Some Kentucky basketball teams are better remembered than others.
Rupp's Runts, the Comeback Cats, the Unforgettables, the Untouchables - if you get a nickname, chances are the season was a good one.
There was Team Turmoil, that team knocked out by Luke Maye, "38-1", and Anthony Davis' squad.
But what will the 2018-19 Wildcats be remembered for?
That's what Cats Illustrated staff members are discussing here.
Jeff Drummond: It was an odd season when you think about it. I'll always think of it in terms of Part I and Part II. You'll never forget the opener because that just doesn't happen to Kentucky. It broke this team for a few weeks and its fan base for probably two or three months. To recover from that kind of beating and get on the roll that included wins over rivals North Carolina and Louisville and a victory over Tennessee when the Vols came to town ranked No. 1 will be a lasting memory. Calipari got a group of guys who couldn't guard a fire hydrant in November to be one of the best defensive clubs in America by the end of the season. It taught everyone that patience is always required with a freshman-dominated roster.
David Sisk: I will remember how good P.J. Washington was. John Calipari expected him to be the best player in the country, and there were times he played like it and other times not. But by the time we got in post season and he was healthy, he was on a different level.
Travis Graf: The main thing I’ll remember for this season was what could’ve been if everyone clicked at once. Washington’s second half of the year transformation was phenomenal while he struggled early on. What was this team’s ceiling if you combined second semester PJ, second semester Tyler Herro, early season Keldon Johnson, December through January Ashton Hagans with Reid Travis’ consistent effort? The team never seemed to be clicking all at once. When one player’s play would rise, another’s would fall.
Justin Rowland: The things that I will remember include the incredible hype about this team coming out of the Bahamas, shocking margin of the loss to Duke, PJ Washington's transformation into one of the nation's best players, the impact of grad transfer Reid Travis, the blowout win against No. 1 Tennessee, but also the fact that this team didn't win the SEC regular season or tournament title and came up just short of what a lot of people expected.
If I had to be succinct, I would say that I'll remember this team as good but not great, yet a reminder that John Calipari can put a contender on the court even without a recruit that is ranked among the best of the best.
