1. First off I would like to thank you for taking the time out of your schedule to do this interview with us. At this moment you are now on the Wildcat Insiders Hot Seat lol. It appears that you think the 2007 recruiting class is not going very well. Could you please explain why you feel this way?
There are three different paradigms to look with regards to the recruiting of the 2007 class.
First. What are we losing and what are our deficiencies. We are losing 2 senior forwards and our backup center. We have signed as of 11/13/06 the backup center and a forward who will be better than our 2 forwards who are graduating. So in that sense we have done well. Williams could be a steal or he could be another flop. I tend to the latter in that he is a positive kid and great work ethic. Everything that the coaches he has had have told him to do, he does. I dont see anything but positive progression from Williams when he gets here. AJ Stewart impressed me from the first time I saw him at the 2004 Hoopfest when Jacksonville Arlington Country Day (JACD) played Westbury Christian. When he came in the game he had a presence that they other players didnt have. That team also had 3 D-1 signees on it. Jason Bennett, David Huertas (Florida) and Josue` Soto (Miami, FL). AJ though has that sixth sense of the game. He knew what to do and how to do it. Something that is not coachable. No, he isnt the most gifted athlete but he is athletic. No he isnt the flashiest but he gets the job done, and he does whatever the coaches tell him. A great team player.
SO where does that leave us. We still need PF. And that is the other paradigm. Why has Tubby turned his back on half of the nearly 2 dozen he started with in July on his list. Some, I see and others well, it leaves me scratching my head. For instance Chris Barnes. He came here, visited, all went VERY well, he loved UK. Then we inexplicably backed off. Without knowing what Patrick will do, why back off. There are even reports that PP heavily favors Florida. and that the only reason he hasnt committed is space on the roster (waiting for Noah or Horford to say that they are going pro) or that Billy isnt staying at Florida. The ONLY reason he hasnt said more is that his parents favor UK. So, why allow ALL these other forwards to move on?? It makes no sense. If it came down to the Barnes kid saying I will commit now but I need to know... then I would have taken Barnes. We just have no clue what PP will do.
The third paradigm is how hard did Tubby work. In May and June I would have told you he is stinking it up. He was. In July that changed. He worked his butt off in July going to 3 shoe camps and 7 AAU events in 4 weeks. He made over 200 calls and nearly 40 visits in the same period. I think he was working hard. I think he pared his list down to who he was really interested in, and then started missing on some but wasnt worried because of PP> Now this leads back to last year and putting all of your eggs in one basket. It didnt work for us last year with Brandan Wright and Deon Thompson (while letting Kevin Durant go). and it isnt working this year with letting DeAndre Jordan and ANthony Randolph go and letting Julian Vaughn and Chris Barnes commit to other schools and just going after Stewart and Patterson....
In summation, all the hard work he showed and performed will be for naught if the leading people are Stewart Williams and Moses. Tubby needed a powerhouse recruiting land and he isnt going to get it.
2. Let's say Kentucky strikes out with Patrick Patterson. What is the backup plan?
The only possible candidates are in the 100-200 range and one is an instate player who is on the rise. Jeff Brooks. He isnt a power forward like Charles Hurt or Chuck Verderber or Winston Bennett were so it isnt that big of a move.
Other candidates are Isiah Martin of Chicago Morgan Park and teeng Akol of Our Savior New American School in NYC.
Teeng is ranked high and that is based on HIGH potential and EXTREMELY GOOD ATHLETICISM. To me, Teeng is another Jules Camara or Ruben Boumtje-Boumtje. He could pan out and be good like RB-B or just be available like Jules was.
Isiah is a your prototype sleek PF. 6'8" 210. He just isnt that good in all aspects of the game. He is good rebounding and defending but just average offensively and needs some work on passing and low block moves.
3. Is it possible that the Morris twins could be rethinking their decision to go prep school? If so, then one would have to assume that they become the backup plan to Patterson.
They might but it would be a bad decision. These kids need one more year of playing against peer talent. These kids were home schooled much of their life and only have played 1 1/2 year of organized HS ball. They really need the prep year. They would be 17 year old freshmen next fall. I dont think they would be ready.
4. How do you feel about AJ Stewart and Mike Williams becoming Wildcats? Do you think they are UK material?
I firmly believe AJ is going to be a fan favorite just like Chuck was, and Winston Bennett was. He wont be an All-American type player like Kenny walker or Ron Mercer was but he has their tools. He just isnt a 10 on the forward scale. he is a 8.5. He will get the job done. It will be like you will leave the game and think he didnt do too much. Wake up the next morning and read the boxscore and see 14 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 blocks. and say well he did do alot. You just wont see his stuff on ESPN SportsCenter highlights.
Mike CAN be UK material. I mean that this way. Mike is originally from England and started his career there. He just came here recently and isnt fully attuned to the Americanized HS and college game. He has the physicality and he has the game (the low block game) to be a force in college if he listens to the coaches. Which he does. He just needs the next step of development. He has a year to do so and most feel it will happen and so do I.
5. Razor Ramon Harris is now going to be a part of the 2006 recruiting class. He should be able to play by December. How do you feel about this young man and what does he bring to the table?
