Six or seven years ago, we could take the top 10 prospects in the country, roughly split them up between Duke and Kentucky, throw a few to Kansas and Arizona and North Carolina, and it wouldn't be too wrong. I do think it was a direct result of the changes we're seeing on the recruiting trail. But I do think Kentucky will experience a more turbulent stretch in the coming seasons.īorzello: I don't think it was an anomaly, nor am I all that worried about it being a trend that continues moving forward. I don't think we'll see another once-in-100-years-subpar-record at Kentucky. That will make it difficult for Kentucky to stay strong because this isn't a generation of talent that follows any trends. Top recruits know that if they're good enough, the NBA will find them, even if they're not playing for a perennial power. The one-and-done culture - and the success of NBA stars who didn't pick Duke, Kentucky or UNC ( Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry, Paul George) - has just opened the door for other programs and ventures. Through 2006, the top basketball prospects could either pick their favorite colleges or the NBA. And it will be more difficult for Kentucky, UNC and Duke to separate themselves. We won't see another Kansas run in the Big 12. But I don't think we'll see programs dominate the game for a stretch of five, six, seven or eight years in a row anymore. It looks like, via the transfer pool and the addition of top-rated prospects, the Wildcats will bounce back. Sales Pitch discussion: Can anyone stop UCLA on Pac-12 recruiting trail?. ![]() A decade ago, those three players would have gone to Duke or Kentucky. Sure, John Calipari had elite players, but he didn't have Cade Cunningham or Jalen Green or Jalen Suggs. But the diversified talent pool has just minimized the value of that edge. I believe Kentucky, North Carolina and Duke will always have an edge based on the history and legacy attached to those names. More than anything, I think Kentucky's struggles were more evidence that we're probably going to shed the "powerhouse" label in the coming years. ![]() And it was less worrying than it was proof of the changes in college basketball. Medcalf: I don't think it was an anomaly. What was your biggest takeaway from a star-studded Kentucky roster struggling as it did last season? Was it an anomaly, or a sign of something more worrying? ![]() After seeing the results of our survey, 's writing team of Myron Medcalf, Jeff Borzello, John Gasaway and Joe Lunardi debated some of the finer details within the SEC recruiting landscape, including whether Kentucky's 2020-21 performance was a sign of things to come, whether Alabama and Arkansas will have staying power on the trail, and the impact NCAA investigations have had on the perception of the league.įollow this link to read what anonymous coaches said about recruiting in the ACC, the Big East, the Big Ten, the Pac-12 and the SEC. ESPN continued its Sales Pitch (ESPN+) series this week, examining the men's college basketball programs in the SEC that have the most and fewest advantages in enticing recruits and transfers to campus.
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