Vicky Graff Photo
When John Calipari left Kentucky for Arkansas, many assumed that UK freshman D.J. Wagner likely would transfer to Arkansas to rejoin Calipari.
Wagner had been a long-time Calipari target and at one time was the No. 1 recruit in his class and was still a consensus top 10 recruit when he signed with Kentucky. He was UK’s starting point guard all season and averaged 9.9 points, 3.2 assists and 1.9 rebounds per game while shooting 40.5 percent from the field and only 29.2 percent from 3.
Many expected Wagner to be a one-and-done player but most of the season he was only UK’s fourth best guard behind Antonio Reeves, Reed Sheppard and Rob Dillingham.
He put his name into the transfer portal but apparently did not put his name into the NBA draft so he could at least get feedback from NBA personnel.
“If I were DJ and looking at a two-way (NBA contract) and probably a projection that I should go back to school, I think I would realize there is more money staying at the college level flying charter planes to game instead of commercial flights in the G-League,” YahooSports NBA draft analyst/basketball writer Krysten Peek said.
“DJ is in that sweet spot where he can go back to school and get better. Next year’s draft is very top heavy but there is a lot of room for players to help themselves and DJ could be one of those guys.
“He did not adjust to the physicality of the game and respond to that type of play. How could you even think of drafting him and expect him to all of a sudden change if you draft him? That’s why he should stay in college.”
Wagner could still end up at Arkansas but CBS Sports ranks him as the 11th best player in the transfer portal so he will have plenty of other options if he wants. He’s been in the transfer portal over a week now with no indication he’s ready to rejoin Calipari.
45 Responses
Pope’s coaching hires all look to be very strong additions and should help with recruiting more than last year’s staff, and if they do any coaching at all will also be upgrade from last year!
Totally agree Mike
Are you talking about the staff w number 2 class in country. Typical UK fan talking BS. I a diehard BBN but by FAR the worst fans in sports are UK fans saying something that damn stupid did you watch the McDonalds game to you keep up w recruiting at all. What does more then last year staff even mean If you want to Hate on Cal go on w It, you want to make a point that this crew should recruit at a high level Cool, but recruiting Who has EVER done it better then UK under Cal. Argue Duke but Duke can keep their kids around which means they under achieve and don’t produce Pros that what recruits are those topp guys are at the top cause they are future pros not really good college players. Why we losing Rob and Reed rite now they over achieved and the rest of that class was BS We have missed plenty in last 5 years but not as bad as Puke has. KU not close UNC and Baylor have done it maybe the best and maybe thats your reference but shitting on the staff as recruiters that we just lost is a joke.
People like you are what make UK fans unbearable. So, you must be talking about yourself!
Why so salty just go on and follow Cal to Arkansas since you live him so much. He is the greatest recruiter in the game so it’s a shame he can’t coach or he’d have won multiple championships. As for all those NBA players he recruited it do diddly for UK but it sure helped Cals ever inflated ego
I totally agree with you a real coach would have had atleast 2 more national championship banners with the talent that he has sent to the NBA when the game was on the line cal chocked I’ve always said that he was a recruiter not a head coach
Huh? Mike can’t out recruit cal or put coach. Mark has been decent his whole career. How you expect him to get bet better playing tougher comp?
Ball Hog 1 can’t find a new college home? Hmmmmm.
Shot less than 40% from the field, less than 30% from the arc, was a turnover machine, and had the poorest efficiency of any UK player last year that had significant playing time.
I didn’t realize these hot shots had to be, or prove they are elite college players. The NBA draft is all about POTENTIAL, remember?
Why wouldn’t Ball Hog 1 be welcome in the Fraud’s new Hog Sty?
Perhaps Ball Hog 1 and the Fraud can call the hogs together before their first practice session next fall.
He had a 2-1 assist to turnover ratio. You should really do your homework
Wrong spot to talk about homework!
2-1. 1-2. 2+2=4.
He helped put us in a hole to start the game. Almost every game.
I agree with you and The Professor.
Efficiency numbers tell the story!
