The Kerry Blackshear Thread

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#626
#626
calban said:
So KY can do it but UT can't? How so?
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Suspect the fact that UK recruits 5 stars who are expected to be good enough to leave in a year or two for the NBA vs 3 star kids who need a couple of years to be physically able to compete at the SEC level might have something to do with it?
 
#627
#627
CAVPUT said:
Suspect the fact that UK recruits 5 stars who are expected to be good enough to leave in a year or two for the NBA vs 3 star kids who need a couple of years to be physically able to compete at the SEC level might have something to do with it?
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Replacing them with a 5 star and 3 experienced and battle tested seniors and a longer bench could easily make up for the prima talent.
 
#628
#628
LittleCat said:
Not trying to crap on UT but replacing Bone, Grant, and Admiral is no easy task. Expecting a completely new team to match what the three drafted guys did is unfair.
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In the mind of the poster, I think there is probably some space between "not miss a beat" (his/her words) and "matching what the three drafted guys did" (your words).

The idea was a month ago we were likely to go from a 30+ win team to a bubble team. If Plavsic is eligible and we add Blackshear to go with Josiah James, we might not experience quite the lull many expected this season, and that momentum could carry us into what looks like a promising 2020 class of freshmen that could take the reins the following season.
 
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#629
#629
calban said:
Replacing them with a 5 star and 3 experienced and battle tested seniors and a longer bench could easily make up for the prima talent.
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James is a 5 star, but that's not a guarantee of immediate success. We've had some highly ranked kids come through this program who didn't hit the court on fire that freshman year. A bit premature to be counting on him. Add Turner and Bowden who, yes, are seasoned and need to be leaders this season, but outside of those two, I'm not seeing a lot to be excited about. Pons? Kent? Johnson? Surely you aren't counting on Gaines and Pember. They're a season or two away I suspect. UK's roster is far more "SEC ready" than UT. No way anyone could reasonably expect us to simply "reload" and contend in the east again this season as things currently stand.
 
#630
#630
CAVPUT said:
Only one cup of coffee this morning so I might be a tad slow. How can we add Blackshear and not move someone out? Thought we were full at the moment?
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Burns has been in the dog house with Barnes. It's been said he likes the strip a little more than the team. Gotta believe Barnes already has made up his mind or he wouldn't be trying to bring in a transfer. Some guys just don't pan out---even if they're 4 star guys.
 
#631
#631
Batman1948 said:
Burns has been in the dog house with Barnes. It's been said he likes the strip a little more than the team. Gotta believe Barnes already has made up his mind or he wouldn't be trying to bring in a transfer. Some guys just don't pan out---even if they're 4 star guys.
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I expected someone to leave. That's why the comment about adding Blackshear and not losing anyone didn't make sense to me. Didn't place a lot of stock in someone paying their own way next season, but I guess it's certainly possible.
 
#632
#632
CAVPUT said:
James is a 5 star, but that's not a guarantee of immediate success. We've had some highly ranked kids come through this program who didn't hit the court on fire that freshman year. A bit premature to be counting on him. Add Turner and Bowden who, yes, are seasoned and need to be leaders this season, but outside of those two, I'm not seeing a lot to be excited about. Pons? Kent? Johnson? Surely you aren't counting on Gaines and Pember. They're a season or two away I suspect. UK's roster is far more "SEC ready" than UT. No way anyone could reasonably expect us to simply "reload" and contend in the east again this season as things currently stand.
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The ifs are landing Blackshear, Plavsic being cleared, turner being 100% healthy and why do you expect a difference in UT 5star talent and KY. Fulky, Pons and Johnson will all be better than last season. ORN and Kent we don't know yet. If everything falls into place this team could be contesting for another E8 in March. Don't think it's unfair at all to expect that.
 
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#633
#633
CAVPUT said:
I expected someone to leave. That's why the comment about adding Blackshear and not losing anyone didn't make sense to me. Didn't place a lot of stock in someone paying their own way next season, but I guess it's certainly possible.
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Since I’m sending a freshman to UT in the fall I don’t buy it either. Tuition and room in board is a big chunk of money.
 
#637
#637
calban said:
The ifs are landing Blackshear, Plavsic being cleared, turner being 100% healthy and why do you expect a difference in UT 5star talent and KY. Fulky, Pons and Johnson will all be better than last season. ORN and Kent we don't know yet. If everything falls into place this team could be contesting for another E8 in March. Don't think it's unfair at all to expect that.
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Time will tell. In this case, I think we're basically talking hope vs expectations. I'm always hopeful, but I can't really expect all of that to fall UT's way. Again, not saying it can't/won't happen, but that's not how things usually work for this program.
 
