This week the Kentucky basketball program announced the addition of K.T. Turner to the coaching staff. He joins a staff that includes assistant coaches Orlando Antigua and Chin Coleman as the other two assistants.

Turner fills the position that was left vacant when Jai Lucas left Kentucky to join the Duke program weeks ago.

Here are takes from Cats Illustrated staff members on what the addition means for the program.

Travis Graf: When Cats Illustrated broke the news on the K.T. Turner hiring, the addition was met with completely positive vibes by heavy hitters in the grassroots basketball industry. Turner is known for his charisma and ability to connect with kids, as well as his ability to develop talent. He should become an even more well-rounded coach in all aspects as he enters the Kentucky basketball program. On the recruiting side of things, he mends bridges to grassroots programs that weren’t necessarily in good standing with Kentucky. He’ll be a valuable asset to John Calipari’s staff.

Jeff Drummond: I defer to Travis and David for more specific insight into K.T. Turner as a coach and recruiter, but you have to like his extensive background and ties to the Texas basketball scene. The Lone Star state has been producing an impressive amount of hoops talent in recent years, and it's a place where Kentucky should probably be more active in recruiting than it has been. With A&M currently in the SEC and Texas soon to join the fray, UK could become even more attractive to some of those players.

Justin Rowland: Sometimes it's tough to know exactly what a program is getting with an assistant coach, but I love the fact that some really good and smart basketball coaches have wanted Turner in their program. Four years as associate head coach at SMU, on staff at Texas, Oklahoma, and Wichita State. Given his ties in Texas, he makes for a very logical replacement for Jai Lucas. Time will tell if he will be that kind of recruiter, but I love the development credentials. Calipari has at times made some assistant hires that I thought were questionable, before the current iteration of the staff, but I wouldn't put this in that camp. It looks like a solid addition. This is not a guy who has bounced around with a lot of mixed results. He seems like a coveted coach.