Eric Bledsoe

LEXINGTON — Doron Lamb is the first University of Kentucky freshman to decide about his basketball future — and he’s going to return to UK rather than declare for the NBA draft. The freshman guard, who averaged 12.3 points per game and led the Southeastern Conference with his 48.6 percent shooting from 3-point range, earned numerous honors during the season as well as after UK’s Final Four season. He scored a then-UK freshman record 32 points against Winthrop on 11-of-12 shooting, including 7-of-8 from 3-point range.

LEXINGTON — Kentucky coach John Calipari isn’t not sure what freshmen Brandon Knight, Terrence Jones and Doron Lamb are going to do in regards to the NBA draft. They have until April 24 to put their names into the draft pool and can remove their names by May 8 and remain eligible to continuing play at UK as long as they do not retain an agent. “We are not there yet to be able to tell you (about the draft),” said Calipari. “Putting their names in is a no-brainer, if that is what they choose to do.” Knight averaged a team-high 17.3 points per game for UK and shot 42.3 percent from the field, including 37.7 percent from 3-point range, and 79.5 percent at the foul line.

LEXINGTON — Kentucky coach John Calipari said Wednesday that he’s still not sure what freshmen Brandon Knight, Terrence Jones and Doron Lamb are going to do in regards to the NBA draft. They have until April 24 to put their name into the draft pool and can remove their name by May 8 and remain eligible to continuing play at UK as long as they do not retain an agent. “We are not there yet to be able to tell you (about the draft),” said Calipari. “Putting their names in is a no-brainer, if that is what they choose to do.” Knight averaged a team-high 17.3 points per game for UK and shot 42.3 percent from the field, including 37.7 percent from 3-point range, and 79.5 percent at the foul line.

HOUSTON - DeAndre Liggins is as fearless when it comes to speaking his mind as he is on the basketball court. That's why the University of Kentucky junior was not afraid to say what no one else really has as UK prepares to play Connecticut here Saturday night in the Final Four. Liggins started by elaborating on teammate Brandon Knight’s comment on Tuesday that UK was not as good early in the season as the players thought and that likely led to several of the Wildcats’ eight losses.

University of Kentucky president Lee Todd thought he was hiring a solid basketball coach when John Calipari joined the Wildcats two years ago. Now that Calipari has gone 64-11 in two seasons and taken last year’s team to the Elite Eight and this team to the Final Four, Todd is even more impressed. “The more I see him on a daily basis, and how he coaches and teaches players, the more proud I am of the decision we made,” said Todd after UK beat North Carolina in Newark, N.J., Sunday to earn a berth in this weekend’s Final Four in Houston.

When Doron Lamb played at Oak Hill Academy in high school, Matt Kamalsky had seen enough to be impressed with his offensive skill level. However, even the NBA analyst for DraftExpress.com admits he underestimated just how good the Kentucky freshman guard would be in college. “I did not know he was this good, nor did I expect him to step in and be this productive as a freshman. He looked a bit out of place at the McDonald’s All-American Game in Columbus last spring,” Kamalsky said.

It was no secret even with Enes Kanter, depth could be a problem for Kentucky this year. Without Kanter, it’s a huge problem — and almost certain defeat when four players foul out like they did in Saturday’s 75-73 loss at North Carolina. The biggest bright spot for Kentucky in the loss was the play of freshman Doron Lamb, who continues to show that he could be this year’s Eric Bledsoe in the freshman class. He was considered a good player coming into Kentucky, but he’s turning into a great player.

Being able to put players into the NBA has as much to do with Kentucky’s recruiting success again this year as much as anything based on what Scout.com national recruiting analyst Evan Daniels has observed. “I think players are seeing guys like John Wall, DeMarcus Cousins, Eric Bledsoe and Daniel Orton get to the NBA and do it quickly. That is what these kids want, too,” said Daniels. “That is one of the big factors they used with Marquis Teague, a kid many thought at one point was going to end up at Louisville.

Editor’s Note: This is last of a four-part series with new Kentucky assistant basketball coach Kenny Payne. Kenny Payne thought coaching under John Calipari would be different. However, the former Oregon assistant coach didn’t know just how different. “Working for him gives me a different perspective. I knew he was good, but he’s great as a coach, communicator and as a person who gives his heart to his kids,” said Payne, a former Louisville star and NBA veteran.

Kentucky coach John Calipari already has all but secured another top-ranked recruiting class for 2011, but he’s already hard at work on his 2012 class. Junior Perry Ellis of Wichita, one of the nation’s top juniors, will make an unofficial visit to Kentucky Nov. 11 so he can watch the Wildcats open the regular season against East Tennessee State University. He’s taking trips to Memphis on Oct. 15 for the Tigers’ Midnight Madness as well as Kansas this week.