It's time for coffee and company, fueled by Thornton's on Sports Talk seven nine
day. Now here's nick coffee. All right, let's get it started.
Five o'clock, actually five oh four here on a Friday afternoon, coffee and
company, fueled by Thornton's on Sports Talk seven ninety. If you've already got
the weekend started, congratulations, where about an hour away? Maybe you started
your weekend long ago, maybe you got off work a few minutes ago,
but the weekend is here, and that's a good thing, right, And
we've we've been we've been busy the last couple of hours. But if you
are just now joining us, we did talk a lot about last night's NFL
Draft and the the takeaways. I think we're rather obvious the quarterbacks that were
taking a lot of them, no doubt, in the first round, and
that's just gonna I think that's gonna become the norm. I think even in
even in years where you know that the that the quarterback class is not considered
to be great, elite, maybe it's considered to be average, you'll still
see NFL teams reach because there's just an infatuation about finding a guy who can
be the face of their franchise, and I get it because it's important,
but you know, being able to just you know, not help yourself from
pulling the trigger and taking one of these guys is just it's something. But
last night's draft, with Pennix going number eight, this is the second time
in the common draft era that four quarterbacks have gone in the top ten.
The last time it happened was just six years ago. Baker Mayfield, Sam
Darnell, Josh Allen, and Josh Rosen. So let's remember that in that
same draft, I mean that was Lamar Jackson's draft. I mean he was
drafted the end of that round into the first round. And of those guys,
Josh Allen is the only one I think we can and say has I
mean, is Sam Darnold in the league. He is, He's in Minnesota.
Now I think Rosen is not in the league. Baker actually had a
really good bounce back year last year in Tampa, but you know, he
was in the number one pick and he's now on his fourth team since being
drafted. So that doesn't mean that these guys who got drafted last night are
going to be you know, unsuccessful. But you know, Kayla Williams obviously
was the the known number one pick for quite some time. And uh,
you know, I won't claim to have any you know, strong thoughts on
him, and and I think he wouldn't be viewed as this camp miss prospect
if he wasn't super talented. I think it's his personality that I guess rubs
people the wrong way. I think a lot of folks have in their mind
what they want, what they how they want their quarterback to carry, that
to carry, how they want their quarterbacks to carry themselves and and whatnot.
And he's just a guy who's a little you know, eccentric and just different.
But you know, as far as ability, I think he's clearly got
it or he wouldn't be this guy that for what ten years of his you
know, twenty years on earth, he's been anointed as this guy who looks
like he's going to be the next generation's best quarterback. So you know,
I'd be shocked if he's not successful. But you never know, you really
never know with any draft picked. Jade Daniels another guy that has been viewed
to be a top three type pick, and he went number two to the
UH to the Commanders. Drake Mayet number three. I mean, I could
be wrong. When's the last time you had the first three quarter the first
three pickspe quarterbacks. I'm sure it's happened. And then after that, the
best player in the draft in my opinion, Marmon Harrison junior number four to
h to the Cardinals. And then we're really you know, the eighth pick
being Michael Pennock junior going to the Falcons. That that's what early on was
the big wow. Can you believe they did that? And nothing ever topped
at the rest of the you know, the the the rest of the way
because that, you know, again, I think you can understand why they
want quarterback stability in Atlanta because they went from having a guy Matt Ryan there
forever and then it was a disaster after that with you know, they drafted
Desmond Ritter and obviously that didn't work. Before that, they had Marcus Mariota,
that didn't work. So they signed Kirk Cousins to a lucrative four year
deal just you know, a couple of months ago whenever that was, and
then they draft a quarterback at the eighth pick. So it's just not something
you typically see. But I suppose the reasoning is that they they they want
to feel as if, even whenever the time comes to move on from Kirk
Cousins, that they have a guy sitting and waiting that they know as talented
that they know, I mean, they'd have to be trying the same the
same approach that the Packers did whenever they drafted Jordan Love, who sat behind
Aaron Rodgers for a while, and sure enough, you know, he became
the guy this past year and it worked. We'll see if it works long
term, but it worked all right. A little bit later, we'll get
into the best available players that are left I mean, well not left.
They yeah, the best guys that you know who are like the guys who
are likely going to hear their names called early on in in tonight's draft.
