During the McDonald’s All-American Game, ESPN college basketball analyst Jay Williams called Kentucky recruit and MAA co-MVP Michael Gilchrist the “next Scottie Pippen.” With his versatility and ability to get after it on the defensive end, that comparison is actually not too far-fetched.
(This is a Paul M. Banks/David Kay collaboration.)
There is the saying, “some talk the talk and some walk the walk.” Future Kentucky Wildcat Michael Gilchrist will not win any media awards for being a great soundbite, but his performance in the McDonald’s All-American might have been the most impressive of all on the court.
He struggled to put into words what his 16-point, 12-rebound performance meant to him as he was named co-MVP along with North Carolina recruit, James McAdoo. “I don’t know what to say. I’m kind of nervous, but I had a lot of fun on the court with these guys. I don’t do this media stuff like that; I’m here just to be here,” Gilchrist admitted.
Gilchrist was one of four Kentucky recruits to play in the McDonald’s All-American game. It was because of his future teammates that Gilchrist decided to play his college ball at UK. “It was Anthony Davis, it was (Marquis) Teague, and the fan base there is crazy; it was that too.”
The 6-7, 210 pound small forward will arrive in Lexington with a reputation for bringing toughness, athleticism, and defensive tenacity to the floor. He averaged a ridiculous 19.4 ppg, 14.3 rpg, 6.3 apg, 5.2 blocks and 3.5 steals as a senior at St. Patrick’s High School in New Jersey. He lists his defensive effort as his biggest asset on the floor and it is easy to see why Jay Williams compared him to Scottie Pippen who was one of the best defensive small forwards in NBA history.
Gilchrist wants to lock down opponents defensively on the perimeter and is able to do so because of his combination of quickness and strength. That muscle also allows him to hold his own in the post. Kentucky was one of the better and maybe more underrated defensive teams in the country during their run to the Final Four this past season, and Gilchrist should only add to that effort next season.
Offensively, Gilchrist is still a work in progress. His jump shot is rather inconsistent especially from three-point land, but has shown improvement with his mid-range game. He relies on his athleticism around the basket or getting out in transition to account for most of his baskets.
With Terrence Jones and Brandon Knight both likely headed to the draft and wing DeAndre Liggins also declaring, Gilchrist should be immediately inserted into the starting line-up and help Kentucky be one of the top teams ranked in the pre-season polls. If Liggins does return to UK (which seems likely since he did not sign an agent and possibly goes undrafted), he and Gilchrist will give John Calipari two outstanding wing defenders who will make life miserable for opposing players.
David Kay is a senior feature NBA Draft, NBA, and college basketball writer for the Sports Bank. He also heads up the NBA and college basketball material at Walter Football.com and is a former contributor at The Washington Times Communities.
You can follow him on Twitter at DavidKay_TSB.
Paul M. Banks is CEO of The Sports Bank.net He’s also a regular contributor to Chicago Now, Walter Football.com, Yardbarker, and Fox Sports
He does a regular guest spot each week for Chicagoland Sports Radio.com You can follow him on Twitter @thesportsbank
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