Wedding Dream Come True: Whitley kin returns to marry at historic Lincoln house

Comment by kelleyb: Thursday, July 29

angelwings, I'm the bride's mother. Your father certainly did touch my daughter's life. He made a ...read more...

Editorial: Commission acted with blind abandon

Comment by Bily: Thursday, July 29

Loved the title of "Commission acted with blind abandon. After reading this editorial it sounds like...read more...

Landlord fights city hall over $10 fee

Comment by jdonne: Thursday, July 29

lst854 said: i consider this a win on 4 points and a loss ...read more...

» Read recent story comments
» Register for your account

LEXINGTON — It might seem a stretch to project John Wall as a national player of the year considering he’s yet to play a game — or even a scrimmage — at the University of Kentucky.

Yet Wall’s teammates don’t seem to think it is a stretch to believe Wall could be the national player of the year.

“I am cool with that,” said Kentucky junior Patrick Patterson, the team’s top returning player, during UK’s Media Day Thursday. “I want my teammates to get all the love and attention they can. If they outshine me, I will just smile and encourage them.

“We all believe he could do that. He is one guy that could live up to the all expectations and hype. We know he can get it done and be player of the year.”

Patterson played with a special player — O.J. Mayo — in high school and thinks Wall is in the same category.

“They are both great athletes and they have the same attitude on the court,” Patterson said. “On the court, they both want to win every game. They want to destroy opponents and the man guarding them. Off the court, they are both great people. But on the court, they are special players.”

Kentucky coach John Calipari says Wall, who was ranked as the nation’s top recruit by many last year, has handled himself well despite the preseason publicity.

“He will handle it in stride. He will defer to his teammates. He thinks Pat is the best player in the country,” Calipari said. “He wants to help his team. His closest brother and friend on the team is Eric Bledsoe, and they are competing for playing time. Like a lot of other great players I have coached, he will defer to teammates and he understands it is not about him. It is about everybody else.”

'He can fly'

Bledsoe, a freshman, believes Wall could be as good as predicted, too.

“He is the best point guard I have seen play,” Bledsoe said. “He can play with guys in the league (NBA) now. I want to help make him better and let him make me better at the same time. If I do that, I will help him achieve his goals and our team achieve our goals.

“But I will tell you this. There is nobody faster than him. He is outstanding when it comes to quickness. He can fly.”

DeMarcus Cousins, a consensus top 10 national recruit last year, has no problem with the preseason honor bestowed on Wall.

“It is pretty accurate. He is No. 1,” Cousins said. “I have not seen a better player than John.”

Why?

“First, he’s the fastest guy I have ever seen,” Cousins said. “He can jump, too. I have never seen him miss a shot around the rim unless somebody knocked his head off, and usually nobody can get back fast enough to do that. He is making shots now, too. He’s just a great all-around player. People are not going to believe how good he is.”

Senior Perry Stevenson has seen more top collegiate players than Bledsoe or Cousins. However, like Patterson, he says not to underestimate Wall.

“It’s possible for him to be player of the year. That would not stun me,” Stevenson said. “He’s really, really good. I have never seen anybody quite like him. He has point guard ability, but he might also jump up and block your shot. He’s quite a jumper. We like him, too. He’s really a nice guy.”

Freshman Daniel Orton used the word “wow” to describe his initial reaction when he saw Wall being projected as a national player of the year.

“It’s incredible to expect so much from him, but then I thought about how much faith I have in John. I know you have to wait and see how things go, but he has so much potential. He’s a great point guard and great guy. And he is so competitive. He wants to win everything he does,” Orton said.

Wall spent time this summer trying to organize pickup games and making sure teammates were doing the things necessary for UK to have a banner season.

“Pat is a great leader, but I think I can be a vocal leader, too,” Wall said.

But can he be a player of the year?

“I don’t know. I do know we all have to sacrifice and do what is best for the team, including me,” Wall said. “I am confident in my ability, but I am not going out to try and be player of the year or anything like that. I just want to play my best and help us win.”

Story comments

Read all comments on this article (1) »

Posting comments on this web site requires free registration.

• Create your account
• Log in to your account