And right now, it looks as if the best available players according to you
know, those that cover the draft. You know, you've got kool Aid
McKinstry, who is what a hell of a name, but he's a quarterback
from Alabama. A lot of people thought he'd potentially go in the first round.
You've got some offensive linemen that are viewed as you know, guys that
could be you know, taken pretty early tonight. But as far as local
guys, you know, maybe you see maybe you see Ray Davis go tonight.
Maybe you see Andrew Phillips go tonight for Kentucky. I don't think you'll
see anybody from Louisville, but if so, it would probably be Jarvis Brownly.
But as far as just big names in college football that are still left,
uh, key on Coleman the receiver. That's that's one to watch.
This is a really really deep draft at receiver, and there are a lot
of receivers taken last night, but he's somebody that he's gigantic. He put
up good numbers at Florida State, was somewhat productive before he transferred to Florida
State from Arizona State. But you know, it could be total smoke screen,
like the summer's saying he's going to drop because you know, his workouts
weren't great and you know he doesn't have the ability to separate in the NFL.
And I guess maybe the fact that he's fall into the second round maybe
that tells you there was some truth to that. But you know, I
wouldn't be shocked if he's the first guy taken in tonight's second round, but
just something to keep an eye on real quickly before we move on, because
we do want to get to get to some basketball stuff, because Kentucky did,
in fact, land another commit that happened just within the last you know,
thirty minutes or so. And for Louisville, you've got a visitor in
town. And there's something that really stands out about the core that Pat Kelsey's
put together at this point that I don't know if other people are paying attention
to. So we'll get back into basketball stuff really quickly here. But one
of my favorite stories about last night's first round is I believe the guy who
was taken with the last pick in the first round, he's either the last
pick or or the second to last pick, that Xavier Legette, who is
a receiver out of South Carolina, and I believe his career in college is
like one of the most insane things I've ever seen. Maybe not, I
mean it's one of the most unexpected things. That's probably the best way to
describe it. So he was a fifth year senior and he played, you
know, I think in enough games throughout his time there to where he only
had another year because of COVID. Like, I don't think he had a
fifth year because of a red shirt. I think he got a fifth year
because of COVID. So you know, he had eighty total yards as a
freshman, one hundred and thirteen total yards as a sophomore, sixty three yards
as a junior, and as a senior he had his best He had his
best uh best season up to that point with eighteen receptions for one hundred and
sixty seven yards. Well, then he had a fifth year and he exploded
seventy one receptions, one two hundred and fifty five yards and seven touchdowns,
and he's a first round draft pick. So imagine a year ago, three
hundred and sixty five days ago. You let's say you're a South Carolina fan
and you're familiar with the roster, the depth chart for the game Cocks,
and I tell you Xavier Legette, and you know what he's done in his
first four years there, and he's only got another year because he's a fifth
year guy because of COVID. Imagine me telling you he's going to be a
first round draft pick. Nobody would have believed it at all, but yet
he got a fifth year. Exploded. Now he's I mean, he's changed
his entire life and I don't know his situation at all as far as like
transfer, but like, this is a guy that I would have assumed if
he's got another year, and you know, he's really never taken off there,
I would assume he would have left, but he didn't, and man,
it paid off. So let's just I just think that's a cool story.
I really do, all right, So let's start with the uh,
the latest, and that is the new addition to the Kentucky roster for one
Mark Pope. They now have two players that they've added that are guys that
you know are transferring in with experience. The first one, of course,
was Amari Williams from Drexel, and then Lamont Butler, a veteran guard.
He's played four years at San Diego State. You know, I don't I
mean any anything I say to describe him one would be you know, a
reach because I won't claim to know much about him. But he did start
for the team that played in the National Championship game. But he's never averaged
more than you know, he's never averaged double figures. So but he played
like the last two years he's been a guy that has been you know,
he's been a part of their team. But you know, I think that's
a role player for Kentucky. I think he's a role player for San Diego
State. So it's not somebody that's going to instantly change how you mean,
Look, they got a lot more to go, a lot more work to
do to fill out the roster, and everybody knows that. But if I
could give you a compliment here, Mark Pope, this is the kind of
guy that I envisioned for teams like Louisville, Kentucky, Arkansas, even teams
that are starting from scratch and building an entirely new roster. I feel like
this is the kind of guy that would be hard to get, not because
man, he's so good everybody wants him, but because you know, he
would probably you know, expect Kentucky to go get better players than him and
not want to play there because he doesn't want to be a role guy that's
playing, you know, eighteen minutes a game. Because look at let me
see at San Diego State for the last two years, so he averaged twenty
seven point six minutes per game. Last year, he averaged twenty six minutes
per game. The year before when they went to the National Championship game.
