How Special Could 2011 Be?

by:Dustin Rumbaugh04/23/10
With a commitment from Marquis Teague on Thursday, plus the commitment from Michael Gilchrist last week, UK's 2011 class is shaping up to be quite a special one. I thought it might be nice to look at just what kind of head start we have on the class, how it compares to other great classes and what we might be looking at when all is said and done. UK's 2009 Class: #1 John Wall #2 Demarcus Cousins #8 Eric Bledsoe #22 Daniel Orton #40 Jon Hood Right now UK's 2011 class looks like this: #1 Michael Gilchrist (#1 forward) #2 Marquis Teague (#1 guard) UK is also in good shape with these players: #3 Quincy Miller (#2 forward) #9 Tony Wroten (#4 guard) #10 Michael Chandler (#2 center) #11 Adonis Thomas (#5 forward) #14 Damien Leonard (#6 guard) #20 Quinn Cook (#10 guard) That's just in the top 25. I think it is realistic to say that UK would be able to take another top forward, a top center and another guard and possibly a wing player. The question gets pretty interesting when you look at whether UK is going to have to bid farewell to Quinn Cook because they just don't have enough playing time to give him with Wroten and Teague wrapped up. If you looked just at where most people in the know would say these kids go at this given moment, UK would probably add Quincy Miller, Tony Wroten, Michael Chandler and maybe even Damien Leonard or Quinn Cook. Damien is more likely because he is more of a wing than Cook, who is a point guard and would probably shy away from playing with Wroten and Teague. That means that UK would have the #1, #2, #3, #9 and #14 players in the class. They'd have the top point guard, the top power forward, the 2nd best power forward, the 2nd best center, the 3rd best guard and the #6 guard who is also probably the best shooter in the bunch. Now take that class and compare it to the top 5 players in the other historically great classes and you can truly put into perspective just how incredible this feat would be if Cal can pull it off. In terms of how the team will look, your adding this class to the senior years of Darius Miller, Deandre Liggins and maybe Darnell Dodson, with Lamb and Poole probably returning and Jon Hood as a junior. 2011 is certainly going to be something special for UK.

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