Kentucky Sports Radio

If you enjoy reading articles about the UK men’s basketball team, please visit my webpage at http://kybasketball.blogspot.com.  You can also now follow my webpage on Twitter- the race to 3,000 followers continues. My webpage has been around for several years and I update it several times per day so UK basketball fans have access to the best and most recent articles about the team.

Now, The Article Links-

Kyrie Irving and Michael Gilchrist have talked about playing at UK Together

C.J. Leslie is looking forward to getting on the UK campus and seeing what it’s all About

2011 recruit Wayne Blackshear receiving interest from UK

Jay Wright was approached by the Kentucky Wildcats back in March, according to multiple sources, and he respectfully Declined

Linebacker Tim Patterson of 3A state champion Louisville Central, a school where Kentucky has made serious recruiting inroads recently, tops the list. He’s joined by teammate and wide receiver Stephan Robinson, who checks in at No. 3.

Representing beautiful western Kentucky, Calloway County (a school I despise) running back Tyrrell Willis and Christian County (a school I do not have an opinion on) linebacker Malcolm McDuffen find themselves ranked 8th and 10th, respectively.

(Full list on Jody Demling’s blog)

Former Kentucky player and mythical legend Matt Pilgrim is set to visit Maryland this week according to the Baltimore Sun.  Pilgrim, who left a few weeks ago along with Kevin Galloway, has already talked with Oklahoma State and Memphis about a spot on their squads.  Last week, it was reported that Calipari and Memphis coach Josh Pastner were working on a transition of Pilgrim to Memphis.

Pilgrim will petition the NCAA to be eligible for next season since he sat out this year after comin’ straight outta Hampton.

Bio

Position: Power Forward (Could be athletic slasher or big man in DDM)
Height: 6′9″
Weight: 205 lbs
High School: Word of God Christian Academy (Raleigh, NC)
Rivals Ranking: #8 PF, #34 Overall
Scout Ranking: #3 PF, #13 Overall

Scouting Report

CJ has the athleticism and explosiveness that can make a big man a star. He likes to model his game after Kevin Garnett and, so far, he is doing a good job at it. CJ can knock down the perimeter shot or beat his man off the dribble. As he continues to grow, scouts would like to see him develop his post game more. Right now he doesn’t have the ability to put his back to the basket against big men and score consistently. If he can bring that part of his game up the level of the rest of his skills, he’d be the complete package. On the defensive end, his athleticism and large wing span will be his best friend but he needs to use these tools to his advantage more often. He has the talent to make some highlight reel blocks when his timing and effort are in full swing. One of the things that really impressed me with CJ’s performance at the NBA camp was the way that he is coming into his own as a team leader. CJ was very vocal on the court and begged his team to play at the top of their abilities. He is true competitor with all the talent one could ask for and that gives him a very high ceiling.

Recruiting Report

In 2007, CJ committed to play for Sidney Lowe and NC State. This spring, CJ reopened his recruitment, saying that he just felt like he didn’t take enough time to look at all his options. Since then, CJ has visited the campuses of North Carolina and Arizona State. When talking about some of the potential future visits he’ll take, he said, “Florida, Maryland, Kentucky definitely, Wake Forest definitely.” CJ has also said that all of the ACC schools, except for Duke, and Memphis were recruiting him. John Wall has been talking to him about Kentucky and CJ has commented about how much John has been enjoying his time in Lexington. In a recent interview with Kentucky Sports Report, CJ said that the visit with Kentucky is pretty much set except for an exact date. He is working on squeezing the visit somewhere into his busy AAU schedule. With Patrick Patterson and Demarcus Cousins almost certainly leaving after this season, CJ Leslie would be the perfect versatile big man to step in and play right away in Calipari’s offense.

You-Scout

Being on one of the most exciting basketball teams in the country, there are plenty of good CJ Leslie videos out there. Feel free to post some in the comments.

In this one he shows good hands, athleticism and the confidence that UK basketball has been missing:

Other recruiting notes:

- The new Scout and Rivals top 100 for 2010 were released today. I haven’t had the chance to completely go through them yet but my early impression is that Jelan Kendrick, whom I absolutely love, is a little bit overrated at the 4 spot for Rivals. Same for Fab Melo in the Scout rankings. Hard to argue with Scout having Harrison Barnes at the #1 spot, just like it is hard to argue with Rivals making Brandon Knight their #1.

