At the Watercooler: Freshmen buzz

[William F Hansford]

I can't remember the last time it felt like an unsigned prospect still had this much influence over a college hoops season. We need to get into Kentucky's incoming talent, and I need to reiterate the fact that if Wiggins goes to Lexington it will become almost impossible to imagine a scenario in which the Wildcats do not win the national title. Your thoughts?

MM: Well, you're right. Kentucky might be the favorite to win it all right now. If Calipari adds Wiggins … no question about it. Wiggins is legit. I saw him on the AAU circuit. He has unfair abilities.

But here's the thing: Kentucky doesn't need Wiggins, and that's scary. Where do you begin with this crew? Andrew Harrison is going to be a great young point guard. James Young has the size and skill set of an NBA wing. Aaron Harrison adds another McDonald's All-American to Kentucky's depth chart. And Dakari Johnson could really evolve into a force by the end of his first season.

If I had to pick one guy I can't wait to see, though, it would have to be Julius Randle.

He's ridiculous. No 6-foot-9, 230-pound athlete should be allowed to do this. He can put the ball on the floor and hit jump shots, too. Randle has the ingredients to be an effective and dominant and scary big man next season.

Eamonn, how on earth is Calipari going to find minutes for all of these stars?

EB: I love how you can watch that video for five seconds and see all you really need to see. Not that I'm recommending that approach, of course, but it is possible. Insane.

[+] EnlargeAndrew Wiggins
Courtesy of McDonald'sThe hype around Andrew Wiggins couldn't possibly soar any higher.

Myron, you hit on the big question of Kentucky's season: How Calipari will manage to work in minutes for all of the future pros he currently has on the roster. This is one of the things people have said frequently about Wiggins -- that he shouldn't (or won't) choose UK because it would mean fewer minutes amid all that talent. I don't buy that. He might play marginally fewer minutes, sure, but he's Andrew Wiggins. He'll have first dibs on playing time wherever he goes.

Still, Wiggins or no, it is a question for UK. It's a great problem to have, because Calipari can pit his freshmen and returning players against each other and open up competition for spots and have a boatload of All-Americans competing against each other every day in practice. Another bonus is Alex Poythress, Willie Cauley-Stein and Kyle Wiltjer have zero cachet.

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