While we celebrate Independence Day tomorrow, it’s only natural to discuss a few basketball items in today’s missive. After all, we do reside in the Bluegrass State, where basketball season is 12 months a year, right?
We’ll wrap it up with an update on the Cincinnati Reds, a team that suffers from a severe case of Jekyll and Hyde syndrome.
In the meantime, here’s hoping y’all enjoy a safe and happy Fourth of July, and stay cool.
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KENTUCKY SHARPSHOOTERS – There have been numerous Kentucky basketball teams through the years that have been given nicknames – The Fabulous Five, The Fiddlin’ Five, Rupp’s Runts, The Unforgettables, The Comeback Cats – and more, so consider this an early pick for the 2024-25 squad.
The nickname “Sharpshooters” probably won’t stick, but if the reports out of Lexington are any indication, head coach Mark Pope’s first team is bombing away with precision in their early practice sessions.
Assistant coach Cody Fueger has even gone so far as to say the Wildcats will be firing up at least 35 threes per game. The reputed offensive genius would also likely tell you that making at least 40 percent of them is integral to the offense. Fueger added that if a player turns down an open shot, he’ll be coming out for a seat on the bench.
If past statistics are any indication, several of Pope’s signees have the potential to produce solid numbers from beyond the
arc. There is no shortage of options for the new staff in their attempt to incorporate their system.
The most proficient of the group is 6-foot-6 guard Koby Brea, who made 49.8 percent from deep in his senior season at Dayton a year ago. Brea averaged three made 3-pointers and 11.1 points per game for the 25-8 Flyers.
A big man with a soft shooting touch is 6-10 Andrew Carr, who drained 37.1 percent of his 3-point attempts at Wake Forest last year. He averaged 13.5 points and 6.8 rebounds per game for the 21-14 Demon Deacons.
Ansley Almonor comes to UK from Fairleigh Dickinson. The 6-7 forward dropped in 39.1 percent from 3-point range while averaging 16.4 points and 5.1 boards per game for the Knights.
Perhaps the most heralded newcomer to the Kentucky roster is 6-6 Jaxson Robinson. He played for Pope at Brigham Young, and led the 23-11 Cougars last year with 14.2 ppg while dropping in 35.4 percent of his 3-point attempts.
Kerr Kriisa is a 6-3 point guard who played at West Virginia last season, and at Arizona for three seasons prior to his move to Morgantown. He connected on 42.4 percent of his threes and sank nearly three per game. Kriisa, a native of Estonia, scored 11 points per game and dished out 4.7 assists per outing for the Mountaineers.
Otega Oweh is a 6-4 New Jersey native who played at Oklahoma a year ago. He shot 37.7 percent from deep and averaged 11.4 ppg as a sophomore for the 20-12 Sooners, who become members of the SEC this season.
Point guard Lamont Butler, who joins the Cats after playing at San Diego State, is a 6-2 point guard who is known for his
defensive prowess, but he can also add some scoring after averaging 9.3 points for the 26-11 Aztecs. He also brings Final Four experience after starting for San Diego State in their run to the title game in 2023.
Pope will also have three freshmen at his disposal with reputations as outstanding 3-point shooters, with 6-5 Collin Chandler, 6-1 Kentucky Mr. Basketball Travis Perry, and 6-5 Harlan County bucket maker Trent Noah joining the fold.
Pare all of those shooters with the inside presence expected to be provided by 7-footer Amari Williams and 6-10 Brandon Garrison, and the Cats appear to be primed for an exciting season.
The obvious challenge for Pope and his staff will be finding team chemistry while he decides on rotations. The weapons are there however, and it will be interesting to see if the group does indeed turn into sharpshooters.
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NBA DRAFT LESS THAN IMPRESSIVE – There isn’t much to say about the recent NBA Draft, which was considered to be one of the least talented in years. There was no clear top pick, and it remains to be seen how much of an impact this class will have in the Association.
But for Kentucky fans, they will be closely following the first American collegian selected. Reed Sheppard, who has enjoyed a meteoric rise in the past couple of years, was chosen by the Houston Rockets with the third pick. Just consider that it wasn’t long ago that Sheppard was playing at North Laurel High School, and now he’s expected to be one of the top rookies in the NBA when the 2024-25 season rolls around. Most so-called
experts questioned whether he would see many minutes at Kentucky, but with his impressive all-around game, he proved the doubters wrong.
Rob Dillingham is heading to Minnesota after being picked eighth overall, and he hopes to provide instant offense off the bench for the Timberwolves. Some NBA scouts question his slight build and defensive ability, but there is no doubt that when he gets hot, he can light up the scoreboard in a hurry.
