Willie Cauley-Stein is the diamond in the rough. He's the precious stone you stumble upon while searching for your tee shot — uncut, unpolished, but unquestionably a fabulous find. He is a jewel who has lately improved Kentucky's chances at chasing another crown.
The 7-foot freshman has replaced injured Nerlens Noel in UK's starting lineup, and the transition grows progressively seamless with each passing game. Barely two weeks removed from second-string status, Cauley-Stein is now projected as a likely NBA lottery pick. He scored 20 points against Vanderbilt, blocked seven shots against Missouri and Wednesday night sank six of his seven shots in UK's 85-55 mauling of Mississippi State at Rupp Arena.
Walter Cornett, of Glendale, Kentucky, is the owner and operator of Walter's Wildcat World. He founded WildcatWorld.com in 1998 making it one of the oldest Kentucky basketball fan sites in operation today.