"Who's Coming to Kentucky?" Thread (UPDATE: Kentucky Lands Jaxson Robinson!)

[Joneslab]

Assuming the players we have gel, do you really think this isn't a top 5 SEC team and certainly make the tournament?

I couldn’t even begin to say. I think we might see a couple of these guys make big jumps, because that’s what vets sometimes do. We aren’t used to that around here.

I’m excited to see it unfold. I mean I can’t imagine getting irked at fans who overestimate the roster like JFCats is talking about. I mean we’re fans. Hope springs eternal.

[JFCats22]

I couldn’t even begin to say. I think we might see a couple of these guys make big jumps, because that’s what vets sometimes do. We aren’t used to that around here.

I’m excited to see it unfold. I mean I can’t imagine getting irked at fans who overestimate the roster like JFCats is talking about. I mean we’re fans. Hope springs eternal.

I’m not irked at all. Hype them up if you or others want to. I hope the hype is legit. I’m just not sure this roster as is can be a top 25-30 type team.

[Joneslab]

One thing about the state of college basketball as we enter the Pope era: there’s going to be a lot of uncertainty, especially before but even during a season. As these rosters shift and guys enter the portal like crazy, even little tasks like ranking teams in the preseason are going to be brutal. Never before has there been this much fluidity in the sport.

I watched Alabama last November and they were totally garbage. By the end we saw what they were. Stuff like that is going to become super common because of the way these teams are being built.

[DA#23]

We’ve spent a lot of time discussing what it means to be a coach. In today’s environment I think it can really stand out, all together.

[Lighthouse]

We’ve spent a lot of time discussing what it means to be a coach. In today’s environment I think it can really stand out, all together.

Yes, and I believe we have a Coach who will stand out. We're not used to our coach making game altering decisions or watching our Kentucky team actually running an offense and playing defense which might be a zone.

[40bill]

Things are going to cool off for a time. Coach stated he was going to be very focused on the next 4 schollies. Whatever that means.
he may want sophomore or juniors to hopefully keep from rebuilding a whole lineup agai, or as some say he may be going for that game changer....even though i believe most of those guys are in the draft.

I think this staff will focus on team rather than individual, and it would seem we have some guys that can hit shots when it counts.


But honestly guys...who knows?
How many would have put money on Reed Sheppard being top 5 and Bradshaw and Wagner looking for a home?

[Joneslab]

How many would have put money on Reed Sheppard being top 5 and Bradshaw and Wagner looking for a home?

If you're building a team like Pope is having to do--and like Cal intentionally did to himself--where you're basically starting from scratch with virtually no returning players, you have to have some serious luck on the individual level.

A player or players has to be *way* better than anybody thought. For us to be in any way "elite" this year we'd have to have a couple guys make jumps that nobody saw coming. Sheppard and Dillingham being that good should've been the surprise that made us a title contender...but, as we all know, coaching knifed us.

Pope will have to get the same thing. Every title team has those guys. When you watched UCONN this past season for example I don't think anybody thought Cam Spencer was as good as he turned out to be. If you took Spencer off that team, no title...even as well-coached as they were. Pope will have to have that sort of wild jump from a couple of guys if we're going to be really good.

[Joneslab]

Another thing that's been talked about a little: it can't be overstated how different this staff is. They're clearly letting analytics guide them as they build the roster, whereas Cal was (as we all know) more about NBA skillsets and player marketability.

This staff is way more on the cutting edge of the sport. The players have mostly been very solid in the analytics metrics, and that's obviously by design.

Just a completely different ballgame with this staff. They're operating on a radically different level just in terms of how they think about players and their fit.

[DA#23]

^ If will be interesting to see how that works once they start targeting recruits for the ‘26 team and beyond.

Calipari largely went after the guys considered to be sure fire NBA players, but at times he’d take a flier on a guy with all of the physical tools that still needed to learn to play. That worked several times but in the last few years we saw a lack of development not to mention that basically no one stayed long enough to progress like even Nick Richards did.

Hopefully that’s something that changes here. Targeting recruits that fit our style of play a little more closely and hopefully we get to see some development along the way.

[DA#23]

I have to say I’ll keep an eye on Adou regardless of where he lands. I’ve told my friend who is a UNC fan that I think he could be special on the college level.

[DA#23]

The staff with The Horse:

[Lighthouse]

^ That is an awesome picture!

[Joneslab]

Matt Jones
@KySportsRadio
6m
Source tells KSR some good UK BB NIL news. Since Pope’s hiring, UK has received $650,000 in recurring annual commitments from general fanbase through Club Blue. This is a huge number for only 3 weeks That doesnt include the individual $5 million so far raised from private donors

[dcaudle68]

Matt Jones
@KySportsRadio
6m
Source tells KSR some good UK BB NIL news. Since Pope’s hiring, UK has received $650,000 in recurring annual commitments from general fanbase through Club Blue. This is a huge number for only 3 weeks That doesnt include the individual $5 million so far raised from private donors

I assume this is funds to help with NIL expenses?

[DA#23]

I assume this is funds to help with NIL expenses?

Yes. It’s UK’s collective open to the public, you specify which sport and make either a one time donation or set a recurring donation.