How Darnell Dodson's Departure Affects The Kentucky Wildcats

Darnell Dodson made headlines for all the wrongs reasons yesterday after John Calipari posted the following comment on his Facebook page:

"Practice is underway as we prepare for our Canada trip & I'm pleased with the energy everyone brought. I do want to let you all know that junior Darnell Dodson will not be playing for UK this season. If Darnell, who is academically eligible, decides to return, he could practice with the team if he meets our standards."

It appears that Darnell Dodson may be the sixth one-and-done player from Kentucky's 2009 recruiting class, though his destination certainly isn't the NBA.  The big question is now:  what effect will Darnell's departure have on the 2010 Kentucky Wildcats?  Let's take a look.

How Darnell's Departure Hurts the Team

The negative effect caused by the loss of Darnell Dodson is obvious:  it makes an already thin roster even thinner.  Kentucky is now left with 10 scholarship players and freshman walk-on Jarrod Polson.  In comparison, Kentucky had 13 scholarship players on roster last season.

Fewer players on the roster translates into less flexibility.  The starters will have to play more minutes, making them more vulnerable to fatigue.  Also, the Wildcats could find themselves in big trouble if a player were to go down with an injury.  And even if Kentucky manages to avoid the injury bug, Calipari will still have some major improvisation to do if foul trouble becomes a habit.

The loss of Dodson also means a loss in experience for the Kentucky roster.  This may sound a bit strange considering the fact that Dodson played at Kentucky for only one season, but this is what makes the Wildcats' situation so unique.  Calipari will have seven first-year players on his roster this year, and of the four remaining players, only three have logged any significant minutes thus far in their careers.  Had Dodson remained on the team, he would have looked like a grizzled veteran in comparison, having played a year in junior college and a year at UK.

How Darnell's Departure Helps the Team

Despite Darnell's untimely disappearance, all is not doom and gloom in Wildcat Country.  Dodson's departure may actually prove to be an addition by subtraction.

Although he averaged 14.5 minutes per game, Darnell's actual contributions on the court were limited.  Coming out of junior college, Dodson was billed as a premier shooter and fans hoped that he would provide something that the rest of the roster could not:  consistent outside shooting.  Yet, Darnell was anything but consistent.  His field goal percentage of 33.9% ranked him second-to-last on the team and among the worst in the Southeastern Conference.

His poor shooting percentage was only compounded by the affinity he had for taking shots.  Despite being primarily a bench player, he managed to lead the team in three-point attempts per game and more shockingly, he lead the SEC in three-point attempts per minute.  With Darnell no longer in the picture, the young Wildcats could be wiser in their shot selections and turn what was a team weakness into a team strength.

The Verdict

When a player takes as many shots as Darnell, and converts them at such a low percentage, they become a liability to the team.  This is especially discouraging when the liability is a result of the player's biggest supposed strength.  Darnell was already known as a lackluster defender, rebounder, and ball handler, but with the addition of his poor shooting, it is difficult to label him as anything other than a bad player.

It's clear that Darnell Dodson's production on the court will not be sorely missed.  Yet, his departure does raise concerns about the Wildcats' depth, or lack thereof, in the upcoming season.  Coach Calipari is going to find himself relying heavily on his first year players to post big minutes, meanwhile Big Blue Nation will be holding its collective breath that no major injuries derail its national title dreams.