I'm asking Kentucky fan this, if he's playing those type of minutes for you
all next year, wouldn't you say that's probably not a good thing. And
I'm not saying he will because I think realistically speaking, he wouldn't expect that.
So again, I actually think this is a difficult get for teams in
this situation because maybe they sold him that he'd be the guy. And look,
sometimes you got to sell things that maybe aren't going to be you know,
realistic, right, Maybe not lie to them, but kind of you
know, just leave it open to, you know, whatever they want to
believe. Like John L. Smith told every every athlete that he knew he
was going to put a quarterback. I said, corner, not quarter or
it's safety or you know, running back, like he told them all,
yeah, quarterback. Yeah, we'll put you and get you some reps and
then shot. As soon as they show up to the level there they're they're
on defense or they're not playing quarterback. So I don't know what the pitch
was, But again, that's actually a solid get because I think those are
the types of guys that are going to be more difficult to get whenever you
are, you know, guy's transferring. Yeah, they want money, but
they want to go back to my man Kent Spencer, who said this yesterday,
it's it's P and P. They want to get paid and they want
to play, and he'll play, and he's a he's a fine player.
But I would highly doubt that he has a similar role that he had at
San Diego State, which again is a good selling job by Pope if he
was able to sell him to come to Kentucky knowing he would have a minimal
role, but he wants to play for a much better program and you know,
make some money along the way. All right. So on the Louisville
side, this is this is something that I noticed yesterday and I forgot to
mention it. And it's not you know, it's not you know, some
groundbreaking research that I that I did that that you know it's going to wow
you when I share these results. But when you look at who's in the
mix right now for Louisville, CHUCKI, Hepburn, Rain Smith Korn Johnson,
Javon Hadley, Terrence Overwards, Junior Abubakr, Trei Ora, James Scott,
Ali Khalifa. All of those guys outside of one played for good teams for
their level, if that makes sense, right, Like, I'm not going
to tell you Long Beach State was great, but for what Long Beach State
is, they were good. So only one of those players did not play
in the NCEAA tournament this year. So you're a part of a winning culture,
and I highly doubt that that's the coincidence. I would imagine that Pat
Kelsey win pursue the pieces to put this thing together. He wants guys that
have been used to winning, that that have been a part of teams that
have had success, that are gonna work together because again, you are part
of something successful because you know, more often than not where you were previously,
there was a buy in collectively from the personnel involved. So the one
guy who did not play in the NCAA tournament is a guy who actually was
you know is I mean he played at a high level. They just weren't
good enough and they fired their coach. And that's uh Coorin Johnson of Washington
and Korin Johnson, by the way, I mean, I've watched a lot
of his highlights. To me, he is the he's the definition of a
silky smooth combo guard. You know, he will I don't know if he'd
run your team for a good stretch of the game, but he can facilitate.
He's just a he's a he's a six to two smooth combo guard who
you know averaged a you know, was six Man of the Year in the
PAC twelve last year. And Washington. The reason that Hopkins got fired is
because Washington should have been good and they weren't. In fact, let me
pull up their pull up their record last year. Yeah, they were seventeen
and fifteen overall, nine and eleven in the in the in the Pac twelve.
So obviously they made a change hired Danny Sprinkle. But what a lot
of folks probably don't realize or don't care because you know, West Coast,
the other side of the country. Rarely do you ever see Pack twelve basketball.
In fact, there's no I mean Pactov's dead now. But honestly,
like to find Pac twelve basketball, they would have to be like one of
the one of the you know, one of the rare games they put I
mean, I guess weekly they would put one on. But f s one
like he wasn't on ESPN plus, you couldn't go find it on a stream
like it was either on f S one or went on TV or I guess
occasionally they would put it on Fox if it was a big matchup. But
Keon Brooks was a monster at at Washington. I mean, twenty one points
seven boards, you know, shot at fifty percent from the floor. Like
when he transferred to Kentucky. He was really good at Washington. I think
he actually is gonna get drafted. Severe Wheeler, you know, fourteen points,
six assists, a steal and a half per game. You know,
not a great shooter, never has been. But like those two guys were
the core of that team. Moses would was a nice addition for him.
