LEXINGTON, Ky. _ Tyrese Maxey was fun wasn't he?
The kid was always smiling. And laughing. As we would wait in the lower lobby of the Craft Center to do interviews at a Kentucky basketball media opportunity, the freshman would often skip through the room, hopping and bobbing, joking with his teammates as they answered questions.
Happy-go-lucky didn't always mesh with John Calipari's way of thinking, however. Flash back to the January game at Texas Tech in which Maxey took his eye off a pass from a fellow Wildcat just long enough for the ball to glance off his hand out of bounds, giving the possession back to the Red Raiders.
At the ensuing media timeout, Maxey came skipping over to the Kentucky bench. Seeing this, Calipari began skipping toward the bench, too. The coach's imitation was not the sincerest form of flattery. And Cal made sure Maxey knew it.
It's also what we forget about these guys sometimes. They're kids. Yes, Maxey announced Monday he is headed to the NBA, just as fellow guard Ashton Hagans made his declaration the night before. Neither will be back. They're running down a dream. Kentucky fans know the storyline.
Immanuel Quickley and Nick Richards are likely to join them in short order. EJ Montgomery probably will, as well. That doesn't mean all three are goners, of course, though Richards' exit seems closest to a sure thing. That Montgomery could use another development year doesn't mean he'll take it. And there is talk that even after winning SEC Player of the Year, Quickley might stick around to play point guard, thereby improving his NBA stock. Sounds like Big Blue Nation wishful thinking to me.
As for the two guards out the door, Hagans was a consistent thorn in opponents' pride on defense, but inconsistent on offense. He was SEC Co-Defensive Player of the Year last year and a Naismith Defensive Player of the Year finalist this season. Both his field goal percentage (46.7 to 40.4) and 3-point percentage (27.5 to 25.8) actually dropped from his freshman to sophomore season. And after an outstanding midseason stretch, his turnovers crept back up toward season's end.
Who knows exactly why Hagans didn't make the trip to Florida for the season finale? UK said he was stepping away from the team for "personal reasons" yet Hagans posted videos of himself cheering back home. Cal said that by pre-SEC Tournament practices, Hagans was back in his teammates' good graces, but also referenced the pressure the players are under.
Much of it is self-induced. We know the deal here. It's about the NBA. Calipari recruits players who want to play in the NBA. Players who come here want to get to the NBA. Most want the college development period to last a year before making the leap of faith. Sometimes, as was the case for Hagans, it takes two. And then the clock is really ticking.
How will Hagans do in the pros? He'll stick. His defense will be valued and while I doubt he'll ever be a knock-down perimeter shooter, he's proven he can get to the rim. He didn't always finish, but that too can learned.
As expected, Maxey took the one-and-done route. Of the possible pros on last season's roster, he boasts the most potential. Sports Illustrated's latest mock draft has Maxey at No. 10 with Quickley at No. 37 and Hagans at No. 44. CBS Sports also has Maxey at No. 10.
He certainly looked the part in his college debut, pouring in 26 points at the Champions Classic as UK beat Michigan State at Madison Square Garden. He scored 27 in the Cats' overtime win over archrival Louisville. Calipari pushed the talented Texan to get his hands dirty a little more often, to not always be bouncing around the perimeter. That'll come. All Maxey needs is maturity.
Meanwhile, it's on to the next group. Devin Askew, BJ Boston and Terrence Clarke comprise the next guard trio headed to the UK campus for on-the-job training. Hopefully soon, it'll be time for their stories.
