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{"managingGroups":{},"author":"elvafeng","updateTime":1562297120000,"title":"Kentucky basketball history behind only John Wall","dislikeCnt":0,"content":"Gone from last season s Kentucky squad that finished with 30 wins and an Elite Eight appearance are All American PJ Washington, SEC Newcomer of the Year Tyler Herro and SEC Freshman of the Year Keldon Johnson.\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003eGone are 72.8 percent of the Wildcats points, 69.5 of its rebounds , 54.9 of its assists, 55.9 of its steals and 48.9 percent of its blocked shots from a season ago.\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003eBut, in what has \u003ca href\u003d\"https://www.kentuckywildcatscenter.com/derek-willis-jersey-c-15.html\"\u003eDerek Willis Jersey\u003c/a\u003e\u0026nbsp; become increasingly rare during his tenure in Lexington, John Calipari returns four players from last season.\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e It s nice to have players back, Calipari said Tuesday. We have four really quality players back. The last time we had four players back who were quality players like that was 2014 15. I enjoy coaching guys two, three and four years. \n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003eIt starts at point guard with SEC Co Defensive Player of the Year Ashton Hagans, who started the final 29 games of the season, averaging 7.7 points, 4.3 assists, 2.6 rebounds and 1.6 steals per game. Hagan 61 steals were third by a freshman in Kentucky basketball history behind only John Wall 66 and Rajon Rondo 87 . His 160 assists are the fifth most ever by a UK freshman.\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003eHagans joins Andrew Harrison and Tyler Ulis as point guards to return to Kentucky in the Calipari Era, both of whom took giant leaps as sophomores. After perhaps having one foot already out the door last season, Calipari expects the same from Hagans, who will need to improve his outside shooting and cut down on turnovers in 2019 20.\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e Ashton I think will have a breakthrough year based on the fact that he gets it now, Calipari said. He s going to be much more focused on things. \n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003eThen, there is junior center Nick Richards and sophomore power forward EJ Montgomery, who both withdrew their names from the 2019 NBA Draft last week and in the process, fortified Kentucky s frontcourt and legitimized the Wildcats as title contenders next season.\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003eAfter showing flashes of brilliance mixed with bouts of frustrating inconsistency, Calipari expects the light bulb to\u0026nbsp; \u003ca href\u003d\"https://www.kentuckywildcatscenter.com/mychal-mulder-jersey-c-7.html\"\u003ehttps://www.kentuckywildcatscenter.com/mychal-mulder-jersey-c-7.html\u003c/a\u003e\u0026nbsp; finally come on for Richards next season, comparing his upside to that of former UK big man turned lottery pick Willie Cauley Stein, saying, there is nobody like him in the country.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e I fully expect this to be his breakout year. The opportunity, the minutes, and where he is maturity wise and physically. He only started playing basketball when he was 14, Calipari said. They both started playing basketball later than you would expect. Willie was playing football. Those similarities are there, but they re different kinds of players. If Nick is in the kind of position that he s physically and mentally ready to do this, he blocks shots and rebounds above the rim. Be that guy. \n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003eCalipari scoffed at the idea he may have had a quicker hook than other players over his first two seasons and says it s up to Richards to control his own destiny.\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e That s all bullshit, Calipari said bluntly. It s your competitive spirit. Are you adding to the team? What s happening to the game when we stick you in because we are here to win. You re responsible for you, take what you want. That s what this program has always been about. You want to be a starter? Take the job. You want to be a guy that can score baskets? Then score baskets. He hasn t been treated any different than any other player here and now he s got this opportunity in front of him. He s going to have to go and take it, but it s still an opportunity. It s his job to go take it. I believe he will. \n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003eLast spring, Washington was considered a second round pick before coming back to Kentucky and transforming himself not only into a consensus All American but a lottery pick as well. Calipari sees the same, if not more, for Montgomery \u003ca href\u003d\"https://www.kentuckywildcatscenter.com/malik-monk-jersey-c-5.html\"\u003ehttps://www.kentuckywildcatscenter.com/malik-monk-jersey-c-5.html\u003c/a\u003e, who averaged 3.8 points, 4.1 rebounds and 1.0 blocks in 15.1 minutes per game last season and has about as much upside as any player Calipari has coached. \n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e I told him, This thing s on you now. What s happened for PJ and the changes that he made for him and our team, I expect the same if not more from you, Calipari said. He will be a difference maker on both ends because he can block shots, he s quick to the ball. He s got to get physically stronger and mentally a little tougher. He s got to be in some wars. The upside for him is ridiculous. I ve had about four or five guys maybe I would say were beyond where he is, but there s not many that have the upside that he has. \n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003eOne player not many are talking about is the return of reserve combo guard Immanuel Quickley, who started to come on toward the end of last season, making 8 of 14 three point attempts over a seven game stretch \u003ca href\u003d\"https://www.kentuckywildcatscenter.com/jonny-david-jersey-c-6.html\"\u003ehttps://www.kentuckywildcatscenter.com/jonny-david-jersey-c-6.html\u003c/a\u003e, culminating with a 12 point performance on a perfect 3 of 3 shooting from beyond the arc in an SEC Tournament quarterfinal win over Alabama.\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e He played well, shot the ball well. He’s gotten better. Again, I expect him to have a breakout year, Calipari said. He did some really good stuff last year. He s one of the great teammates, terrific. Got so much better defensively, like so much better defensively. And he s getting a better feel for this. \n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003eDespite bringing in the nation s No. 2 recruiting class which features four of the top 30 prospects in the 2019 class, whether Kentucky enjoys another special season in 2019 20 will largely depend on whether Calipari is right.\u003cbr\u003e","threadId":49304,"likeCnt":0,"createTime":1562297120000,"isWorkbook":false,"viewCnt":1213,"openness":2,"fav":false,"id":1264,"trustable":false}