So bring all this up to say, like Kryan Johnson had an identified role
to where he came off the bench and was really productive in twenty four minutes
per game. So you know the fact that he didn't play for a turn,
you know, for a team that was in the tournament, I don't
I don't look at that as well. It's because he played for you know,
VM, I who literally would never like, you know, totally different
planet. I'd be more worried if they got a bunch of mid majors who
put up big numbers. And I'm not worried, by the way, but
I'm just saying, like, if you go get guys that come from vm
I or Florida A and M Texas A and M Corpus Christy, give me
more randos. John see there, Yeah, Lemoyne, Yeah, New Jersey
Institute of Technology, a real Division one school, Montana State, UC Riverside,
Denver, Yeah, New Mexican co State, Lipscomb. Yeah. Like
if they played for the you see John, I mean they did, but
that wasn't the direction I was going. But Gardner Webb, since we're gonna
you know, uh Fort Wayne. Now I'm throwing at teams at b UP.
Yeah. So if they played for those teams that stunk and they put
up big numbers, that means I mean not to say that means nothing,
but like that, that to me is is very very It dampens I think
the the you know, the excitement that you'd have. It doesn't mean that
those guys wouldn't come in and be good, right because they may not look
they may be great, but if the rest of the team sucks and their
coach sucks, then you know, what are they gonna do? But I
actually think that having guys, especially when you're starting from scratch, guys that
are part of winning cultures, means so much. And I think you're gonna
start to see, you know, let's let's just you who are give me
a random conference Missouri Valley. You know, let's say in the Missouri Valley,
you've got a guy who is playing for he's playing for Drake, and
he's averaged eleven points a game starter, he has a he has a solid
role, but maybe isn't like the guy, but you know, they win.
And then let's say you've got a guy who plays for you know,
y me's trying to think another U. I see they're pretty terrible, yeah,
U, I see, And you know his team is not as good
as Drake. And this guy is averaging nineteen a night, but it's team
stinks and you can look in the film and see that, Yeah, he's
getting buckets when it's teams down thirty because they're bad. Like, I think
people are gonna look at numbers they're you know, Drake maybe not be a
good example, because I think now people know that Drake was good, But
you'll see a couple of no name schools and kind of just lump them together
and take, well, hey, these are both bum level schools. This
guy averaged nineteen, this guy averaged eleven. Why are we not taking the
guy that averaged nineteen and shot at thirty seven percent from three? And I
think, you know, there's a risk in every in everybody you take.
It is a transfer. But I think coaches are going to certainly feel much
less, much more comfortable with the guy that has been a part of a
winning culture. And I'm sure that's already a trend that you're seeing elsewhere with
other schools. I just have it, you know, I'm not paying attention
to what everybody else is doing in the portal. So that matters. It
really does. And I think if you look at the rest of the guys
that that Louisville. You know Osibor who transferred from Montana and by the way,
he followed Montange. I didn't realize this, but Osibor followed Danny Sprinkle
from Montana State to Utah State and then was even better there in the Mountain
in the Mountain West. So but he's a guy that's won everywhere he's been,
was with the same coach, but he's always been a winner. And
again, I just think that's that's like I now, like i I'm years
ago, I probably have been like, well, actually, I guess it's
a little bit different. Like if you're going after one dude, maybe it's
not as important if he actually maybe it's not as important if he actually,
you know, won, because it's maybe he's just there to be your shooter.
But again, when you're when you're building an entire thing here from the
ground up, from scratch, I mean, that's got to be one of
you know, talent matters, right, and guys who can play certain be
like, you got to have balance, you got to have you know,
you got to you got a style that you want to play as a coach,
you got to find the personnel that can fit that. But another big
component in all that has got to be these guys have been a part of
a program that won and hopefully they were a big factor in that and they
can bring that to you. All right, quick break, we'll come back
on the other side. Keep it rolling along. Five two, five,
seven, seventy nine hundred is the number. If you want to jump in
and give us a call, we will let you guys, be part of
the show the rest of the way. Stick with us right here on Sports
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right, real quick on the text line, it's just a good observation.
