Quincy Miller wants to be hated

by Mike Rutherford on Jul 23, 2010 12:47 PM EDT in Basketball

Subtitle: "Kentucky, Calipari now considered leader."

The Louisville target and current No. 2 player in the class of 2011 is the focus of a Mike DeCourcy piece published this morning.

"Once I get in college, I definitely want to be a rival," Miller said. "I want to be somebody that everybody hates."

Oh, that's coming.

If he chooses Kentucky, he'll be the biggest villain in Louisville since, well, John Calipari. If he chooses Syracuse, he'll be as popular in Connecticut as the letters N-C-A-A.

A 6-8 forward from Chicago who is playing at Westchester Academy in High Point, N.C., Miller is considering UK, U of L, UConn, Baylor, Syracuse, Wake Forest, Texas, Tennessee and Oklahoma. He's got a long way in choosing a college, but it's only a year until he gets there.

Miller is the type of confident(?) freshman superstar that Rick Pitino hasn't really had since he's been at Louisville (although T-Will certainly took care of the "bubbly" personality on all four teams he played on), so it's hard for Cardinal fans to get a feel for how he would gel with the upperclassmen that would be on his first, and perhaps only, college team.

Regardless, the kid's a next-level talent and it would be foolish for us to be anything other than ecstatic if he were to eventually commit. Also, he provides the added bonus of us being able to say "Q" with a straight face during sports conversations, which - let's not even try to act like it isn't - is cool.

For more on Q (see), check out the first entry of the blog he's going to be writing for Slam for the next 12 months.

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Is that first sentence your own interpretation?

Because there is nothing in that article that says UK is his leader. In fact, nearly every major recruiting guru (Daniels, Demling, Goodman, Meyer, etc.) says or implies that UofL and Baylor are the clear leaders at this point and UK has lost major ground. That doesn’t mean they can’t make it up obviously as Calipari has WWW who has deep pockets, and the Squid has swooped in late to steal recruits before. Yet this is really the first big time recruit I’ve heard who was once considered a lock for UK now dropping them from his favorites (or at least not nearly as enthusiastic about them). Maybe the actual magazine has that subtitle, but that internet article sure doesn’t, unless I am just not seeing it.

But perhaps you are making the same interpretation I am, which is the fact that he “wants to be hated” and be a “rival” could mean he is building up UofL to just pull the rug out from under our feet at the last minute and make us all groan by committing to UK. If he wants to be hated, that would certainly infuriate much of this fanbase. It would not be on the level of the Marquis Teague fakeout, but it would be the closest thing.

But whatever it is you mean, I think with Fuller on board, we are definitely a favorite, possibly THE favorite, to land the Bello/Miller twosome. Of course, I will not make any predictions as we were also THE favorite for Fab Melo and Marquis Teague, until we weren’t. I think UK has some ground to make up if they are serious about this kid. Of course it is ground they are capable of making up, but should we miss on him, which is possible, we are in on several top recruits. Behanan, that O’Bryant kid, etc. Would like Miller to join them, but we are definitely working on several big names and are not putting everything in the Quincy Miller basket.

Homeristic rant over. Thank you.

by RockCard on Jul 23, 2010 7:12 PM EDT reply actions

It was a joke

A fake subtitle insinuating that if he wants to be hated, he will go to Kentucky.

All indications are that we are the leader for his services at this point.

by Mike Rutherford on Jul 23, 2010 7:15 PM EDT up reply actions

I was hoping so.

Well played sir

by RockCard on Jul 23, 2010 7:19 PM EDT up reply actions

i don't think the kid should be hated

just because of his college choice, if he picks louisville over uk, i wouldn’t hate him for it. the kid hasn’t made any promises to any school so who ever he choses shouldn’t determine whether you hate him or not, and i think just from the past draft uk hasn’t lost much ground… it will come down to playing time with this kid.. if the nba has a lockout and most recruits stay then louisville is def the favorite BUT if teams clear roster spots then well who knows… but i do think this will be a uk vs louisville recruiting battle… one will get this guy… lets not forget uk has teague and gilchrest coming in so that really makes me think he might go red… but again who knows, there is a trend going on with top players wanting other top player teammates

"UK isn't a choice, you're born bleeding blue"

by kentuckywild on Jul 23, 2010 7:26 PM EDT reply actions

I think the kid just wants to be the "bad guy" AKA rival.

He’s trying to say that he wants other team’s fans to “hate” him because he’s so good.

Not necessary to have recruiting drama to obtain this type of hate, but let’s be honest if he verbals to UofL then ends up at UK (or vice-versa) that’s a surefire way to build major enmity in this state quickly.

by Remote Cardinal on Jul 24, 2010 12:10 AM EDT reply actions