UK Roster Renovation & Reconstruction

The Herald-Leader published in this morning's (3/31/2009) online edition a link to an article that ESPN Senior Writer, Andy Katz, wrote at this time a year ago when Memphis was slated to play in the National Championship Game. A particular statement in that article stands out with particular relevance now that John Calipari appears to be the next UK coach, "(Calipari) admitted that he recruits players who fit his school. If he were at Stanford, he would recruit players who could be successful at Stanford. But he's not, so he recruits to Memphis -- the same way he recruited to Massachusetts -- by finding players who can succeed at that particular school."

Certainly, UK players fit a certain mold. One does not see UK players wearing headbands or protraying any kind of gangly look out on the court. Regardless of the quality of UK's won-loss record, the program rarely garners a "thug-like" image by how it plays, how its players look or even by how they behave off the court. Furthermore, the UK roster is going to need to undergo major renovation and reconstruction. One of my biggest criticisms of Billy Gillispie would be that he simply had too many players on his team. There were 16 young men who got in a game for UK last year -- three others were redshirted. With only one senior, Jared Carter, UK has 15 returning players and three more waiting in the wings and we are not even yet talking about Daniel Orton, Jon Hood or G.J. Vilarino.

Should Calipari do what everyone now expects and "sign a contract" to come and become the 21st coach of the "greatest tradition in the history of college basketball," ESPN reports that he will likely be able to bring the top three high school players in the nation, according to rivals.com, to Lexington with him (John Wall, DeMarcus Cousin and Xavier Henry). That would escalate the roster to 24 players! The NCAA allows only 13 scholarships for basketball. Now, what UK fan does not want winning basketball? However, does loyalty mean anything? There are guys who have shown a commitment to this program by enduring the rumored harsh mind games of Gillispie. Can UK potentially bring in better players? Yes. Should they? Now that is another question. Whatever happens, one should expect massive defections to occur whoever comes in to take the helm -- few coaches would want even 18 players on their roster.

As for all the recruits from whom Gillispie received verbal commitments. The new coach will have to evaluate those scenarios one-by-one and reserves the right to revoke if he feels that is the right thing to do, but for guys who are already here, that is a different matter. It is easy to overlook the human element in things when it comes to producing winning basketball. These young men have aspirations, they have a mom and a dad and a great opportunity to play at UK before them. Are they less deserving than a blue-chip recruit that could come? College athletics is a business, no doubt about that, but where is the line?