For a program in dire need of experienced college basketball players, Kentucky appears to be taking an interesting approach in filling out its 2023-24 roster.
The only scholarship player for the Wildcats next season so far — Antonio Reeves pending final decision — five freshman high school freshmen and two sophomores who didn’t play much as freshmen in England.
Common sense, like the state of college basketball, says that John Calipari needs to knock on the door. difficult, Over the next few weeks, he plans to bring in some more seasoned veterans to complement his five-star hiring track record.
But in the latest development of this crushing Kentucky basketball offseason, Calipari will instead accept two lesser-known high school candidates. This week, the Cats are expected to soon add at least one of these players to their roster next season.
Two 3-star rookies – small forwards Jordan Burks and shooting guard Joey Hart — emerged as a legitimate target for the UK in recent days. Burks arrived in Lexington for an official visit earlier this week and is expected to announce his commitment on Wednesday, with Kentucky likely to be the choice. Hart will be visiting both Indiana and the UK this week, and the university’s decision will be made soon after those visits.
If Calipari acquires both players, his projected roster for the 2023-24 season will include seven freshmen and two sophomores. What about veterans who can actually play in Kentucky?
Travis Branham, a national hiring analyst, said there aren’t many talent left. His duties also include overseeing the events of 247 Sports’ transfer portal.
“Portals are drying up,” Branham told Herald Reader. “There are limited options out there. Very limited options.”
Looking at 247 Sports Transfer Ranking I’ll tell you that story.
As of Tuesday morning, Grant Nelson of North Dakota (No. 3) Clayton’s Arthur Karma Dayton’s Mike Sharavjamz (No. 19) and Dayton’s Mike Sharavjamz (No. 34) are the only players in the top 50 rankings who did not find a new school.
Branham hopes Nelson will deliver on his promise soon, but said Britain are not serious players. Sharab Jamtu has already narrowed down the list, and Kentucky is not on that list. The Cats have a relationship with Karma, a 6-7 forward who seems to meet some of Britain’s current needs, but other schools appear to be higher on his list.
Besides these three players, there are only three more unconfirmed transfers in the top 100 of the 247 sports rankings, and those players are also unlikely to move to the UK.
“When I say the portal is dying, it means TRUE It’s dried up,” said Mr Branham.
And the freshman currently rumored to be at the University of Kentucky is far from a game changer. Neither are ranked nationally by 247 Sports, which lists 150 players in their 2023 class ratings.
Burks, a 6-7 player from Decatur, Alabama, is the 37th-ranked small forward in his class and 172nd in the 247 Sports Overall Rankings. He was previously committed to Mississippi and reaffirmed his commitment to the Rebels after new head coach Chris Beard took over in March, but backed off his commitment a few weeks later.
He was the top scorer in the Overtime Elite League last season, averaging 27.1 points per game. He averaged 26.7 percent from 3-pointers, 67.0 percent from free throws, and 19.9 from the field per game.
Burks also attended two different prep schools as a senior and attended three different high school programs in Florida during his junior year before enrolling in the Overtime Elite.
Branham classified him as a potential Kentucky freshman off the bench if he could contribute enough defensively to earn Calipari’s trust.
A 6-4 player from Linton, Indiana, Hart ranks 29th among shooting guards in his class and 197th nationally in the 247 Sports Overall Rankings. Previously with UCF, he resumed recruiting after his senior season, averaging 23.7 points per game and shooting 39.9 percent from 3-point range, leading the team to the Indiana Class 2A State Finals. rice field. He was one of the top three-point shooters and top scorers on the Under Armor circuit last summer.
Branham described him as a “really good shooter” who could come in and save floor space should the Wildcats struggle from distance in the 2023-24 season. Analysts from the country have classified him as a good player to train for England next season, but it is expected that the immediate impact on the actual game will be minimal at best.
Branham also hinted at the possible addition of a third freshman to the Wildcats, saying he could welcome the mysterious newcomer to an official visit within the next week or two. That obviously wouldn’t fix Cats’ inexperience.