So 2 to 1 turnover every 3 times he had the ball he turned it over not exactly what you want in a point guard
He was a freshman. This is what kills me… Everyone thinks just because your 5* you have to go pro, some kids adjust to the college game other kids don’t as fast. He’s going to be a monster next year. I think he was a ball hog who go to many minutes he wasn’t ready this year. He should have been a 10-15 min a game type player but since Cal promised him the starting spot it destroyed our chemistry. Thats something nobody ever talks about Coach Cal in my opinion is the most overrated coach in college basketball. He gets the players because of his name not from his coaching ability. He clearly dropped the ball this year. His substitution patterns are horrible. A kid will come in and give the team life and then for some reason they won’t hardly play that much the next 3 games. He always said be ready because you never know when your time is coming. Would you stfu and play all the kids you recruit. It’s basketball its not rocket science. If the team was sucking like they did alot why not play Hart or Burks more. Give Burks some of Edwards minutes and Hart some of Wagner’s minutes. A kid can’t be that bad where you don’t play them at all I think every kid has a role. If your recruited by a bunch of schools why get buried at the end of the bench, but sit on the edge of your seat because you might get in for 45 seconds. Hart was good. Very underrated.. In practice he would knock down 3’s he is very athletic more athletic than Wagner. He’s A better shooter than Wagner. He tries harder on defense than Wagner. Do you see where this is going.. Let me shut up now. But I’m just saying.
Out of all the Wagner’s DJ.his father his grandpa milt Wagner was far the best player
Your crazy Dejuan Sr was a beast and if he didn’t get ill he would of dominated the NBA for years he lead the league as a Rookie
DJ Wagner reminds me of Donovan Mitchell who needed to come back another year. He might need to stay 3 years. He has the talent to at least be Tyrese Maxey or IQ level of player but he just needs a little more time to cook, presuming good health. Wouldn’t be surprised if he signs with either Arkansas or UConn. Or even come back to play for Kentucky. Or go to Villanova , St John’s or Rutgers since it would be near home in Camden New Jersey . He has heart. He has that Dog 🐶🐕 in him. He will figure it out of that I am confident.
Stop Dick Riding 🚫🍆🚗
They try to turn him into.A pure point guard.Which isn’t his game.Got to let him play his game.As a scoring point combo guard.
He had a better assist to turnover ratio than any guard on the team b and took less shots than any of the four guards on the team and he did shoot 40+ fg%. If you are going to rant at least get your facts straight and BTW. Last time I checked their record was 0-3 when he did not play.
Have you ever heard of getting your swag back. I hope he comes back would be a great compliment to our team and Coach Pope
The kid is history in the making,I remember watching 👀 his grandfather play in high school(the winning a chip for Louisville and being on the bench for show time Lakers chip) remember hearing about his father score 100 💯 points in a game in school,so when I heard about DJ Wagner I naturally rooted for him will be the first time the NBA has had 3 generations of talent from one family,great stofor Camden and great story for NBA.
Good memories Jerome
💯
Yes sir I was a senior at Camden high. Milt I think was a sophomore. Went up against Lenape high for the state chip!
DJ Wagner played well early on getting to the goal. But as competition increased he didn’t drive effective any more and fell into shooting 3s. Prolly the 4th or 5th option in my opinion( and stats) if we needed a 3 pointer. I can see him being a fine player, but only in the paint, not from 24 feet. Come on back and improve ur game bro. Or transfer and be on tv 4 times a year
Really nice young man too
He was hurt for most of the season
Well, this all fortunately came to a head with Caliphony. For everyone who makes it to the pros under the shister, 3 have their confidence destroyed because he throws them to the wolves instead telling them the truth; YOURE NOT READY KID!!! The reasons, he has promised their families a way out of poverty on the back of the kid, as well as having no room for them because he recruited others to take their place. He sacrifices everything for his soul-less ego. You all know it’s true. If you don’t, then you’re easy to fall prey to any scam.
Jackass, do you personally know all of these kids parents financial situation. It’s fan like you with your racist undertones that has made "kentucky" a place that no one wants to play. Those kids came from home just as good as your, probably better. Your stereotyping makes you look foolish. Go have a seat.😎
You sound like the true racist here, you make yourself look stupid!
