Photo © Dale Zanine
Alex Poythress and Dakari Johnson made the Big Blue Nation giggle like schoolgirls when they announced they are returning for their junior and sophomore years, respectively. Here’s a sampling of their reactions, starting with Alex Poythress’ decision:
ALEX POYTHRESS
CBS Sports’ Gary Parrish:
The 6-foot-7 forward was considered a likely second-round pick had he entered this draft. Either way, there are now three legitimate NBA prospects at UK — Willie Cauley-Stein, Marcus Lee and Poythress — who have announced they’re returning to school. Meantime, freshmen Julius Randle and James Young have announced they’re leaving for the NBA Draft, which means Kentucky is still waiting on formal decisions from freshmen Andrew Harrison, Aaron Harrison and Dakari Johnson. If the Harrisons return, Kentucky will likely again be ranked No. 1 in all preseason polls.
NBC Sports’ Rob Dauster:
Poythress averaged 5.9 points and 4.5 rebounds as a sophomore, and while he showed flashes of being the kind of electrifying talent that he was expected to be entering the program — particularly during Kentucky’s run to the national title game — Poythress was known more for his inconsistency than anything else this season.
That’s why it was a smart decision for Poythress to return to school. He has all the athleticism that he needs, but he’s still a tweener with a reputation that’s less than flattering.
ESPN’s Jeff Goodman:
Alex Poythress was terrific at times this past season at Kentucky, but NBA teams worried about what he does at next level. Tweener.
— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanESPN) April 23, 2014
Poythress was a near-certain second rounder if he came out this year for the NBA Draft.
— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanESPN) April 23, 2014
Adam Zagoria:
Kentucky sophomore forward Alex Poythress made the wise decision to return to Kentucky for next season, adding to what will surely be a loaded frontcourt and a very deep team.
The 6-foot-7 forward is projected as the No. 42 pick in the 2015 NBA Draft by DraftExpress.com, and can help his stock with a strong season next year.
The Sporting News’ Mike DeCourcy:
Poythress showed 3-point shooting ability as a freshman but declined a bit at that distance in his second season. He’ll need to improve that to attract NBA interest, but also to hold down a small forward position if that is to become his place with next season’s Wildcats.
…and then there was this tweet, from Tim Sullivan:
Not sure why #Kentucky's Alex Poythress found it necessary to announce he was returning. The bench is not much of an #NBA springboard. #BBN
— Tim Sullivan (@TimSullivan714) April 23, 2014
Sigh. Was that really necessary, Tim?
DAKARI JOHNSON
Adam Zagoria:
Kentucky will have 5 projected NBA picks in the frontcourt next year: WCS, Johnson, Poythress, Towns, Lyles, plus Lee and Willis. Loaded.
— Adam Zagoria (@AdamZagoria) April 23, 2014
UK now has the No. 4 (Towns), 8 (Cauley-Stein), 18 (Johnson), 26 (Aaron Harrison), 31 (Andrew Harrison) and 42 (Poythress) picks in 2015.
— Adam Zagoria (@AdamZagoria) April 23, 2014
Rob Dauster
Kentucky's front line is going to be too loaded next season. How is Calipari going to be able to keep everyone happy?
— Rob Dauster (@RobDauster) April 23, 2014
Jeff Goodman
Willie Cauley-Stein, Dakari Johnson, Karl Towns, Trey Lyles, Marcus Lee, Alex Poythress. Someone isn't gonna be very happy next year.
— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanESPN) April 23, 2014
Yeah, all of college basketball.
Eamonn Brennan:
A 7-foot center whose combination of size and athletic gifts made him a low-post force in the tournament (especially alongside Julius Randle), Johnson is one of those big men who is both preternaturally athletic and still growing into his body. He has the proverbial “baby fat” scouts love to minimize in their imaginations. Either the NBA now or a year in school (and then the NBA) would have probably worked out equally well for him. A decision to return creates a crowded frontcourt situation for Kentucky, one that should terrify anyone outside Big Blue Nation’s border territories.