The transfer portal closed on May 11, but the deadline did not apply to players who had already graduated from college. Alumni transfers can pop into the portal anytime this offseason.
“There’s always an opportunity,” Branham said of the possibility. “And there are rumors that a couple could jump in, but there are couples who could jump in, even though they’re not saying they’re targets in Kentucky.”
Still, Branham said that even if one or two (or more) players become available in the coming weeks, there is no information that Britain will be in the driver’s seat of such a player. Said he didn’t hear.
Kentucky’s ‘dangerous’ game
This year’s NCAA Tournament, like so many college basketball seasons, has been dominated by veterans, and while the seasoned composition of the 2023 final four teams may seem like an outlier. , the 2023-24 season will be played in the same conditions.
The sport will continue to feature players in their fifth year of qualification under COVID-19 exemption, but with an appropriate mix of experienced transferers and returnees. It stands to reason that the program will probably involve top-class recruitment. The scattered talent will blossom by the end of the season.
As such, it became imperative for Kentucky to acquire such players, or bring some back.
Instead, the Cats lost four players from their 2023-24 roster to other schools: point guard Savile Wheeler, shooting guard CJ Fredrick, and forwards Dimion Collins and Lance Ware. If Reeves leaves, it will be his fifth transfer. The Cats also have one future NBA Draft pick (Caisson Wallace) and three more starters still eligible, who weren’t expected to be 2023 picks at the time they decided to stay in the draft, Oscar We lost Tsibwe, Jacob Toppin and Chris Livingston.
The result is a confusing roster.
There is certainly talent there. Point guard DJ Wagner and small forward Justin Edwards are expected lottery picks in the 2024 draft. Post player Aaron Bradshaw is a potential first-round player, as is combo guard Rob Dillingham. Combo guard Reed Shepard was Mr. Basketball of Kentucky and a McDonald’s All-American.And the Cats will get their wings back Adu Tierro and center Ugonna Onyensotwo young players with attractive potential.
But is it good enough to compete in this version of college basketball, especially at the level expected of a Kentucky team?
“Relying on freshmen is more dangerous than ever. Right,” Branham said. “In COVID-19 (Veterans) and the Transfer Portal, experience wins.”
The last time a team that relied heavily on freshmen won a national championship was in 2015, when Duke defeated Wisconsin in the title game. (And even that Blue Devils team had seniors and juniors among the top five scorers.)
Since then, no title team has had a freshman among the top three scorers. none. And with the transfer portal and extra year given to players who qualified for the 2020/21 season affected by COVID-19, experience has become even more important in the current state of the sport.
“So relying on freshmen has never been more dangerous,” says Branham. “Well, it’s even more dangerous to do it in the recruiting class in 2023. And if we’re going to do it again in 2024, it’s even more dangerous then. Because we’ve talked about it over and over again. But the 23rd class isn’t that good, and I think 2024 will probably be even worse.
“So they have five freshmen who are expected to be heavily relied upon, does that mean they’re going for more? …It’s entirely possible they have eight freshmen on their roster. I think it can be kind of a roller coaster in the season.”
So far this offseason, former Michigan center Hunter Dickinson and former San Diego State forward Keshad Johnson are the only two transfers to visit the UK campus for official visits. Dickinson ended up going to the University of Kansas, and Johnson chose the University of Arizona. And now the Wildcats don’t seem to be the frontrunners for the few remaining top-level talent within the portal.
The wait-and-see approach the Cats have taken to NBA Draft referees Tsibwe, Livingston and Reeves may be about to explode before Calipari’s eyes. Reeves’ return now seems important If Kentucky intends to add some experience to their roster for the 2023-24 season.
And whatever this roster looks like after all of this is over, it’s becoming even more clear that Calipari will hinge Kentucky’s next basketball season on those freshman abilities.
That would be a big gamble.
“For me, I think they’re almost like a fringe tournament team now,” Branham said.
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