Since we’re closing in on the Blue/White game on Saturday, I thought we would take a quick overview at the players who either graduated or are no longer playing with the team this year. Join us, after the jump.
Shagari Alleyne — Transferred to Manhattan
When Shagari got out on the floor on a regular basis, he looked promising. Not as much as a swatter as Jules Camara used to be, Shagari would still make driving guards think twice about committing. He was developing a little hook shot to keep defenders honest when he posted up. He seemed to be working harder for rebounding.
But, he hardly got enough consecutive games with minutes. He dropped from averaging 9.2 minutes a game to 6.2. Shagari found himself in and out of Tubby’s doghouse, mostly for academic reasons.
Who Fills His Shoes — Jarrod Carter becomes the off-the-bench guy. If Tubby ends up running Randolph Morris at the 4 spot and Lukasz Obrzut at the 5, Carter will be crucial to get Woo a breather and contribute. If Morris and Woo end up both playing the 5, then the pressure on Carter will be a bit less.
Preston LeMasters — Graduated
For every JP Blevens you have at least one Steve Masiello. A JP guy is the guy who leads on the practice court, and somehow has just enough talent to contribute to the team during the games. A Masiello guy who leads on the practice court, but doesn’t have the right combination of physical gifts to really perform against legitimate Division-I opponents. LeMasters was more Masiello than JP. (If LeMasters fell down some stairs while drunkenly running from the cops, he might be more JP-like.)
It was nice for LeMasters to have that great game against Ole Miss. But for guys in his Masiello role, his time on the court is only because 1) the team has the game won or 2) Tubby is so pissed off at every other guard.
Who Fills His Shoes — Well, I hope that Michael Porter ends up being more like Cameron Mills than JP Blevens. Mills was just good enough defensively to stay on the floor and keep sharp-shooting.
Ravi Moss — Graduated
Out of all of the turmoil that happened last season, the player who I felt consistantly tried to bring 100% every game, no matter what, was Ravi. Even though his offensive output seemed to wane at the season progressed, he always played with pride. There were several times that he pulled that jersey up to remind his opponents exactly who they were playing. You know we Kentucky fans love players who reflect the (sometimes hysterical) pride we have for the program.
Back in May or June of 2005, before last years’ ill-fated season, I was walking near the newly-constructed Blue basketball courts that are across the street from Wildcat Lodge. There, an overweight dad and his son were shooting around with a guy. I thought the guy was just warming up in order to participate in the pick-up game running on the other court. Instead, I hear an infectious laugh; it was Ravi, out there horsing around with the parent and his kid. I walk by the Blue courts regularly, and I have never noticed any other basketball player hanging out, let alone playing around with some locals.
Who Fills His Shoes — Ravi brought the on-court bravado, something that I could see Ramel Bradley bring this season. But also, you could tell that playing at Kentucky meant something to Ravi, and he was the kind of person who gave what he got back to others. I don’t know how that translates to on-court success, but I hope that his former teammates can do the same.