In this edition of Cats Illustrated's "Three-Point Arc," we take a closer look at some of the lasting impressions from Kentucky's open practice session as the Wildcats prepare for their Bahamas exhibition trip.
1. CAL HAS A COMPLETE ROSTER
Kentucky has always featured talented teams since John Calipari arrived in Lexington prior to the 2009-10 season. Some have been wildly talented, others mildly talented. But they all featured rosters that 95 percent of the college basketball world would covet. This year will be no different. The Wildcats should be in the conversation as one of the NCAA's top teams.
While it's way too early to know how good UK will ultimately be, perhaps the biggest takeaway from seeing the Cats practice is that Calipari is working with one of his most complete rosters during his tenure. There are no glaring weaknesses at this time.
The Cats are deep in both the backcourt and the frontcourt, thanks in large part to adding graduate transfer Reid Travis from Stanford at power forward, the final piece of what could be a championship puzzle.
They have physicality in the form of Travis, PJ Washington and Nick Richards. They have speed and quickness with the signing of elite guards Immanuel Quickley and Ashton Hagans. They have shooters with the addition of highly regarded wing prospects Keldon Johnson and Tyler Herro to go along with a sophomore Quade Green. And perhaps most importantly, they have some experience with the return of Green, Washington and Richards as well as Travis, an All-Pac-12 performer.
Kentucky should be really balanced and has a chance to be very good (or great) at both ends of the floor. The only minor question I have is whether UK will have that classic rim protector that all of Calipari's best teams have featured. I think 7-footer Richards could provide some of that presence with more development and confidence in Year 2, and I could see five-star signee EJ Montgomery being a defensive factor with his impressive length.
2. SOPHOMORES! SOPHOMORES! SOPHOMORES!
Kentucky finally managed to buck the trend of a mass one-and-done exodus from last season, bringing combo guard Quade Green, power forward PJ Washington and center Nick Richards back as sophomores.
If Wednesday was any indication, it could pay huge dividends for the Cats.
Physically, Green looks like a different player. He's transformed his body, become leaner and stronger, and looks to be a step quicker for it. The Philly native also appears to have Calipari's trust as a potential leader. Several times during the workout, the UK boss stopped a drill and asked Green to explain to his younger teammates why it went wrong. That's a luxury that many teams have not had during the Calipari era.
Richards also looks like a different player, although not in a physical sense. His body language has definitely changed. You can tell his confidence is growing. Calipari said prior to practice that this is the best he's ever been. Remember, the big man is still relatively early in his basketball development. Not all players are on the same schedule. A big thing I wanted to see Wednesday is if he was tougher with the ball, grabbing it more securely on post-entry passes and rebounds. He was.
Lastly, in our interview session prior to practice, one could sense that Washington was more sure of himself and comfortable with his decision to return to Lexington. I think you'll see him in more of a vocal leadership role this season to go along with his impressive physical tools. The opportunity for him to battle on a daily basis with a guy like Travis -- and vice versa -- will be invaluable. Those two are really going to make each other better.
Coaches have always maintained that players typically make the biggest jump in their career between their freshman and sophomore seasons. If that holds true for Kentucky this season, it bodes extremely well for the Cats.
3. RETURN OF THE BLUE & WHITE PLATOONS?
It would not surprise me too much if Calipari utilizes platoons for the Bahamas trip, if nothing more than to have a set rotation and get all the guys quality minutes without having to micromanage the exhibition games. He has even suggested he may not coach during the trip, delegating that to his assistants while he merely observes.
One of the things that stood out to me during the practice is there didn't seem to be a great drop off from one guy to the next at each position. You could make a case for several different lineup combinations.
On Wednesday, we saw Quade Green, Keldon Johnson, Tyler Herro, PJ Washington and EJ Montgomery on the Blue squad. The White squad featured Ashton Hagans, Immanuel Quickley, Brad Calipari, Reid Travis and Nick Richards. John Calipari said he has been mixing up the combos since practice started to get a look at how different guys play together.
I would suggest the Cats are one player away from being able to legitimately experiment with platoons again this season. As of now, that player could be redshirt freshman guard Jemarl Baker, who has missed a handful of recent practices with swelling in a knee. If he can come back healthy, UK could have 10 clear guys with a chance to earn regular minutes. I would not write off Brad Calipari, either, who did not look out of place and knocked down a number of 3-pointers during Wednesday's practice.
After the 2015 season, Calipari said he thought rivals were using the platoon system against UK on the recruiting trail, so he may be a little hesitant to revisit the concept. But if he's ever going to try it again, this might be the team to pull it off.