Stfu, I will never understand how someone can call themself a ‘fan’ of UK and act like Cal is the biggest POS in the world lol. Not ONE of you all had anything to say when we were going to final 4s and elite 8s and 2 finals the 1st half of his career lmao. He is the 2nd most successful coach in the history of UK and will forever be a champion at UK, which is a very short list of coaches and you all run his name thru the dirt for what reason?
He can play but needs to grew stay kiddo play hard
He can play but he needs to grow up play harder stay a 2nd year kiddo work hard play harder he knows he can play better
You guys don’t know system ball players
DJ Wagner knows they. Had him in a system,he lead all summer Global,then he was injured with a non return high ankle sprain….go back and look,he couldn’t do his moves,his stepping was off ,his feet didn’t shift no more step backs….he pressed anyway to get strong again…
Man,just my opinion but, are Ky fans ever happy..Championship or bust..Go Pope and Cats..College game is not what it use to be
No, thats why they are so annoying and it has honestly become embarrassing to be associated as part of the same fan base as some of these morons. Cal could of won 5 titles and they still would shit on him lmao. They want all these 4 year players, but when we the possibility to return some players, they say no they suck and need to transfer lmao. They really think we should have 4 yr players, all from KY, who average 30 pts a game every year and win titles every other year. ‘Were UK, we expect perfection’
Hey Dub J…Duke routinely had the number 1 class, Cal 2. And while UK has 28 former Cats in the NBA, Duke has 25. Yes, Cal does recruit, but 9 straight years of underachieving doesn’t cut it at Kentucky. Fans want to see kids playing the game to win, not just to get numbers and impress the scouts. That’s why a bunch of overachievers from 1992 will always rank above the group from 2015.
9 straight years lmao??? What is your definition of achieving? In the last 9 years we finished 1st or 2nd in the SEC 6 times, 2 elite 8s(almost 3 in a row), sweet 16, a tournament that got canceled when we won the conference, 2 2nd rds and 2 1st rds. Do you understand that coach K, Roy W, Calhoun, even Jay W didn’t have that much success between titles? You all see UConn win these 2 and act like that is normal lmao. When your record has 76% winning rate and you have more conference titles and tournament wins than ANY other coach in America during your 15 year tenure, I think that means success. Like it or not, he is in the rafters for life and hating on someone for achieving the highest thing you can accomplish in college bball for your school is absolutely insane.
And I grew up in the 80s/90s. Tell me how the 92 team outdid the 2015 team? They lost in the elite 8, and 2015 lost in the final 4.
Numbers don’t lie. The Professor is spot on. The low efficiency was a big reason UK started in the hole after 4 or 5 minutes game after game, thanks to the fraud not starting 2 of the top 10 guards in the nation. Sure reminds us if 2015 when the fraud had 2 great guards on the bench in the decisive final 4 or 5 minutes that caused UK to lose after going 38-0.
No need to accuse Steve of making a racist comment. He quoted the arrogant fraud whose claim as the self-appointed king included his repeated line he was “making these kids millionaires” and how he promised he would get their family out of poverty. No need to throw the race card at someone basically quoting the fraud.
DJ would just be fine you still have 3 years of eligibility to play college ball he would definitely go pro. next year he will be a better player all players can’t come into the college life and expect to do what they did in high school some takes longer to develop DJ will be just fine
People don’t understand when Kentucky got number one players,IQ was 100 some players don’t have high IQ in basketball. Don’t get me wrong, someone can play, did not want it done. One and done players, don’t need a whole lot of coaching. Tell them what you want , them to do, they do it.
No, thats why they are so annoying and it has honestly become embarrassing to be associated as part of the same fan base as some of these morons. Cal could of won 5 titles and they still would shit on him lmao. They want all these 4 year players, but when we the possibility to return some players, they say no they suck and need to transfer lmao. They really think we should have 4 yr players, all from KY, who average 30 pts a game every year and win titles every other year. ‘Were UK, we expect perfection’
Don’t care..he’s not a cat