A,
KENTUCKY WILDCATS
2001 -02 Season Outlook
Courtesy of Kentucky Athletics Media Relations Department
m unc 20, 2001, was the date the hype began. I That marked the official announcement by 4tr coach Tubby Smith that his two prized Wildcats  Tayshaun Prince and Keith Bogans  were withdrawing their names from the upcoming NBA Draft to return to Kentucky for the 2001-02 basketball season.
All across Big Blue Nation, a collective sigh of relief was exhaled. And for Smith, who had been restocking his stable of talent since capturing the national championship in 1998, it was a quick re-injection of expectations.
Not that expectations are new to the UK basketball program. The duo's return just marks the first time since Smith took over the program in 1997 that the Wildcats will begin the season ranked among the nation's top five teams. One magazine, Slam, even rated the Wildcats the No. 2 squad in the nation in its preseason basketball issue.
'The expectations arc always there to win championships." Smith said of the Kentucky program. "But I'm excited about this season. We have never had a team this versatile. They tire hungry, they are focused and they have matured. This is the most talented team I've ever coached."
Prince led the Wildcats' charge into postseason play a year ago, capturing Southeastern Conference Player of the Year honors and second-team all-America accolades. While he was dazzling. Bogans was explosive. He led the SEC Tournament field in scoring, pouring in 21.7 points per game while shooting 63 percent from the field and 50 percent from three-point range as UK swept the three games. And his 23-point performance in the Cats' final game of the season against Southern Cal. 21 of which came in a furious second-half rally, gave him the team's scoring title by two points.
Together. Prince and Bogans accounted for 42.5 percent of the Wildcats' scoring last season.
But Smith's roster boasts more than just two NBA-caliber players. Returning from a year sabbatical after violating a UK Athletics policy is Jules Camara. who will earn playing time as a
6-11 power forward who can play inside or out. The Wildcats also return starter Gerald Fitch, a member of the 2001 SEC All-Freshman team. Add to the list two highly touted freshmen  Rashaad Carruth, perhaps the nation's best two-guard at the high school level a year ago, and Chuck Hayes, a Parade All-American who Smith thinks is the best rebounder coming out of high school that he's ever seen.
Keith Bogans' improved perimeter play makes him even more effective when driving toward the basket
"Watching the guys work out in the fall, I think I have been a little less intense, just because there are fewer corrections to be made, fewer mistakes." Smith said. "You can be farther ahead now. Everybody, other than the four new guys, has an understanding of the offense to run. They
understand the terminology, they understand me and they know what to expect."
That knowledge is spread down a roster 16 deep. And Smith may have a luxury of a 12-Cat rotation, if not more.
"Our success will have a lot to do with our chemistry," Smith said. "You can't get guys with their lips poked out about why they aren't playing. We've never really had that problem and I think the guys understand that.
"That is why we were able to recruit the four quality freshmen that we have. They want to be a part of a championship program. They are willing to pay the price to get better so they can contribute and play more the following year."
That recruiting is paying dividends. Smith now looks at a team stacked with players who can play multiple positions. J.P. Blevins can play either guard spot as can Fitch. Bogans can play the two or the three. Camara can play along the front line. Prince can play, well, anywhere he's needed.
"It took us a while to get to this point, for us to recruit this type of depth," Smith said. "But now you will see us as a team that can zone people, run them, press them and because of our versatility, we can attack these things with our excellent perimeter shooters. If you are in a zone, we can break you down off the dribble. If you are a tight man-to-man team, we can do a lot of different things this year." ~     Already that depth has come into ^ play when Jason Parker suffered a torn o anterior cruciate ligament in his right | knee in June. Surgery followed July 2  and he is expected to miss the season after re-injuring the knee in mid-October.
"Even without Jason, getting Jules back, Marvin (Stone) being a year older and Tayshaun continuing to get bigger and stronger, our front line has to be this team's strength," Smith said. "And, with only losing one letterman from last year and the return of six juniors and seniors, we have experience." The hype continues.
12