Toppin

May 22, 2002
18,361
15,764
113
 

LineSkiCat14

Heisman
Aug 5, 2015
38,815
60,838
113
Still a ton of moving pieces.. which players are leaving or staying, which transfers are we looking at. I imagine Toppin, Brooks, and Ware are all kinda waiting to see what each other does (even though Ware said he's coming back).
 
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STL_Cat

Heisman
Dec 4, 2011
64,878
57,614
98
There was a time when this would be such a random and odd question to ask. Why should Jacob Toppin be making an announcement about anything other than what classes he plans to take next year (I'm being facetious ... I don't think he should actually be announcing his class schedule, so calm down).

Alas, it's actually against all odds a fair question in 2021.
 
Jul 11, 2007
27,222
34,299
0
Still a ton of moving pieces.. which players are leaving or staying, which transfers are we looking at. I imagine Toppin, Brooks, and Ware are all kinda waiting to see what each other does (even though Ware said he's coming back).
Did Ware actually state he was coming back? I thought he did, but then there was speculation otherwise. Was that clarified? Thanks
 
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Jul 11, 2007
27,222
34,299
0
Genuinely curious- are we at the point now where we legitimately have to wait on an “announcement” for every single one of our players aside from walk ons?
This is a direct result of our fanbase driving the dialogue with players. In most programs, it would just be assumed that there's nowhere to go for a place like Ware. But in the current environment (regularly losing players, no penalty for transfer, etc), we demand this of all players. Crazy but true.
 

LineSkiCat14

Heisman
Aug 5, 2015
38,815
60,838
113
Did Ware actually state he was coming back? I thought he did, but then there was speculation otherwise. Was that clarified? Thanks


I know he said he was coming back (or some version of that), but some speculate he's not 100% on board.. which I actually believe, because he still has three other bigs deciding and two coming in.

IMO, Ware will transfer if most of those guys come back. But if say, Toppin and Sarr were to leave? Or Brooks? Then he has more clear playing time.
 

fastpaste101

All-Conference
Feb 10, 2021
1,051
1,421
0
he absolutely did enough and showed enough to go through the process
i also believe 100% that the NBA guys will tell him to return to UK

any player that shows promise should go through the process and get a better understanding of where they stand and what they need to work on

I understand but shouldn’t cal and staff be able to provide that to most players?
 
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Ky_Bred_Cat

All-Conference
Dec 28, 2014
2,147
3,995
113
I'm working under the assumption he's coming back, is not yet an NBA prospect or even a 'test the waters guy' yet and no reason to think he wants to transfer.

So, unless I'm way off, he's coming back. No Story (I hope!). I think he may end up having the best NBA career of anyone on this year's team.
 
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Dec 30, 2002
10,641
20,618
0
If I were Toppin, I would leave my options open until I see who and how many new players Cal is going to bring in. If Cal recruits over him and he gets buried on the bench, he will be much better off going to the transfer portal while there is no penalty for transferring.

Any reasonable player would do the same thing. I am sure his parents are advising him to wait and see. And then let Cal know what you are doing.
 

docholiday51

Heisman
Oct 19, 2001
22,011
26,718
0
This is a direct result of our fanbase driving the dialogue with players. In most programs, it would just be assumed that there's nowhere to go for a place like Ware. But in the current environment (regularly losing players, no penalty for transfer, etc), we demand this of all players. Crazy but true.
The fan base doesn't drive crap in this program, just ask Cal. According to how he thinks we have just enough sense to walk around. If the fan base had any say 75%+ of the team wouldn't pack up and leave after a year or less.
 
Jul 11, 2007
27,222
34,299
0
The fan base doesn't drive crap in this program, just ask Cal. According to how he thinks we have just enough sense to walk around. If the fan base had any say 75%+ of the team wouldn't pack up and leave after a year or less.
And yet, the fan base perpetuates the entire system by asking every bench player continually whether they are moving on. Granted, not really our fault, but it’s definitely a side effect of the system we live in.
 

kyjeff1

Heisman
Sep 8, 2012
50,470
70,655
113
If I were Toppin, I would leave my options open until I see who and how many new players Cal is going to bring in. If Cal recruits over him and he gets buried on the bench, he will be much better off going to the transfer portal while there is no penalty for transferring.

