2026-2027 Roster discussion thread

[UKHoops01]

What happens if Moreno leaves? Pretty good chance he's gone..

Word has it that he would be a mid second round draft pick, at best.

Barring some sort of miracle season resulting in reaching the Final Four.....

If the Kentucky kid, who stands to make more money @UK, STILL chose to be a mid 2nd round pick and make less $$$ instead of returning to Kentucky....that would probably signal the end of Mark Pope at the end of the upcoming season.

[WeWant9]

That would be a nightmare scenario, but I am not convinced there is a good chance he's gone..... at least not yet.

[KentuckyWild2020]

What happens if Moreno leaves? Pretty good chance he's gone..

[Pobilly]

Double post, but I just read this KSR article and it was a decent read on UK's portal experience and current roster.

https://www.on3.com/teams/kentucky-w...t-perspective/

Was getting ready to post the same thing. This is not the most glamorous roster by names, it is a solid roster so far. Do we win with it, that is up to them. Do we add more guys, really hope we get one of the guys that will end up leaving the draft and maybe another player from where ever Pope can pull a rabbit out of a hat.

[WeWant9]

Double post, but I just read this KSR article and it was a decent read on UK's portal experience and current roster.

https://www.on3.com/teams/kentucky-w...t-perspective/

[WeWant9]

At this point, I think getting EITHER Milan Momcilovic (SF) OR Allen Graves (PF) would be a HUGE blessing! Years past, we'd be thinking they should easily get BOTH! But today, I'd be thrilled with just one of them!

Agreed. Grab one of those + a beefy back up center and we'll see what happens next season.

[UKHoops01]

Backcourt is pretty set....not sure they have good shooters and a dude at PF

At this point, I think getting EITHER Milan Momcilovic (SF) OR Allen Graves (PF) would be a HUGE blessing! Years past, we'd be thinking they should easily get BOTH! But today, I'd be thrilled with just one of them!

[Cawood86]

Diallo and Wilkins are both top 40-50 in the portal. That’s not bad for a backcourt tandem.

Backcourt is pretty set....not sure they have good shooters and a dude at PF

[bucsrule8872]

If there’s a way we can get Momcilovic, I would feel a lot better about the roster. If the money we had slated for Stokes is still available, that might be enough to get him.

[bucsrule8872]

I guess Diallo keeps it from being literally all, but he barely cracks the top 35 portal players overall.

Diallo and Wilkins are both top 40-50 in the portal. That’s not bad for a backcourt tandem.

[UKHoops01]

All I can think is that last year was so messy behind the scenes that the word got to players and agents to avoid Pope. I really have no other explanation in my head. With the supposed money we have, along with loads of playing time, you would have to think a top talent would've landed in our laps. Instead we have been turned down by almost all the top players- HS or portal.

I guess Diallo keeps it from being literally all, but he barely cracks the top 35 portal players overall.

[WeWant9]

Is it possible that the NIL money dried up a bit after last season’s debacle? If you are a booster, do you want to keep giving millions of dollars to a coach that couldn’t get anything accomplished with a (supposedly) 22 million dollar roster?

I have heard rumors that the money just isn’t there this time around. The word is the Stokes money was for Stokes and Stokes only. Not sure if that is true, but it might explain why we couldn’t lure at least one big time guy to Lexington.

It's entirely possible, but I also do not think Pope is working with peanuts here. I wish I knew the answer, because it has been something to watch guy after guy tell UK "no thanks."

[bucsrule8872]

All I can think is that last year was so messy behind the scenes that the word got to players and agents to avoid Pope. I really have no other explanation in my head. With the supposed money we have, along with loads of playing time, you would have to think a top talent would've landed in our laps. Instead we have been turned down by almost all the top players- HS or portal.

Is it possible that the NIL money dried up a bit after last season’s debacle? If you are a booster, do you want to keep giving millions of dollars to a coach that couldn’t get anything accomplished with a (supposedly) 22 million dollar roster?

I have heard rumors that the money just isn’t there this time around. The word is the Stokes money was for Stokes and Stokes only. Not sure if that is true, but it might explain why we couldn’t lure at least one big time guy to Lexington.

[WeWant9]

I can kinda sorta understand the lack of 2027 commits and losing out on high level guys for that class, mainly because he's in lame duck territory. nobody wants to commit to a Coach who may not be there a year from now. But I have a harder time understanding portal guys for this coming season and what's driving them away at the rate we've seen. I'm not happy about Louisville owning us in recruiting right now.

All I can think is that last year was so messy behind the scenes that the word got to players and agents to avoid Pope. I really have no other explanation in my head. With the supposed money we have, along with loads of playing time, you would have to think a top talent would've landed in our laps. Instead we have been turned down by almost all the top players- HS or portal.

[Trueblujr]

It's clear, the top players really aren't lining up to play for Pope. I get it, players want the safer route, the branded route, a coach who is proven with a reputation. Look at Purdue, good coach, good players, still no star power really, still no Championship, I don't want to be another Purdue.

To solve this problem, Pope has to win with so so players the old fashioned way. If he can consistently win and get a reputation within the ranks, maybe he will be able to land those top freshman and portal players down the road? For now it's the old fashioned way, everyone on the same page, everyone knowing the role, no egos', great x's and o's gameplan, 110% effort. Is it good enough, time will tell....

I can kinda sorta understand the lack of 2027 commits and losing out on high level guys for that class, mainly because he's in lame duck territory. nobody wants to commit to a Coach who may not be there a year from now. But I have a harder time understanding portal guys for this coming season and what's driving them away at the rate we've seen. I'm not happy about Louisville owning us in recruiting right now.