I won’t sit here and tell you that it wouldn’t be disastrous to miss out on Donnie Freeman. It’s simple to convince yourself that his commitment to Rick Pitino and St. John’s is acceptable when you take into account his lengthy history of injuries and his defensive issues. The player isn’t the source of the rage surrounding this error; rather, it’s the method, which feels completely flawed.
Freeman was given first attention by the Kentucky staff. After bringing him to campus, they behaved as though he was incarcerated. Sebastian Rancik was a player who might have been willing to commit, but Kentucky passed on him because they thought Freeman was a lock. Kentucky basketball must now switch to third, or possibly even fourth, choices.
So, just who’s left? Here is a look at the remaining big men Mark Pope might be attempting to lock down in Freeman’s wake, barring an unexpected entry in the last hours of the gateway.
“Reach” Targets
Even if the Cats aren’t officially in any of the races, I can still think of three high-level names.
Super-talented forwards Allen Graves of Santa Clara and Milan Momcilovic of Iowa State are both vying for spots in the NBA Draft. They probably won’t make a decision until much later in May, when the draft deadline arrives. Kentucky is not in a position to wait another full month for a commitment from either of them after losing out on Freeman, but the Cats’ precarious situation may eventually require it.
Paulius Murauskas of Saint Mary’s has spoken with the UK staff; however, Randy Bennett, his former coach, is currently at Arizona State. It will be quite challenging to overcome that innate affinity. In my opinion, all three of these players would be superior to Freeman, but they are by no means certain. That brings us to the remaining realistic goals.
1. Justin McBride (James Madison)
McBride is an intriguing assessment, particularly within Mark Pope’s framework. He is an undersized “space four” at six feet seven who made a significant offensive improvement at James Madison last season. This season, he made more three-pointers (95) than he did in his two prior seasons combined, making 38 of them (40%).
His scoring is what will grab your attention, but his rebounding was also strong, averaging close to six per game. McBride scored 20 points or more 11 times, including two spectacular performances last season with more than 30 points. However, his height and the possibility that his shooting statistics will decline to the mean are the apparent causes for concern.
If you’re searching for a ceiling reference, BBN, consider a Mo Dioubate with a superior jump shot who is less physically demanding. We’ll accept that.
2. Devin Williams (FAU)
Williams is the ideal defensive addition if Pope is searching for one. He will need to gain weight in order to compete with the physical bodies in the SEC because he is only six feet ten inches tall. But he already possesses exceptional defensive instincts.
Williams is among the top rim protectors in the nation, averaging an astounding 2.6 blocks and 5.2 rebounds in just 23.8 minutes per night. He has the kind of off-ball defensive presence that many high-major teams strive for and can make an impact without having the ball in his hands.
3. Taylor Bol Bowen (Alabama)
Conversely, Bowen is the ultimate “potential” play. After a very strong sophomore season in which he averaged 5.2 rebounds and hit 41.4% from three, he took a statistical step backward for Alabama last season. Pope would be depending on a bounce-back year to extract that value, but the raw tools are there for him to step in and be a highly productive contributor.
For some reason, Mark Pope also went after Bowen during the portal cycle last year.
The staff will have to consider lower-level players attempting to advance in the competition or take a chance on individuals who have never played before if Kentucky misses out on all of the aforementioned names, realistic or not. Playing this game is risky.
However, Kentucky is in dire need of bodies with only three known returners (Braydon Hawthorne has not yet been formally announced to sign with the Cats, and Malachi Moreno is trying the NBA), one high school talent, and one portal signee.
