2026-2027 Roster discussion thread

[Cawood86]

Okay, I get it, CalIpari sucked his past few years at Kentucky but with all the MItch behind the scenes stuff, i can see whey Cal mentally checked out.

Still, if not for the fluke Wisconsin win, dude may have been the first modern day coach to run the table 40-0 and would have been a KENTUCKY legend.

Plus with all that being said, Calipari was a true down to earth blue collard guy off the court here in Kentucky, he did a lot of great things. The one thing he will deny to his grave is all the money he donated out of his pocket. Yeah i think giving anyone a lifetime contract is horrible but Cal gave back. In fact it is known in some circles that money he donated he didn't want to get credit for and kept it silent, again would deny it to his grave.

Doesn't matter now because whoever the coach is at Kentucky or any school for that matter, it's all a one and done type of deal. The old days and ways of doing things have been over. If the transfer rules get modified and limited that will help but right now it's the wild wild west. You think a NBA NFL MLB off season is crazy, how about 360 teams with moving parts, throw in D2 AND D3, it's over a 1000.

Back to Pope, i hate that Pope has to go through some of the things he has had to endure, some of it out of his control, some of it his own fault.

Year 3 has to be a year like no other for him in my opinion, i just hope it all falls in place and he learns from this mess this year.

The way Cal is tied in with these young kids, still wish he could have stuck around and played the GM role at KENTUCKY, he would have been perfect for that in my opinion...

Wow.....you're definitely a Cal guy for sure

[TrueblueCATfan]

Okay, I get it, CalIpari sucked his past few years at Kentucky but with all the MItch behind the scenes stuff, i can see whey Cal mentally checked out.

Still, if not for the fluke Wisconsin win, dude may have been the first modern day coach to run the table 40-0 and would have been a KENTUCKY legend.

Plus with all that being said, Calipari was a true down to earth blue collard guy off the court here in Kentucky, he did a lot of great things. The one thing he will deny to his grave is all the money he donated out of his pocket. Yeah i think giving anyone a lifetime contract is horrible but Cal gave back. In fact it is known in some circles that money he donated he didn't want to get credit for and kept it silent, again would deny it to his grave.

Doesn't matter now because whoever the coach is at Kentucky or any school for that matter, it's all a one and done type of deal. The old days and ways of doing things have been over. If the transfer rules get modified and limited that will help but right now it's the wild wild west. You think a NBA NFL MLB off season is crazy, how about 360 teams with moving parts, throw in D2 AND D3, it's over a 1000.

Back to Pope, i hate that Pope has to go through some of the things he has had to endure, some of it out of his control, some of it his own fault.

Year 3 has to be a year like no other for him in my opinion, i just hope it all falls in place and he learns from this mess this year.

The way Cal is tied in with these young kids, still wish he could have stuck around and played the GM role at KENTUCKY, he would have been perfect for that in my opinion...

2021..2022..2023 were bad...all 3 years were the worst
Cal was still a great Coach his first 10 years IMO
dont get me wrong I loved Cal But I was ready for him to move on

[Pobilly]

Unpopular opinion but DJ Wagner is a free agent again and we need a point guard. If Diallo isn't on board, DJ could fill a need plus I like his game his game when he's on.

Man I remember a different Wagner. He cost us games. Was limited with his offense. Pretty much could drive only one way. I would rather not have another player where Pope has to build his offense around a PG that can only go one direction.

[WeWant9]

I did see that Zoom Diallo played prep ball with Stokes and are considered good friends. Not sure if that is the interest with Zoom or not, but found it interesting for sure.

[KentuckyWild2020]

Wow.....you're definitely a Cal guy for sure

Wow, you are completely wrong!!

Did i like CAL, yes, wanted him hired from Memphis before Gillispie but since Billy G. beat Rick Pitino in a anti Tubby Smith Rupp Arena crowd in the NCAA regionals and Cal was then considered a crook, UK went with Billy G. I think Cal is the best in the business recruiting, look at the 50 plus pro players that came through Kentucky.

Do i think Cal is the best coach? NO

He was good in college prior to his NBA stunt but then he came back with a "Players and talent" win games mentality and it was all she wrote, so many failed super teams at Memphis Kentucky and now Arkansas.

I wanted Billy D 2 years in at Marshall before Tubby but the KID didn't have enough experience and someone at Kentucky wanted to prove to the world we weren't racist because of A. Rupp and they spun it Rick wanted Tubby..

Cal the X's and O's development coach sucks. Pope needs to nail down the recruiting part, get a feel for the game, forget about trying to be one the guys with these players, be a boss pick your 8 and roll with it...

