2026-2027 Roster discussion thread

[UKHoops01]

I think the problem Pope is having is he thinks "the brand" (UK) will sell itself when truth is, these kids today want to play for THE COACH just as much if not more than for university! And Pope hasn't won titles and doesn't have a track record of developing pros. Yet, he's shooting for the moon and going for some big names (Freeman) over better fits (Rancik) because he's trying to prove that he can land the big fish!

I think he'd be better served going after the best second tier players that he can once the top dog doesn't bite immediately. I knew with Freeman that once UCONN and Bama were cancelled/off the table and yet Freeman STILL wanted to plan more visits that he wasn't coming to Kentucky. At that point Pope should have immediately contacted Rancik and said the PF spot is yours, and then went back and told Donnie "we're bringing in Rancik, you can still come if you'd like but we're not changing anything or prioritizing anything to accommodate you".

[WeWant9]

We can still add more.

Well, yeah, that's why I said lots of PT still out there.

[Pete Hogwallop]

I believe below is everyone for next year. A lot of PT out there for the taking.

Zoom Diallo
Alex Wilkins
Mason Williams
Kam Williams
Trent Noah
Braydon Hawthorne
Malachi Moreno
Reece Potter

We can still add more.

[Pete Hogwallop]

"Everyone in the basketball world knew Freeman wasn't going to be allowed to come to Kentucky..."

News to me and takes away all credibility from the rest of the comment.

Who wrote it?

[Rondo#9]

Interesting comment. Not mine.
Not sure which thread to put it in.


" I'm not that upset about losing Freeman.


But I am tired of being embarrassed. Everyone in the basketball world knew that Freeman wasn't going to be allowed to come to Kentucky. Including AAU coaches 1000 miles away. If Pope did know that and thought The Brand would win out he's a fool. If he didn't know that and walked into a mine field unknowingly then I think it's time rip the band-aid off.


Pope can still salvage this but the evidence is mounting that he just isn't built for this job. He can coach basketball but navigating the CBB landscape is overwhelming him. He also isn't getting any help from his own administration. In order to defend against a story they knew would embarrass them they leaked the $22m number to make it look like they spend. It was an albatross that hung around his neck all season and he couldn't refute it because his bosses put it out there.


Then in order to deflect from them costing him a recruit (Collins) they leaked that said recruit had a problem with fans (and his mother did have old Facebook posts and Tweets but most of them were not attacks of players but rather political posts that guys like Muss, Oats, and Golden give to families).


Then instead of addressing fan concerns about JMI deals and Golden Parachutes (which sounds like a sex act) they ran to The Athletic and bragged about how much money they were making. To the point that the writer felt comfortable posting that they had "Scrooge McDuck money". Not only did they not provide any tangible numbers that were reported other than hopeful projections they slapped their own back and told the whole world that they had even more money than the season prior.


The kicker is they won't let the guy hire a GM. Matt Jones slyly let it slip earlier where he said Pope had a 3rd party negotiate deals last year but JMI brought it back in their house this year. They are the GM but aren't providing someone who is living in that world and only negotiating once the guy is at the table.


If it isn't obvious already, we're Indiana behind the scenes. We're run not to win or to compete, but to line the pockets of those on the way out. Mark Pope is going to be the one fired for it, but he shouldn't be alone."

[WeWant9]

I believe below is everyone for next year. A lot of PT out there for the taking.

Zoom Diallo
Alex Wilkins
Mason Williams
Kam Williams
Trent Noah
Braydon Hawthorne
Malachi Moreno
Reece Potter

[Matt Dillon]

Folks it's (Donovan) not happening. Like it or not Mark Pope will be our coach next season.

[Rondo#9]

Stokes is Popes equivalent of winning the lottery that’s not happening. I’m personally really frustrated with how this off season has gone and ready for a change. If I was KY and Donavan is interested why wait go get him now.

S**t, it's not a bad idea. Players aren't coming to play for Pope, they're coming for the $$$ more than anything.

Diallo & Wilkins would probably stay if they hired Donovan. And there might actuslly be an increase in the chances of getting Stokes with Donovan at the helm rather than Pope.

I wonder if the JMI deal is so bad that even Donovan would struggle to some degree though.

[Tomcats1990]

Stokes is Popes equivalent of winning the lottery that’s not happening. I’m personally really frustrated with how this off season has gone and ready for a change. If I was KY and Donavan is interested why wait go get him now.

[Catsrock]

I don't have a clue about Hawthorne. Complete mystery to me, I won't even begin to speculate what drives him.

Me neither. But with him and Potter—they both came here knowing they were going to redshirt then play next year. Seems things would have to have been really toxic around the program for them to leave before playing a season. I mean they can’t exactly have complaints about how they were used or playing time if that was the plan all along.

[Rondo#9]

Seems like a lot of players don't base their decisions on playing time these days.

I don't have a clue about Hawthorne. Complete mystery to me, I won't even begin to speculate what drives him.

[Pete Hogwallop]

It's looking like he'll have ample opportunities for playing time here the way it's goin.

Seems like a lot of players don't base their decisions on playing time these days.

[Rondo#9]

I hope Hawthorne doesn't throw his hat in the portal ring before midnight tonight.

It's looking like he'll have ample opportunities for playing time here the way it's goin.

[Pete Hogwallop]

I hope Hawthorne doesn't throw his hat in the portal ring before midnight tonight.

[bucsrule8872]

Ugh. Please, NO! Kam starting deflates any enthusiasm for next year. Off the bench, fine...starting, ugh.

Stokes, Momcilovic or some late entry top tier SF, golden....or add someone like Paul McNeil and run with a three guard lineup....but I'm not crazy about Kam as the starting SF.

Kam starting is not ideal, but might be what happens.

We miss on Stokes and we are a middle of the road SEC team trying to make the tourney. With Stokes, we are a most likely a contender. We need a superstar and he’s the most likely candidate.

We really need Stokes. He’s the most important recruit for UK in the last decade, IMHO.

Diallo, Wilkins, Stokes, Freeman, and Moreno is a good starting five. Diallo, Wilkins, and Stokes are playmakers. They can make plays for themselves and for teammates. They are double digit scorers as well. So is Freeman and if Moreno continues to progress, he could be too. Those five could be tough to stop together.

The bench would be pretty solid with Kam and Hawthorne providing some size and shooting on the wing. That’s seven deep. Just need to add backups at the 4 and 5. Then maybe another guard.

If no Stokes, then we better get Momcilovic or hope someone else enters the portal that can shoot and score. Maybe McNeil could be the answer in a 3 guard lineup.

But it could be tough to find someone this late
in the process. It might end up being Kam. He doesn’t really move the needle, but could be adequate. I just won’t expect too much with him in the starting five. Like I said, middle of the road in the SEC, most likely.

Fingers crossed we land Stokes and Freeman plus a
few role players for the bench this week and the roster will be pretty much set.