As we approach the 2012 NBA Draft, you will hear a lot of anonymous quotes from scouts talking about players who potentially will get drafted.
According to Larry Vaught of VaughtsViews.com, an anonymous NBA scout thinks that Kentucky’s system makes its players look better than they are as they head into the pro ranks.
The scout told Vaught, for example, that Michael Kidd-Gilchrist – a candidate for the No. 2 overall selection in this month’s draft – isn’t as good a defensive player as many believe because he had Anthony Davis as a security blanket behind him. He also said the Marquis Teague benefited from the “threat of the lob,” which made him out to look like a more talented floor general.
But check out the biggest blow to the reputations of John Calipari’s players – at least from what Vaught said this one scout believes:
“In reality, the Kentucky system is smoke and mirrors. I remember being out in Vegas for a Summer League and I was sitting and watching games with a long-time director of scouting in the league. He said he was stunned at how unprepared Kentucky players were for the NBA, and he had drafted one of them.”
This sentiment is the exact opposite on which Calipari has built his program. The Wildcats recruit players based on the premise that they will be ready-made for the next level.
While it’s just one scout’s opinion, his reported remarks are at least food for thought.
[Kentucky Sports Radio via VaughtsViews.com]