#639
#639
CAVPUT said:
Time will tell. In this case, I think we're basically talking hope vs expectations. I'm always hopeful, but I can't really expect all of that to fall UT's way. Again, not saying it can't/won't happen, but that's not how things usually work for this program.
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Know what you mean and I'm hoping for a change in how things work out for us. I do believe in the Barnes magic though until he hits the wall in post season. Maybe he fixes that too before he hangs it up.
 
#641
#641
CAVPUT said:
James is a 5 star, but that's not a guarantee of immediate success. We've had some highly ranked kids come through this program who didn't hit the court on fire that freshman year. A bit premature to be counting on him. Add Turner and Bowden who, yes, are seasoned and need to be leaders this season, but outside of those two, I'm not seeing a lot to be excited about. Pons? Kent? Johnson? Surely you aren't counting on Gaines and Pember. They're a season or two away I suspect. UK's roster is far more "SEC ready" than UT. No way anyone could reasonably expect us to simply "reload" and contend in the east again this season as things currently stand.
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Definitely agree with your caution regarding the first year impact from 5* freshman but, then again, never in my lifetime has TN had a head coach with Barnes' ability to evaluate/gauge talent that he then develops and coaches to be better than they would otherwise be.
 
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#642
#642
MinisterofDef#92 said:
Definitely agree with your caution regarding the first year impact from 5* freshman but, then again, never in my lifetime has TN had a head coach with Barnes' ability to evaluate/gauge talent that he then develops and coaches to be better than they would otherwise be.
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I'd agree and I think Barnes' coaching flaws aren't recognized until game day. His history seems to support a need for a change in his philosophy.
 
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#643
#643
BruinVol said:
I’m going to make a call.


We get this guy!

AND we don’t lose anyone.


A local kid is going to pay his way to be a VFL.


Let’s see how this post ages
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So Drew is going to walk on and then get a scholly the next year?
 
#645
#645
CAVPUT said:
James is a 5 star, but that's not a guarantee of immediate success. We've had some highly ranked kids come through this program who didn't hit the court on fire that freshman year. A bit premature to be counting on him. Add Turner and Bowden who, yes, are seasoned and need to be leaders this season, but outside of those two, I'm not seeing a lot to be excited about. Pons? Kent? Johnson? Surely you aren't counting on Gaines and Pember. They're a season or two away I suspect. UK's roster is far more "SEC ready" than UT. No way anyone could reasonably expect us to simply "reload" and contend in the east again this season as things currently stand.
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Lack of depth is what killed us this year. I hope I am wrong, but we will be asking the players that were not productive last year to be productive this year. It can happen, but until it does I will not believe. As I have said before, if we just reload after losing 3 draft choices and our starting center then Barnes has earned his pay increase.
 
#646
#646
LittleCat said:
It's a crapshoot. Sometimes you get SGA and sometimes you get a Aaron Harrison. And sometimes a team doesn't mend together.
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I think your last point is the key. We had a great locker room the last 2 years. A group of kids that really liked and cared for one another. It was a "team" in the truest sense of the word. Now we introduce, what, 4-5 new faces/personalities? No way to know how this roster will mesh.
 
#650
#650
VolSkeet83 said:


Over past few weeks, I held back on watching much of his highlights since I thought we were a long shot, and didn't want to get my hopes up. But now as I watch his tape from last year, and we're possibly hours away from landing him, I can't wait to see what this team will look like if we are lucky enough to land Blackshear Jr. and can run the offense through him.

He gets the ball a lot in the same spot as Grant did (when pushed to the outside post, top of key/3 pointer), and I'm loving his creativity with the ball and his will to just take matters into his own hands and create offense for him and his teammates. Now I watch his video and truly imagine him doing this in Orange and White next season. *Fingers crossed*
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Man the height/length and athleticism we could possibly have in a starting lineup is INSANE!

Turner 6'2 (one of the best on ball defenders in NCAA)
Bowden 6'5
James 6'6
KB 6'10
Plasvic 7'1 or Kent 6'11

All 6 of them have a nice mid range and can shoot the 3 too! Not to mention the passing ability of that lineup. Turner, Bowden, James, and KB are all fantastic passers. I've tried not to let myself get excited over getting KB, but man he could move us from being a fringe top 25 team to a legit top 10 team. He averaged 15 and 7.5 last year. I could see him averaging 18 and 8 with us. He is longer and a better rebounder than Grant, but I don't think he is better in the post or own
defense.
 
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