Questions

The Wall commitment brings up a lot of questions.

1) How long does Dwon Clifton stay at Baylor?

I understand that Baylor created a coaching position for Dwon Clifton, who was John Wall's AAU coach. Clifton is currently Baylor's Director of Player Development. I read the school's press release, and unless I'm missing something, Clifton had zero college coaching experience prior to gaining the high-level position.

Not that Baylor was the only institution, mind you, that tried to get Clifton. Other schools joined the Clifton sweepstakes.

Now, I'm sure that Baylor will say that they hired Clifton on merit alone, and they never contemplated any kind of package deal.

Well, we'll find out. If Clifton resigns in the next two years, it will be apparent that since he failed to deliver on Wall, Baylor has no real use for his services, and never really had any. If Clifton stays on indefinitely to develop players, then Baylor either really wanted him for his coaching talent, or they are too embarassed to let him go.

2. How will UK handle its scholarship issues?

Seems to me like Jodie Meeks will return. I personally think that he still has some leg injury issues. If so, the talent evaluators at the NBA level will spot it and not waste a high-level draft pick on him.

Assuming Meeks returns, then, UK will have 17 scholarships. Now, Calipari has mentioned that he expects things "to work out over the summer." What that really means is that he is going to jettison existing Kentucky players from the squad, and do so with almost no notice and little opportunity for them to find a slot at another school.

I don't like the scholarship mill. Makes college basketball look bad, but that's what coaches do at big-level programs.

3) Will Calipari and other SEC Coaches Take Chances on Border-Line Recruits?

From what I could tell, Wall was arrested for breaking and entering recently. His recruiting never missed a beat. I'm not requiring SEC schools to recruit from the local monastery, but where is the line? What's right for the SEC? Right for UGA?