Everybody’s transferring, so it’s no surprise some Wildcats would, too
Random notes:
▪ Early in his current tour of duty at Kentucky, John Calipari didn’t lose many players to transfer. Even with his power-packed freshman classes limiting available playing time, only four players transferred Cal’s first six seasons.
That’s all changed now. With Kahlil Whitney exiting mid-season and Johnny Juzang issuing his farewell tweet last Friday, eight Kentucky players have hit the transfer button over the last five seasons. Cal has seen six depart — Tai Wynyard, Sacha Killeya-Jones, Jemarl Baker, Quade Green, Whitney and Juzang — over the last three.
The transfer portal is more popular than Tik Tok these days, of course. And, personally, I don’t have a real problem with the trend line. I endorse the recent NCAA proposal that student-athletes be allowed to transfer once without penalty. Let ‘em go for it.
The Johnny Juzang departure is an interesting case. Word was the California native wanted to be closer to his California home. But when the 6-foot-6 guard tweeted his wish list on Tuesday, the geography was split. UCLA, Arizona and Oregon were joined by Texas Tech, Notre Dame and Villanova. Last time I checked my Google maps, Philadelphia was a long way from L.A.
More likely, Juzang’s decision was based on — drum roll — playing time. Even if Immanuel Quickley, Ashton Hagans and Tyrese Maxey dribble off to the NBA, Calipari has another trio of guards set to arrive on campus, including BJ Boston, Terrence Clarke and Devin Askew. Plus, a healthy Dontaie Allen is a ’20-21 factor.
▪ Speaking of the Kentucky guard trio, Sports Illustrated’s latest draft guesses, i.e. Mock Draft 4.0, has all three selected in the first two rounds. SI has Tyrese Maxey at No. 10, Quickley at No. 37 and Hagans at No. 47. Neither Nick Richards nor EJ Montgomery made the big board.
▪ Meanwhile, Eastern Kentucky’s best player, sophomore guard Jomaru Brown, is dipping his toes into the NBA Draft waters. Brown averaged 18.4 points per game last season for the Colonels, who were 12-6 in the OVC. It’d be a tough break for coach A.W. Hamilton if Brown left Richmond.
▪ Happy trails to illustrious former UK baseball star and Golden Spikes winner A.J. Reed, who announced his retirement last month. Actually, it was early last month but Reed’s news was snowed under by coronavirus cancellations. Injuries were a problem, but Reed was unable to repeat his collegiate success in the majors, where he hit just .149 in 62 games.
▪ Trainers of Kentucky Derby contenders will have to be master summer planners. The Santa Anita Derby, scheduled for Saturday, has been pushed back to who knows when. Same for the Wood Memorial. Same for Keeneland’s Blue Grass Stakes, that is if there is a Blue Grass Stakes in 2020. The Arkansas Derby is now May 2, the former date for the Kentucky Derby, which may or may not be run on Sept. 5.
▪ More bad news for those hoping the college football season will begin on time: Ohio State has suspended all in-person classes through the summer term.
▪ Central Florida Athletic Director Danny White floated the idea of a government bailout for college athletics. “We’ve just got to find a way and hopefully there’s ways with federal and state support, one-time relief to help us get through the next 12 months or so,” White told Matt Murschel of the Orlando Sentinel.
Can’t imagine a groundswell of support for that considering college athletics is really big businesses that pay coaches and athletic directors millions but players little more than scholarship money.
▪ Meanwhile, the NFL is going full-steam ahead. Free agency. Draft is still scheduled for April 23-25, though it will be conducted online instead of in Las Vegas. And a conference call of league owners on Tuesday proceeded as if the season will commence on time. We’ll see.
▪ Fifty years ago last Monday turned out to be a momentous day in the history of sports. It was the day the great Secretariat was born.
