Kentucky Basketball: Previewing Each Player

Kentucky basketball this season will be impressive to say the least.

2011 will feature Kentucky’s third straight No. 1 recruiting class, one of the top players in the country, and, surprisingly for Coach John Calipari, very talented returning players.

Wednesday night, the team hosted the blue-white scrimmage to give fans their first taste of the team. (No, Big Blue Madness doesn’t count. That was an introduction and glorified dunk contest. Although women’s coach Matthew Mitchell did put on quite the show.) Players were able to assert themselves and the team had its first chance to show how special they can be.

Could this be the season Wildcat fans have been waiting for? Is it finally time for championship banner No. 8?

Here is the first look at the Kentucky Wildcats roster.

Darius Miller

Darius Miller has been poised for a breakout season since his freshman campaign four years ago. He is the lone four-year senior on the roster and plays with the poise of a seasoned veteran.

Last season, Miller impressed many with his newfound aggressiveness and strength, but still was prone to stepping aside for more assertive freshman. This season, the hope is that he has finally found his role as a leader and will show off his impressive skill set.

Miller is one of the best three-point shooters on the team and is capable of going off for five or six in a game. In the scrimmage, he hit three in a row, some from NBA land. 

One understated skill Miller has is an ability to drive and pull up in the lane either for a jumper or a teardrop. He hits that shot at a very high rate considering the degree of difficulty. The pull up has almost become his go-to move.

Miller is the type of guy that can fill a stat sheet. He rebounds quite well for a guard and sees the open man. As I say every season, if he can just get a bit more aggressive, he could be a great player. He made vast improvements on that front last year, so here’s hoping he has come even further since then.

Terrence Jones

Terrence Jones has proved himself to be far and away the best player on the court. He seems to have really matured from an up and down season his freshman year.

Last year, Jones hoisted up much more than his fair share of threes, seemed more eager to complain than play basketball, and disappeared down the stretch. All that and he was still UK’s second leading scorer, leading rebounder and was named SEC Freshman of the Week five times. Imagine what he could do when he sets his mind to it.

Jones is more committed to the game this season. In the scrimmage, he repeatedly drove the ball with confidence, something he rarely, if ever, did last season. The spot up threes that used to take about five minutes to develop and another two or three to shoot have almost disappeared from his arsenal.

Jones is more willing to post up and drive to the basket, where he excels. He finished his layups and was assertive with the ball. In the past, he took too long deciding what move to make. Now, Jones is confident and much smoother. In the scrimmage, he scored 52 points, more than 20 points more than the next leading scorer. Look for Jones to become a household name in 2011.

Doron Lamb

With Brandon Knight having departed for the NBA, Doron Lamb should excel as a quick guard with a great shot. Last season, Lamb and Knight had similar strengths and, although Lamb certainly found his moments to shine, he was also capable of being slightly overshadowed by Knight.

Lamb’s role on this year’s team will be to shoot with accuracy and drive the ball when he has an opening. He didn’t take the ball to the basket as much last year, but with Terrence Jones and Anthony Davis both capable of demanding double teams, Lamb should be able to find open lanes.

Jarrod Polson

I can’t help it. I love Jarrod Polson. JP5, as I have dubbed him, plays as hard as he can every time he steps on the floor. He is a fan favorite, having grown up in Kentucky and attended a local high school. Very few are expecting it, but Polson could do more this season than just warm the bench.

Despite their immense talent, Kentucky is thin at the point guard spot. Transfer Twany Beckham cannot play until January, meaning that Doron Lamb is the likely backup point guard for Marquis Teague. That’s where Polson comes in.

By no means will this kid play thirty minutes a night. He could, however, spell Teague for a few minutes before television timeouts and provide a spark if the team looks flat. For all the energy and drive this kid has, Kentucky owes it to him to let him play.

Stacey Poole, Jr. and Eloy Vargas

Both were unimpressive last season and rarely played. Unfortunately, the outlook doesn’t look much better for either player in 2011.

Stacey Poole, Jr. saw the fewest minutes of any player on the roster last season. He does not have the skill set on offense to compete with the blue chip talent Kentucky recruits every season. Furthermore, Poole is too tentative to play the gritty style of offense or defense that DeAndre Liggins mastered last season. With these limitations, it is hard to see him getting much game action. 

Eloy Vargas got important work with the Dominican National team over the summer. It seems to have helped a bit, but not enough. Vargas just does not have the court sense that good big men possess that allows them to predict where the block is going to come from and when to time their jumps. Vargas also cannot finish or hold onto the ball. He can jump up for rebounds, but almost certainly has the ball knocked out of his hands before he can go up with a shot. 

Twany Beckham and Ryan Harrow

These two transfer point guards are desperately needed right away, but will not be able to compete. Beckham will be available in January, but Harrow cannot play until 2012. 

Beckham will be a help to Marquis Teague and allow him to rest while keeping Doron Lamb comfortable as a two-guard. However, it is always questionable what adding a new player to the rotation will do for team chemistry.

Harrow seems to be more in the mold of a John Calipari point guard. He is quick, capable of passing, but also can drive to the basket if the opportunity presents itself. It will be interesting to see what Harrow’s role will be next season, especially after recruits start committing. 

Kyle Wiltjer

I was unsure what to expect from Kyle Wiltjer. I did not know if he was just going to be another slow, tall guy with a hook shot. After seeing him play in the scrimmage, though, it looks like Wiltjer can really play.

He got his hand on almost every offensive rebound and was active for the entire game. Unfortunately, he missed both of his hook shots, but he made up for it by hitting quite a few three-pointers. 

Wiltjer could be a great addition to this team because he will give defenses a different look and force them to play a more methodical player. He has a smooth game and can stretch defenses, which would open up the lane for drives or for Anthony Davis to post up. 

Marquis Teague

It has become a tradition for John Calipari coached teams to have an incredible point guard. The chain is pretty well-known now: Derrick Rose, Tyreke Evans, John Wall and Brandon Knight. Will Marquis Teague follow in their footsteps?

By all accounts, Teague is ready for the challenge. He looks to be more in the John Wall mold than Brandon Knight in that he looks to drive more often than not. In this respect Teague will be perfect for the dribble-drive offense, as he has no qualms about taking the ball to the basket. 

He might need to work on his passing and eye for the open man, but Calipari has experience in teaching these skills. None of his point guards have been particularly known for their passing ability. Teague appears ready to learn and Calipari can teach him.

Michael Kidd-Gilchrist

This kid will turn some heads. I’ve only seen him play twice, but he has been the most impressive freshman both times. He can drive and when he gets in the lane, he has the skill to make shots even with defenders surrounding him.

Kidd-Gilchrist is an aggressive player, but can also find his teammates. He had a number of nice passes in the scrimmage and seemed very capable of alternating between getting his teammates involved and asserting himself.

Kidd-Gilchrist also fits in well with the dribble-drive and is a great complementary player to Terrence Jones, Doron Lamb, Darius Miller and Anthony Davis. He provides the slashing, creating talent that opens up the inside and outside for the rest of the team’s playmakers.

Anthony Davis

Clearly the most hyped recruit, Anthony Davis will not disappoint. He is long, tall, and talented. Davis will provide a presence in the middle that Kentucky lacked last season.

You can see how his experience as a guard helps his game. His touch around the basket is great and he can dribble the ball in the open floor. Davis is also capable of playing away from the basket, which will be important as UK will probably face a lot of zone this season.

Any one of about eight players could start this season. Kentucky hardly has a weak link on their team. Could this be the season for championship number eight?