Freakish athlete. I dont think there is anything you could ask him to do athletically and he couldnt do it. There are conflicting reports on his shooting ability and offensive prowess. One reporter told me and I blurted it everywhere that he hit 55.8% from three. I dont have any links to the stats and I took his word for it. Can he play? Yes. in the games I saw him he has all the raw talent and he shot well the games I saw. It is just going to be the attenuation of him to UK and to the team. He will bring an athleticism we havent had for a while (Fitch and Azubuike type athleticism).
6. Let's talk about yourself a little bit here Greg. Why do you think you have become such a polarized figure on the UK basketball forums?
Because I can be very opinionated myself and if I hear something from someone that needs to be shared I share it. For instance the Wright Young, Kemp thing about this time last year. I cant stress enough how much BW was a UK fan and until the week before he went to CH, NC he was coming here. his HS asst coaches, his teammates, most reporters in the Franklin/Nashville area were convinced he was headed to Lexington. I asked his mother about it and she said it was UK in the lead, easily. Young had just visited with Tubby and said he liked tubby and wanted to play for a black coach (there was more to the puzzle and it involved $$$ but we knew about that all along), and Kemp was convinced he was ready to commit so that is what I reported. I heard all of that in 2 days.
THEN, Kemp visited. He was told to hold off his commitment because we were expecting commitment from another player, Derrick Jasper. We (UK) wanted Jasper and we felt Kemp and Jasper couldnt co-exist so we told Kemp to wait... and Jasper commited and then we completely backed away from Kemp.
Then Young visited GT and he got the attention($$$) he wanted from GT...
Then we all know what happened with Wright.
What am I going through that for? I believe what I am told and I tell it. I dont lie or make up stuff which is what one site says. Was I wrong to be that forceful and opinionated.. probably. that is what some people dont like. If you are opinionated and then your information turns out to be wrong, the highly opinionated opposite you tend to be venomous in their retorts. It is part and parcel of the game.
Going back even further was the tenure at Inside Kentucky (which followed Big Blue Nation). Most people know about the BBN stuff and Brian Poe, the former owner of Big Blue Nation. He was the one who got us in trouble with football recruiting... and got banned for 26 years from UK athletics. when he had to sell BBN it was bought by another individual who is now one of my best friends. at the time, I was very confused and being pulled at many different directions. the other moderators and former editor of the magazine were telling me the new owner wasnt who I wanted to be involved with. Now, after being with these mods and friends with former editor I at first was that way and was going to go back to my old job of being an independent recruiting analyst. Then the new owner of IK (and I am not using his name because he has asked me not to use it, some know it and if they use it then it is their head) and I talked 14 times in 3 weeks concerning what he wanted from the "old style BBN" and the NEW Inside Kentucky. he asked me until things work out to be the head moderator (all the others had left with the old editor) and work with Rob Gidel on the new magazine. I run the website and Rob run the magazine. I agreed and went on my way. We (IK) were trying to keep our media outlet and media passes with us, so the website had to be sanitized. when people saw the new website many thought that they could just say what they wanted. I was told to sanitize. the owner told me that certain posts and certain topics were to be deleted. Also that questionable material would be deleted also (humpin bananas for example). When I started warning people in public and private and they continued and were banned ... they called me ALL KINDS of names ... so that started alot of the animosity towards me.
I dont mind it. It comes with the territory. I do wish I could just do recruiting analysis which is what I have been doing since 1991 when I started working for one of the Street and Smith evaluators Howard Pressman. Howard has since passed away. I was able to work long enough for Howard that S&S used me as one of their analysts until I went to BBN in 2002.
Some others analysts and I are starting Midwest Prep Hoops and will be online in January 2007 (Maybe February 2007). It will be a free site for posters everywhere.
7. Should Perry Stevenson be starting at power forward for Kentucky this season? We have already seen what Thomas brings to the table over the past few seasons.
I think Thomas should start. Until he shows he cannot do anything at all. Sheray has had some good games and has the experience and the strength. Perry should be used as a weapon off of the bench. Reminder that most of the stuff you have seen from Perry is in a practice situation (BBM) or against NAIA or D-2 talent in exhibition games. He might even continue to play well against Miami and Miss Valley but Sheray has earned the spot and until he completely falters... its his.
8. Okay Greg, who do you feel out of the freshmen will have the biggest impact on this year's squad?
That is hard to say for One to be THE stud. I think at some point ALL FOUR will have their moments, yes even Michael Porter. Mike is very comfortable running the team and the team responds to his leadership. Derrick is going to be a stud on his own and it will be just a matter of time. Jodie also. Jodie has too much athleticism and shooting ability to not show it. And we have seen the snippets of Perry's ability. BUT they are freshmen and they will have their freshmen moments.
I think though that over the course of the season, the one that will make the most impact is Jodie Meeks because of his scoring ability. we didnt have that last year and if Jodie shows any consistency there to be the scorer... he will be used that way.
Wildcat Insiders would like to thank Greg for taking time out of his busy schedule to participate in this interview. It's been a real joy to have you as a guest on our blog.
