Fire Tubby?

The always updating Aaron’s UK Basketball Blog links to Larry Vaught’s Danville Advocate-Messenger article, which asserts that UK needs Joe Crawford needs to step up his game in order for the Wildcats to succeed. Joe’s averages are not terrible, but the team (especially Morris) needs him to be a consistent threat from outside and on the drive to keep defenses from crowding down low. Here’s a quote by Joe from the article:

I understand I can’t force the offense, but if teams are going to try and shut down Randolph, I have to be able to help make them pay for that. I have to pick my game up more in the big games.

Vaught’s suggestion is to be like Keith (Bogans); take the ball inside to fire up his shooting touch. It will be interesting to see if Tubby allows this type of game plan for Joe. I think all UK fans want him to step up his game and be more of a consistent threat like Bogans, and — as my friend Jeb put it during lunch today — less of a inconsistent threat like Kelenna Azubuike’s time at UK.

But perhaps Joe should be more like the new and improved Kelenna.

We all know that he left too soon due to his dad being a crook. After going undrafted he’s had a few tryouts with the NBA that didn’t pan out. However, he is tearing it up in the NBA-DL. According to DraftExpress, he’s consistently putting up big numbers with the Fort Wayne Flyers, leading the D-League in scoring average.

I haven’t seen a story yet regarding his family’s situation. I know that his dad’s trial and subsequent jailing had to be a hard time in Kelenna’s life, so the topic may not be revisited by reporters until he reaches the Big Show. I’m just glad that he is finding success now, and I hope he continues that as part of some NBA team.

I think Joe does need to shed the label of being a “streaky scorer” while here at UK, which is something Kelenna may have been able to do if he stayed an extra year. But the burden of scoring shouldn’t be totally on Crawford’s shoulders. Bradley, now moved into the SG position, needs to step up his game in consistency too. Ramel has to improve his shooting average behind the arch and be able to drive inside when the matchup dictates. If both Bradley and Crawford improve (and can hang on to their balls) Kentucky will be able to threaten teams down the SEC stretch.

(For the record, I am upset at myself for using the word “if” for sports analysis. Its so TV Commentator dumb. If Crawford scored 30 points a game, if Jodi Meeks can average 7 points off the bench and looked super fly, if Woo could fly across the court like Superman, if Mark Coury would wear Napolean Dynamite’s glasses and have knee-high socks, we would topple any team in the country. By 6 points.)

I think this season’s fate is similar to Kelenna’s last year here. Chuck Hayes was dependable down low for points and defense. When Kelenna was feeling it, Hayes, Ravi Moss and others would get great open looks due to opponents defenses keying up on Kelenna.

I think Crawford is stepping into that Kelenna role — the role in the offense that Joe was recruited to fill. But will Joe be the old Kelenna or the new? Only time will tell.

Let’s hope Joe starts making “The Leap” with Louisville on Saturday. Go Cats!

This entry was posted on Monday, December 11th, 2006 at 4:42 pm and is filed under Cat Commentary, UK Hoops, Alumni. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.