The Forgotten Wildcat: Doron Lamb
It's not an insult to be the fourth or fifth option on a team that will feature two high school All-Americans in Marquis Teague, Anthony Davis and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and sophomore forward Terrence Jones. It's the likely case that Lamb will not even start for Kentucky in his second-year due to the veteran presence and leadership Darius Miller brings to the table, but don't underestimate his ability to impact this year's team.
Even with the talent on last season's 29-win team that featured Brandon Knight, DeAndre Liggins and Josh Harrellson, all of whom were drafted in the 2011 NBA Draft, Lamb posted the second highest offensive rating (121.2) on the talented team and will likely do so again this year. His ability to space the floor with his perimeter shot and take high-efficiency shots within the arc will make him an asset alongside Teague, Davis, Kidd-Gilchrist and Jones. Last season, he was 68-for-140 from 3-point range, 48.6 percent, knocked down better than 50 percent of his 180+ 2-point attempts and shot nearly 80 percent from the foul line as well.
His ability to serve as a kick-out option for the slashing Teague and Gilchrist or Davis and Jones while they operate in the post and his ball-handling skills to take some pressure off Teague will be tremendous assets to John Calipari and the Wildcats as they make another run at a title.
By President Corey Ruff - 7-27-11
