UK Basketball's Summer Report

It has been an interesting day around these parts as we completed the last ever Matt Jones Show (the new Sports Night on ESPN Radio starts Monday, August 4th), found out another great story for the next “Kentucky Cat Trivia” post and saw an unexpected surge in Rob Bromley popularity. Combine that with the fact that I am still getting over a weekend playing golf at the Cardinal Club (Louisville’s home golf course) while wearing a UK shirt and getting taunted by the Card masses, and it has been a difficult few days to wrap one’s head around. But we must go forward…..looking for something interesting to say during the dog days of late July and early August.

With that in mind, we start today off with a UK basketball summer Player report. Over the past few months, I have had a number of conversations with people who have been able to watch the guys play during the off season and have even be able to see a couple of games myself. In addition, I have had emails from fans who have been privy to the famous “pick-up game reports” and have been able to talk to a couple of those around the program who are involved in the summer projects. What has been interesting to note is just how consistent most of the reports are. When you get past some of the bias (from those who say that every player is doing amazing), certain themes emerge and are generally consistent from report to report. So what follows is somewhat of a summary of UK Summer Reports player by player:

Jodie Meeks:
Possibly the most important player on the team next season, Meeks is showing signs of fully recovering from the injury problems that plagued him last season. He is gaining back his trademark jump shot and is still considered the best pure shooter on the team. There is some concern that his explosive athleticisim is only around 80% at this time, but most believe it will return. The overall feeling around Jodie is total optimism….a huge change from last season.
Patrick Patterson:
Not really playing at this point, but most assume he will be ready when the action begins in earnest in October. Patrick has become fully dedicated to maximizing his physical shape and has been as dedicated as anyone on the team physically. There is no game report for obvious reasons, but from a physical standpoint, no one on the team looks better.

Ramon Harris
The MVP of the summer without a doubt. Ask anyone that has spent significant time watching these guys play and they all will rave about what they see from the Razor. One former player told me, “if he isnt the most improved player in the SEC next season, I will be shocked.” He is without a doubt the best perimeter defender on the team and has made it a priority to take the ball to the basket on offense. Still not the best shooter, but scoring at will in the one-on-one setting. Will he be a summer legend (a la Carrier/Camara) or will he be an improved player just showing his talent (a la Daniels/Estill). We shall see.

Perry Stevenson
Most comments I hear about Perry suggest that his game is very similar to where it was last year…..good at challenging shots, nice outside jumper but still needs a lot of work handling the ball. He will be pushed for minutes this season and word is that when his biggest competitors for minutes are on the floor, he steps up his game. I expect a lot of the same from Perry, but with the year seasoning that he needs. Still no real change in body type.

AJ Stewart
Probably second in line for “Most Improved” in the summer. Those who watch AJ this summer describe his game in a way that harkens back to his time in high school…..energetic, athletic, ready to attack the rim and constant movement. Still struggles from time to time trying to do too much, but much more confident and seasoned on the court. Finding minutes will be tough for AJ and he has to come out swinging. I expect to see marked improvement this year.

Jared Carter
There is no player who gets wider ranges of reactions in descriptions than Carter. Half of the reports say there is no change and he wont see the court. Half then say they think he has seen the light and he looks better. His trip to Africa seemed to be a success, but the one game that was seen by a person who I really trust suggested that little had changed. Jared is the one player I havent laid eyes on all summer. I wish him well but have little expectations at this point.

Michael Porter
The first “WOW” moment of the year will be at Midnight Madness when the fans get a load of Michael’s new physique. He is seriously ripped even more so than in the past and is looking more and more like the star football player that USC wanted (if you believe the constant talk by television broadcasters). He still is having trouble with his ball handling and decision making and any game you watch showcases these facts. But he is likely the third best shooter on the team (behind Meeks and Krebs) and can find some minutes….and may have to, depending on the Galloway/Liggins resolution.

Josh Harrellson
Everyone who watches Harrellson play always comes to the same comparison: Scott Padgett. A good outside shooter and a good passer, Harrellson shares some of Scott’s traits. However he is a bit bigger, likes to bang inside more and is a step or two slower. I think he will end up playing a lot like a typical second tier European big man in America. Spends time on the perimeter, gets in the mix down low and contributes good minutes in the right situation. Because of his shooting however, he is very valuable, ESPECIALLY on this year’s team.

Darius Miller
Will be a consistent, very good four year player at Kentucky. Think Gerald Fitch, but a bit taller and more athleticism. I liken him to a guy with Fitch’s work ethic and Antwain Barbour’s frame. He will play a great deal this year and looks good in pickup games. I am told his weakness so far has been his defense, and this has especially shown itself in his frequent matchups with Ramon Harris, who has taken the ball to the basket on him with ease. But everyone likes him and the sky is the limit at this point.

Kevin Galloway
More questions than answers right now. Like Jared Carter, opinions on him are all over the map, but with much less back story to compare him with. He is certainly athletic and a good defender….but his shot selection is poor, his range not deep and some question his decision making. He is good at taking the ball to the basket, but I had one person tell me “he just isnt a point guard.” I dont know if I believe that (and he may have to be either way), but at this point it is hard to get a true read on Galloway…..will be an unknown likely until practice begins.

DeAndre Liggins
Like a ghost from another realm, Liggins is rarely seen and little is known about his whereabouts. I have yet to see him, but havent really been around since he arrived on campus. Few that I have spoken with have seen him and no one has commented to me on his game. I think Liggins has LOADS of talent…..the question is just whether he will be eligible. If he is, I think he likely starts. We shall see.

OTHERS
I was speaking with someone close to the program a few days ago and I mentioned that I thought there was room for a shooter to come off the bench and get some minutes, due to the lack of overall shooting ability on the team. The person agreed and told me to watch out for Mark Krebs. He is likely the second best shooter on the team, has dead-eye range and could be perfect for that role of three point shooter in a spot role. I have also heard that Landon Slone has had a decent summer, although I personally know little about the kid. Buddy Halcell (”Turtle”) also has some athleticism and a good work ethic and could be in the mix if Coach Gillispie looks further down the bench for guys to come in and play hard.

So there is the report from what I have heard so far. As with all of these types of things, this should be taken with a grain of salt, but represents a decent look at the team from what I have been told this summer. We will have more stuff throughout the day, including my first look at the SEC schedule breakdowns……

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