Then we're going to go to the phone calls in just one second. But
this is a good text that came in that I was unaware of. But
this says Nick, you mentioned these guys coming from winning programs that have played
in the tournament. But these are also guys that have been super, super
productive. Did you realize four of these transfers have scored a thousand points in
their career. I did not realize that, but I will take your word
for it. Yeah, I mean, yeah, I mean I would.
I would imagine Terrence Edwards Junior. I know Trey Orr has Hepburn? Maybe
Rain Smith? Maybe because he's a fifth year guy. So yeah, that's
uh, that's another good point. All right, let's go to the phone
lines. Five two, five, seven, seventy nine hundred is the number
if you want to give us a call. Let's welcome in, Danny,
Danny, how are you on a Friday? Good? Nick? How are
you, buddy? Not too bad? Good? Yeah. You pulled the
question to the UK fans of whether we would want somebody that played twenty six
minutes for a national title team. I mean a team that played in the
national championship. Yes, no, no, no, that's not what if
you want a guy that's what I said, Would you wippy if he played
that many minutes? Yeah? Yeah, if he played twenty six on the
national championship team, I don't care if he plays thirty six. The key
is on a national championship team. I think they did. They didn't win
a national championship in the title game, yeah right, they played in the
title game, So I think both of them. I mean, I'm looking
at at Caliperry watching the guys at Arkansas, you know, celebrate running it
back with a bunch of eighteen year olds that are five stars. Again,
I just and I really do want to ask a question like, would you
rather have and I don't know the name of the big guy you guys,
and I know we figned to Maari Williams, I say, we uk sure,
but would you rather have the seventy third, seventy fifth guy that's twenty
four or a seventeen year old Jayden Quaintons. I'm asking that question sincerely,
whether we get him or you get him? Sure, I mean we all
played directly. Again the why you go in high school and you play with
grow Yeah, you know I would answer, I would answer by saying this,
it just depends on what your roster looks like, right, So I
think I think Quaintance would make a splash for Louisville. And also he is
somebody that if the rest of your team is a bunch of old dudes that
you've built from the portal. I don't think it's an issue at all to
have an eighteen or sixteen year old that is, you know, there to
kind of mix in, right, you know, you're not going to be
a young team. He's certainly young. I think, you know, if
you're looking for somebody to fill a big, a big gap, that you're
a big, a big void, like a big role. Like let's say
you've got a good core coming back and you've got one scholarship left and you
really need the final piece to put you over the top. Then no,
I don't think Quaintans would make sense because again, he's sixteen years old,
and those guys just don't make as much of an impact. But you know,
they did go to a championship game. And I'm not saying that this
guy's not a good player, but I just think throughout his time at San
Diego State, if he didn't score more than double figures, you know,
and that's again, I just think Kentucky will get better guards than him to
where he'll be a role player and not play twenty six minutes. But you
know, if he does and they're good, you know, you know it
wouldn't be the craziest thing ever. And I think he's a defensive guy.
And I don't think DJ Wagner averaged double figures and couldn't guard my mailbox.
I forgot where Wagner going. I haven't heard anything about him. I don't.
Yeah, I'm say everyone's assuming Arkansas. Yeah, but I just wonder
too, Like, and I'll pose the question to you, like, do
you honestly think Mouive was kind of a better season or just as good as
Arkansas this year? I just think with Cal running it unless he gets some
older Porto grads, if he just keeps trying to run it back with eighteen
year old it's just especially with the extra year with COVID. I know this
is the last one, but twenty four year old guys. You know,
Kobe Bryant was eighteen in the league and average six point to game. You
know, UK has the most improved player in MAXI. They've got towns,
they've got, but all those guys were eighteen. It's like, yeah,
they eventually become great, you just can't win. And they were getting beat
against you know, Wisconsin because they had a bunch of twenty two to twenty
three year old. Yeah, I think Cal's gonna have to and he's He's
apparently in the mix for John L. Davis, the number one player in
the portal according to some from FAU. So you know, with Cal,
it'll depend on how his roster. I mean, he's gonna have Look,
there's not enough freshman he could fill that roster with, so he's gonna get
players from the portal. It just depends on you know who they are.
