10 Reasons Why Kentucky Will Contend For The Championship

If Gillispie was still here, then we wouldn't be in the top 25, let alone have the best recruiting class in the nation for 2009. If Meeks comes back, he and Patterson will be the best one-two punch in the nation.

Calipari is going to make Kentucky a winning team again, like he did with his other successful jobs. In this slide show you are going to get 10 good reasons why Kentucky will win the National Title.

Jodie Meeks

If Meeks comes back, then we will have one of the best back courts in the nation because of John Wall (who I will talk about later) and the other guard, Eric Bledsoe.

Don't expect 24 points a game from Meeks, but do expect a better all-around game from him. He is a relentless defender who seemingly never runs out of energy, a terrific shooter from just about any spot, and a decent dribbler (he needs to work on taking care of the ball while driving).

Ed note: Meeks declared himself eligible for the draft Mon, June 15.

Patrick Patterson

Okay, Almost everybody knows about how good Patrick Patterson really is. The only thing that's questionable about his game is his shooting. Since Calipari has a different type of offense and a better front court, Patterson can work on his jump shot and actually play his normal position at the four spot.

Expect almost the same numbers as last season, but maybe his points and rebounds might drop a bit.

De'Marcus Cousins

The most highly acclaimed recruit for Calipari so far this year, Cousins will deliver as soon as he starts playing.

The 6'9 260 pound center is already a great shot blocker, and many players will be rattled by his presence (I don't blame them). He is also a high-flyer that can lead a fast break, a good scorer who has the ability to hit a wide open three, and pretty fast for his size (which will cause problems for bigger, slower centers).

John Wall

Wall is another freshman that Calipari recruited that is expected to do big things.

The 6'3 180 pound point guard is expected to start due to Kentucky's lack of a true point guard. He is excellent when it comes to taking it inside, and hardly anyone can stop him. He is a good passer and rebounder for a point guard, but he needs to work on his outside shooting and his decision making a little bit.

Eric Bledsoe

Eric Bledsoe is ranked as the fifth best point guard in this year's recruiting class. He is a pass-first point guard that has the ability to create plays. He also has great instincts at his position. He has pretty good speed because of his 6'0 185 pound frame.

The main things he needs to work on are being a aggressive scorer and his perimeter shot. Overall, He is a good player. Expect him to share time with John Wall for the point.

Daniel Orton

Daniel Orton is ranked as the fourth best center in this year's 2009 class.

Originally, he was a Billy Gillispie recruit, and when Kentucky fired Gillispie and introduced Calipari as the new head coach everybody thought Orton was gone. He decided to stay though.

His defensive presence is incredible because of his 6'9 260 pound frame. He is a tremendous shot blocker, and has unbelievable strength. Expect him to share time with De'Marcus Cousins at center.

Perry

The reason why Perry Stevenson got his nickname "Swat" is because he is a very good shot blocker.

He has a wiry frame, coming in at 6'9 and 207 pounds. He has very good athleticism, and pretty good jumping ability. He is pretty fast for a power forward.

One weakness is that he really doesn't have good hands for catching, so he needs to work on that, but he is a perfect player to give Patterson rest coming off the bench.

Darius Miller

Darius Miller is a very good small forward. He was shaky at first as a freshman, but through the last 10 games of the season, Miller proved that he is a big offensive threat to other teams.

Miller has excellent size for his position at 6'7 and 223 pounds. He has the ability to become a great college player if he sets his mind to it. The only things that are questionable for Miller are his decision making and his perimeter shot. Still, expect him to start this season at small forward.

De'Andre Liggins

De'Andre Liggins didn't do what people expected him to, but he did prove that he could score when they needed him to.

As a freshman last year Liggins shared the point guard role with Michael Porter. At 6'6 and 202 pounds Liggins towered over the smaller guards. He is quick for his size, but for some reason he could never finish.

He is a decent shooter, but he is mostly known for his hard defense. Expect him to come off the bench to play the two guard positions.

John Calipari

Known for his successful trips in Massachusetts with Marcus Camby, and in Memphis with Derrick Rose. He hopes to do the same for Kentucky.

In his first nine seasons at Memphis he won 253 games and posted nine consecutive 20 win seasons. Two years ago he and Derrick Rose led the Tigers to the National Title game, winning an NCAA record 38 games in one season.

Hopefully, with his Dribble-Drive motion offense, he could lead Kentucky to their first National Title appearance since 1998.

That's it, I hoped you enjoyed it.