One Player Away

In the history of Kentucky Basketball, the Cats have won eight titles. I know that. You know that. Every kid born in the state today will know that. We've also come close enough to a title that it makes us physically ill. This morning I was remembering some of those years and what went wrong or was missing. Sometimes the title slips through the players' grasp with just one bad game. He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named wasn't ejected, then hit the shot in 1992. Dwyane Wade went off in 2003. UAB in 2004. Michigan State in overtime in 2005. Wisconsin's revenge in 2015. North Carolina's revenge this past March. We can lament certain plays or calls that swung the game in the opponents' favor, but by and large the result came about because of the play on the floor. Since I was born into UK fandom (mid 70's), it has always bugged me when I felt that if we had had a certain player in other games, the tide may have turned into more titles. The reasons absent players vary, from injury, to turning down UK or going pro. Having lost out on Mo Bamba, and potentially Hamidou Diallo, this could be another season like some in the past. Here are just a few examples of when we may have been just one player away and what impact they could have had. [caption id="attachment_222125" align="alignnone" width="640"] Herald Leader Photo[/caption]

Sam Bowie - 1984

Team Result - Lost in Final Four What Could Have Been: Sam Bowie came to UK with a smile on his face and a spring in his step. Watching the SEC Storied program "Going Big" about Bowie will almost bring a tear to your eye. Bowie had incredible talent to go with his height. The highlights of Bowie before he was injured against Vanderbilt as a sophomore would have been on Sportscenter's Top Ten list every night. With a feathery jumper and fantastic hops for someone who is 7' 1", Bowie was poised to become the big man that would dominate college and the NBA for years to come. Alas, Bowie fractured his tibia on an ill fated alley-oop in that game Vandy against the Commodores in 1981. And not only did he break it, the doctors had a hard time diagnosing the extent of the injury. The weeks of healing became months. The months rolled into years. At last, doctors discovered Bowie had a bone disease that hindered his healing. This kept him off the court for almost two years. Once Bowie was healthy enough to play, he wasn't the same. He still had the jump shot, but his explosive jump to the rim was taken away. I can only image what Bowie would've done to Patrick Ewing in the Final Four in Seattle if he still had hops. The second half struggles the Cats had shooting the ball may have been alleviated if Bowie had been able to catch an alley-oop or two. Because teams struggle from time to time, one thunderous dunk may have ignited the entire team into a flurry of points, leading to title number six.

Derek Anderson - 1997

Team Result - Lost in Championship Game What Could Have Been: The 1996-97 team was an odd offensive team judging by today's standards. It is extremely rare for any team, be it college or pros, to win with just two players doing the majority of the scoring. Going into the year, Coach Pitino realized who his best scorers were and built his offense around them. Ron Mercer and Derek Anderson were the main guys. While the team was run by Anthony Epps and Wayne Turner, it was Mercer and Anderson that filled up the stat sheet. Sadly, against Auburn in SEC play, Anderson went down with a knee injury. Fans didn't know the extent of the injury for two days. On the Monday after the game, Pitino brought our worst fears too light when he announced Anderson had torn his ACL and was out for the season.  The Cats continued to win, the team was shut down if Mercer was properly defended. The fact the Cats made it all the way to the title game is almost miraculous in and of itself. And fans were teased when Anderson came off the bench to shoot technical foul free throws in the Final Four game against Minnesota. Anderson himself said he could have played, however Pitino had his players best interest at heart (ironic isn't it?) and would not risk Anderson with further injury. Anderson did go on to have a lengthy career in the NBA, but oh what might have been title number 8. [caption id="attachment_222123" align="alignnone" width="440"] Big Blue History Photo[/caption]

Keith Bogans - 2003

Team Result - Lost in Elite Eight What Could Have Been: The results of the Elite Eight loss to Marquette could be solely attributed to Dwyane Wade. Whoever guarded him was unable to turn the tide almost from the opening tip. However, the player who could've slowed him down enough for a victory was hampered throughout. Keith Bogans may be the most underappreciated player Kentucky has ever had. Fans would probably have a different view of him if he had been able to neutralize Wade. Alas, Bogans sustained a deep thigh bruise from the Sweet Sixteen game against Wisconsin. The Cats were able to get by the Badgers, and still looked to be the better team headed to the Final Four. Bogans entered the game with a large wrap on his thigh, but he was obviously in a lot of pain. What is the old coaches saying? "Are you hurt, or are your injured?"  Many players can play through the pain of being hurt, it goes with the territory, but Bogans was injured, no doubt about it. That injury may have cost the Cats another title.