Are they guys that have played four years or whatnot. But you know,
you're right, like even last year, you guys had a phenomenal because I
get a phenomenal freshman class that you know, honestly, you know, the
hype was mostly about Bradshaw and Wagner, but really it was Read and Dealing
and Dillingham that were great. But the reason Kentucky was a good team,
you know, good enough to get a three seed was not only because those
two guys were sensational, but you know, Antonio Reeves was a fifth or
six year guy who was really good, All American caliber player. Like,
you know, if Cal doesn't go get veterans to mix in with the young
talent he has coming in, then yeah, I mean I would think little.
I think what I would think A lot of teams would have better seasons
than Cal at Arkansas. I mean, I'm curious to see if he doesn't
does make a change now that he's at Arkansas, because you know, maybe
he does get refreshed here and re energize and his stubbornness won't get in his
way because he's he's elsewhere. But yeah, I mean to be fair,
cal Perry as much as he still has you know, he has clout and
he has always been able to pretty much get whoever he wants. He's he's
he's working at the same pace. In fact, does Kentucky have one more
player than them now that they've added this guy? Yeah, I think that's
right. Yeah, he doesn't have I don't know he sided. I guess
he got boogie and oh yeah, yeah that's right and knocks and big z.
So at least three if I have got to keep up with it that
close. But I just know that, Yeah, I just I'm not that
scared of them, Like I'm more scared of playing Louisle this year if they
bring in a bunch of twenty three and four year olds than bringing a team
full of eighteen year olds again. So Danny, let me ask you this
real quick. Were you somebody that is a Kentucky fan. You know,
in the last few years it started to kind of become a growing concern about
why are we building everything off of, you know, reloading every year with
freshman or was it something that you know you waited till it ended with cal
and and realized, okay, this we're going to go in a different direction
with Pope. Uh yeah. You know it's like every every college fan you
know, short for fanatic. I was up and down after every loss.
I was saying, you know, far cow But honestly after that because whatever
whatever he chooses to do, you wanted to work right exactly. I mean
at the end of the day, and he would you know, he's great
at what he does. He would lose to Saint Pete and I was at
that game. But then you know, you look at all the five stars
and then you get built all, Okay, well next year, next year.
You know, there's always next year. With Calvin, he never lost
an off season ever. Nope. Yeah. DJ Wagner's exciting that Jayden Quainton's
we were all we get him for two years. He's going to be great.
But then, like I said, Jack Guilkey made us look silly.
Yeah, you know it's a twenty because he's twenty four years old and reach
effort couldn't keep up with him. And then and that's a frustrating thing too.
I think that if we're not going to win. It wasn't always pleasing
basketball cow because it was the dribble drive one on one NBA junior. So,
but when you're winning and it's not visually pleasing, well who cares?
You're winning exactly? Especially level and there's no I mean, like you know
that defense was a It was a fun year last year, averaging one hundred
points or whatever it was the game, it's fun, but it's not fun
when you're giving up one hundred and two. I mean it was, and
it's you know, we're Kentucky with cal became the cool school. I do
think a lot of us are right now. We're fine being the not cool
school. We didn't mind. You know, like when you see someone with
ukn't get on on vacation, you know they're a UK fan and they're not
well. I love Tyree max Here, I love SGA or I love the
pros so I think that at this point we weren't winning with Cal. Hell,
we might as well lose with Pope. At least it might you know,
it's something back to us against the world. Things firsts. When you
win with you know, seven m you know whatever, it is six McDonald's
All Americans, it's kind of like, yeah, that's fine. But if
Pope can come in with have the State of Utah on our roster and the
seventy eighth Frank player and we can make it to the Sweet sixteen, to
me, that's going to be just as fun as a Final four with the
you know, you know, winning it all is winning at all. But
Con did that one in fifteen years. I saw something on Twitter today he's
Cal's had four McDonald's All Americans he's won a championship with, and I think
like forty seven that he hasn't. Wow, so he's had forty seven McDonald's
All Americans. Don't quote me on those numbers. It's Twitter, but it's
kind to be that close he's got. Because Arkansas was celebrating we've got three
McDonald's All Americans, and everyone's kind of like, yeah, you know,
it is the best. It is wild to say predict their future behaviors past
behavior, you know, so it's like, what's that gotten anybody in the
last you know, one one title in fifteen years, and he really twenty
because he was getting that mass talent at myth. Yep, no doubt about
Danny. I appreciate the call man. It is wild to see Arkansas fans
kind of turning into Kentucky fans as far as just you know, hyping the
freshman, which, look, it's your team. What are you going to
do? Not be excited that you brought in an elite freshman? But it's
just, you know, it changed so much in a matter of four years
or so to where you know, you can still get a good boost and
get good value again Kentucky. You know, one of, if not the
biggest reasons they were a good team last year that you know, offensively good
enough to get a three seat and beat some good teams along the way.