Back to Cal, like him or not, dude ran rough shod a few years at Kentucky. Injuries always seemed to be a issue and i think he already had his mind made up many time about who his favorites was going to be before the season started.

Still, he goes 40-0 ,the whole Conversation is forever different...

[KentuckyWild2020]

2021..2022..2023 were bad...all 3 years were the worst
Cal was still a great Coach his first 10 years IMO
dont get me wrong I loved Cal But I was ready for him to move on

It all started when Strickland PG University decided to drive drunk, Robic became sick..

For a long time I think Cal had the right people running things off the court and it all just worked until it didn't.

Still when a arrogant ego driven coach doesn't even prepare or read the scouting on "nobody teams" for 1st round matchups in the NCAA tournament, that's a issue that could have been easily fixed.

I think behind the scenes MB stirred the pot with the boosters and decision makers . Cal probably checked out years ago with Kentucky but I think he loved it here so much it was hard for him to step away. He had friends and routines around Kentucky, he liked it here. and was actually a person who could handle the FANBASE..

i am reading more and more recruits are not even looking at Kentucky because of the toxic fanbase. Coaches use that material and throw it in our face when hosting a new recruit.

I know we all want to win in the worst way but through the Social media, we are running people away.

Even with CAL, yes we know and saw what was going on, the good ,the bad ,the ugly, all the flaws,. Yet I would say 340 of all the other schools fan bases looking in from the outside probably thought and still do think we are completely Insane and Nuts to run Calipari out of town? What school wouldn't want all those top tier 5 stars coming through on a year to year?

It's all messed up out here. It's pay for play now, we just have to make sure we have the best GM office and scouts o handle the roster turn overs on a year to year.

[Cawood86]

Wow, you are completely wrong!!

Did i like CAL, yes, wanted him hired from Memphis before Gillispie but since Billy G. beat Rick Pitino in a anti Tubby Smith Rupp Arena crowd in the NCAA regionals and Cal was then considered a crook, UK went with Billy G. I think Cal is the best in the business recruiting, look at the 50 plus pro players that came through Kentucky.

Do i think Cal is the best coach? NO

He was good in college prior to his NBA stunt but then he came back with a "Players and talent" win games mentality and it was all she wrote, so many failed super teams at Memphis Kentucky and now Arkansas.

I wanted Billy D 2 years in at Marshall before Tubby but the KID didn't have enough experience and someone at Kentucky wanted to prove to the world we weren't racist because of A. Rupp and they spun it Rick wanted Tubby..

Cal the X's and O's development coach sucks. Pope needs to nail down the recruiting part, get a feel for the game, forget about trying to be one the guys with these players, be a boss pick your 8 and roll with it...

Back to Cal, like him or not, dude ran rough shod a few years at Kentucky. Injuries always seemed to be a issue and i think he already had his mind made up many time about who his favorites was going to be before the season started.

Still, he goes 40-0 ,the whole Conversation is forever different...

He didn't. He did go 9-16 though.

[WeWant9]

Moving on from Cal, when do you all think we get our first portal commit? The portal opened yesterday, but guess coaches and players can not actually visit in-person until the 10th. I would hope we start getting some guys this weekend. BBN could use some positive news.

[TrueblueCATfan]

Moving on from Cal, when do you all think we get our first portal commit? The portal opened yesterday, but guess coaches and players can not actually visit in-person until the 10th. I would hope we start getting some guys this weekend. BBN could use some positive news.

ABSOLUTELY....I'm anxiously waiting

[UKHoops01]

Moving on from Cal, when do you all think we get our first portal commit? The portal opened yesterday, but guess coaches and players can not actually visit in-person until the 10th. I would hope we start getting some guys this weekend. BBN could use some positive news.

I think we'll get a commitment or two pretty soon....but more importantly than WHEN we get some commitments, are WHO we get! I don't want to get the wrong players just for the sake of landing someone.... I'm hoping we get some true studs.

Pope's strategy his first couple of years seems to be to "round out" the roster early and "go for the big fish/trying to land the stud recruits" later on the process. I hope this year he gets the main 3 or 4 pieces to the roster early and then fills out around them a little later in the process.

[WeWant9]

I think we'll get a commitment or two pretty soon....but more importantly than WHEN we get some commitments, are WHO we get! I don't want to get the wrong players just for the sake of landing someone.... I'm hoping we get some true studs.