- Sunday starts the Lebron James Skills Academy for me. That will be followed up by a day at the Adidas It Takes 5ive and a weekend at Eddie Ford’s Kentucky Hoopfest. Honestly, not just for my own ego, follow me on twitter because I hate getting the feeling that I’m not getting some of the breaking recruiting news or other happenings from these events out to you guys quick enough, but it is extremely hard to find the time to do a post for every thing that happens during the hectic tournaments and we don’t want KSR to be bogged down with 20 posts from these events. Have a great holiday weekend and be safe.

As the Big Blue Nation begins its trek into the 4th of July weekend and gets over the malaise of the Zahveeay Henry circus, we shouldnt forget the other news that has been happening. Specifically, this has been an interesting week in the Billy Clyde lawsuit shenanigans across the country. If you remember, Clyde originally filed his lawsuit in federal court in Texas, alleging that mean ol’ Kentucky came down to his simple life and coaxed him to Lexington, where bad things most certainly awaited. Kentucky then filed a different suit in Frankfort state court, asking for a ruling from the Court that it owed Gillispie nothing and he would like it.

The ball was advanced this week, as two things happened. First. UK filed its response in Texas and made a couple of interesting claims. First, it once again reiterated that it never had a contract with Billy Gillispie, and to prove that point, it suggested that an offer to Clyde had been made that was worth MORE than what was being paid to him under the MOU. To UK, that suggested that no agreement had been reached and is proof that the MOU and its terms were just a gap filler while the real contract was being hammered out. Also, UK claimed that Gillispie sued the wrong entity and that his actual employer was the University of Kentucky, not the UK Athletics Association. This is important because IF the University of Kentucky is his employer, principles of sovereign immunity mean that it can only be sued for breach of contract and only in Franklin County Circuit Court.

While everyone digested that news, the Herald Leader searched tax records which showed that the UK Athletics Association was the actual entity that paid Billy Gillispie and is the entity that listed him as its employee. That information would seem to be damning to UK’s contention that it is entitled to some sovereign immunity and that the case must be in Franklin County. While UK has had no comment yet on this revelation, it cant come as a surprise to the school and one has to assume that it will suggest that UKAA is just a shell of the actual employer, the University. There are some harms to this position…most importantly that if UKAA were to be determined to be just a figment of all of our imaginations, some of its business would then be open to the public via the Open Records laws. Thus it will be interesting to see what UK’s ultimate position will be on this issue.

Bottom line: It is very unlikely that UK will win in its argument that Clyde sued the wrong entity and that his claims for everything but breach of contract are forbidden. UKAA was Clyde’s employer and the argument that the only forum that can hear the case is in Franklin County, Kentucky is likely not to be accepted. I still think however that this case will end up in Kentucky, mainly because the claim that led Clyde to bring the case in Texas, tortious interference of contract, is most likely to be dismissed. I still think this case ends up where I thought it would end up when filed…in federal court in Lexington. To get there, Kentucky will have to argue that nothing significant in this lawsuit occurred in Texas and that the state of Texas thus has no jurisdiction over the UK Athletics Association. When it does this successfully, the case will be transferred to Lexington and Billy Clyde will be unhappy.

On a side note, the filings and public statements are starting to get a bit snippy, which suggests that both parties are about to start letting things fly. If that happens, this drama could turn into a circus and I still believe the big loser will be the Dr. Pepper drinker from the Lone Star State. Stay tuned….

Just in case you missed the Evan Daniels Live Blog from last night (2500 attendance), here are some of Evan’s quotes about key prospects and the current team:

Q: Evan, if we miss out on Doron Lamb, who would be the next in line SG for us to look for?
A: I’ll go with Stacey Poole, who the Cats are just now beginning to recruit. Raised his stock considerably at NBPA Camp.

Q: CJ Leslie…is he a bit underrated? Looks amazing on film.
A: I’m a huge fan of Leslie, especially when he plays hard. Runs floor well. He’s a high level athlete that loves to play above the rim. Should be in our Top 15ish when we reveal our new rankings.

Q: Is mike gilchrist as much of a lock for UK as it seems?
A: If you aren’t at Kentucky, it’s b/c things with Calipari and UK didn’t work out. And I’d be surprised if that was the case.

Q: Any players you could almost guarantee end up here in ‘10?
A: I don’t know if I could pick out a guarantee. I will say that UK is in great shape w/ Doron Lamb. They are solid with C.J. Leslie, Kyrie Irving, Brandon Knight, Joe Jackson & Jelan Kendrick too.

