Jodie Meeks did some unreal things when he and his Kentucky Wildcats played Tennessee in Thompson Boling Arena this season. Meeks was phenomenal in torching the Volunteers for 54 points, leading UK to a huge victory. Apparently, after the season, we found out that his head coach Billy Gillispie wasn’t as thrilled by the tremendous effort.
Meeks is a great all-around player, who along with Patrick Patterson formed one of the most potent duos in the nation. However good that may seem, it might have hurt, more than helped.
Don’t get me wrong, both of those guys were amazing. But many teams started to figure out Gillispie’s plan. It was always Meeks and Patterson or Rhythm and Bruise as the fans and media started to call the duo.
With two other 45+ point outbursts, along with the 54 points at Tennessee, Jodie Meeks became one of the most lethal shooters in the nation. He’s as dead-eye as they come. But he still could work on some things as well; creating off the dribble, become a better ball-handler, a work even more on defense.
His stocky frame reminds many of an NFL running back, but this shooting guard improved drastically on defense under Billy Gillispie’s intense man-to-man defense. That intensity comes off the ball as well, as he enjoys making “violent” cuts as ESPN analyst Jimmy Dykes would like to say. But seriously, Meeks is great without the ball and running through sets. In new head coach John Calipari’s offense, Meeks would thrive in it, most likely able to produce like he did this year.
That now all depends on his draft status in the NBA. He officially declared today, but he won’t hire an agent. Kentucky could be very scary next year if Meeks and Patterson decided to stay for their senior and junior seasons. If they do so and Calipari brings in some of his own recruits, UK could be a pretty good team. But if Meeks, Patterson, or both decide to bolt for the better pastures of the NBA, UK could be a totally different team.
Say It Ain’t So Jodie and let’s bring UK back to the top!