Pope's strategy his first couple of years seems to be to "round out" the roster early and "go for the big fish/trying to land the stud recruits" later on the process. I hope this year he gets the main 3 or 4 pieces to the roster early and then fills out around them a little later in the process.

Agreed. I do like some of the names popping up associated with UK, but at the end of the day you got to lock them up. Time will tell if he has learned some hard lessons from last off-season to now.

[KentuckyWild2020]

He didn't. He did go 9-16 though.

Fair enough...

We will play a game today, name that coach???


Early Career Coaching Record

• :
  • 2010–11: 13–17 (First year, eight-win improvement)
  • 2011–12: 25–6 (Turned around program)
• :
  • 2012–13: 8–21
  • 2013–14: 14–18
  • 2014–15: 23–10
  • 2015–16: 17–15

?

or

• 57-36 (.613) overall.
  • 2019-20: 22-12
  • 2020-21: 11-14
  • 2021-22: 24-10 (NCAA Tournament).

?

I get it, CAL was given a lifetime contract 9 plus million a year plus who knows the amount of the off court endorsements and still sucked. Still, to act as if he's garbage is wrong. Maybe washed up but who knows.

Even with Mark Pope, what if his teams play above average the next two years and he does everything he can possible do the right way, does he get fired or do we wait him out??

[KentuckyWild2020]

The most important recruit of all right now has to be Colin Chandler, can he retain him? Did he do enough to build around, what is his upside?

Do you build a player up let him shine then let him walk??


Be nice to at least have Moreno, AJ, Chandler, Williams, Noah back just to have some guys who know the system and can move it forward.

With social media these days, it's catch 22 for Kentucky fans these days, Shut up and take it or storm the capitol and demand every coach every player every game is played to absolute flawless perfection???

It's Kentucky, it's culture and history. Still I find it hard to build any history or culture now we ever revolving rosters year in year out, how do you build on that and really put a system in place?

It's pay to play. Question is, are we willing to spend. I would assume the draw of Kentucky still makes the University plenty of money, the BRAND. If the checkbook is wide open, time to be the LA Dodgers and New York Yankees of college basketball....

[Cawood86]

Fair enough...

We will play a game today, name that coach???


Early Career Coaching Record

• :
  • 2010–11: 13–17 (First year, eight-win improvement)
  • 2011–12: 25–6 (Turned around program)
• :
  • 2012–13: 8–21
  • 2013–14: 14–18
  • 2014–15: 23–10
  • 2015–16: 17–15

?

or

• 57-36 (.613) overall.
  • 2019-20: 22-12
  • 2020-21: 11-14
  • 2021-22: 24-10 (NCAA Tournament).

?

I get it, CAL was given a lifetime contract 9 plus million a year plus who knows the amount of the off court endorsements and still sucked. Still, to act as if he's garbage is wrong. Maybe washed up but who knows.

Even with Mark Pope, what if his teams play above average the next two years and he does everything he can possible do the right way, does he get fired or do we wait him out??

Cal, when motivated and ticked off, has few if any equals. That Cal disappeared after 2015.

[Trueblujr]

The most important recruit of all right now has to be Colin Chandler, can he retain him? Did he do enough to build around, what is his upside?

Do you build a player up let him shine then let him walk??


Be nice to at least have Moreno, AJ, Chandler, Williams, Noah back just to have some guys who know the system and can move it forward.

With social media these days, it's catch 22 for Kentucky fans these days, Shut up and take it or storm the capitol and demand every coach every player every game is played to absolute flawless perfection???

It's Kentucky, it's culture and history. Still I find it hard to build any history or culture now we ever revolving rosters year in year out, how do you build on that and really put a system in place?

It's pay to play. Question is, are we willing to spend. I would assume the draw of Kentucky still makes the University plenty of money, the BRAND. If the checkbook is wide open, time to be the LA Dodgers and New York Yankees of college basketball....

I don't think Chandler is a threat to leave. Pretty sure he's a Pope loyalist and in my opinion Pope shows him a bit of favoritism. Now, I think he's a great young kid and a really good ball player who's only going to keep getting better, but he cannot be the focal point next year. He needs to just keep playing his role and be a great dependable player. He could garner some All-SEC mention if he does that. maybe not first team, but he could creep in the discussion.

I think ultimately Moreno returns and tries to play himself into a lottery pick. It was good to hear from him that if he doesn't stay in the draft, he's definitely coming back here. He could be a centerpiece to build around if he puts in the work this offseason.

But aside from that, we need scorers and we need distributors. I think Kam Williams can take over Aberdeen's minutes, and I think Hawthorne will surprise some people. Just need to really make the right moves with this portal.