Commitment of Five Star Forward Justin Edwards Last week we presented Kentucky with an invaluable asset to our 2023-24 roster. Tsubasa’s first defense talentFrom the days of Michael Kidd-Gilcristthis luxury has been scarce, and its absence has frequently plagued the “March Cats”. It is becoming more and more important to
Edwards’ arrival is still a year away, but his skill set isn’t all that flashy or unique. Versatile offensive game Possessing catch-and-shoot abilities, solid handles, and elite ball-hawking instincts on defense. But what he means is much greater. For the first time in almost his decade, Kentucky looks poised to put the missing piece in place.
series of unfortunate events
Where did Britain’s sauceless chicken wings problem start? The first three years of John Calipari’s tenure were rich in small forwards and reliable two-way players. Darius Miller, DeAndre Riggins and MKG were all diehard defenders with the ability to contain opposing scorers. By the fall of 2012, however, all three of him had disappeared, ostensibly leaving the role to Alex his Poisless for several years.
Poythress was never a bad defender, but he was inconsistent and not a perfect fit. Missing out on players like Shabazz Mohammad, Andrew Wiggins and Kelly Oubre for several years in a row clearly created problems for his Calipari roster plans. Still, Poythres had developed into a relatively reliable frontcourt presence by the junior year. Had it not been for his brutal ACL injury in December 2014, the 40-win dream might have become a reality. Instead, the lion’s share of his minutes that year fell to freshmen Trey Lyles and Devin Booker, both of whom scored Sam Decker’s 16-point lead when he torched Britain by 16 points. Didn’t have the strength and agility needed to stay ahead…that story.
In the years that followed, Calipari expanded recruitment to a wider range to offset his losses. He acquired Kevin Knox, Hamidou Diallo and Keldon Johnson, but none were able to fully establish themselves as freshmen. but didn’t stay long enough in Lexington to realize its potential. And top prospects kept missing him as studs like Jaylen Brown, Michael Porter Jr. and Cam Reddish committed elsewhere.
Last season, Kentucky had one of the most complete teams on paper in recent history. Still, they were vulnerable in their wings. Kaion Brooks Jr., Jacob Toppin and Bryce Hopkins had some of the best athleticism in the world, but they didn’t have the speed they needed. Again, we know how it turned out.
This year, Kentucky acquired two potentially high-impact wing defenders. Casson Wallace When Chris LivingstonBoth are top 15 recruits and the only UK top 100 commitments in their class. The exact nature of their role in Calipari’s defense is yet to be determined, but it’s encouraging to see those positions being noted for change.
back to basics
Kentucky’s 2023 hiring efforts are worth noting.What are the dominoes starting to fall for lead shepard Others have already said “dream teamThis is unlike anything we’ve seen since at least 2013. good When very Among the five-star talent. For the most part, Edwards looks like the latter.
According to 247 Sports, Edwards is rated the #3 player in his class. His rival says the same thing. If those scores hold up, it will be the first time Great Britain has won a top-ranked small forward in any class since Kidd-Gilchrist in 2011.It is also the first time in that span that they have won the net Any Top 5 SF (closest is James Young, who was rated 9th among competitors in 2013).
So Edwards’ commitment means he has one less important thing to worry about heading into next season.In the meantime, I encourage you to check out Brandon Ramsey Movie Breakdown since last week. Here’s a sneak preview of these defensive instincts:
Yes, please. Please sign up…it’s been too long.
