2025-26 Roster Chatter (UPDATE: Oweh Returns, Roster Complete)

[Joneslab]

Yates highlights. Does have an unusual shooting form, sort of weirdly off to the side of his body, but it's not MKG/Oweh territory probably.

BTW, Yates was part of the Bronny/Collier class and was ranked #39 by Rivals, one spot below Oklahoma's Jeremiah Fears.

https://x.com/Big_BlueNation_/status/1908606283671880054

[justford]

Trilly Donovan suggests that it's Washington for Yates, but Matt Jones suggests us.

He was at Washington his freshman year but didn’t play because of a injury. Transferred to USC so maybe he wants to go back to Washington?

[George]

We Zoomed with Bama’s Dioubate today, and Yates is likely to Kentucky IF Pondexter doesn’t do to Washington. If he does, Yates will probably follow him.

[Mr.Nezzer]

Ya know what...last year at this time Calipari was still our coach and we all thought we were gonna have to endure another year of Calipari-isms. Welp fast forward less than a year...we have a new exciting coach with an new exciting philosophy. In his first yeat got Kentucky to the Sweet 16...a place sadly Kentucky hasn't been to in 5 ish years.
A lot of " experts " said a the onset this was gonna be a struggle with "no true star" on the team....yet two of the final four team Kentucky had beat.

Pope doesn't have the "street cred" at this level...that is a fact. There is also the fact that Pope was a Rhodes Scholar candidate AND almost a doctor. This man has a few brain cells to rub together. I read a lot of Kentucky stuff....some people are going crazy over what the Jones are doing....I'm just saying let's let Mark cook. See what the man can do. Cause I don't know about y'all but given the injuries...I thought we did pretty well. If ya add a healthy Butler and Krissa...and Jaxson does get hurt...dang this team may have made a Final Four appearance.

In a nut shell...let Pope cook I think y'all gonna like what he serves up!

[teamchemistry15]

We Zoomed with Bama’s Dioubate today, and Yates is likely to Kentucky IF Pondexter doesn’t do to Washington. If he does, Yates will probably follow him.

If we close with those two and Alvaro it's hard to not think we have a top ten roster with literally everything you need and want.

Enough shooters to not be thrown off if one guy has an off night
Multiple guys that can iso you and get a basket
Rebounding at multiple positions
Stretch bigs to spread the floor
Multiple guys who can guard multiple positions
Quality, experienced depth
Dynamic freshmen to provide a burst off the bench (think Philon from Bama)
A guy in Oweh who can go guard the other team's best player

[teamchemistry15]

For all of those nervous and worried about the rankings of guys we are going after, I'm just here to remind you that Amari Williams was ranked in the 80s for portal players with Brea. The year before? Walter Clayton was 69th. Don't get hung up on rankings.

[Joneslab]

For all of those nervous and worried about the rankings of guys we are going after, I'm just here to remind you that Amari Williams was ranked in the 80s for portal players with Brea. The year before? Walter Clayton was 69th. Don't get hung up on rankings.

I posted something about these rankings above. They're notoriously wonky. How many guys would be virtually the same guy on paper? Ranking the portal would be way harder than even ranking incoming freshmen...and that's notoriously hard, as evidenced by how much they miss with guys.

But besides that, you would think guys like Pierre and Yates and Alvaro and Dioubate would be highly ranked? I don't know, I haven't checked and couldn't possibly care less. I've seen Dioubate with my own eyeballs enough to know: if you got that guy, he's gonna produce for you...and in a role Kentucky absolutely did not have last season.

[TrueblueCATfan]

For all of those nervous and worried about the rankings of guys we are going after, I'm just here to remind you that Amari Williams was ranked in the 80s for portal players with Brea. The year before? Walter Clayton was 69th. Don't get hung up on rankings.

Speaking of Walter Clayton...I didn't know he played for Pitino at Iona

[Joneslab]

And going back to Washington.

For the life of me I can't understand anybody going to Washington to play basketball. You hear every offseason about good players going out there, and it's one of the worst power conference programs in America. Just truly godawful.

Washington has been to one NCAA Tournament in 15 years. They're a perennial loser. I can't fathom why anybody would think going out there to play is a good idea...and yet every spring and summer you see players willingly doing it. It's crazy.

[teamchemistry15]

I posted something about these rankings above. They're notoriously wonky. How many guys would be virtually the same guy on paper? Ranking the portal would be way harder than even ranking incoming freshmen...and that's notoriously hard, as evidenced by how much they miss with guys.

But besides that, you would think guys like Pierre and Yates and Alvaro and Dioubate would be highly ranked? I don't know, I haven't checked and couldn't possibly care less. I've seen Dioubate with my own eyeballs enough to know: if you got that guy, he's gonna produce for you...and in a role Kentucky absolutely did not have last season.

Actually, looking at the rankings again, Garrison was rated higher than Oweh, Williams, and Brea. Sheesh.

I'm with you. You see kids that SHOULD become very productive players and it doesn't make sense why they are ranked where they are. It works both ways. A ton of guys were way better than their rankings implied and a bunch of guys at the top of the rankings were very underwhelming. It really goes to show how important the right system is, and it's more proof to the average fan that there's more to basketball than just rolling the balls out.

[teamchemistry15]

And going back to Washington.

For the life of me I can't understand anybody going to Washington to play basketball. You hear every offseason about good players going out there, and it's one of the worst power conference programs in America. Just truly godawful.

Washington has been to one NCAA Tournament in 15 years. They're a perennial loser. I can't fathom why anybody would think going out there to play is a good idea...and yet every spring and summer you see players willingly doing it. It's crazy.

This goes back to Terrance Jones. I would still like to know what was said on that phone call after he committed there.

They also had a kid who was a top ten pick in the draft a few years back but I can't come up with his name.

It seems like there's some odd connection between us and them, as well. Terrance Jones, Keion Brooks, Wheeler, I'm pretty sure Quade Greene played there, and I'm sure I'm missing some.

[KCKUKFan]

And going back to Washington.

For the life of me I can't understand anybody going to Washington to play basketball. You hear every offseason about good players going out there, and it's one of the worst power conference programs in America. Just truly godawful.

Washington has been to one NCAA Tournament in 15 years. They're a perennial loser. I can't fathom why anybody would think going out there to play is a good idea...and yet every spring and summer you see players willingly doing it. It's crazy.

Keion Brooks and Sahvir Wheeler disagree. Or maybe they agree.

[George]

Keion Brooks and Sahvir Wheeler disagree. Or maybe they agree.

The mere sight of Wheeler’s name makes me angry. He may be the former Kentucky player I dislike the most - even more than Quade.

[DA#23]

They also had a kid who was a top ten pick in the draft a few years back but I can't come up with his name.

Isaiah Stewart. We couldn’t buy a big guy in the 2019 recruiting class

[George]

Isaiah Stewart. We couldn’t buy a big guy in the 2019 recruiting class

In hindsight, that one was probably for the best. Calling him a loose cannon is an understatement. Ever hear about his campus visit?