John Clay's Sidelines

(H-L photo)

Here’s the video roundup from today’s UK Basketball Media Day.

Jarrod Polson - Jon Hood - Eloy Vargas - Stacey Poole

DeAndre Liggins - Terrence Jones - Josh Harrellson

Brandon Knight - Doron Lamb - Darius Miller

Five quick points from UK’s basketball media opportunity, which just concluded at the Craft Center.

• 1. John Calipari praised both DeAndre Liggins and Darius Miller. Cal said that Liggins is better than he’d imagined he would be, after seeing Liggins play in high school. He also said that Miller appeared to have grown taller, and was more assertive. The coach said both have gone from supporting roles to leading roles. Said it will be interesting to see how that turns out.

• 2. Calipari said team is running maybe 90 percent dribble-drive right now, compared to about 30 percent last year. Of course, this team is much smaller than last year’s team. So playing more dribble-drive is probably a given. It also takes advantage of the driving ability of Brandon Knight, Liggins, Doron Lamb, and even Terrence Jones. “Terrence has been hurt,” said Calipari. “I haven’t been able to be on him like I need to be.”

• 3. Enes Kanter is spending the next two weeks to be with his father, who is in the country, said Calipari. The coach said that UK has heard nothing from the NCAA about Kanter’s eligibility. The coach also said he has not talked to Darnell Dodson yet about whether Dodson will return to the team, but sit out this season.

• 4. Calipari said that Jarrod Polson is the best as good a walk-on he’s ever had to this point. “It might be the Krebs effect,” said Cal of last year’s walk-on Mark Krebs. “But he was a senior.”

• 5. Calipari said that the one thing he wanted to do on the Canada trip was see a Tigers game at Comerica Park. Alas, Detroit is on the road.

Andre Woodson (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)

Big Blue Links for Tuesday:

• Birmingham school superintendent will investigate Eric Bledsoe’s transcript, reports Jeff Sentell of the Birmingham News.
• Antoine Walker ordered to trial over casino debt, reports Ken Ritter of the AP.
• Andre Woodson to play in the United Football League, reports the Elizabethtown News-Enterprise.
• Jason Kidd sees a bright future for John Wall, blogs Jerry Tipton of the Herald-Leader.
• Isaiah Thomas says he was sure Terrence Jones was coming to Washington, reports Luke Winn of SI.com.
• Patrick Patterson works to impress the Pacers, reports Cliff Brunt of AP.
• Patterson thinks he can make an impact, reports Mike Wells of the Indianapolis Star.
• John Calipari talked to Tom Izzo about the NBA, reports Alan Cutler of WLEX.
• Jarrod Polson believes he can help Kentucky in the long run, writes Larry Vaught of the Danville Advocate-Messenger.
• DeMarcus Cousins talks about draft with the Sacramento Kings: (Hat tip to Cat Scratches.)

Continue reading ‘BBL: Birmingham schools will investigate Bledsoe’

Big Blue Links for Wednesday:

Mike Fields of the Herald-Leader on West Jessamine’s Jarrod Polson picking UK:

Polson, a 6-foot-3 point guard who averaged 18 points and six rebounds this season, announced his decision Tuesday in his high school library in front of teammates, students, teachers and fans. They gave him a rousing ovation when he slipped on a blue UK cap.

H-L staff report says Eric Bledsoe remains eligible, and has not signed with an agent:

Saying the update came from Bledsoe, UK announced that the player would work out for NBA teams and then make a decision about turning pro by the deadline. Bledsoe is eligible to return to Kentucky if he does not hire an agent and withdraws from the draft by May 8.

Phil Kornblut of Palmetto Sports says Marcus Thornton will visit Kentucky:

6-7 Marcus Thornton will make his first official visit since reopening his recruiting this Thursday when he visits Alabama according to his coach. Thornton once was a Clemson signee but he got his release after Oliver Purnell left. He also has scheduled an official visit to Texas for next weekend. His coach said he will also take officials to Kentucky and Michigan.

(Hat tip Aaron’s UK Basketball Blog.)

Gary Bedore of the Lawrence Journal-World on Terrence Jones’ visit to Kansas:

Blue-chip basketball prospect Terrence Jones, who completed his official 48-hour recruiting trip to Kansas University on Tuesday afternoon, returned to his hometown of Portland, Ore., with positive feelings about KU. “The support the players receive at Kansas is something that stands out,” Jones, the No. 13-rated player in the recruiting Class of 2010, told Rivals.com. “Everybody knows who those guys are, and there is a lot of support. Kansas is one of my options, and they are even with the other schools.”

Kentucky Sports Network has Polson video:

Continue reading ‘BBL: Marcus Thornton to visit UK; Jones enjoyed Kansas’

Big Blue Links for Friday:

Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports reports that DeMarcus Cousins has an agent:

Kentucky center DeMarcus Cousins has hired an agent who’s delivering a bold message to the NBA: The No. 1 pick in the draft could come out of Kentucky, but it won’t necessarily be point guard John Wall. “There are teams that have done their homework on DeMarcus, and if the lottery ball bounces right, he could be the No. 1 pick in the draft,” agent John Greig told Yahoo! Sports on Thursday.

Mark Story of the Herald-Leader writes on new UK offensive line coach Mike Summers:

An offensive line coach makes his living teaching mammoth-sized gladiators football’s version of hand-to-hand combat. Yet Mike Summers, Kentucky’s new O-line coach, brings almost a professorial air to this manly task. It’s not just his spectacles, either.

Bluegrass State Basketball on Jarrod Polson’s pickup game:

He demonstrated good athleticism, an ability to score and great ball-handling skills in pickup action against several current and former Kentucky players.

Jerry Tipton of the Herald-Leader has an update on C.J. Leslie:

Hatchett said that Leslie tentatively planned to announce his college choice at the Jordan Brand Game in New York City on April 17. Although the coach also noted that Leslie might announce the choice earlier than that or, perhaps, someimt after the game.

Tipton reports that Stacey Poole is looking forward to Derby Festival:

Poole acknowledged that he will bring a relatively modest profile to UK. He’s not the kind of mega prospect like John Wall or DeMarcus Cousins. And UK Coach John Calipari said after Poole committed that he told the player the program would pursue other guards.

Continue reading ‘BBL: Agent thinks Cousins is better than Wall’