Kahlil Whitney leaving Kentucky

#52      
Hard for me to see how sitting out a year and then playing college basketball is the route for KW to go as opposed to playing professionally.
Do you know him?

I just don't see that the offers are going to be great overseas. This isn't a Leron Black situation where another year wouldn't increase his value. I think an extra year or two would give him a much higher value if he could get anywhere near his HS hype.

Again, perhaps he just wants nothing to do with college and can't stomach that for two years to improve his future prospects. But I'd be a bit surprised if his market value was high.
 
#53      
Which is why I find this timing so odd. Why not stick through the rest of the semester? Or decide to transfer three weeks ago? Feels like he might just go pro, in whatever capacity that will be.
Yeah, for a kid that likely was thinking 1 & done...to go back to college is now a 3 year deal...where if he could have exited at end of first semester he could have saved the 2nd half of the season next year & at least had a shot at NBA year 2 (mentions waiver on tweet though)...so pro somewhere seems most likely or at least an expectation adjustment.
 
#55      
I certainly cannot answer the question as to “when” but he does say in his announcement that he “needs to make a difficult decision quickly”. I guess it just depends on his definition of “quickly”.
Probably to be enrolled at a school in time for second semester. Isn't it usually 2 weeks after the start date?
 
#56      

BlindLoyalty

FartNoiseMotivation
Timing of his decision suggests he will enter the draft and play at whatever professional level will have him. There is no denying he is very athletic. There is also no denying that he has shown poor basketball skills and has played quite poorly in his five months at Kentucky.
 
#57      

mhuml32

Cincinnati, OH
For those two or three of us who are not in the Twitter world what does Hawkins response mean?And what does Whitney’s response to Hawkins mean? Thanks

Whitney hasn't responded to Hawkins. Now what Hawkins means is up to you, let your imagination or pessimism run wild.
 
#59      
Reasons to come to Illinois:
1) assumption that his family still lives in Illinois, so opportunity to be closer to parents
2) If parents live within 100 miles of campus, there might be a better case for a waiver to not have to sit out for a year
3) History of development of both big and guards that are now in NBA conversations
4) Liked Illinois before and nothing has changed for the negative...only better (e.g. proven winning & toughness)
5) In the B1G which will give him the platform to really prove himself and show to scouts on a daily basis that he should be drafted

Unknowns:
1) Will the Illini system play to his strengths and really allow him to standout in the timeframe he wants (i.e. next year or bust). He's an above the rim athlete and based on his highlights in HS, he can be the guy that helps clean up the glass, put backs, and defend. I'm not sure I saw him create for himself in the half-court. Saw a lot of transition and dunks...
2) Minutes aren't guaranteed: Starting line-up next year will be Trent, Curbelo, Miller or KW, GB, KC (assumption is KC comes back for another year)....if we take Kahlil, will Miller not sign? I would rather have AM because he's at least a likely 2 year player. On top of that, we have hutcherson and granderson to pull into the rotation, along with TJ and BBV. We add KW into the mix, is there enough minutes for what equates to a possible rental player?

final verdict:
My thought is that he is a talent that is special and UK wasn't able to leverage his strengths and put him in the best position to succeed. If he is open to coming in and sitting a year before playing as a red-shirt sophomore before leaving for his shot at the NBA, I'm all in on him..want him to come. The line-up will have the minutes for him and he'll have had a year to adjust to BU's system and develop because he'll need it to unlearn all the wrongs that Calipari taught him. Starting line-up would be: AC, AM, KW, AH, GB.

If he is hell-bent on playing next year and it puts AM recruitment in jeopardy, I would choose to pass.
 
#63      
Should have just came to Illinois to begin with....his plate was set. Still do not understand why some of these guys go to these blue bloods where there at multiple players at their talent level when they can come into another program, be the man and dominate.
 
#64      
Which is why I find this timing so odd. Why not stick through the rest of the semester? Or decide to transfer three weeks ago? Feels like he might just go pro, in whatever capacity that will be.

Have talked to MIF people, and UK people

The answer I got from everyone is that he is 50/50 on transferring to another school or going pro. The decision is not solely up to him though...

I will say he did tell a few players at UK that he wants to go overseas for a few months and then head to the draft.

Visit to Xavier is a possibility. Only one I have heard about so far.
 
