UK men’s basketball freshmen prepared
to live up to reputation of previous classes

Since University of Kentucky men’s basketball head coach John Calipari came to Lexington, he’s turned in three No. 1 recruiting classes.

Names like John Wall, DeMarcus Cousins, Eric Bledsoe, Brandon Knight, Terrence Jones and Doron Lamb have already made their mark on the UK program as first-year players. In his third year on the job, Calipari has another freshman class poised to follow that pattern.

“We don’t really feel any pressure,” said freshman forward Kyle Wiltjer. “No matter what, we are going to work our hardest and do the best we can.”

The consensus No. 1 recruiting class in the nation, includes Wiltjer, a five-star power forward from Portland, Ore.; Anthony Davis, a five-star power forward from Chicago, Ill.; Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, a five-star small forward from Elizabeth, N. J.; and Marquis Teague, a five-star point guard from Indianapolis, Ind. Rivals.com ranked each of the four freshmen among the top 22 high school seniors in the country last year and ranked Davis, Kidd-Gilchrist and Teague among the top five seniors.

“We just try to take it a day at a time, try to work hard and stay in the gym as long as possible,” Davis said. “Our main goal this year is to bring No. 8, win a national championship, that’s what we are trying to do. We know that we have to work hard in order for us to do that.”

Rivals.com ranked Davis, Teague and Kidd-Gilchrist as the No. 1 player in the country at their respective positions and Wiltjer as the No. 7 power forward.

The headliner

Ranked as the No. 2 player in the country by Rivals.com, Davis comes to Kentucky with a reputation as a fierce shot blocker and defender. During the summer he earned raves from players ranging from Terrence Jones to DeMarcus Cousins for his ability to change the game on the defensive end of the court.

“I just take pride in defense, that’s one of the things I love doing: blocking shots and rebounding,” Davis said. “I really take pride in that”

He “has great size, shot‑blocking ability, skill for his size,” Calipari said of Davis. “Anthony can make threes and has those skills.”

“He’s a freak of nature,” said UK junior guard John Hood.

“He’s so long, he can play like a wing,” said senior guard Darius Miller. “With how long he is, he blocks every shot, he dunks every ball. People are going to have a tough time with him.”

Despite all the preseason praise, Davis said he knows he has room for improvement and needs to pay close attention to what lessons Calipari can teach him in practice.

“I know that whatever he asks me to do is going to help us win a national championship,” Davis said.

The next Calipari point guard

While all the UK freshman face comparisons to Calipari’s first two recruiting classes at UK, Teague faces added comparisons to recent Calipari freshmen standout point guards like Wall, Knight, Derrick Rose and Tyreke Evans.

“I try not to look at is as pressure,” Teague said. “I just look at it as motivation. I know they came here and got a lot better. I know I can do the same thing under coach Cal.”

Rivals.com ranked Teague as the No. 5 player in the country and the No. 1 point guard.

“I think he’s up for the challenge,” Calipari said of Teague living up to previous point guards in his system. “I wouldn’t have brought him here if I didn’t think he was up for it.”

When asked to describe his game, Teague came up with one word: playmaker.

“I can score the ball but also get my teammates involved,” he said. “I’m still working on my outside shot, trying to get stronger every day. I think I just make plays.”

He’s a “great dribbler, ball handler, passes the ball,” Davis said of Teague. “He fits in Cal’s dribble drive. He can really dribble and dish the ball out when he’s penetrating and finish around the rim.”

Calipari has high hopes for Teague, but says he expects some bumps along the road.

“There’s going to be ups and downs, he’s going to turn the ball over,” Calipari said. “Offense and defense will be spotty. By the end of the year, you’ll see another guy in that line who can really get it done for us.”

Teaque said it helps to know, Calipari won’t pull him after one mistake.

“Even though you are a freshman, he still trusts you,” Teague said of Calipari. “He knows you are going to make mistakes, but he still trusts you with his team.”

The shut-down defender

With 2010-11 defensive standout De’Andre Liggins leaving UK early for the NBA draft, the Wildcats will be looking for their next shut-down defender. The most likely player to fill that role may be another freshman: Michael Kidd-Gilchrist.

“I’ve never seen him go anything but absolutely all out,” Calipari said. “What will happen is he’ll either take over practices or guys will try to step up with him and then it becomes a team on fire, an absolute team on fire.”

Rivals.com ranked Kidd-Gilchrist the No. 3 player in the country and the No. 1 small forward.

“I love playing defense, I always have,” Kidd-Gilchrist said. “I always will. It’s part of my game.”

Kidd-Gilchrist’s work ethic has drawn raves from his teammates.

“He’s a real hard worker, plays great defense, rebounds, makes open shots, can create his own shot,” Davis said.

“He’s a lock-down defender, high-energy guy,” Teague said. “In open gym he’s diving for loose balls on the floor.”

“Mike is just a hard worker,” Hood said. “That’s all I can really say about him, he is just a hard worker.”

Kidd-Gilchrist said the freshman can’t worry about comparisons to previous classes.

“I don’t think it’s added pressure for any of us,” he said. “We just have to play our games.”

The old-school big man

When asked to describe Wiltjer, many of his teammates come back to the same adjective: old-school.

Rivals.com ranked Wiltjer as the No. 22 player in the country and the No. 7 power forward, but his outside shooting ability and vaunted hook-shot gives UK a rare versatile weapon in the form of a 6-foot-9 player.

“With his skill level, you pick and pop him, you trail him on the break, let the other guys do their things, let him do his thing, he becomes like a point guard behind the defense,” Calipari said of Wiltjer. “You don’t play him, he can shoot. Don’t make a pass, he can pick‑and‑roll.”

“I can stretch the floor with my shooting,” Wiltjer said. “I feel like it will create lanes for Marquis (Teague) and the ball handlers. They are all great players so they are going to find you the ball. I want to be around that talent.”

Wiltjer’s versatility has impressed his teammates.

“He hits open threes if you leave him open, has great post moves and a mean hook shot,” Teague said.

“He can beat his man off the dribble and that’s really helpful,” Davis said. “Also for a big man daily hook shot. I don’t think no one can stop it. He has one of the greatest hook shots I’ve ever seen.”

It’s that hook shot that earned Wiltjer the old-school reputation. His father, a second-round NBA draft pick in 1984, taught him the move.

“As I got better I moved away from the basket a little bit and started working on my hook shot because with my dad that was like his No. 1 move,” Wiltjer said. “He kind of just taught it to me. Didn’t think I was really going to use it to be honest, but it kind of became my instinct.”

While each of the UK freshmen brings his unique skills to the 2011-12 roster, none shied away from the possibility of having to share the limelight with other talented players.

“I wanted to be around the best players,” Wiltjer said. “That really fueled my decision.”

That attitude was noticed by UK’s returning veterans.

“They gained my respect because they are all competitive,” said junior point guard Twany Beckham. “Even the training room they all don’t what to lose, they want to be first in all the drills. That’s not really how freshmen come in. Some freshmen come in trying just to fit in, but these freshmen came in trying to lead.”

Calipari said he knows freshmen in his system face added pressure.

“I tell kids when I recruit this is not for everybody, this is not for every player,” Calipari said. “Every player says, I’d love to play there, play that style. It’s not for everybody because it’s on.”

With UK coming off a Final Four appearance, the 2011-12 freshman class is ready to build upon last season.

“I don’t want to settle for less,” Kidd-Gilchrist said. “I just want to win it all.”

Top photo of Anthony Davis