So, like, if you created a to-do list and included things like "keep breathing, blinking," it would be unnecessary, just like Cal's stating a given default as if it needs to be included as a goal in the first place?
Calipari "goal was not to win national title". Well then mission accomplished!
- Thread starter Laettner
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Okafor, Towns, WCS were going to get drafted high regardless. Making that your goal is basically setting the bar too low. That doesn't need to be an established goal b/c it's going to happen anyway. Just like on a to-do list you don't need to write down those things you're going to do automatically.
Yes but to a player who wants to really win, I wouldn't want my coach saying the championship isn't the #1 priority.
We agree. It's fine to talk about how your program builds character, cares for the whole person, sees to their future, makes men out of boys, becomes like family, etc, but if you're going to deny that the primary means of doing that is through winning college basketball games up to and including the national championship, you're doing it wrong. They can just work on their Eagle Scout badges and go to MIT for the rest of that stuff if that's all it's really about.
Not all 5 stars or burger boys are Jah or Towns level. Not even close. If you want to take away Wall, Cousins, Davis, Towns, Okafor, Kyrie, Ingram type players, that's fine.
There were also Rivers/MKG types who were uber elite recruits but had some major hole in terms of NBA desirability, and still got picked high (2 for MKG, 10 for Rivers), you can decide whether to factor them in or not.
But once we're talking about guys outside the top 5 and especially outside the top 10, it's a vastly different story.
Go look at the average rate of landing a guaranteed contract in the NBA for all rivals 5 stars vs just the percent who play for Cal or K (if you like, break it up into top 5 recruit, 5-15, 15-25 to control variables), and you'll see that it's absolutely, without question not all the same.
If you think that some vast majority of elite HS players end up with a contract in the league, you're just not paying attention to the ones who land at lesser schools - and that's half the point here.
With Cal, any time I can remember that he "split commitments" on two kids where he wanted both equally and who were ranked within 5 of each other, well just think about their career paths:
between Cj Leslie and Terrence Jones (top 15, long forwards with outstanding athleticism/potential),
Renardo Sidney and Demarcus Cousins (all world HS talents, not athletic but with massive hype, skillsets, and attitude problems),
Josh Selby and Brandon Knight (elite 6'2/6'3 HS guards with awkward combo projections for the league, Selby having far more athleticism),
James Blackmon Jr and Devin Booker (low end 5 star 6'4/6'5 guards, not particularly athletic, known as shooters).
I'm sure you can do the same with K.
I know, I know, anecdotal evidence is the worst, but do your own homework and go down the line with 5 star kids (particularly non top 5) who went to places besides UK and Duke, and compare their typical results. I think you'll be surprised.
It's not just about development, either, certainly - exposure, being able to play with better teammates, excellent training facilities, hype from postseason success, I'm sure all play roles, however trivial.
I have no clue as to what your rant was supposed to prove. Like I said, if I'm a top player, my goal is to win a national championship and I'd want my coach to want the same.
