Kentucky is once again crazy talented, and it seems that there is nowhere for John Calipari to store so much of it. The questions have been persistent. Just where will Cal put it all? How will he keep everyone happy?
Since Calipari arrived at Kentucky, he has amassed talent at an incredible rate. Since 2010, Kentucky has had 19 players drafted into the NBA, most in the nation, and has seen 15 of the 19 selected in the first round. That is ridiculous success in recruiting talent that winds up in the NBA draft's green room.
But this season, Cal isn't the only one with a "storage" problem. One narrative has persisted early, which is that Kentucky has more talent than anyone -- by far. The whole "platoon" debate has reinforced the idea. But it's just not the case.
In Durham, North Carolina, Mike Krzyzewski has a group that is every bit as talented as Kentucky's top six players, if not more so. Can Duke match Kentucky 1-through-10 or 1-through-12? No. But Krzyzewski has corralled the nation's finest recruiting class with Jahlil Okafor, Tyus Jones, Justise Winslow and Grayson Allen. Combine four of the nation's top 25 incoming players with a very good returning cast and you have nine McDonald's All Americans on a single roster, which ties the all-time record with ... this season's Kentucky squad.
Duke has crazy talent too.
The question is how things are managed, how future NBA talent is showcased and how players who have been coddled as stars to this point are kept happy.