Q: What is your opinion on Jaylen Beckham in the 2012 class? If UK wants him, is it automatic we get him?
A: Big fan of Jaylen. He’s got a chance to be a high major point guard if he continues to develop his skills. He really brings it when the lights are on (against Scott County in playoffs). The new staff has already had him on campus. Long ways to go w/ his recruitment. UK will be in the mix.

Q: Will UK become a haven for one and dones?
A: No question.

Q: Where does UK stand with Adreine Payne??
A: He’s listing them, but not sure they are at the top of the list. Bob Huggins has made a lot of head way w/ him.

Q: Demarcus — how close is he to a randolph morris clone?
A: Not that close. DeMarcus is thicker and a lot stronger. Both had that laziness factor.

Q: whats your take on recruiting of younger players? i.e sophomores and below
A: I think it’s extremely risky. If it’s a guy like Michael Gilchrist then I’d be all for it. But you have to tread lightly. A lot of coaches have gotten themselves in trouble by taking kids that aren’t good enough.

Q: Patterson, chances i stay all 4 years?
A: P-Pat- Not a chance. Should have left this year. Would have been drafted higher.

Q: First to commit to UK 2010?
A: Best guess would be Doron Lamb. I don’t think it’ll be soon though.

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1. Pat Forde (DEVIL) has released his top college basketball rivalries, and sure enough, UK-UL has jumped back up to the top spot.  And then you go down 2 spots, and there you see UK-UT.  Amazing what a coaching change can do.

2. You remember when David Beckham was supposed to be the savior of soccer in this country?  CNNSI’s Grant Wahl looks at why that experiment failed so badly.

3. Tomorrow is the 4th of July, so lets all take the time to look at what has to be the best rendition of the National Anthem ever recorded.

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Buenos dias, sweet KSR readers, and welcome to this holiday Friday.  I’m assuming the majority of you are out of the office today since my company lets us have nearly zero days off and I found that I did not have to venture into the office today.  Hopefully you all have some good, quality family time in the plans this weekend or at least some sort of pro-UK activities planned (i.e. “Duck, Duck, Givens”, “Pin the Stache on the guard from Clay County) to celebrate the birth of America.  The 4th of July usually means a trek to Atlanta to visit the fam but, for the first time since I was like 10, I’ll be hanging out at the house taking part in the great American sport of couch-potatoing.  My brother and my dad are in town from Arizona which generally means, as my dad words it, an “excellent adventure” that involves the outdoors and physical exertion.  But, we’re really trying to stay away from that this year.  Ribs and relaxation.  That’s going to be the slogan for this weekend.

Well, that was pointless.  Sorry.  Here are couple of quick UK notes…

 - I have some very bad news for you.  Brace yourself.  If you went out this evening and shaved your head to join in Brad and John Calipari’s army of buzz cuts, you’ve been duped.  Coach originally said via Twitter that he buzzed his hair and then said later that it was just a joke, proving two things.  One, this guy is having the time of his life and, unlike someone that used to coach here, loves engaging with the fans.  Second, someone out there actually has worse photoshop skills than I do.

 - Meanwhile, that one guy that was our former coach forges on with his lawsuit and today’s development appears to be favorable from his side of the room.  The Herald-Leader is reporting that Billy Gillispie’s tax documents show he was an employee of the UK Athletics Association - the organization that he originally filed his lawsuit against in Texas.  The University, however, contends in their countersuit that Clyde was employed by the school and not the Athletics Association and used that point as the basis for their request of a venue move to Kentucky.  According to the paper, should UKAA be deemed as Gillispie’s employer, it widens the scope of his lawsuit and helps keep it in Texas.  A suit against the school, it can only be for breach of contract and must be held in Kentucky.  Man, we really need a lawyer on the site to explain it.

 - With a little bit of downtime finally on the UK basketball side of things, things are just starting to heat up on my summer guilty pleasure:  NBA summer league basketball.  A couple of former Cats will be taking part in the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas starting on July 10.  Three former Cats will be taking part in the festivities (rosters for Dallas and Denver are not set yet):

Jodie Meeks, Milwaukee Bucks

Joe Crawford, New York Knicks

Erik Daniels, Memphis Grizzlies

Also, the Orlando Summer League kicks off this weekend and, although it’s void of former Cats, Maysville’s own Chris Lofton will be getting a shot with the Celtics.

