Why Knight and Jones Want To Come Back Next Season

I'm being asked why I believe Jones and Knight will be back next season despite both being first round picks. 

If you asked me a couple of months ago, I would say they are gone but who would know better than Knight and Jones themselves?

Knight and Jones and  their family and friends are saying they are both coming back, especially since there may be a lock out next year in the NBA.  Draftees will have to enter the draft before it will be clear if there is a lock out or not.

The guys who are more likely to bolt this year are guys who are first round picks or previously projected early 2nd round picks.

The reason is because several players who are concerned about the lock out will likely choose to stay in school.  This will make this years draft with less competition allowing other guys the opportunity to move up.

Of course on the other hand, you may have some guys who are projected 2nd round to come back because if there is a lock out they are stuck.  2nd round picks do not receive automatic contracts like 1st rounders do.  So if there is a lock out they will not be paid and can't go back to school since they were drafted.

This will in return make the 2012 draft loaded with talent.  Making guys who would be late 1st rounders in the 2011 draft just hoping to make the 1st round the following year, despite a year of development. 
Now on top of this Knight and Jones have different reasons for coming back. Knight is on pace to graduate next season. He came in with hours and has been taking summer classes to make this happen. Patterson came to UK on a 3 year plan to graduate. People were cllaiming he was leaving after his 2nd year but that was never the plan. He could have but he was sold on developing for that 2nd contract as well and knew he could get his degree.

 Similar Knight came here and has the intelligence to be able to be on a 2 year plan to graduate. That is the plan and he hasn't wavered from this plan yet.  He could but at this point he hasn't. 

Jones wants to come back because of developing reasons...he's not graduating in two years. Yes if he goes this year he is a lottery pick, which makes everyone just assume he's gone. It's a lot of money to pass up. Even if there isn't an NBA season next season, these 1st round guys will get paid.

We also are used to guys like Bledsoe and Orton decking early. Don't expect this to happen in each class. Cal wanted to make a splash with having 5 first round picks in his first season. It paid off as he has landed two more #1 recruiting classes and Cal will likely land his 4th straight #1 class, despite currently not having any commitments for the 2012 season.

Cal is not pushing Jones to go because he believes he can continue to work with Jones and give him the attention the NBA will not. Jones would be drafted high on potential alone. He would likely spend a year or two riding the bench or sent down to the d league.

The NBA is not a group of guys playing basketball 24/7, like college is. Most guys go to practice, then go home to their families. It's not the best place to develop players.

The d league is designed for the place to develop you, hence the name development league. The problem with the d league is the coaches just can't develop like Coach Cal and his staff can. Players flock to Cal and his staff because they know what he can do with them to get them ready for the NBA. It's a very easy sell for recruits and now add into UK's tradition and fans and its almost not fair for other programs.

I know for a fact Cal is trying to sell Jones on what he can do with him next year and Jones at this point has bought into that. It's a year without money but its a wise investment.

Cal tells his kids they need to not just focus on that first contract. In this case Jones will get a high lottery contract. Players need to focus on that 2nd contract once their first one expires. If a player like Jones is more developed, then teams will be ready to dish out high dollar for you the second time around because they know what you can do for their program right now.

This is the difference between a guy like Wall and a guy like Jones right now. When Wall went pro, unless some major injury occurrs, he was already set for a high dollar contract second time around.

A guy like Jones will get that 1st big contract but has work to do to get that second big contract. If he doesn't develop, he could be the next Kwame Brown. A guy who will still make a good living in the pros but not what he could become.

Jones is in a situation where he can make a great investment by coming back for a year and at this point he gets that.  By coming back he is actually making a smart business move, not simply doing it for us UK fans...

You can even tell it in his play right now. Someone who is trying to impress the NBA scouts would be focused on "getting his" in the NCAA tourney. Jones started off the season playing like this and forcing his shot. Now he is deferring more, willing to let teammates do their thing if they have the better shot. 

So how does this philosophy fit in with Orton? Shouldn’t he have came back despite being a 1st round pick to develop his game? Yes, if that was the only factors involved, then yes he should have. The problem with Orton was Cal didn’t want him back. It’s a long story but despite Cousins getting all the national attention for being a “headcase” Orton was by far tougher to deal with from Cal's perspective.

Cousins caused more open drama in a practice but Cal doesn’t mind this. He can handle players talking back as long as in the end, he knows they have a high level respect for him and this was just Cousins way of learning. He needed to argue and talk through it but at the end of the day, he did what Cal wanted and had a close relationship with Cal.

Cousins is having difficulty dealing with an NBA coach who doesn’t work like Cal. Cousins is and was talented enough to get that big 2nd contract but his behavior is the only thing stopping him. Cal did his part, now it is just on Cousins to cut the antics.

Orton on the other hand showed little respect for Cal and acted as if he knew more than Cal. Cousins would have never considered walking off in the middle of a game like Orton did and that was just something out in public.

This type of player Cal is not very good at handling. Cal is known for being able to handle guys like Cousins, who other coaches can’t handle. Guys who truly believe they are above the coach though, Cal can’t stand and wants nothing to do with. Not every top recruit Cal will recruit.

Orton was asked to leave. Not something you will see publicly put there by many. If it wasn’t for Orton claiming he would finish up his semester in California and then turning right around and not doing it and hurting our graduation rate…I wouldn’t talk about it either.

Orton didn’t put up much fight on that and decked. Now would have Cal taken him back if he had a change of attitude and begged to stay? Probably but only Cal would know that for sure. Cal is known for giving guys 2nd and 3rd chances. He told Liggins to hit the road when Cal came to UK thanks to Liggins off court issues.

Cal went on a recruiting trip and told Liggins to be gone by the time he got back and found Liggins still on campus shooting when he came back. He said what are you still doing here? Liggins refused to leave. Cal gave him a chance that other coaches wouldn’t because of his willingness to fix his life around. Cal didn’t do it to help out UK; he did it knowing Liggins would likely go in the wrong direction again without UK’s structure. Cal thinks past basketball and does what is best for the player's lives. 

So maybe he would have kept Orton if his attitude changed but who knows...

Now all of that being said, am I guaranteeing a return of Knight and Jones??? No not all. I can only tell you what Knight and Jones are running around telling people and what Cal is selling to Jones.

I have not yet heard what Cal and his staff are saying to Knight. I know Teague expects to be the point guard next season but I doubt Cal has made this promise to him, that typically isn't his style but that is just speculation.

Would Knight be ok playing the 2 next year? Wall and Bledsoe made it work and it didn't hurt their draft stock. Especially since Knight has already proven his ability at the 1 and he would play the 1 whenever Teague would be out. I doubt you will see Knight and Teague both out at the same time unless they are both in foul trouble.

What if UK goes on and rolls past Ohio St and even goes as far as winning the whole thing? For this to happen Knight and Jones must have went off. Maybe this will change their mind, who knows. Not a psychic, just giving you insight into their current plans.

We shall see…

Go Cats! Beat the Buckeyes!