Kentucky Wildcats: Picking an NBA All-Star Team of Former Players
Perhaps the most storied program in college basketball history, the Kentucky Wildcats also boast one of the more exciting groups of players currently in the NBA. And considering the recruiting prowess of John Calipari, that doesn't look to change anytime soon.
But with all eyes turning toward the upcoming NBA Draft, I thought it would be appropriate to look back a little at some of the Wildcats that have already made the leap to the league.
If you were picking an all-star team consisting solely of former Kentucky Wildcats, who would you choose? Rondo or Wall at the point? Do Keith Bogans or Tayshaun Prince make the cut against the younger kids? Where do you find a power forward?
To be honest, with the talent lull that occurred at Kentucky from about 2004-2009 it was tough to find many guys in their primes right now. There were a lot of veterans who have seen better days and a lot of guys just now starting their careers. And while I like the team I was able to field now, I love the team I will have on the floor in about 3-4 years.
So, without further ado, here are you 2011 Kentucky Wildcat/NBA All-Stars.
Point Guard: Rajon Rondo
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It's hard when you have to overlook a number one draft pick for your team's point guard, but that is what you have to do when choosing the all-star team made up solely of former Kentucky players.
John Wall has gotten off to a great start in his career, but he's not ready to take the point guard spot over Rajon Rondo.
Rondo might not have entered the league with the accolades of Wall, but his career thus far has been nothing short of phenomenal. Rondo has been an all-star selection, has won an NBA title, has taken the reins as the floor leader of the most famous and successful franchise in NBA history and has become one of the best defensive players in the league.
Rondo and Wall had close numbers this year and it might be a wash statistically, but Rondo's experience as a floor general gives him the starting nod at the point guard spot. Wall will probably overtake him soon, but not quite yet.
Shooting Guard: John Wall
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You didn't think I could leave Wall off completely, did you? Of course not.
While Wall is anything but a shooting guard, he's simply too talented to leave off of this all-star team. And if it weren't for Blake Griffin getting hurt and missing his true rookie year, we would be talking about the current rookie of the year in John Wall.
Last year's number one draft pick, Wall more than lived up to the hype. He took over the Wizards franchise and gave hope to their fans that the days of being a laughingstock may soon be over.
Averaging 16 points, 8 assists and nearly 5 rebounds per game, Wall had a fantastic year and gets the nod over his closest competition, Keith Bogans, for the Kentucky shooting guard spot due to his versatility on the court.
Jodie Meeks was also a possibility, but Wall is simply too good not to have in the first five. Plus, with Rondo's defensive prowess at the point guard spot, this would be one of the most devastating defensive backcourts of any alumni all-star team that anyone could field.
Small Forward: Tayshaun Prince
3 of 5Did I mention defense already? Yep, my Kentucky all-star team is going to be very difficult to score on.
Since entering the league, Tayshaun Prince has been one of the best wing defenders in the NBA.
When the Pistons won the title in 2004, Prince's defense on Kobe Bryant was widely praised as one of the biggest reasons they were able to upset the Lakers. Yeah, Kobe still got his numbers, but he had to take way too many shots to do so.
And did you see that block on Reggie Miller from the 2004 Eastern Conference Finals? Amazing effort and ability.
While not an offensive star, Prince is a capable scorer with a soft touch from long range, and he has a deceptively good post game enhanced by his unbelievable length. While he struggles for positioning at times in the post, once he gets there and gets the ball, he has a deadly baby hook that is almost impossible to block.
Prince was a member of the 2008 gold medal winning Olympic team, was named to the Detroit Pistons All-Time team and has been a four time all-defensive selection.
Power Forward: Patrick Patterson
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Perhaps his numbers don't look that great just yet, but if you spent any time watching the Rockets play in the second half of the season, you saw that Patrick Patterson was a burgeoning star down in Houston.
So while this may be more of a projection pick, I still felt comfortable selecting Patterson over his teammate Chuck Hayes for the power forward spot.
Patterson has excellent strength and size down in the post, but he also has very good touch on his jump shot for a big guy, out to about 20 feet. And with an extremely good work ethic and a great basketball IQ, I see plenty of good things coming in the next several seasons for Patterson.
While not a great leaper, Patterson is a very good positional defender and is fundamentally sound on that end of the floor. Expect double figure scoring next season and somewhere around 7-8 rebounds per game for the big fella.
Center: DeMarcus Cousins
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DeMarcus Cousins was an absolute beast in his rookie season, and an easy selection as the center for the Kentucky all-star team. Averaging 14 points, almost 9 rebounds, and over 2 assists per game, Cousins was third in Rookie of the Year voting behind only John Wall and Blake Griffin.
Cousins has the perfect blend of size and athleticism for today's NBA. He's big and strong enough to physically dominate most players, but much more athletic than anyone else his size in the league. And while he uses his brute force to get tons of points in the paint, Cousins already has one the best looking shots of any big man in the league.
Cousins needs to improve his defense a bit, but not anything out of the ordinary for most rookies. He has the physical tools—with more maturity and work he should be fine in a few years.
Cousins should be a future all-star, but he's definitely an all-star when it comes to former Kentucky players.
