Just in case you haven’t been paying attention… Kentucky
freshman John Wall is pretty good.
Wall’s
arrival in Lexington has helped to elevate the Wildcats
to elite status in college basketball. A lot of players
are hyped, as incoming freshmen, but few live up to the
billing. Wall has exceeded the expectations of most, but
Kentucky’s early success is due in large part to a
supporting cast that didn’t get nearly as many preseason
headlines.
Before the questions of ‘how good is John Wall?’ were
being asked, most onlookers wondered if Jodie Meeks and
Patrick Patterson would return. When Meeks announced he
was taking his perimeter shooting prowess to the
professional ranks, many believed UK would struggle from
the outside. While the Wildcats haven’t been prolific,
they have certainly kept opposing defenses honest.
Freshman Eric Bledsoe has really shot it well from
3-point range. The 6-foot-1 Bledsoe was a top 10 point
guard, coming out of high school, so there were
questions surrounding his role with Wall as the lead
guard. Those questions have been answered, as Bledsoe
has made his impact. He and Wall are good friends so the
combination has proved effective.
Darnell Dodson, who transferred from Miami-Dade, is an
exceptional shooter when he is on. He is that proverbial
zone buster off the bench.
While the void left by Meeks had to be filled, Patterson
opted to return for his junior season. After being one
of the focal points of the UK attack, the 6-foot-9
Patterson has adapted well to his new role. That fact
shouldn’t surprise anyone because he settled into a
similar role in high school. After being the star on two
state championship teams, Patterson took a back seat as
a senior with the arrival of O.J. Mayo.
Stepping out of the spotlight is not always an easy
transition, but Patterson has handled it well. His
overall game continues to improve. He now looks more
comfortable away from the basket. His shooting touch is
getting better and will push him up the NBA Draft board.
Up front with Patterson is freshman DeMarcus Cousins.
The 6-foot-11 Cousins has matured quite a bit through
the first two months of the season. He plays the game
with a lot of passion and early on he was getting into
foul difficulties. He has done much better controlling
his emotions of late. He has great hands and great touch
around the basket. He plays the game with a lot of
passion.
Daniel Orton, another freshman, has done a nice job in
the middle providing size and shot blocking. He was
injured in his senior year of high school so his
progress has been slowed a little.
Sophomore Darius Miller has become more assertive. He’s
an excellent penetrator and can finish with a really
pretty floater.
DeAndre Liggins has stepped out of the doghouse this
season, providing a lot of energy on the defensive end
off the bench.
Lone senior Ramon Harris has also done a really nice job
of rebounding and defending off the bench.
Adjusting to roles has been a big key to the Wildcats
success and that hasn’t been limited to the players on
the floor. John Calipari, who is known for his
dribble-drive approach, has done a great job of playing
to the strengths at his disposal. Wall has continued to
create havoc for opposing defenses, but he has also done
a nice job of getting it to the guys in the post. Thus
far the offense has been about 40% dribble-drive.
John Wall headlines most lists for player of the year
honors, but how far Kentucky advances into March will
depend upon much more than just him.
Wall’s
arrival in Lexington has helped to elevate the Wildcats
to elite status in college basketball. A lot of players
are hyped, as incoming freshmen, but few live up to the
billing. Wall has exceeded the expectations of most, but
Kentucky’s early success is due in large part to a
supporting cast that didn’t get nearly as many preseason
headlines.
