No. 2: 2009-2010 Team Preview: Kentucky Wildcats

2008-2009 Record: 22-14, 8-8 SEC East (t-5th)

Key Losses: Jodie Meeks (23.7 ppg)

Key Returners: Patrick Patterson (17.9 ppg, 9.3 rpg), Perry Stevenson (7.9 ppg, 5.2 rpg), Darius Miller (5.3 ppg, 2.0 apg)

Newcomers: John Wall, Eric Bledsoe, DeMarcus Cousins, Daniel Orton, Jon Hood, Darnell Dodson, John Calipari

Kentucky's crop of newcomers will carry the Wildcats.
(photo credit: Photobucket)

At this point, who doesn't know about the turnover the Kentucky program has had in the last eight months. In short, after two disappointing seasons with Billy Gillispie at the helm, Kentucky fired him and signed John Calipari, who brought with him one of the best recruiting classes in recent memory.

In terms of talent, Kentucky is as loaded as any team in the country. We'll start in the back court, where two freshmen, John Wall and Eric Bledsoe, will run the show. Everyone knows about John Wall by now. At 6'4", Wall is as good of an athlete as you are going to find at the point, and he has the skills to be one of the best point guards in the country. He has the handle and the quicks to break down any defender in the country one-on-one. He can elevate and finish above the rim with either hand. He doesn't quite have Ray Allen's jumper yet, but he is a good enough shooter that a defender has to show respect. Despite being a freshman, Wall is being touted as a possible player of the year candidate. The only thing that will hold him back this season is the transition to playing at the college level. He is a perfect fit for Calipari's dribble-drive motion offense, and should be a pleasure to watch this year.

While you may know about John Wall, what you might not know is that Eric Bledsoe is a heckuva player as well. Bledsoe is much less of a scorer than Wall. He is more of a pass first point guard with the ability to get into the lane, draw defenders, and find the open man. Another guy that is perfectly suited to the DDM, expect Bledsoe and Wall to share the back court and terrorize defenses for quite a few minutes this season.

There is not drop off on the rest of UK's back court, either. There are three returners on the wings in senior Ramon Harris and sophomores DeAndre Liggins and Darius Miller. The 6'7" Harris will be a guy that Calipari is going to love having on his team. Not much of a factor on the offensive end, Harris is a blue collar player that will go out and defend, rebound the ball, and make the hustle plays. On a roster full of potential superstars, Harris is going to be the glue guy. Liggins is a bit of a conundrum. He has worlds of potential as he is 6'6" with the skills of a point guard. The problem is that he doesn't understand how to use his talent. Last season, Liggins forced too many bad shots and turned the ball over too much. But his ability to slash and to pass makes him the kind of guy that could be an impact player in the DDM assuming he figures out how to play. Miller is the best of the three. Miller is another guy that is 6'7" but plays almost as a point guard. He is a tremendous athlete that has shown the ability to be a play maker offensively, especially if his handle continues to improve.

The problem for Miller, as well as Harris and Liggins, is that they may never see the floor. That's because Darnell Dodson, a sophomore transfer from Miami-Dade, and Jon Hood, a freshman from Kentucky, also join the team. Dodson and Hood are probably going to be Kentucky's two best perimeter threats this year. Dodson looks to be a better overall offensive player as he has the ability to slash to the rim, but Hood has been very impressive in the early going, knocking down open threes and just playing an all-around tough brand of basketball. Both have looked like major contributors in the early going for Calipari.

Kentucky's front court is basically going to be a four man rotation of big, athletic, talented kids. The best of the group is Patrick Patterson, one of the best big men in the country. Patterson is a load to handle in the paint. His length and athleticism make him a great finisher - and, as was the case with Joey Dorsey and company in '07-'08, Patterson should catch quite a few lobs this season - but his strength when establishing position and holding off defenders is what makes him a dangerous scorer. Patterson averaged 17.9 ppg last season, and while Kentucky will likely be playing a bit of a faster pace under Calipari, Patterson's numbers may take a hit simply because of how much talent their is surrounding him.

Freshman DeMarcus Cousins looks likely to be the other starter up front. Cousins is a big, physical post with an outstanding array of scoring moves. He has quick feet and a strong base on the block, but he also has three point range, is capable of using the dribble to get to the rim, and is a solid passer. Cousins has a bit of a rep for being lazy - not hustling for rebounds, not running the floor - and having an attitude, but if anyone can put a mean streak into a player, it is Coach Cal. Orton may have a better low post game than Cousins. He has a stronger build and is tougher, but he does not have the perimeter game that Cousins does. Like Cousins, Orton is also a good passer, which should lead to some pretty high-low action between the two this year.

Senior Perry Stevenson is the odd man out. Stevenson, despite having a slender frame, has developed into a solid option inside. He is long and athletic, which allows him to be a good shot blocker and rebounder. While he struggles at holding position and he doesn't have much of an offensive game beyond catching-and-finishing, Stevenson's effort and athleticism alone would probably allow him to start for 95% of the teams in the country. Also expect junior Josh Harrellson to see some limited time.

Outlook: The talent is clearly there for the Wildcats. The issue for them is going to be how well they adapt to playing with each other and, for the younger guys, playing at the collegiate level. There are a lot of new faces on this team, including John Calipari, and the DDM is not an easy offensive to learn. If they can get it down quickly against some of their early season opponents, this team could go a long, long way this year. The other problem is going to be perimeter shooting. Jon Hood is really the only guy you would consider a "shooter" on this roster, but guys like Dodson, Miller, Wall, and Cousins are all capable of stepping out and hitting a three. Will there be enough shooting to keep spacing available inside?