Outside of Lexington, Kentucky I’m not sure many people saw or hoped to see this sort of start coming for the John Calipari era at Arkansas. The formula was right out of Cal’s playbook that has worked at Kentucky for years, and at the very least over the last five years winning in the regular season.
So what happened?
A perfect storm that involves some bad luck, some bad scouting, and some bad coaching.
1) Injuries
Practicing with five guys most of the offseason was a big blow. Can’t build chemistry that way. Two of the biggest portal additions being hurt for an extended period over the offseason didn’t help, either.
Chalk this under bad luck.
2) Freshmen not ready
The great thing about being such a high-level recruiter is that Calipari can almost pick and choose who he wants from the high school ranks this year. Of the four scholarship freshmen he brought in for this roster, only one has lived up to the potential.
Knox and Richmond just haven’t had it. Reducing a roster by two - in two key positions - just limits it even more. Both have been offensively limited, with Richmond not even a threat to shoot outside of three feet, while Knox has struggled defensively all season. Bad scouting? Bad coaching? Whatever it is has just added to the lack of cohesion.
3) No depth
It was a concern coming into the season, and we’ve seen it be a legitimate issue. There are only nine guys in the rotation with two underperforming freshmen and two injured portal guys. That’s not even including Ivisic, who can only play in select matchups.
It’s not to say that spots 10-13 had to be all-stars, but adding another big or another wing from the portal to where there’s a next man up in case of injury or performance couldn’t hurt.
Chalk that up under coaching.
There are plenty of other issues, too: no offensive sets or movement, no new voices on the sideline (same assistants), lack of strength and physicality, etc. That’s stuff that Cal has succeeded in spite of because of the talent on roster.
This roster has some talent, but some young guys just weren’t ready, some guys can’t play in every matchup, and some guys haven’t been healthy yet.
Don’t think there’s much of a way to fix those issues this year. The roster is already set.
Just have to build a better roster next year.
So what happened?
A perfect storm that involves some bad luck, some bad scouting, and some bad coaching.
1) Injuries
Practicing with five guys most of the offseason was a big blow. Can’t build chemistry that way. Two of the biggest portal additions being hurt for an extended period over the offseason didn’t help, either.
Chalk this under bad luck.
2) Freshmen not ready
The great thing about being such a high-level recruiter is that Calipari can almost pick and choose who he wants from the high school ranks this year. Of the four scholarship freshmen he brought in for this roster, only one has lived up to the potential.
Knox and Richmond just haven’t had it. Reducing a roster by two - in two key positions - just limits it even more. Both have been offensively limited, with Richmond not even a threat to shoot outside of three feet, while Knox has struggled defensively all season. Bad scouting? Bad coaching? Whatever it is has just added to the lack of cohesion.
3) No depth
It was a concern coming into the season, and we’ve seen it be a legitimate issue. There are only nine guys in the rotation with two underperforming freshmen and two injured portal guys. That’s not even including Ivisic, who can only play in select matchups.
It’s not to say that spots 10-13 had to be all-stars, but adding another big or another wing from the portal to where there’s a next man up in case of injury or performance couldn’t hurt.
Chalk that up under coaching.
There are plenty of other issues, too: no offensive sets or movement, no new voices on the sideline (same assistants), lack of strength and physicality, etc. That’s stuff that Cal has succeeded in spite of because of the talent on roster.
This roster has some talent, but some young guys just weren’t ready, some guys can’t play in every matchup, and some guys haven’t been healthy yet.
Don’t think there’s much of a way to fix those issues this year. The roster is already set.
Just have to build a better roster next year.
