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

[Joneslab]

For better or worse, the top players are mostly not going to be satisfied with the UK way of 10 deep and you will play 25 minutes tops. That's not the way to the NBA in most top players minds.

Kentucky has signed top players. As recently as three or four days ago.

I think it's probably true that some players aren't going to be okay with that. You have to be diligent and figure out which ones so you don't get burned.

[DA#23]

What you hope for as this era keeps going is that we less turnover in a given year as we retain some players. We still had a bunch of huge needs this offseason, and had to assemble an entire team the year prior.

[dcaudle68]

Kentucky has signed top players. As recently as three or four days ago.

I think it's probably true that some players aren't going to be okay with that. You have to be diligent and figure out which ones so you don't get burned.

I said mostly. Not all but more will be turned off than happy with a platoon system. It is going to be hard to convince any top portal players left to come to UK unless the money is satisfactory and we appear to be tapped out. Anyone else signed is not likely to be a locked in starter at this point.

[KentuckyWild2020]

" I didn't want to go to Kentucky and just be another guy who played there"

[Mr.Nezzer]

Eh, don't sweat it. Love the info.

Same as it ever was. A LOT of guessing goes into it...also a lot of tomfoolery as guys pretend on the internet. Nothing's changed since the days Greg Hoover was out there following Willie Kemp.

It's fun if you don't get your dander up (or down) too much about it.

There's a name I haven't heard in a long time..

[40bill]

Ian Jackson still a possibility or nah?

Also just scanning the portal, Maryland's Rodney Rice is an interesting player who looks unsigned.

Puts us in kind of a tough spot and moves a team that was looking like a top 10 roster into...something else entirely.

Missing out on one guy in the portal does all that? A guy that wasn't exactly NBA material? Sorry...that's a big head scratcher for me. Neither Noah nor Chandler have seen a shot they don't like and they will hopefully be a year stronger and smarter.

You guys know this stuff but missing out on a guy I never even heard of before a couple weeks ago totally Al ft erst the season????? Really?????

[Mr.Nezzer]

Wilkerson chooses Indiana.

Will be interesting to see where Pope goes after this one.

That sucks

[Joneslab]

Missing out on one guy in the portal does all that? A guy that wasn't exactly NBA material? Sorry...that's a big head scratcher for me. Neither Noah nor Chandler have seen a shot they don't like and they will hopefully be a year stronger and smarter.

Noah's a different position but Chandler hit 17 threes all last season. The guy we're talking about here hit 109.

I think that's why the staff has been so aggressively trawling the portal: because they realize there's a huge need at that scoring guard position. It's the difference basically between us having A LOT of questions next season and potentially having a roster that's national championship worthy. That much is in the balance, and the staff is behaving accordingly to that reality.

(And having said all that, I love the potential of both Chandler and Noah. But not as starters yet and not in the role of guys like Wilkerson. We've got a glaring hole right now at that spot.)

[KentuckyWild2020]

Missing out on one guy in the portal does all that? A guy that wasn't exactly NBA material? Sorry...that's a big head scratcher for me. Neither Noah nor Chandler have seen a shot they don't like and they will hopefully be a year stronger and smarter.

You guys know this stuff but missing out on a guy I never even heard of before a couple weeks ago totally Al ft erst the season????? Really?????

If we don't sign another player and return what we have, we are good in my opinion and I am happy, still feel like we just stole something.

Perry Noah and Chandler will be fine even if it means scaling down the rotation at some point.

[Joneslab]

I'm convinced we'll sign another 2 guard. They've gone after different guys at this point and when you do that, you just don't quit and say, "Oh well, we're good with who we've got." That makes no sense.

So they're going to get somebody. The question is will that somebody be a good enough player to make a difference here.

I believe Kentucky fans, in true Kentucky fan fashion, are putting too much stock in guys like Chandler, Noah, and even Perry. We're not 100% certain any of those three guys can even play at a high level consistently.

That's not the ballpark Pope is trying to exist in here. We're trying to win titles, not just wing and prayer it with the roster.

[Joneslab]

^ And also going on with that, it'll likely not even be those guys who are the fallback options, it'll be Jasper Johnson.

I still don't think the staff wants that (as evidenced by what they've done over the last month) and would love to have a *proven* scoring guard on the roster.

[KentuckyWild2020]

How do I put this without starting World War 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 and 10 twice on a Sunday?

If Brea 6'7 215 and Robinson 6'5 buck 95 are the two guards 😆 🤣

Noah at 6'6 220 can't play the 2 guard role off the bench or Perry 6'2 can't play the 2g off the bench? Chandler can play 1-3 imo.

I get it, last year injuries have us all freaked out,we want depth and security 3 deep at all positions.


Still, we can manage with our freshmen who now have a year of SEC basketball under there belt should be better i would assume through hard work over the summer.

My question is this, is William and Lowe ready for SEC basketball or will they be soft as Charmin, same with AJ the dude im putting all my eggs in a basket with and going out on a limb?

Edit,, forgot all about Jasper Johnson duh, 1 or 2

[Joneslab]

How do I put this without starting World War 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 and 10 twice on a Sunday?

If Brea 6'7 215 and Robinson 6'5 buck 95 are the two guards 😆 🤣

Noah at 6'6 220 can't play the 2 guard role off the bench or Perry 6'2 can't play the 2g off the bench? Chandler can play 1-3 imo.

Trent Noah is slower than me and you. Not a 2-guard.

Can be a REALLY good 3/4 hybrid. But no, not a 2 at this level. Has nothing to do with his height.

Perry is slight and he didn't love to play him at the 2 last year. He could, but I'm not convinced he's a high D1 player yet regardless of position.

Chandler yes but the question with him is were those last few games real or was he just on a heater? I love the potential, but it's just potential.

I get it, last year injuries have us all freaked out,we want depth and security 3 deep at all positions.

Has nothing to do with "we." The staff's been out there trying to get these guys. Clearly and obviously they see a need.

[justford]

Is our NIL money depleted or did we not want to pony up the necessary money to get Wilkerson?

[Joneslab]

Is our NIL money depleted or did we not want to pony up the necessary money to get Wilkerson?

I would think at this stage of the game Indiana has more to offer seeing as they're trying to build a whole roster.

But it could be that UK just balked at the amount.