Kentucky is ranked number 14 in the preseason college basketball poll on AOL Sports.
With Billy Gillispie whipping Kentucky fans into a frenzied elation over his masterful early recruiting strokes, some believe the Wildcats are poised for a return to national prominence in '08.
However, for that to happen, Gillispie will need to transform streaky and inconsistent seniors Joe Crawford and Ramel Bradley into reliable and productive players who can lead both on and off the court. Last year Ramel Bradley's inability to distribute the ball, especially near the :38 minute mark, cost the Wildcats some games. This year he may be replaced at the point by incoming frosh Alex Legion (6' 5") but given Gillispie's track record for turning things around wherever he goes, expect to see a totally different look for Bradley, who will probably play a combination of point and shooting guard. Senior Joe Crawford needs to find his magic touch on the perimeter, while sophomores Derrick Jasper and Jodie Meeks need to take their games to the next level in '08.
Jasper started strong for the 'Cats as a freshman but lost his confidence midway through the season, never to return. Jodie Meeks was a star in the making for Kentucky, and stands ready to be a leader on the '08 team. Think of Chuck Hayes with more athleticism, but the same fierce determination to win.
The headline grabber for the '08 Wildcats, however, is obviously freshman Patrick Patterson. With the departure of Randolph Morris last year to the NBA, Patterson will be Kentucky's only real answer to "Where's the Beef?" The recruit whose services were eagerly sought after by Duke, Florida, and Kentucky, Patterson brings a widebody's attitude toward rebounding to the post. The main knocks against him are his height (a shade under 6' 8", which is on the short side for PF) and his offensive abilities. He's definitely got the talent; the question is how long will it take for him to develop into an SEC-quality power forward.
Why they should be ranked here: If Tubby Smith was coaching this team, they wouldn't be ranked. But a combination of Billy Gillispie and Patrick Patterson make Kentucky an easy Top 20 pick. The BlogPoll might have ranked Kentucky slightly higher than they will be by the college basketball polls, but that's a sign of respect for the abilities of Coach Gillispie.
Why they should be ranked higher: They probably shouldn't be -- yet -- and that's mostly a function of Billy Gillispie getting a chance to prove that the 'Cats are back. If Gillispie can take Kentucky's traditionally brutal pre-season and conference schedule and rapidly advance the 'Cats into the Top 10, they should stay there until March.
Why they should be ranked lower: The Wildcats have been in a Tubby-funk for two consecutive seasons. Their best player by far, Randolph Morris, left as a junior. Their incoming freshmen are talented, but they return no impact players. Jodie Meeks is probably the Cat who returns with the strongest combination of experience, talent, and drive, but he's only a sophomore. Senior Ramel Bradley has never been able to put together a consistent season. And finally, Billy Gillispie has yet to prove himself in one of the nation's toughest hoops conferences.
http://sports.aol.com/fanhouse/2007/07/11/premature-hoops-blogpoll-no-14-kentucky/