Antonio Reeves may prove to be a steal as the 47th player chosen. He should be able to help an up and coming New Orleans Pelicans squad. Reeves showed he is much more than just a standalone 3-point shooter with his improved overall game last year.
The first top three high school recruit to ever go undrafted, Justin Edwards, signed a deal with his hometown Philadelphia 76ers. There were sporadic glimpses of his potential during his freshman season, but it will take some time for it to be realized after a disappointing season at Kentucky.
Another former Wildcat, Tre Mitchell, agreed to terms with Oklahoma City, and hopes to open some eyes in the Summer League. He will need to demonstrate he can be effective from long range if he hopes to make the Thunder roster.
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SLICK RICK – You never know what Rick Pitino will say or do next.
The former UK coach and current St. John’s bench boss was interviewed on the Kentucky Sports Radio airwaves last week, and surprised nearly everybody when he proclaimed he has donated money to the UK football program.
Pitino, who is seldom at a loss for words, again expressed regret for ever leaving Kentucky.
He also praised new Kentucky basketball coach Mark Pope, who was the captain of the 1996 NCAA champions coached by Pitino. He said that his Red Storm team will likely be meeting the Wildcats on the court next season.
Pitino added that he finally understood the animosity shown by Kentucky fans for taking the Louisville job after going 102-146 as the coach of the Boston Celtics.
Whatever your feelings are about Pitino, you cannot deny he is always interesting, and one of the best collegiate coaches of all time.
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REDS HEAD TO BIG APPLE – Since it is the heart of baseball season, it’s only fair to include a few notes about the Cincinnati Reds, who wrapped up a feast or famine four-game series last weekend in St. Louis.
The set began on a promising note for the visitors on Thursday, when the Reds banged out 16 hits en route to an 11-4 victory. Predictably, that was a mirage.
On Friday evening, Cincy wasted a strong mound performance from Frankie Montas by dropping a 1-0 decision. The Reds bats were cooled off, collecting just four hits off Andre Pallante in his 5 1/3 innings of work, before four relievers finished without allowing a hit.
The offense reawakened Saturday afternoon, pounding out 13 hits – including seven doubles – during a 9-4 pasting of the Redbirds. The most unlikely star of the game was backup catcher Austin Wynns, who unexpectedly banged out three
doubles. The only reason the veteran was even in the lineup was because starting catcher Tyler Stephenson was on paternity leave, and backup receiver Luke Maile was getting a day off.
On Sunday afternoon, the Redlegs’ offense reverted back to where it has been most of the season. They were blanked for the seventh time this season, falling 2-0 to 37-year-old Lance Lynn and a trio of relievers. As is the case more often than not, Hunter Greene received no run support and dropped to 5-4. The 24-year-old right-hander was far from fantastic, but he battled through a 4 2/3 inning stint, allowing just a single run. Greene’s own worst enemy appears to be himself with his pitch count rising rapidly throughout each of his starts – 95 on Sunday while not lasting five innings.
The most positive news offensively in recent days has been the production from doubles machine Jonathan India, who was named the NL Player of the Week, and Elly De La Cruz at the top of the lineup, but they need help. The Reds squander opportunities to score because they have a difficult time getting clutch hits and/or putting the ball in play.
The three-game series against the Yankees in the Bronx promises to be a huge challenge, and avoiding a complete meltdown is a must. The Reds need to win at least one game in the series against Aaron Boone’s New York club, a team that has cooled off a bit in their last 10 games. As mentioned here last week, the Reds close the unofficial first half with a 10-game homestand against winnable foes — Detroit, Colorado and Miami — giving them a golden opportunity to head into the All-Star break on a positive note.
If the season teeters in a negative direction during July, it’s reasonable to assume the Reds will be sellers at the trade deadline, which would be a tough pill for many fans to swallow. The front office will have tough decisions to make toward the end of July. If the club can stay within shouting distance of a Wild Card, some moves need to be made to stay in the mix. It remains obvious the team needs more consistent production at the plate, and hoping for Matt McLain to return sometime in August is wishful thinking at this point.
Other issues that should be addressed include getting another reliable pitcher or two, playing smart, fundamental baseball, and improving the overall shoddiness of the defense. At times, the team appears mentally unprepared, which contributes to its far too often blunders on the base paths.
It will not be an easy task acquiring the pieces needed for the Reds to stay in the Wild Card hunt, but doing basically nothing isn’t the solution. Trading prospects may have to be part of any deals made to improve the offense, but the front office has been reticent to give up on players who may never contribute significantly at the big-league level.
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“If I shoot it, in the moment I think it’s a good shot, and I have confidence and I expect to make it. That’s the approach I have every time I shoot.” – Stephen Curry
***** “The quality of independence was almost wholly left out of the human race. The scattering exceptions to the rule only emphasize it, light it up, make it glare.” — Mark Twain
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