I can’t lie, this is the first time I was able to watch the Wildcats so far this season. Needless to say, I am impressed.
Sure, I knew this team was going to be good, but to think that most of these guys are just freshmen is mind-bogling. Their size, combined with their talent, this team has potential to be scary, really, really scary. To say that this team may be underrated by opponents is an understatement.
Sasha Killeya-Jones has a motor like no other, but fouls may get him in some trouble this season. He picked up a quick seven fouls in the first half, something that he’ll have to improve on before the season begins.
Malik Monk is an all-star. He never stops. The way he handles the ball and his basketball IQ is like no other. He can shoot from anywhere on the court. He’s not half bad on defense either.
Bam Adebayo is a young Dwight Howard. He even looks like him. He is solid, handles the ball well and is a defensive rockstar. If he can fix his free throws, he might make a run at one of the best players to ever wear a Kentucky jersey, an extremely high feat.
De’Aaron Fox reminds me of Tyler Ulis. The kid is slick. He can move around with the ball, and might be on of the quickest players the Wildcats have had since John Wall and Eric Bledsoe.
Michael Mulder will see more playing time this season. No doubt. The improvements he has made since last season are extravagant, he’s a quick shooter, if he slows down, his playing time could increase drastically. With his ability to shoot the ball from anywhere, there is no way he won’t see playing time.
Isaiah Briscoe is better than ever. His free throws have improved and he’s a feisty guard on the court. Not only have his free throws improved, his shooting and shot choices have improved dramatically. He’s going to be on of the most important parts of this team.
Dominique Hawkins will be a professional, maybe overseas, but Calipari has worked his magic with Hawkins. Every year he improves and this year is no different. Hawkins will see playing time and will make the most of it, as usual.
Derek Willis was quiet tonight. No big shots, really. He knows his place and sticks with it. Even on his quiet night, he scored over 10 points, so who’s complaining?
Wenyen Gabriel doesn’t give up, ever. He could run up and down the court 4 times and is still sprinting. His strides are long and it’s quite impressive. His offensive could use some work, but he still made some shots. However, his defense, the kid is a monster. Him, combined with Adebayo and Killeya-Jones on the front-court for the Wildcats, it’s scary, it’ll get even scarier once Gabriel learns more about his body. He has room to improve, and if he does, man will he be something else.
This team has potential to be one of the best. We’ll see how they play in a real game, I think most people will be impressed.