Any reasonable player would do the same thing. I am sure his parents are advising him to wait and see. And then let Cal know what you are doing.
Wait, can he transfer again without sitting? He already transferred once.
 
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VA/UK

All-Conference
Dec 2, 2011
932
1,662
0
he absolutely did enough and showed enough to go through the process
i also believe 100% that the NBA guys will tell him to return to UK

any player that shows promise should go through the process and get a better understanding of where they stand and what they need to work on
You gotta be kidding me. If it would help short circuit the process, maybe he can talk to his coaches! Another example of how f’d up the UK system has become.
 
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revcort

Heisman
Feb 20, 2003
32,522
30,904
113
There was a time when this would be such a random and odd question to ask. Why should Jacob Toppin be making an announcement about anything other than what classes he plans to take next year (I'm being facetious ... I don't think he should actually be announcing his class schedule, so calm down).

Alas, it's actually against all odds a fair question in 2021.
Yep, sad but true. Jacob just transferred here this past offseason and was expecting to take a redshirt year before the special exemption allowed him to play. I'm fully expecting him to return. If he leaves, I won't be happy. He's not in anyone's mock draft. He has no real prospects. He should come back.
 

docholiday51

Heisman
Oct 19, 2001
22,011
26,718
0
And yet, the fan base perpetuates the entire system by asking every bench player continually whether they are moving on. Granted, not really our fault, but it’s definitely a side effect of the system we live in.
Fans discuss each player's departure or return because the program causes it to be a questionable issue. People in general discuss the weather but their discussion has no effect on how it plays out, just as the fans have no effect on what players do relative to going or staying.
 

ABlockalypseBrow

All-Conference
May 26, 2018
1,534
3,183
0
he absolutely did enough and showed enough to go through the process
i also believe 100% that the NBA guys will tell him to return to UK

any player that shows promise should go through the process and get a better understanding of where they stand and what they need to work on

lol

Yeah we want to make sure all of our players keep their eyes focused on what’s important. And that’s what they need to do to get out of here ASAP.
 

Trinity45

All-American
Oct 26, 2005
3,349
5,203
113
I wonder what is taking him so long to make a decision? Did he do enough to actually go test the waters this year without an agent? I really thought he would be one of the first to announce he would be coming back.
This is the new Kentucky basketball.
 

westerncat

Heisman
Feb 19, 2012
15,923
20,891
0
If he works on his game this summer, i.e. getting stronger, working on staying low, power drop step and baby hook, I think Ware could show MAJOR improvement next year. I saw a lot of little things to like about his game this year. Just needs more time to put it together. I hope he stays.


I said something similar to this and i agree with you, he has some skills that i think if he stays at least 3 years he could be a very good center for UK.
 

westerncat

Heisman
Feb 19, 2012
15,923
20,891
0
Recruiting over players is one thing i wish Cal would stop doing. Toppin is going to be a very good player for UK if he stays and Cal does not recruit over him. I know this is very hard to do if a player wants to come too UK.
 
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tls

Heisman
Nov 7, 2007
7,845
14,441
81
If I were Toppin, I would leave my options open until I see who and how many new players Cal is going to bring in. If Cal recruits over him and he gets buried on the bench, he will be much better off going to the transfer portal while there is no penalty for transferring.

Any reasonable player would do the same thing. I am sure his parents are advising him to wait and see. And then let Cal know what you are doing.
I don’t think there’s anyone out there to “recruit over him” even if Cal could.

Isn’t there a limit (by the NBA) on how many can “test the waters”?
 

SmedMoley

All-American
Nov 14, 2020
3,690
7,959
0
This is a direct result of our fanbase driving the dialogue with players. In most programs, it would just be assumed that there's nowhere to go for a place like Ware. But in the current environment (regularly losing players, no penalty for transfer, etc), we demand this of all players. Crazy but true.
As you say, in this current environment, fans are justified in engaging in this sort of talk. Sports figures, coaches, etc. rarely mean what they say, these days.
 

gojvc

All-American
Feb 5, 2005
28,744
7,273
0
If he works on his game this summer, i.e. getting stronger, working on staying low, power drop step and baby hook, I think Ware could show MAJOR improvement next year. I saw a lot of little things to like about his game this year. Just needs more time to put it together. I hope he stays.
All that and he didn’t let people just push him around like Oliver Sarr did.