It is because they had really good freshmen and Reid and Dillingham and then of
course you know, Wagner had his moments but really never really took off.
I think Bradshaw was underwhelming, mostly I guess due to injury, but you
know, without Antonio Reeves and Mitchell who didn't get near the pub. But
we're you know, Reeves is one of the best players in America that nobody
seemed to talk about a whole lot. And without him, Kentucky's not a
tournament team. I don't think that sounds extreme, but like he's the veteran
presence, he was leading scorer. I mean, you knows, maybe they
would have been able to get in the tournament, but like he's he was
that good. And it's not just Kentucky, it's not I mean, it's
not just one fan base that it's got to be the intrigue of the unknown,
because when you're viewed as a guy that's the top fifteen player McDonald's all
American. I just still think we're not accustomed to realizing that a good old
guy in the portal that's twenty two, that has played four years, even
especially if he's played at a really good school that has had some success,
Like that's a bigger get than the number one player in America every year.
But I still think the buzz and the celebration of that player, the highly
regarded recruit is at least for the time being, is still going to stand
out as a bigger reason to celebrate for fans, and it just, you
know, it's kind of a head scratcher to me. Or I guess maybe
like you know, when people get old, they don't feel as sexy.
Maybe that's I don't know what it is. Like nord Chad Omere. I
don't think he'll ever play in the NBA, but he's in the portal now,
and he's played four years of college basketball to it, at Arkansas State,
two at Miami. He played in the final four two years ago.
He's really really good. And I think, you know VJ. Edgecombe,
number two player in America. I think it is who's going to is going
to uh, it's going to Baylor. Baylor. Yeah, is he number
he's he's top four or five. Yeah, he's number four from what I'm
looking at here. But the number one player in America Cooper Cooper Flag,
and he's you know, maybe he's not a good example either because he's believed
to be, you know, like maybe the next phenom. But even if
Cooper Flag is as good as advertised getting you know, Hunter Dickinson, if
he was in the portal, which by the way, he's coming back to
college. But again, Nord chado Mere and Cooper Flag. You were you
were instantly becoming a better team by adding Nord chado Mere than you are by
adding Cooper Flag. But I think you'd see a fan base celebrate more.
They'd celebrate both, let's be real, but they'd celebrate more if it's Cooper
Flag because of the hype that comes with that, right, like future NBA
star. He's been on the cover of you know, Slam magazine, Sports
Illustrated like and again, maybe he's not the best example to use because he's
you know, he's believed to be maybe one of the next great players of
all time. You know, nobody knows that for sure. But I just
you know, I wonder if in four years that's different. And I get
it because again, it's the it's the intrigue of the unknown these guys.
I mean, if you're a top five player in America out of high school,
you know, the last two years of your prep career in high school,
you are you're a You're a you're a hype machine. Like there's so
much hype about you, Like everybody wants you. It's it's it's it's it's
a huge deal. You know, everybody like, it's very transparent your recruiting
process, right, Like you got four hats on the table, you're picking
from Duke, Kentucky, Kansas, and Carolina. And I think that build
up, that process of knowing this guy's been available for two years and everybody
wants him, and then you get them. It's the ultimate celebration with the
portal. These dudes hit the portalunexpectedly and we know they're in college looking to
transfer because they're not going to the NBA. And I guess, I guess
that's you know, that's got to be why there's just not as much sizzle
there because you know, if you get one of John L. Davis FAU.
