Round table: How significant is UK's lack of experience going into 2017-18?
The Cats Illustrated preseason basketball round table presses on and today's question is in regard to a question everyone will be talking about all season long.
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John Calipari is used to coaching young teams but this is youth on another level. How concerning is Kentucky's overall youthfulness and nearly unprecedented lack of older, experienced leadership?
T.J. Walker, Basketball Recruiting Analyst: It's incredibly concerning. It's obvious that it matters for Kentucky. When the Cats have some experience they play better in the regular season. There hasn't been a significant correlation between young UK teams versus experienced teams in March, but seeding is important and UK's lack of experience could result in Kentucky missing a top three seed. If you're a four or a five seed in the tournament it obviously makes for a tougher road.
Jeff Drummond, Managing Editor: It's a huge concern. Even with his previous young teams, there was always a couple of guys to lean on. I don't think you can really throw Wenyen Gabriel or Tai Wynyard into that category. There have been a lot of hints from Cal that he needs Diallo to grow up fast and lead this team. That's asking a lot for a guy who's only been here six months longer than the other guys and has still yet to play a game.
Justin Rowland, Publisher: I think it depends on the opponent for starters. Against a team like Missouri, which also be freshman dominated, I don't think it will matter. I don't think it will matter in several of the early season games because the overall talent gap will be so large, Kentucky will survive or thrive in spite of a lack of experience. But against the more experienced, quality teams on the schedule, particularly once road play in the SEC starters, yes, I would expect the youth will show up and cause some growing pains. Kentucky often goes through a stretch halfway through the SEC schedule or so when things don't look pretty and with this very young team I don't suspect this year will be the exception.
We learned in 2013-14 that an extremely young team can take lumps throughout the year and still get it together in time to make a run, but it's also hard to overstate the significance returning talent has made for Kentucky. Last year Dominique Hawkins, Derek Willis and even Mychal Mulder were crucial contributors in some moments. This team will have to gut it out with guys who haven't been through the fire, and Wenyen Gabriel becomes that much more important.