Jodie Meeks - 2010

Team Result - Lost in Elite Eight What Could Have Been: In Coach Cal's first season, we did the John Wall, Boogie told people to call him, and Bledsoe flexed like a linebacker. No one on the team was hurt enough to wonder what might have been, but there was a player that might have raised another banner. Jodie Meeks had just been through two years of hell with Billy Clyde. Even when he was dropping 54 points against Tennessee, Meeks was constantly struggling to play with Billy Clyde's coaching strategy (or whatever he was trying to do). The fact he was an NBA prospect was good enough excuse to get out of Lexington, even before Calipari entered the picture. The team's struggles in 2010 came down to one thing, outside shooting. They were the best team in the nation, but in the end its only weakness came back to bite them in the rear. Imagine if Meeks had been on the perimeter in 2010. The possibilities are astounding. I don't begrudge Meeks for leaving. The threat of injury is always there, so its best to strike when the iron is hot. And Meeks has had a successful, if not injury plagued career in the NBA. However, the game in Syracuse could've been much different if the Cats shot 12-32 from the three point line instead of 4-32. Would've, could've, should've.

Andrew Wiggins - 2014

Team Result - Lost in Championship Game What Could Have Been: This was the team that frustrated fans to no end during the season. The talk of 40-0 probably had something to do with it, but how could you not talk about an undefeated team with the recruiting class that Cal brought in? The Harrison twins, James Young, and Julius Randle were poised to be dominant from the first game. However, this team lacked that one missing piece, a stretch four. Andrew Wiggins could have played this role and been very successful. Cal could've played small ball with Wiggins, putting him at the four while Randle patrolled the paint. His ability to shoot from the three-point line and mid-range could have put the Cats over the top. Alas, Wiggins took his talents to the plains of Kansas. He was rewarded with a Second Round exit against Stanford. It's possible his explosive jump to the rim, and his mid-range game would have blow UConn out of the paint to the point that Randle would have been unstoppable. As a side note, this was also the year Willie Callie-Stein was injured late in the year, but I feel that Dakari Johnson provided enough of an inside presence to leave him off this list for now. [caption id="attachment_222119" align="alignnone" width="393"] Tom Pennington | Getty Images[/caption] Alex Poythress- 2015 Team Result - Lost in Final Four What Could Have Been: Even now it's hard to talk about this team. They are loved as much as the Fab Five and the Unforgettables. These teams seemed poised to bring home the title as much as any, only to fall short. It's harsh to think that Alex could have made the difference to take this team to the championship. Poythress' play that season wasn't eye popping. However, his return to the team was vital in Cal's use of the platoon system. In hockey terms, you have lines of players. Generally four lines of three offensive players, and three lines of two defensive players. With Poythress, the Cats had two distinct groups of players that were almost impossible to stop. Unfortunately, when UK faced off against Wisconsin in the Final Four, they were unable to defend Sam Decker and Nigel Hayes. No one was quick enough, or tall enough, to keep either one of them in check. Poythress could have been able to, at the very least, slow one of them down with his lateral quickness, height and physicality, but his injured knee kept him off the court. The sadness of this loss rolled over for almost the entire next season and beyond...

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These are just a few examples of potential titles Kentucky has had over the years. I'm sure I'm missing a few hear and there, but these are the main ones in my lifetime. The potential of having Wes Unseld or Butch Beard in the mid-60's may have brought integration faster to the Bluegrass, and also changed the outcome of Rupp's Runts run to the 1966 title game. However, this was before my time. Shabazz Muhammad is another player that comes to mind, but the team in 2012-13 had more weaknesses that could be exploited by opposing teams. If I've missed anyone, feel free to join this discussion in the comments below.