OT: Hypothetical: kentucky vs. 76ers

Submitted by Gucci Mane on
A little while ago many on this board were arguing whether or not Kentucky would win any games in an NBA season. Some claimed that Kentucky would go 0-82, while others thought a handful of wins was more likely. Here is a very interesting article I just stumbled upon that attempts to answer the question.

To those that don't want to click, the 76ers would only beat kentucky 74% of the time at home and only 56% on the road. http://fivethirtyeight.com/datalab/kentucky-would-lose-to-the-76ers-at-…

MGoBoard
Basketball

buckeyejonross

December 12th, 2014 at 11:35 PM ^

I just have no idea how this is possible. 100% of the 76ers are NBA players, best case, 50% to maybe 60% of Kentucky kids will get there. At least in baskeball it could remain somewhat competitive, especially if Kentucky rains threes (something they're not particularly adept at anyway) but this question gets more absurd when talking about college football vs. NFL.

Joined: 07/27/2010

MGoPoints: 13808

Tater

December 13th, 2014 at 10:26 AM ^

From 1934 to 1976, there was an exhibition game in Chicago during the summers in which a rookie team called the "College All-Stars" would play against the defending NFL Champions. The "All-Stars" were draft picks from that year's draft.  

The games were fairly even until Vince Lombardi became the first NFL football coach to have mandatory weight training.  Ironically, it would be Lombardi's 1963 Packers who would sustain the NFL's last loss, 20-17. The NFL team would win the last twelve games of the series, which ended in 1976.  If the math doesn't work, it's because a players' strike caused 1974 to be cancelled.

The idea of college players against an NFL team is absurd now, but from 1934-1963, it was possible for a pre-season rookie all-star team with no NFL experience to beat the defending champions in an exhibition game.  

 

Joined: 08/13/2008

MGoPoints: 30584

Fhshockey112002

December 13th, 2014 at 2:46 PM ^

I think you nailed it with the last words of your post... An exhibition game. None of those pros were playing for anything, the college kids were playing to get noticed and picked up by a Pro team.

Even today no pro would take the exhibition seriously, until it was close late, like an All-Star game.

Joined: 11/08/2010

MGoPoints: 2464

coldnjl

December 13th, 2014 at 7:45 AM ^

If you are in the NBA, you are in the NBA....does it matter at this point where they were drafted?

Points people miss in this discussion:

1) Even if all the UK players are projected first round picks, on average half will bust out of the NBA http://sportsnstats.com/nba-draft-euro-bust/ . Half of the UK team won't even get drafted.

2) Being in the NBA matters. You can see the difference in size between college players and non-college players. 

3) Longer you are in college, the better your fundamentals. UK couldn't just dribble and drive or post up (things they can do with ease now) in the NBA. Passing to find the open shooter or easy shot would be necessary. 

4) The Sixers still own two players who were considered one of the top two or three players in college when they played (Embiid and Noel). They have been in the NBA for years.

In summary, the numbers put forward by Silver's blog are greatly exagerated.

Joined: 12/31/2009

MGoPoints: 13934

MGoChippewa

December 13th, 2014 at 9:56 AM ^

UK has one lottery lock, Towns, and one somewhat sure thing, Cauley-Stein. Beyond that, guys who are likely 1st round picks at some point: Johnson and Booker, maybe Lee. I'd say it's too early to say on Ulis and Lyles, and the Harrison twins are a maybe, but I probably would say no at this point. So they go in the 2nd round pool with Poythress, who is undersized, can't really shoot and will be damaged goods with a torn ACL. Poythress will probably have to have a stud senior year to even get picked.

The Sixers have two lottery picks (Noel, MCW), not counting Saric or Embiid, who won't see the floor this year. Beyond that, Wroten is the only first round pick on the roster, when you consider that Jason Richardson is fat, old and eternally injured, They have at least five guys who went undrafted. I think Kentucky would give Philly a run for their money with no Embiid or Saric, but I still think a team of NBA players wins 9 times out of 10.

Joined: 01/06/2011

MGoPoints: 11407

Skip Bayless

December 12th, 2014 at 11:36 PM ^

The same question came up a few years ago, Alabama vs Jacksonville. It's dumb.

Half the Kentucky team won't sniff pro basketball, but you're telling me they can beat an entire team of profesional players?

Joined: 12/10/2014

MGoPoints: 213

Gucci Mane

December 12th, 2014 at 11:49 PM ^

Football and basketball are completely different. Alabama would be destroyed by oakland and I don't think anyone would dispute that. But kentucky has 10+ players who will be drafted. The argument that the 76ers are all NBA players is a bit of a joke, you really think a guy like Drew Gordon is an NBA Player ?

Joined: 02/10/2014

MGoPoints: -99957423

Skip Bayless

December 12th, 2014 at 11:50 PM ^

The problem is that when people envision these scenarios they look at Kentucky like they have 5 All-Star caliber players and we know that's not true.

We know that half of these lottery picks don't pan out, because if they did the Sixers wouldn't be so bad. They do after all have 3 on their roster right now.

Joined: 12/10/2014

MGoPoints: 213

maizedNblued

December 13th, 2014 at 12:11 AM ^

Are the Sixers trying to lose to secure the best chance of getting the #1 pick in the draft? if so they lose - if not they win by at least 15 - we're talking about men against kids - let's be real.

Joined: 11/25/2009

MGoPoints: 2137

WolverineinSB

December 13th, 2014 at 12:25 AM ^

Are we going in the world where everyone is healthy. Bc if so the 76ers would have nerlans and Embiid and Kentucky's huge size advantage wouldn't exist. 76ers would dominate. And not to mention with an NBA 3pt line kentucky would not be able to make anything. And with a college like the 76ers would dominate that. This think this article is giving the college kids way too much credit

Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad

Joined: 01/07/2009

MGoPoints: 1700

MGoRusty

December 13th, 2014 at 12:45 AM ^

If UK and the 76ers played a full 82 game series head to head, I dont see UK winning more than 5-7 games. The size/speed/strength is so incredibly different. NBA is full of what were college stars. Plenty of what were college stars end up in the D-League.

Joined: 08/24/2011

MGoPoints: 590

ReegsShannon

December 13th, 2014 at 12:55 AM ^

For a usual basketball team, this is a no-brainer edge of the 6ers. But the 76ers are not a normal NBA team. They purposely signed horrible players.

Look at their frontcourt. The main guys they've had start is the 2011-12 Georgetown frontcourt (both average starters in college) and the 5th best player on St. John's NIT team last year.

Joined: 02/01/2014

MGoPoints: 3056

ReegsShannon

December 13th, 2014 at 2:15 AM ^

They purposely drafted an injured player (who could play at some point, but they won't play him) and the drafted another guy who is going to stay in Europe for atleast a year. They then signed the most absurdly terrible UDFAs they could find to go with their draft picks. Even if they have some good players, their entire roster is not even close to NBA-caliber

Joined: 02/01/2014

MGoPoints: 3056