Kentucky Will Be Tough to Beat in March

With a reputation of turning his players into high NBA draft picks, John Calipari gets some of the best high school players in the country to play for him. He had a fantastic recruiting class coming in to Memphis when he decided to leave for Kentucky.

Calipari had two top five players in swingman Xavier Henry and big man DeMarcus Cousins coming to Memphis. He was in the running for two big-time point guards in John Wall and Eric Bledsoe. When Calipari left Memphis, Henry and Cousins were able to get out of their commitments. Cousins followed the coach to Kentucky, while Henry decided to go to Kansas. Wall, a top-five recruit, and Bledsoe both went to Kentucky. Top 15 recruit, center Daniel Orton, committed to Kentucky before Calipari was named their coach, and stayed put.

Star guard Jodie Meeks left Kentucky following his junior season for the NBA, but star forward Patrick Patterson decided to return to the Wildcats for his junior season. With Patterson joining the fantastic recruiting class, Kentucky entered the season with the number-four ranking in the preseason AP poll.

John Wall may be the best player on this very talented Kentucky team. He resembles former Memphis star Derrick Rose, who was picked first overall in the 2008 NBA Draft. The 6-4, 195 pound Wall has averaged 18.1 points, 7.7 assists, and 2.6 steals per game out of the gate. Like Rose, he may be the first overall pick in the draft after his freshman year. Patterson is averaging a double-double, and has shot 68.8% from the field. The 6-9 forward has improved his range, hitting six three pointers thus far, after hitting none in each of his first two years. Cousins already has a 27-point, 18-rebound effort to his name, and has blocked 2.4 shots per game. Bledsoe has put up more than ten points and three assists per night, while shooting 48% from downtown. Orton hasn't played much to this point, but should eventually become a key contributor for the Wildcats.