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#65      
Should have just came to Illinois to begin with....his plate was set. Still do not understand why some of these guys go to these blue bloods where there at multiple players at their talent level when they can come into another program, be the man and dominate.

Some kids don't want the pressure of playing in their own state...
 
#66      

BMoreIllini

Baltimore, MD
Should have just came to Illinois to begin with....his plate was set. Still do not understand why some of these guys go to these blue bloods where there at multiple players at their talent level when they can come into another program, be the man and dominate.
Illinois was an unknown at the time, some experts were high on us, but we were coming off a 12 win season with Ayo not even testing the draft waters after his freshman year. UK and Calipari are known commodities and get their top guys to the league, but obviously it doesn't work for everyone. KW bet on himself, thought he could beat out those other guys and be a sure fire one and done. It didn't work out like he had hoped, but I think he should be commended for not going the easy route where "his plate was set".
 
#67      
I hate to be this guy, but Whitney has been absolutely awful at UK this year. Has looked lost on the court.

'Course, that's with "Coach" Cal.
 
#68      
Have talked to MIF people, and UK people

The answer I got from everyone is that he is 50/50 on transferring to another school or going pro. The decision is not solely up to him though...

I will say he did tell a few players at UK that he wants to go overseas for a few months and then head to the draft.

Visit to Xavier is a possibility. Only one I have heard about so far.

That seems like an odd thing to say.

He's had an awful time of it so far considering his h.s. pedigree. He looked like a sure thing at the college level. Makes me wonder why he's struggling, or why he thinks leaving Kentucky will fix it.

He's bound to get a ton of interest regardless.
 
#70      
That seems like an odd thing to say.

He's had an awful time of it so far considering his h.s. pedigree. He looked like a sure thing at the college level. Makes me wonder why he's struggling, or why he thinks leaving Kentucky will fix it.

He's bound to get a ton of interest regardless.
I never thought he was a sure thing. But if you need some coaching to advance your game I'm not sure cal is going to be your guy.
 
#71      
Was thinking just the other day about some of the highly regarded recruits we were in on that Illinois missed, and how disappointed (including myself) we were in whiffing on these guys ....Whitney...Okoro.....Liddell.....Smith (didn't miss out...but kind of did).....of all the names I've mentioned probably Liddell and Smith are the only ones that have played meaningful minutes....and neither have played to the level of Kofi, GB, or Ayo.....24 months ago if we'd landed these 4 kids...most of us would have been beyond ecstatic .....probably talking multiple B10 championships maybe even final four....these 4 may still become good collegiate players, but I'm guessing no one thought they would be this irrelevant at this point......funny how things turn out
 
#72      
Was thinking just the other day about some of the highly regarded recruits we were in on that Illinois missed, and how disappointed (including myself) we were in whiffing on these guys ....Whitney...Okoro.....Liddell.....Smith (didn't miss out...but kind of did).....of all the names I've mentioned probably Liddell and Smith are the only ones that have played meaningful minutes....and neither have played to the level of Kofi, GB, or Ayo.....24 months ago if we'd landed these 4 kids...most of us would have been beyond ecstatic .....probably talking multiple B10 championships maybe even final four....these 4 may still become good collegiate players, but I'm guessing no one thought they would be this irrelevant at this point......funny how things turn out

Your post made me realize that I didn't remember hearing Liddell's name while watching the OSU game. Checked box score and he only play 5 minutes. He averaged almost 17 minutes in their previous 4 games. Was he hurt?
 
#73      
This states two completed terms at new school to be eligible, and that for a term to count you must enroll before 12th day of class. Wouldn't that mean he would be available 2nd semester next season if he enrolls at UofI before Feb 5th?
If he enrolled at UofI before Feb 5, wouldn't it have to be on his own dime? I don't think we have any scholarships to give for this semester, and I doubt that even kicking someone off the team today would make a current scholarship available. We can kick anyone off the team, but I don't think we can take away a scholly and give it to someone else under any circumstances.
 
#75      
Your post made me realize that I didn't remember hearing Liddell's name while watching the OSU game. Checked box score and he only play 5 minutes. He averaged almost 17 minutes in their previous 4 games. Was he hurt?

Seems like Liddell won't be much of a difference maker for OSU this year. He's showed some flashes and had a few good games, but plenty of quiet games as well.