Elite Eight: (4) Kentucky def. (2) North Carolina, 76-69

• Azubuike24

  

  If UK returns Knight, Jones, Lamb, Liggins, Miller and brings in Teague, Gilchrist, Davis and Wiltjer (3 of the top 5 HS players), I'd say they would be preseason #1?
• ironman02

  What's the word on Irving, rec? Has he hinted at which way he is leaning?
  
  Same question for, Azu. Any early feelings on what Jones and Knight will do?
• Azubuike24

  

  I mean my guess is that they both leave. But my guess would also be that Irving, Sullinger, Barnes and some of the other no-brainer lottery picks leave.
  
  Knight has elevated his stock tremendously. The kid has been money the last 6 weeks. Jones has not performed statistically that great, but he's got everything the scouts like with length, athleticism, strength, versatility and potential. Like Barnes, he was basically projected as a lottery guy from the beginning and it will be tough to keep him. Even if his overall stock drops, all it takes is 1 or 2 teams in the lottery to want the potential risk and he's gone.
  
  Quite honestly, looking at what some of the rosters could be next year if guys stay? UNC, Duke, Kansas, Kentucky, Ohio State, Texas, Florida, etc...it could be one of the most talented collegiate seasons ever.
• GOONx19

  

  The UK freshman were told in the presser after the OSU game that Sullinger said he was returning. Knight and Jones both said that it was Sullinger's decision and that for now they were just having fun with their teammates and the tourney, but Lamb said "I will be here next season, so I'm not worried about leaving. Right now I’m just worried about this season. Whatever happens, happens, but I’ll be here next year."
• reclegend22

  

  Ironman02,
  
  I really am not sure. The initial reports are very conflicting. My own first estimation would be that Kyrie Irving is a lock top two pick in the Draft and that he is already trying on Cleveland Cavalier hats. I'm slightly chuckling at that and unexplainably sorrowful at the same time.
  
  Kyrie absolutely adores Coach K, Duke, the guys in the locker room and the Blue Devil fans. He's a very genuine kid and you couldn't help but notice all of the above during his absence from the court this season. He wanted so badly to be out there for his team and his school all year long and I know it killed him to finally be with them, only for it to be in the waning moments of an entombing in Anaheim in the Sweet 16. Arizona didn't beat us. They played Bill Laimbeer Combat Basketball overtop our heads. That had to hurt. Enter conflicting report No. 1: Irving returns to avenge the loss to Arizona, the ending to Nolan Smith's senior season and how it all played out after Kyrie's return. Although the two are very close, it is undeniable that Kyrie's reemergence into the lineup in the NCAAs affected Nolan Smith negatively. He was never the same without the ball in his hands and could just not seem to figure out how to initiate his offense. He just wasn't. And it sucked, because Kyrie, on the contrary, was playing so damn well, especially in the first 20 minutes against Arizona. But our team had learned to play at the whim of Nolan and all of that, including what we did to you guys in the ACC final, completely evaporated when Irving returned.
  
  Hindsight, as they say, is always 20/20. K did the right thing. Irving had healed 100% (I think that is overtly obvious) and wanted to play. You don't sit a potential No. 1 Draft pick when he's ready and willing to take the floor. You just don't. And I'm at peace with it. I would be lying if I said I were at peace with it and I will never get over it. But, K did what any other coach would have done. That point is irrelevant now.
  
  Conflicting Report No. 2 is that Coach K will advise Kyrie Irving, as any coach would his certain No. 1 or No. 2 NBA prospect, to go pro. And that, I suspect, is what will happen as the Kyrie Irving chapter comes to an abrupt conclusion in the gothic forest. I'm glad I got to see the kid play live when I made the visit out to Kansas City for the CBE. It was a privilege.
• GOONx19

  

  
• ironman02

  Thanks for the insight on the potential early entrants from UK and Duke, Azu and rec. Should be very interesting to see what happens.
• sportswizuhrd

  So if these kids leave school, where will they be playing next year?
  
  
• GOONx19

  

  
• GOONx19

  

  Waiting for the team to get back to campus:
  
  
  
  
  
  
• GOONx19

  

  Magic Johnson's twitter:
  

  If Brandon Knight were to come out, I would take him number 1 in the draft.

• cats gone wild

  I see Jones staying and UK losing Harrellson to graduation and Knight to the draft. I still wish UK had Kanter playing, even though they are playing like they dont need him.
• Heelz

  

  I'm feel confident that Barnes is staying. I remember reading somewhere that when he first came in that he said he wanted to have his degree in 3 years and his education was first. That was he and his moms plan.
• centralbucksfan

  Jones and Knight are gone. Take it to the bank.
• reclegend22

  

  Heelz wrote:I'm feel confident that Barnes is staying. I remember reading somewhere that when he first came in that he said he wanted to have his degree in 3 years and his education was first. That was he and his moms plan.

  That was also Shaun Livingston's plan. Shaun "I want a Duke education" Livingston was a Clipper seven months after committing to Duke. He's probably never even been to North Carolina. Luol Deng is another prime example. The London academic said after the conclusion of the 2003-04 season that he was returning to finish what he came across the ocean for (a Duke education) and 14 days later was sitting in Jerry Maguire's living room.
  
  Will Barnes come back? Possibly. But don't bank on it.