The Official “Who’s On Our Team?” Thread (UPDATE: Oscar In, Shaedon Out)

[Downes Van Zandt]

Seemed like as good a time as any to start this conversation, given that we just got some early, and unexpected, positive news for next year: Travis Branham reports that Daimion Collins will return for his sophomore season.

Collins was an obvious transfer candidate, so it’s nice to have this out of the way and resulting in good things for UK.

Feel free to speculate here about the rest.

[Will Lavender]

Obviously TyTy’s gone. Have to think Oscar too given that he’s never going to be thought of as highly as he is right now.

Can’t imagine Hopkins being back. Nor Dontaie Allen.

Brooks, Toppin, Wheeler, Fredrick, Collins should be the returners.

But again: anything could happen these next five months and I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised.

[Downes Van Zandt]

Obviously TyTy’s gone. Have to think Oscar too given that he’s never going to be thought of as highly as he is right now.

Can’t imagine Hopkins being back. Nor Dontaie Allen.

Brooks, Toppin, Wheeler, Fredrick, Collins should be the returners.

But again: anything could happen these next five months and I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised.

Brooks had one foot out the door last year. I’d add him to your “Can’t imagine” list.

And tbh, I’m not sure it’d break my heart if that happened. I think he’s reached his ceiling, and it’s hard to see him ever putting together a full season’s worth of his best. At this point I’m ready to see Cal turn the four over to Toppin, with Livingston getting the bulk of the backup minutes.

[Will Lavender]

Toppin's got way more upside than Brooks for sure.

Toppin has a long way to go to be a complete player, though. But he has juice in his game that Brooks obviously doesn't have--mostly because he plays much harder.

[Lighthouse]

Brooks has to go IF Cal plans to put a winner on the court next year. The man is just to lazy to do much positive. He's been here 3 seasons and there has been little if any improvement in his game.

[KCKUKFan]

Oscar Tshiebwe
Sahvir Wheeler
CJ Frederick
Jacob Toppin
Daimion Collins
Chris Livingston
Lance Ware
Cason Wallace
Shaedon Sharpe
Transfer portal PG

Mintz, Grady, Brooks, Washington: gone

PG Sahvir Wheeler / transfer portal PG
SG Cason Wallace / CJ Frederick / Sharpe
SF Shaedon Sharpe / Frederick / Wallace
PF Jacob Toppin / Chris Livingston
C Oscar Tshiebwe / Daimion Collins / Lance Ware

Mintz, Grady, Brooks, Washington, Hopkins, Allen: gone

I'm a sucker and I'm an idiot, but I think Cal realizes how much is riding on this offseason and this next season, and he's actually going to go out of his way to recruit some of these dudes back (Tshiebwe and Sharpe, in particular). I know I'm setting myself up for disappointment.

[Lighthouse]

^ I like your picks except Wheeler. If he would just be a PG who sets up others and drives once in awhile, but he must think he can shoot and we all know how that works out.

[justford]

Not giving up on Oscar returning although I agree he should leave while at the top of his game. Not knowing his NIL situation, can’t really say.

Sharpe is definitely a hard one to call. I think he leaves but hope I am wrong.?

[Will Lavender]

^ I like your picks except Wheeler. If he would just be a PG who sets up others and drives once in awhile, but he must think he can shoot and we all know how that works out.

Well he was third in the nation in assists.

He was okay this year IMO. Had some awesome games, had some abysmal ones. Obviously collapsed late against St. Peter’s but he wasn’t alone.

I’d probably give him a flat B as a grade. I actually think when you look at the season as a whole you could grade Wheeler higher than TyTy. After the injury TyTy was pretty bad with the exception of that one SEC Tournament game.

[Will Lavender]

Not giving up on Oscar returning although I agree he should leave while at the top of his game. Not knowing his NIL situation, can’t really say.

Sharpe is definitely a hard one to call. I think he leaves but hope I am wrong.?

With Sharpe and Oscar Kentucky is arguably #1 in the preseason.

Question is, if Cal continues his downward trajectory as a coach does the roster matter so much?

[Los Gatos]

Not giving up on Oscar returning although I agree he should leave while at the top of his game. Not knowing his NIL situation, can’t really say.

Sharpe is definitely a hard one to call. I think he leaves but hope I am wrong.?

No, definitely would not give up on Oscar returning. However, per KSR, UK has already reached out to Fardaws Aimag of Utah Valley. He is 6-11, 245 lb center, player of the year in the WAC. In the transfer portal. As for Sharpe, I'll believe he will play for UK once the NBA draft closes and he hasn't declared.

[Dwight Schrute]

What is Oscar’s current draft stock? With NIL and his popularity it’s possible he makes more here than in the G league. I think NIL changes the calculus completely with these decisions.

[Downes Van Zandt]

What is Oscar’s current draft stock? With NIL and his popularity it’s possible he makes more here than in the G league. I think NIL changes the calculus completely with these decisions.

It was 45ish. Lately some boards have him creeping onto either side of 31.

Not just saying this because I want him back, but I think once the shine of his season wears off a bit and he gets in front of scouts for some up-close-and-personal time, they’ll be reminded of his limitations and those deeper second-round projections will start popping up again.

If that happens, and IF (big if) he’s able to fully capitalize on NIL, we’ll stand a good chance of bringing him back.

[Downes Van Zandt]

No, definitely would not give up on Oscar returning. However, per KSR, UK has already reached out to Fardaws Aimag of Utah Valley. He is 6-11, 245 lb center, player of the year in the WAC. In the transfer portal. As for Sharpe, I'll believe he will play for UK once the NBA draft closes and he hasn't declared.

Cal’s going to reach out to every good player, as he should. I wouldn’t assume it means much of anything, yet.

[samsdad]

Why would Hopkins leave?