did what my team needed me to do," Lee said of his role this past season. "I had to do the little things like rebound and block shots."

Lee came out of high school in California as a highly touted player, but told ESPN that he hasn't gotten an opportunity to show what he can do -- especially on the offensive end of the floor.

"I've gotten a lot of feedback, and people are saying I was hesitant and didn't have confidence in my offensive game," Lee said. "But I do have an offensive skill set that was prominent in high school and in AAU. I am just working on getting that back again now and looking forward to showing this to NBA teams."

"In my mind, I can be a dominant player on that end of the court. I just want a chance to show that."

Is there any doubt that a guy like Lee would've been a double/double machine as a starter at any number of other schools? He was a top30 guy according to most recruiting services.

We keep seeing these kids bunching together in huge classes at certain schools (I know we've got a big class of our own coming in, at least its diverse), and I know none of them think they'll get lost in the shuffle and that they'll be the ones to excel and stand out, but you'd think a few would go for the paths of lesser resistance. I know, I know, I know, UK offers a ton of notoriety and exposure and crap, whatevs.

Wild tangent time: is this some kind of side effect of the big 3's team-up in Miami?

Wild tangent x2: Which guy in this year's class will be their Marcus Lee? Gabriel? Killeya-Jones? Will they play in harmony with whatever returnees they have?

 

[mauconnfan]

Yeah Mano, but I thought he made all of his players better and NBA ready? The Harrison twins are killing it I'm sure too. Who wants to start that list of Top 20 players who aren't getting the checks they thought they'd be getting in "The System"?

 

[Kembacity]

Yeah I think stories like this help, but overall there's still this sense that even if a guy goes to Kentucky and rides the pine, if he plays well in games at the combine and in team specific workouts, he can be a lottery pick. COUGH-ORTON-COUGh

I fully agree that its stupid, and platoon systems, etc. should teach younger kids that it is better to be a CJ McCollum than a James Young, go to a mid major or just a high major that isn't Kentucky/Duke/Kansas, and be "the guy", that shows NBA teams that you have the talent and psychological makeup to be a contributor at the next level. I suppose being at the low end of a platoon system does show NBA teams that you have the ability to put the team first, rather than your own playing time.

 

[JSM1970]

The problem is UK is a grinder in a sense. It recruits over you every year and pushes the weak out.

The 2nd tier players get hurt, not the elite ones (AD, Boogie, Lyles, Booker, Knight, Bledsoe)

The Harrison twins should have transferred. Young is a huge bust. MKG ok, but bust area as a #2

Yeah Mano, but I thought he made all of his players better and NBA ready? The Harrison twins are killing it I'm sure too. Who wants to start that list of Top 20 players who aren't getting the checks they thought they'd be getting in "The System"?

 

[80shusky]

Hey, even his walk ons are entering the draft so he's killing it!

 

[UconnFanNVa]

What about players that need a year or 2 to develop? So you dont produce as a freshman they recruit over you, someone else comes in and gets your PT and your relegated to the bench for the next 3 years (if they allow you to stay that long, they may push you out for the roster spot see the Harrison twins and Dakari Johnson).

 

[mauconnfan]

The Harrison twins are a strange story with Squid. They weren't his best options every year and yet they always got their time. Does dad have something on Squid? I believe they win another title if Ulyss plays the point his freshman year more than Harrison, especially come tourney time. He was better on both ends and Squid usually doesn't give a rats a** about the kids.

 

[UconnFanNVa]

The Harrison twins are a strange story with Squid. They weren't his best options every year and yet they always got their time. Does dad have something on Squid? I believe they win another title if Ulyss plays the point his freshman year more than Harrison, especially come tourney time. He was better on both ends and Squid usually doesn't give a rats a** about the kids.

Agreed, i was calling that the whole year that Ullis was light years better than those 2, but they just kept on playing. It was odd too that right after they lost Cal tossed the keys over to Ullis right away, like he had fulfilled some obligation and was moving on.

 

[gtcam]

IF you need 2 or 3 years of college ball to refine an all around game or to grow physically the obvious choice is to avoid Kentucky and now, Duke.
To go to either school, to get playing time, you better know for a fact that you can step onto an NBA floor in 365 days.
The rat face K has turned into an interesting story. I think that K wants to cram in as many NCAA champs into the little time he has left to coach so he is resorting to instant gratification vs the grow and develop plan.
It's a sad situation that this Squid Plan has created.

 

[7774]

IF you need 2 or 3 years of college ball to refine an all around game or to grow physically the obvious choice is to avoid Kentucky and now, Duke.
To go to either school, to get playing time, you better know for a fact that you can step onto an NBA floor in 365 days.
The rat face K has turned into an interesting story. I think that K wants to cram in as many NCAA champs into the little time he has left to coach so he is resorting to instant gratification vs the grow and develop plan.
It's a sad situation that this Squid Plan has created.

You really believe this is true, huh?

 

[businesslawyer]

Just want to make sure I have this straight -- kids who want to go to a Kentucky or Duke should shy away from it because there will be too much competition for playing time and too big a risk you have to subordinate your game to the team, but kids who want to go to Providence or Cincy should want to play for the best team they can so they can make a name for themselves and make themselves better. Got it.

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

The rat face K has turned into an interesting story. I think that K wants to cram in as many NCAA champs into the little time he has left to coach so

As opposed to other coaches who want to win one, maybe two rings and call it a day? Do you think about this stuff before you post?

Would Ollie turn down Giles and Tatum if they called and said "KO, we want to come to UConn"? Surely not. K is getting the best players available. If you don't think Ollie would take those players in a heartbeat you're kidding yourself.

 

[Jaker]

Just want to make sure I have this straight -- kids who want to go to a Kentucky or Duke should shy away from it because there will be too much competition for playing time and too big a risk you have to subordinate your game to the team, but kids who want to go to Providence or Cincy should want to play for the best team they can so they can make a name for themselves and make themselves better. Got it.

yes, you have got it, it's called finding the middle ground and that middle ground is obviously UCONN. :}

 

[Rocktheworld]

Just want to make sure I have this straight -- kids who want to go to a Kentucky or Duke should shy away from it because there will be too much competition for playing time and too big a risk you have to subordinate your game to the team, but kids who want to go to Providence or Cincy should want to play for the best team they can so they can make a name for themselves and make themselves better. Got it.

Not necessarliy my line of reasoning, but I think the idea there is: does Kris Dunn, now a lottery pick who required a few years at Providence to really emerge, have the same outlook after one season at a UK where he would after one year be recruited over?

 

[caw]

As opposed to other coaches who want to win one, maybe two rings and call it a day? Do you think about this stuff before you post?

Would Ollie turn down Giles and Tatum if they called and said "KO, we want to come to UConn"? Surely not. K is getting the best players available. If you don't think Ollie would take those players in a heartbeat you're kidding yourself.

Hey I'm just waiting for K to grab a grad transfer. His history of being a hypocrite is pretty long.