 - As the final nail on the Xavier Henry coffin, it’s interesting to note that Carl Henry apologized to Kansas fans through Rivals.  Henry said he “jumped the gun” because of that now famous article in the Kansas City Star and said he felt the need to apologize because it was another opportunity to hear himself talk.  Or something.  You think Xavier is sitting somewhere thinking “Damn, I really chose a bad time to get dental work done.” and is just wishing that his pops would pipe down?  I mean, if Kanye can record a song with a wired jaw, you’d think that Xavier could speak for himself after a root canal or whatever.  Just saying…

 - Down in the land that gave us Flight of the Conchords, Darius Miller went for straight deuces across the board against France in Team USA’s 71-55 win.  Miller had 2 points (on 1-3 shooting), 2 boards, and 2 assists in 13 minutes of action.  That stinkin’ Seth Curry led the team in scoring again with 12.  Shelvin Mack was scoreless in 15 minutes.

 - In case you missed it, BTI actually came through in the clutch and did something decent for the site.  His live blog with Evan Daniels was outstanding and covered a lot of recruiting ground.  Be sure to scroll down and check it out.  

 - Ok, now onto what you’re really wondering about.  The inevitable delay in the announcement of the KSR Blogger Contest finalists.  As much as I’d like to heap the blame of this onto someone else, I’m going to fall on the sword here.  It’s my fault.  As we’ve told you, we got around 200 entries and I’ve taken on the task of narrowing those down to 20 (or so), which will then be taken before the elders for a selection of 12 finalists.  Unfortunately, I had a couple of emergency family situations that pulled me away from working my way through those and bumped back our time table a bit.  However, I promise you all that we’re going to get this handled as soon as we can and we will announce the finalists sometime next week.  The ones I’ve read have been very good and we’re going to have a good group of finalists.  Again, I apologize for the delay, although I’m not that sorry.  I put this together for “Who Wants to be a Blogger” nearly three years ago and Matt still hasn’t told me what he thought about it. (UPDATE:  After reading what I wrote, I am going to de-link it.  It is truly terrible).

Anyway, that’s it for now.  Stay tuned throughout the day if you’re still trooping your way through a work day.  If you’re getting an early start on the holiday, have a safe one.  See you in a few…

We will try and get as many questions answered in an hour as possible.

If you enjoy reading articles about the UK men’s basketball team, please visit my webpage at http://kybasketball.blogspot.com.  You can also now follow my webpage on Twitter- the race to 3,000 followers continues. My webpage has been around for several years and I update it several times per day so UK basketball fans have access to the best and most recent articles about the team.

Now, The Article Links-

Darnell Dodson isn’t on Campus- Calipari hopes he will be in Lexington for the final 4-week summer school Session

Pat Forde says UK-Louisville is biggest college basketball rivalry of 2009-10

Darius Miller is having a great time representing the United States in New Zealand

Tax documents seem to indicate that Gillispie was an employee of the UK Athletics Association

2012 recruit Perry Ellis will visit UK on Saturday

UK recruit Harrison Barnes will probably start to cut his list down a little bit after the summer AAU season is Over

Many believe that just a few days prior to John Wall committing to Kentucky, he was headed to Miami

Bill Self doesn’t hink we’ll be talking about the Henry family saga Again

SEC basketball is — in theory, at least — on the Rise

I didn’t get a chance to post this earlier when a buddy of mine emailed it to me, but former Tennessee quarterback Jim Bob Cooter was arrested and charged with aggravated burglary after allegedly breaking into a house and crawling in bed with a woman.

That’s it. Aaron will be by shortly with his links.

UK bid farewell to one of its visitors from last week as California forward DeAndre Daniels, committed to Texas.  If you can’t remember who he is, check out Dustin’s profile of him from last week.  But, fret not, as your regularly scheduled “we lost a recruit?!?!” freakout should be tempered by the guarantee that Calipari will get who he needs.

Also, it should be noted that Dustin cannot be here to post this because he is at Home Goods shopping with his fiancee and dog.  In case you were wondering.

I talked to Evan recently and he is very excited about tonight.  To gear you up for the live blog (7:30PM), take a look at Evan’s article on foxsports.com today.  He talks about the 2009 recruiting class and the neverending saga of its stars.  Obviously, Kentucky has been a big benefactor of this, so this article very much relates to UK.

Evan is the most knowledgable person I know when it comes to recruiting, and he is rarely wrong.  And I know he has alot to talk about when it comes to Xavier Henry, and the Henry’s and family put alot of egg on alot of peoples faces, including this fanbase. 

So, at least for tonight, Evan will shed his Hilltopper fandom, and become part of the Wildcat Nation.  Bring him some good questions.  And some peach cobbler.