I mean, I bet casual college basketball fans don't even know who John
L. Davis is, but he's the number one player in the portal according
to a lot of people. All right, quick break, we'll come back
on the other side of wrap it up. I do want to end the
show with a couple of updates on where some former Louisville players have ended up
to in the last couple of days, have made their decision, and I
think I've talked about it a little bit earlier, but there's like three dudes
in the last twenty four hours that have hit the portal. That will be
if you know, we'll be in the top ten probably in these portal rankings
when they're updated. So stick around. We got another segment to go right
here on Sports Talk seven ninety so I believe it was yesterday. Caleb Glenn
lluill of a native former Louisville Cardinal, he decided to go to f AU
and finished his career. Well, I guess, you know, maybe he
won't finish his career, maybe he'll transfer again because you can do that now.
But I wish him nothing but the best. You know, it's a
guy that was a four star recruit, had a lot of options coming out
of UH, out of high school and committed to Louisville during the UH or
during the the Chris mack era and and maintained his commitment and you know,
showed some signs uh at as during this past season UH as a freshman.
But you know, obviously the team just you know, wasn't good. So
wish him nothing of the best. Also, Dennis Evans is going to go
to Grand Canyon, which is surprising to me. I I'm curious to see
how that plays out for Dennis. You know, I don't know a lot
about his medical situation that led to him not being able to play, but
you know, he's a guy that I think has a lot of upside.
You know, obviously he's got to you know, he's got to grow into
his body a little bit and has such a rare frame. But I I
really think he could have been a special player here under you know, a
different staff, that kind of stuff, and of course, you know,
with better luck on his side, meaning health. All right, So some
breaking news here as we roll along. We've got Liam mcneely's picked a school.
He's going to Yukon, so he was, outside of Jaden Quayton's the
best available player left in the freshman incoming freshman class, so he's picked Yukon.
Was formally committed to Indiana and also uh DJ Wagner is visiting Southern cal
so maybe that's where he ends up at USC playing for Eric Musselman. I
always wonder why Liam McNeely decommitted from Indiana in the first place, And I
don't think see there's not like any rumbling out there about it, Like I
just you know, I've never heard anything after the initial thought was that he
was just going to decommit and then a few days later maybe commit to Kansas.
Obviously that never happened. Yeah, and I feel like if Dan Hurley
would have been involved sooner, it would have happened quicker. So I don't
think he knew he was going to Yukon by any means. Yeah, And
you know, I also I also wonder if maybe maybe Kansas realized, look,
we we've got a good freshman class coming in, and we're going to
use our money in our spots for veterans because that's now the way to go,
you know. I mean, he's a good he's a good freshman.
But yeah, that was wild and were some people acting like people were pulling
in ile money and that's why Liam McNeely was leaving because Woodson wasn't within that
was that was like the final and I guess maybe not the final domino,
the biggest domino to fall whenever people were super upset about Mike Woodson towards the
end of the season, and that could have been something that people just made
up, right, Oh yeah, absolutely, no way to know. All
right, So I mentioned nor Chadom being a guy that hit the portal yesterday,
and no doubt he's going to be one of the top ranked players available.
Kadari Richmond at Seaton Hall that did not get a lot of attention,
but he will be a top five, top ten guy, a really productive
player. Was an elite recruit for Seaton Hall, and you know, nobody
really cares, but they won the n I T and he was a big
part of that, him and Drey Davis, former Louisville player. So it
sounds like Saint John's may have already like gotten it done before he hit the
portal. And but anybody, I mean, any school that would get Kidari
Richmond would be getting a really really good player. And then hoguard the transfer
from Michigan's date earlier today hit the portal, which I gotta be honest with
you, I know a lot about it. I mean, I know he
was a key guy for Michigan State, but you know, yeah, I
get you know, he played played a lot and was a key guy for
them. You know, but for some reason I remember him being a bigger
scorer. But ten points a game, five sists, So you know,
a good point guard available, and uh, I'm sure he'll have a lot
of interests. But one thing John and I were talking about earlier. I
know we're out of time, but you go look at all these rankings for
guys that have hit the portal, regardless if they found a school or not.
You know, you can find CBS Sports twenty for seven, Sports on
three the athletic. They're all way different, which I get it, like
it's you know, really it's just down to someone else's opinion, right,
just non average. Yeah, there's no consensus to pull from to put yours
together. You're kind of just going from scratch. When you put it together,
I think, all right, we're out of time. Enjoy your weekend.
We're back at it on Monday, right here on Sports Talk seven ninety