Kentucky loses top player

[Da Coach]

Just in the last few days, several articles appears claiming Kentucky freshmanNerlens Noel was the leader to become the #1 overall pick in the 2013 NBA draft-

http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/blog/_/name/nba_draft/id/8926387/nba-draft-kentucky-nerlens-noel-closest-thing-no-1-pick

But last night he suffered a serious injury to his left knee in Kentucky's loss at Florida. There was no immediate word about details of the injury, and Noel was released from a Gainsville, Florida hospital to return to Kentucky for more tests, but the video of the injury sure looks like an ACL injury.

http://www.cbssports.com/collegebasketball/blog/eye-on-college-basketball/21693854/noels-injury-changes-perspective-on-kentuckys-season-outlook

Kentucky's chances of another NCAA title just dropped significantly, though they still have some pretty good talent to make a deep run into the tournament.

[tornado]

they might make a run every other year or so but as time goes on we will see that this tendency to always restock with one and dones will be frustrating

..some are using this specific instance to draw the broad conclusion that this proves the one-and-done rule is bad...
but then, couldn't you also conclude any kid who gets hurt at Prep school or juco proves they are bad -- or any kid getting injured while he's a senior in high school - maybe he shoulda jumped to the NBA while he was a junior in high school?

[tornado]

actually - how about this as a legitimate question...does John Calipari play his starters way too much? -- He has been openly quoted as saying he has little interest in ever
using walk-ons on his roster...so he has 13 guys - all under scholarship but some unavailable so in a game like this where he's being blown out...
he still has to go with starters and key players right to the final whistle...why doesn't he stock a deeper bench and rest some of his guys more?
Even in games where UK wins by 20-30 point blowouts - he STILL PLAYS the same 8 guys the whole way!
In a 22 pts blowout at Auburn he really played just seven guys!
He even did the same thing in a 52-point blowout atainst Eastern Michigan!!!
In that game his deepest bench players got just TWO minutes!!
.. He didn't "empty the bench" and take Nerlens Noel out until he had a 57 point lead with just TWO MINUTES to go!!!

wow - this sure opens you to a lot of criticism once the injuries start happening.......

[tornado]

Marc Maggard - who covers UK basketball and writes for
"True Blue Kentucky" fan site says this...

"sources tell me that the initial observation from the examination at the hospital in Florida is a torn ACL & MCL"

https://twitter.com/marcmaggard/status/301689048160944130

http://www.truebluekentucky.com/index.php/forums/2-true-blue-hoops/484841-follow-me-on-twitter.html?view=threaded

[Da Coach]

Noel has not had an MRI yet- it is schedule for today. But examining doctors reportedly believe he has a torn ACL at least.