No UK? No Duke? CBS analyst suggests their players were not as good as usual.
For the first time since 1991, neither Kentucky nor Duke will play in the NCAA Tournament. Of course, those two programs have become synonymous with one-and-done players translating into notable success.
So, what got lost in translation this year? Clark Kellogg, an analyst for CBS television’s coverage of the NCAA Tournament, offered a simple and direct possibility.
“The quality of first-year players that Kentucky and Duke had this year was maybe a notch below what they’ve had in the past,” Kellogg said during a Monday teleconference previewing this year’s NCAA Tournament.
Kellogg said he was not familiar with how the freshmen at Kentucky and Duke ranked as recruiting prospects nor the hype that surrounded their arrival in college programs. Of course, rankings and ballyhooed freshmen are an annual rite of passage for recruits signed by Kentucky and Duke.
“They weren’t of that same caliber as I observed them …,” Kellogg said. “I don’t know if these kids were as good. That’s not to throw shade at them.”
With that qualifier, Kellogg added, the freshmen at Kentucky and Duke this season were “probably a notch below some of the past classes.”
Even freshman stars who live up to the hype do not guarantee championship success. Kenny Smith, an analyst for Turner Sports, also participated in the teleconference. He pointed out that celebrated freshmen Zion Williamson and RJ Barrett did not lead Duke to the 2019 Final Four. The Blue Devils lost to Michigan State 68-67 in an Elite Eight game.
Smith also reminded that first overall picks in the NBA Drafts of 2016 and 2017 were freshmen that led teams which failed to receive NCAA Tournament bids. They were Ben Simmons of LSU and Markelle Fultz of Washington.
“Experience always wins, especially if it’s experienced talent,” Kellogg said. “But experience can trump talent most times if the talent is still raw and developing.”
Without mentioning this season’s Kentucky team specifically, Smith suggested the final minutes of close games are when experienced players have a clear advantage. Kentucky had a 5-12 record in games this season in which it was outscored in the final four minutes.
Of experienced players, Smith said, “when they’re down three (points) with four minutes to go, they’ve been in this game last year against N.C. State or Mississippi State or Auburn. They’ve been in these situations and know what to do.”
Although traditional elite programs like Kentucky and Duke will not play, the consensus opinion among television figures appearing on teleconferences this week was that this year’s NCAA Tournament will not suffer.
CBS analyst Bill Raftery said that the key element making the NCAA Tournament compelling was not the traditional powerhouse programs.
“For me, the tournament has always been about the first-timers or those who haven’t been in it for a while,” he said.
Raftery also suggested that the coronavirus pandemic, which caused the cancellation of last year’s NCAA Tournament, can ease any disappointment with Kentucky and Duke being absent.
“I just think the thirst for basketball by the public is going to be an incredible wave,” Raftery said. “Obviously, the marquee value of those teams is extraordinary. But I just think this particular year I don’t feel it will impact as much as other years would.
“God, we’d all love to see them in there, no question about it.”
Sean McManus, chairman of CBS Sports, acknowledged how programs like Kentucky and Duke can enhance viewership.
“What happens every year is that stories emerge, and it’s the stories that emerge that really make up the tournament and keep people interested …,” McManus said. “If you have a Kentucky or a Duke or one of the (other) traditional powerhouses, it helps your ratings.
“Would we like to have those teams? Sure, we would. But there’s still plenty of stories, plenty of high-profile teams that are going to be showcased on Turner and CBS. I’m not hanging my head or worried.”
Former Duke star Grant Hill, who works as an analyst for CBS, playfully said he was “in mourning” about the Blue Devils’ absence from this year’s NCAA Tournament.
More seriously, Hill said of March Madness, “There’s something magical that occurs. And it’ll occur regardless if some of those blue bloods aren’t in it this year.
“So, I’m excited. I’m looking forward to it. And it’ll be a great journey.”
This story was originally published March 15, 2021 at 4:02 PM.
