If Mark Pope Wins #9

[KYJeff1]

In the NIL + transfer portal era, I'm good If Pope gets one, but I would rather get a Lamont Butler, Otega Oweh, or an Oscar.

If you can land a generational, or transcendent high school kid, you definitely do it, but those dudes aren't all that common.

At least with Pope, he's not trying to roll the dice on a group of unproven high school kids, he's getting known good veteran players to lean on.

[BlueHeaven]

Exactly. As a bit of an 'old-timer' as I approach 60, I have the luxury of watching Hall, Pitino, Smith, etc. coached teams and watching those players, style of play, approach to team building, etc., that many younger fans haven't experienced. I've been kind of shocked to see how much some fans care about "recruiting banners" and bragging about "top recruiting classes". It's amazed me how much emphasis has been put on recruiting BY SOME! But then it dawned on me...there's probably an awful lot of fans under the age of 30 that post online that don't know any different! They grew up with the "Calipari way" and that's all they know and all they've ever known, so of course they're going to want that to continue somewhat....even though it was proven to be a losing formula. The further Cal got away from experience and started relying almost solely on freshman the worse the results were.... and that's not opinion, we've now got a 15 year track record to look back on for proof.

At least we'll have what it was. I'm close to your age and I miss watching a team grow.

[blueheretic]

Probably from the last 15 years of fielding a team filled with onds and top HS recruits. They also need some type of negative storyline for everyone.

I ain't gonna admit how long it took me to figure out what "onds" is. lol

[blueheretic]

Feels like bait...

I don't get these comments.

It's a discussion forum.

Why are people too cowardly to offer an opinion.

"Feels like bait" seems like such a cop out to me.

[KentuckyWild2020]

So let's talk about top tier 5 STAR talent and the rankings.

Every year you the few sure fire can't miss 5 star NBA ready talents and then there is the rest.

I have said this for years and will take this to my grave. When the recruiting gurus and analytical freaks figure out how to put a rating on the size of a kids "heart", perhaps then they will have it all figured out.

Recruited some great one's but how many did he recruit that actually did not deserve to have the privilege or wearing a UK uniform?

Some kids are alpha's and just have that "dog" in them. Some are 3 4 5 star recruits and some are just winners..

I think POPE recruits what he needs and what fits his system for how he wants to play. I also think a player has to pass the PERSONALITY application if they ever want to wear the blue n white.

Last year in his first year, talent wasn't the issue, it was the injury bug. No we did not have a FLAGG on the team or a Wall, Cousins, Davis, Towns, but we had guys who bought in. Still we did have what seems to be a GREAT COLLEGE player in OWEH. Oweh may never be a household name at the PRO level but on the college level, he's as good as it can get in my opinion 5 star freshman or not. How many times have I watched great players in the college like Danny Manning Ferry and a list full of others just become another name on a NBA roster over the years??

For those saying POPE is missing out on recruits, that is totally a$$ backwards in my opinion. The fact he actually returned OWEH may be one of the best acquisitions in all of college basketball. Oweh could have moved on PRO or not to another team who would have probably paid more money that UK was to offer. Still Pope sold him on coming back. That is a WIN WIN on the recruiting front...

[Matt Dillon]

Nope.

[blueheretic]

POPE recruits what he needs and what fits his system for how he wants to play. I also think a player has to pass the PERSONALITY application if they ever want to wear the blue n white.

I agree.

Which is why I don't think anyone will care about "Top Five talent".

He's not afraid to go after the "big talent" and he's going to get the kind of talent that he needs whether it be Top Five or Top 1000.

I was way over #1 recruiting classes after 2016. Talent doesn't matter if the coach is an idiot.

[KentuckyWild2020]

I agree.

Which is why I don't think anyone will care about "Top Five talent".

He's not afraid to go after the "big talent" and he's going to get the kind of talent that he needs whether it be Top Five or Top 1000.

I was way over #1 recruiting classes after 2016. Talent doesn't matter if the coach is an idiot.

Amen to that.

Ever notice how many of Calipari recruits looked totally different a year later separated from Cal?

Obviously training experience and a year older may have contributed to all that but i still don't think Cal really put players in the right position to succeed based off talent strengths and weaknesses. Can't say that for everyone but overall I think another coach could have done more. Cal was all about the MENTAL PREP for the next step in the big leagues, didn't have a damn thing to do with Kentucky basketball...