Derek Willis to be another Darius Miller?

     Willis is not the guy in glasses..   Here on KSR, and on news sites across the country, we’ve all written about Darius Miller being the “glue guy” of the 2012 national champs — the guy who was always there, who suffered through some bad years to get to a gr8 one, and who held the team together like no one else could.  That kind of guy is irreplaceable, but it doesn’t mean there won’t be Kentucky players in the future who will have a similar role.  That’s where Derek Willis, UK’s 2013 commit, comes in.  What makes Willis a player that could one day be viewed in the way Miller is viewed now? The “Kentucky Boy” factor: Since Coach Cal came to town, the focus has been on getting the best recruits, regardless of where they’re from.  Sometimes that has meant some of the home-grown products are looked over in favor of the stars from across the country.  While that method has obviously worked, it’s also true that there is a segment of the BBN that misses having those Kentucky boys pulling on a Cats jersey.  That’s part of the reason Miller was so beloved during his time here — the Maysville product and Kentucky Mr. Basketball proved that someone could indeed be from Kentucky and help UK to a national championship. Willis, in a similar vein, is from Bullitt East High School and led his team to the state semifinals during his sophomore year and another Sweet Sixteen appearance his junior season. He committed to UK in January of this year, and will be heading into his senior year in the fall of 2012.  It’s not hard to envision Willis being looked up to by kids across the state for continuing to represent Kentucky at the college level. The One and Done Factor:  (or lack thereof).  As we all know, Miller stayed all four years at UK and then went on to be drafted by the Hornets.  Many believe Willis could follow a similar path.  As of now, he’s not at the level (or size) to be considered a one-and-done type player.  Chances are, he’ll be more like Kyle Wiltjer, Miller, etc and stay at least a couple years to fully develop into who he has the potential to be.  Having a guy stick around really endears that player to Kentucky fans.  Obviously, we still love Anthony Davis and John Wall even if they only stayed a year each, but there’s just something about a player who stays and gives his heart to the program for multiple years. Style of play: This isn’t something that’s been discussed a lot, but Miller and Willis are actually fairly similar in terms of their playing styles.  Willis’ coach at Bullitt East, Troy Barr, described his player as being “a big kid who could dribble it and shoot it from the perimeter.”  Miller, at 6’8-235, isn’t small by any means, but he can still play and defend from the perimeter as well.  He has the ability to shoot a few threes, and then go inside and bang around with the big guys.  Both players have the ability to play multiple positions, and both fit into John Calipari’s style of play very well.  Guys who can stretch the court do well under Cal, as Miller did: Expect the same from Willis. Willis, at 6-9 and 195 pounds, has a need to put on some weight, but he’s a young guy and still has time for that before he makes it to Lexington (did you know Anthony Davis grew 7 inches before his junior year?? I’m sure no one else has said so).  He's also dropped (a lot) in the latest top-100 rankings for the 2013 class, but it's definitely not time to worry - he still has what it takes.  When Willis does arrive in Lexington, he’s sure to be a guy who’s considered a fan favorite for years to come. @AshleyScoby