3 Kentucky commits de-commit after Cal named new coach

[Hoggy Bear]

GJ Vilarino

http://basketballrecruiting.rivals.com/viewprospect.asp?Sport=2&pr_key=51438

Konner Tucker

http://basketballrecruiting.rivals.com/viewprospect.asp?Sport=2&pr_key=95914


KC Ross-Miller (2010)

http://basketballrecruiting.rivals.com/viewprospect.asp?Sport=2&pr_key=63938

[R-VilleHog]

Hey! Look! 6ft guards 

[jb11]

Wonder if Cal encouraged this so he can bring in his players that were committed to Memphis St.  My guess would be yes

[UltimateHog]

Wonder if Cal encouraged this so he can bring in his players that were committed to Memphis St.  My guess would be yes

Probably, his players are quite a bit better, with 2 of them being near NBA ready.

[jbcarol]

Coach Calipari reportedly told Vilarino's father that, your son is a very good player but I like the bigger guards, like 6-foot-5 big (w/Five Plus Stars). If he doesn't understand that he might be disappointed in how this turns out for him.

He's 17 and it's probably his biggest disappointment.

Vilarino was Gillispie's first recruit upon arriving at Lexington.

[jbcarol]

OTOH, Coach Calipari is reported to have spent over an hour visiting with UK signee Daniel Orton during the re-recruitment process.

Larry Orton had earlier expressed excitement in the prospects of his son joining a lineup with Patterson, Meeks, and this year's Calipari recruiting crop.

Orton's mother passed away recently.

[jbcarol]

GJ Vilarino

http://basketballrecruiting.rivals.com/viewprospect.asp?Sport=2&pr_key=51438

Konner Tucker

http://basketballrecruiting.rivals.com/viewprospect.asp?Sport=2&pr_key=95914


KC Ross-Miller (2010)

http://basketballrecruiting.rivals.com/viewprospect.asp?Sport=2&pr_key=63938

Add Avery, Gillispie's 8th grader (a freshman in 2009) and

Dakotah Euton, a Kentucky High School player, to this list.

[Biggus Piggus]

Vilarino was an early commit for Gillispie, and a lot of people wondered whether he was good enough.  He seems to have developed OK.  Tucker was a find, but it's kinda weird thinking of signing both at the same time.

[BigSexyHog]

Vilarino was all distric/city down here in the Dallas area.  Think he was 2cd team.  Kid can play and is one of the better players in the Dallas area.  He is a lefty and would like to see him in a hog uniform, but doubt it happens.

[HogNuttz]

Kentucky had three guards that were 6'2" or shorter and 3-star or lower.  They also have a 6'6" 4-star commit to go with their 5-star #3 overall center.  It just so happens that the three lowest ranked players decommit and Cal had 3 players commited (or leaning) to Memphis that were top 10 overall caliber.  Either Cal told them politely, or not politely, to take a hike or maybe Gillespie was recruiting smarter players than I thought.

[jbcarol]

Or both.

Based on one father's stated opinion, Coach Calipari was highly respectful and realistic. 

Based on another from the '10 class, his lack of reaching out was a sure sign they needed to look in a different direction.  The deafening sound of silence.

[jbcarol]

Here is a nice summary of who was retained and who was let down and how in Coach Calipari's first 48 hours:

http://www.kentucky.com/818/story/748538.html

KC Ross-Miller ('10) and his high school coach and father Tim Miller are not quoted here.  Ross-Miller had a poor showing in a tournament game in Lexington and did not help him with UK fans.

Konner Tucker is a SE Kentucky kid out of the John Pelphrey mold.  Just don't know if he would be tough as nails and consistently drain the three at the level of the current Arkansas coach.

[jbcarol]

The other side of turning over recruiting class(es) is evaluating the talent on hand and planning for the very near future.

Linked is a report on UK's first practice under Coach Calipari from the UK Media Relations contact:

http://www.ukathletics.com/sports/blog/spec-rel/040309aaa.html

Takeaways:

It is going to fun and challenging to practice here. It will be different. (For the recruits with a dig and wink to the fanbase).

There are players on the current roster who will not compete in the dribble-drive system and frankly cannot finish.

Expect more turnover.

[MountieDawg]

Those players were questionable Gillepie recruits...  The Juco kid was recruited by Drake out of high school...  Vilanaro was a point guard on a team with 13 losses in high school...  I think if your a top 150 kid in the country you can will your team to a 85% winning record....  A winner is a winner and a stat guy is a stat guy...

[ChicoHog]

One of Calipari's stengths is getting guards to the NBA.  He runs the dribble-drive offense to near perfection and guards love it.  I don't care for it as a spectator but the players love it, especially big time guards who aspire to play in the NBA.  He also teaches good man to man defense whiich is a necessity to play in  the NBA. 
Kentucky has a history of in state players who did great in college through over achieving and hard work but never had a chance at the NBA (Untouchables, Jeff Sheppard, etc.,).  The days of those kids getting a chance to play for UK may be over. 

[jbcarol]

If Coach Calipari is able to land Wall, Cousins, X Henry, Orton, and the Hood kid from Kentucky, it could be one of the better recruiting classes in recent SEC memory.

He will need some defections from his current roster which might include Donald Williams, AJ Stewart, and Josh Harrelson.  Michael Porter may graduate early and choose to enjoy fatherhood.