Has UK Basketball Climbed Back To The Top?

Adding Number One Recruit Puts Wildcats In Good Position Next Year

May 19, 2009

Top basketball recruit John Wall ended weeks of speculation as to where he'll spend his freshman year of college by announcing he'll play at Kentucky in 2009-10.

Kentucky has made a big turnaround since firing Billy Gillispie following a disappointing season where they missed the NCAA tournament for the first time since 1991 when they were on NCAA probation. Adding Wall was the cherry topping on the biggest recruiting sundae they have had since Rick Pitino's heyday.

Starters From Last Season Could Be On The Bench This Season

Even though Kentucky coach John Calipari signed Eric Bledsoe, who was ranked by Rivals.com as the fourth-best point guard in the high school class of 2009, and welcomes back point guards DeAndre Liggins and Kevin Galloway from last season's team most fans speculate that Wall will probably start at point guard. Since the Wildcats are currently three scholarships over the limit (www.espn.com) a few players may have to leave the program or forfeit their scholarships if they want to stay on the team.

The frontcourt is also crowded. Patrick Patterson, a likely lottery pick according to NBADraft.net, decided to come back to the Wildcats. Daniel Orton and DeMarco Cousins are touted freshmen who play center. Perry Stevenson, Ramon Harris and Darius Miller are forwards that played with Patterson last season. Therefore there will be some serious competition for frontcourt minutes in the upcoming campaign.

Will Jodie Meeks Stay In The Draft or Come Back For a Championship?There is also the case of Jodie Meeks, a shooting guard who averaged 23.7 points a game last season that is currently undecided about his status. He is working out for several NBA teams and will use the feedback to answer the question asked by the Clash: Should I stay or should I go?

If Meeks comes back the Wildcats can easily go nine players deep from the ones mentioned here. Also, Jon Hood, who was Kentucky's Mr. Basketball in 2009, comes aboard. Josh Harrellson and Darnell Dodson also play small forward. That could give Kentucky twelve players who bring something significant when they step on the court. The last time the Wildcats had that much depth was 1996 when they won their sixth national title.

'Cats Look To Return To The Top of the SECLast season the Wildcats finished 8-8 in the Southeastern Conference, which was only good enough to tie for fourth. Eventually they lost to Notre Dame in the NIT and finished 22-14 overall. The expectations may be a bit high and even Calipari cautioned against expecting too much during his first season as coach.

But considering the bubbling cauldron of turmoil that was served to Wildcat fans last season Calipari can surely understand why they are waiting to sip from the ambrosia that could result this season.

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