Happy MLK Day, everyone. As I’m still recovering from the Patriots loss last night, and currently in the midst of a deep, dark depression, this post will be largely lifeless and unenthusiastic. I apologize in advance for being a debby downer… but it is what it is. Your kindness and understanding is appreciated. That one hurt.

Now, onto the news:

-First things first, some good news, your SEC freshman of the week is none other than Nerlens Noel. The flat top feller averaged 11 points, 9 rebounds, and 6.5 blocks last week. Somewhat shockingly, it’s the first time he’s taken home those honors.

-Speaking of Nerlens, Hoopsworld takes a look at the big man, and the challenges that talent evaluators face when trying to project what he is capable of at the NBA level. They think he’s a little farther away from contributing than most, but they still see his tremendous upside. A quote to wet your whistle: “He’s no Player of the Year candidate or someone who can be the face of a NBA franchise immediately, but Noel definitely has a bright future ahead of him and upside that few players in this draft class can match.”

-There are some interesting tidbits on the nation’s top high school player, Andrew Wiggins, over on Zagsblog. Brian Fitzsimmons talks about Wiggins’ discomfort with all the attention that has come while the recruiting process heats up. It’s worth a read, for sure, but not a whole lot in there that would make one optimistic about UK’s chances. He seems to be a kid that has no interest in life in the spotlight. You’ve been warned.

-Finally, this morning’s SEC teleconference brought a lot of the same ole soundbites, but the one newsworthy clip was Cal speaking about Willie  Cauley-Stein. As of right now, WCS’s status is TBD for the Alabama game. Cal will make a final decision on the big man after practice, and said simply “if I don’t think he can help us, he’ll probably stay at home.”

Alright, that’s it from here. Enjoy your day off, everyone. Go Cats.

@McCarthyKSR