The Big Blue Lowdown

The BBL has been watching UK hoops for more than 30 years. And we believe the 2009-‘10 UK Wildcats is the most talented team 1-11 we’ve ever seen.

Their speed and athleticism is unrivaled in the storied history of the UK program. Coach Calipari can send people at you in waves and every player in the 11-deep rotation can score and defend. It is seemingly unfair at times…especially against the likes of Hartford.

Rather than summarize the utter thrashing of another clearly overmatched opponent, we would like to come out of our holiday haze with comments on each player in the rotation and offer a glimpse into the future of how they project both collegiately and at the next level.

John Wall

What more can be said? A lot actually. He has a very high basketball IQ. He doesn’t take a single play off. He often seems as humble as the team towel boy. And, of course, he possesses physical gifts rarely seen in a PG. His alleyoop reverse dunk last night is one of the better UK dunks we’ve seen in a long time. Wall is the glue and the key to UK having a special finish to the year. He deserves every accolade he receives and his legend is growing by the play. ESPN announcers are at this point reduced to awestruck spectators.

Patrick Patterson

The man is just a 20/10 workhorse. Unstoppable on the low blocks once he seals his opponent. He is a lob catching dunker extraordinare. PP is Robin to John Wall’s Batman. If UK is to win it all, PP will be the man when it matters. Count on it. Every time he makes three pointers on natty TV, it moves him up the lottery ladder in NBA GMs’ eyes.

DeMarcus Cousins

Big Cuz is growing up. When he is under control and patrols his lanes, he is an automatic double double. He has a high ceiling and is in desperate need of a year in the weight room. The question is whether he can commit to getting stronger and more disciplined. He needs another year in college regardless. This kid is a sure fire NBA lottery pick due to his arsenal of ways to score the ball.

Daniel Orton

The BBL gushes over the play of this stud. We thought he was a young Patrick Ewing when we first evaluated him. After seeing him run the floor and hit face up jumpers from 20 feet trailing on the break, he might possess some tools that even Ewing lacked. He appears destined to go down as one of UK’s greatest shot blockers ever. He is a human fly swatter. Thou shall not enter the lane vs. Daniel Orton. We shudder to think of what kind of numbers he will generate next season with bigger minutes. From potential alone, he could be yet another lottery pick. If you think we are nuts or over hyping him now, just wait. He is a special big man.

Darius Miller

Darius has NBA ball skills and plays lock down defense. The question mark has always been his perimeter shot and playing with confidence. Based on the way he has shot the ball from behind the arc in the last six or seven games, that question has been answered. He can flat shoot it when he squares and fires with confidence. Even scarier is his penchant for taking his man off the dribble and finishing with an assortment of moves from inside 15 feet. As only a soph and as freakishly athletic as he is, there is no reason he can’t become a potential first round draft pick by the time he leaves UK. He needs to improve his ball handling but his ceiling is also high.

Darnell Dodson

This guy is improving faster than anybody on UKs team. He is literally instant offense off the bench. His stroke is high quality and he is soon to become UKs designated zone buster. He also possesses a solid all around floor game with great hands. He gets lazy at times on defense and reaches instead of moving his feet. With work in the weight room and continual improvement on the defensive side, he could play at the next level. Dodson is going to win a game or two for the Cats in the SEC on a night where his shooting from behind the arc is the difference.

DeAndre Liggins

We gotta give it up for DeAndre. He is sacrificing his individual game for the sake of the UK uniform. He could have transferred after being psychologically molested by Billy Gillispie and perhaps become a double figure scorer somewhere else. Instead he chose to stay at UK, fight through Coach Cal’s doghouse and find a way to contribute as a defensive ball hawk in the 11 deep rotation. Make no mistake though, Liggins has HUGE GAME and can absolutely score and dish if asked to do so. His stroke from behind the three-point line looks dramatically improved. The BBL has a sneaky suspicion his role is going to continue to increase as UK gets deeper into the season. Hard to predict right now, but based on what we’ve seen from DeAndre in the last two weeks, he could find his way onto an NBA roster in three-four years.

Eric Bledsoe

EB didn’t suit up last night due to a lingering high ankle sprain. But this kid is a true warrior and his presence might be the 2nd most needed in UK’s run toward banner #8. He can do everything with the ball in his hand, with his main weakness being that he is a true frosh who only knows one speed—hypersonic. Once he is able to control his emotions and learns to play under control, he is a lottery pick at point guard when he leaves UK.

Ramon Harris-Perry Stephenson-Josh Harrellson

All three of these guys provide experience and size. And each of them brings a little something extra. Josh can shoot it and is a big body down low. Perry has terrible hands but also plays defense and can block shots. Ramon Harris is a glue guy. A senior who does a little bit of everything. Calipari can go to any of them in a pinch based on need. This is such a luxury and one UK hasn’t had in years. Due to Harrellson’s size and shooting stroke, he should earn a paycheck overseas for as long he desires to stay away from French pastries and German beer. Ramon and Perry will be selling something to someone in Lexington within a year. (If they are smart enough to take roots in the commonwealth.)

Season Outlook

With only UL left on the docket before the start of the SEC slate, the thought of an undefeated regular season is starting to make the rounds among UK fans. Before we get ahead of ourselves, we’d like to caution everyone about the Louisville Cardinals.

Rick Pitino knows John Calipari better than anybody. He has traditionally played him close and his team is UK’s worst nightmare from a matchup standpoint. UL has three senior guards who will be well versed in taking away the strengths of UK’s freshman guards. UL is also long and athletic in the post. The BBL expects to see an amoeba zone defense that will swarm ball entry into the post and lull UK into believing the wing gaps are wide open for threes (think Wake Forest and Tim Duncan in ‘96). As we’ve all seen in years past, Pitino’s help and recover in getting hands in the face of seemingly wide open three-point shooters is one of the best at the college level. This could lead to a very long night for UK without impressive offensive rebounding totals.

We think this game is likely to come down to the final five minutes as UL has plenty of guys who can shoot it. We all know this UK team’s weakness is defending the three. If UL shoots well, and UK is unable to get points in transition from their half court defense, the 40-0 dream will die a quick death.

That said, Kentucky’s shooting, team passing and court awareness is improving by the game. In what will undoubtedly be one of the loudest settings in the history of this rivalry, Rupp will be an amazing home court advantage. UL had no answer for PP last year in Freedom Hall, and UK is even better in the post this season. If the Cats play under control, maintain their normal rebounding advantage and shoot 75% from the free throw line, there is no reason they don’t move to 15-0.

Happy New Year to all hoop fans as we continue to cherish a historic season moving into 2010…