Round Table: How does Bagley's decision change the sport's landscape?
If you think Marvin Bagley's decision to attend Duke and reclassify isn't a Kentucky topic, think again. Here's a player who was linked to Kentucky for some time, and even if his choice wasn't a surprise it will certainly impact a sport where the Cats are always striving for their next championship.
The Cats Illustrated staff goes to the Round Table to discuss the significance of Bagley to Duke and what it should mean for expectations in college basketball in the 2017-18 season.
How much does Bagley to Duke (and reclassification) change how you view the college basketball landscape this season?
T.J. Walker, Basketball Recruiting Analyst: Bagley picking Duke makes the Blue Devils the preseason favorite to win the national championship for the second consecutive season. Duke will have the most talented starting five and Bagley is the answer to a major question mark at Duke. Last year the Blue Devils choked in the tournament in large part because of their frontcourt. Duke added Wendell Carter, one of the best players in 2017, but Carter by himself wouldn't fix all of Duke's problems. Now that you add Bagley to go with Carter Duke has the best frontcourt in the nation. A weakness turned into a strength overnight.
But I think Duke had more talent last season and the games aren't just played on paper. Arizona's starting five is just behind Duke's, and UK isn't too far behind either. Kentucky does have better depth than both Arizona and Duke, so the Wildcats will be a contender once again.
Jeff Drummond, Managing Editor: Marvin Bagley taking his considerable skills to Duke probably makes the Blue Devils the team to beat in 2017-18, much to the chagrin of almost every other college basketball fanatic. The implications are big for Kentucky, which figures to be in the Final Four contender discussion but has its work cut out for it due to owning one of the most inexperienced rosters in NCAA history. Make no mistake: John Calipari's job just got much harder, and it comes at a time when some pockets of Big Blue Nation are starting to get a bit uneasy about when the Cats will cut down the nets again. Had Coach Cal finished off an undefeated run for a championship in 2015, there would absolutely no pressure for the foreseeable future. But with Duke stealing that one and Coach K now starting to reel in No. 1 overall prospects with regularity, it feels a bit different now.
Justin Rowland, Publisher: I do agree with my colleagues that, on paper, Duke has the team most suited to make a run in 2017-18. A lot of people will point to last year as evidence that the hype train is already out of control, and I agree with that to an extent. Last year was a good reminder that no team, regardless of how much talent is on it, is immune to the possibility of derailment. Injuries, chemistry issues, personal (and personnel) struggles ... it's all part of the game. Nonetheless, that doesn't change the amount of talent that's in Durham. I do think it's wise to remember that you almost always take the field. That's not a hot take, it's just reality. Before the season starts, Duke still faces long odds to win a championship because this is a sport with a lot of variables. And I'm not quite as enamored with freshman-dominated (or largely dominated) superteams and I was at the start of the phenomenon, because both Kentucky and Duke are proof that immense talent guarantees you some measure of success, usually, but last year's Duke team and Kentucky's 2013-14 team (before the tournament run) do prove that talent only guarantees so much.
I have no clue whether Kentucky and Duke will square off, and frankly I don't know what to expect from the Cats at all this year, but at the very least they would still have enough length, athleticism and versatility to play competitively, one would think. And Calipari's teams usually rise to the occasion when they face other stacked teams.