2026-2027 Roster discussion thread

[Rondo#9]

If you watch him play, he is very reminiscent of Denzel Aberdeen. From the look, to body physicality, to desire to drive and look for his own shot at the rim, to cute little turnaround fadeaways in the lane....VERY reminiscent. I disagree with JFCats22 in the sense that he CAN pass.... he's actually a decent passer. Problem is, he doesn't look for it enough. He's a bit of a shoot-first Point Guard, only it's more like drive-first. If his 3-point shot was the equivalent of Aberdeen's, I'd call him an upgrade. As it is, it's more like a lateral move: better passer, better ball handler, not as good of a perimeter/3-point shooter

Sounds about right.

And there's no way JFCats is an actual Kentucky fan.

[UKHoops01]

Passing and ball handling PG was one of our main issues this past year. Between DA/OO/CC we had no one that could consistently dribble and run an offense. I am sure Zoom played the style Wash wanted him to and I am sure he will learn Popes system. If we get the summer trip overseas it will be a great learning and team building experience.

Hope you're right....but I remember when I was younger and applying to companies in the field of work which I had experience. I was shocked when the competition would hire someone with no experience for a position in which I had experience and had applied for. I always thought I had the upper hand until one day an upper management type told me that a lot of companies considered that a bad thing because "you've gotten used to doing things a certain way and a lot of companies want someone with no experience because they want to train them to do things "THEIR way" and they didn't want to have to "UN-learn" a lot of bad habits."

I think that's applicable to a lot of things in life.

Hopefully you're right, though!

[Pobilly]

If you watch him play, he is very reminiscent of Denzel Aberdeen. From the look, to body physicality, to desire to drive and look for his own shot at the rim, to cute little turnaround fadeaways in the lane....VERY reminiscent. I disagree with JFCats22 in the sense that he CAN pass.... he's actually a decent passer. Problem is, he doesn't look for it enough. He's a bit of a shoot-first Point Guard, only it's more like drive-first. If his 3-point shot was the equivalent of Aberdeen's, I'd call him an upgrade. As it is, it's more like a lateral move: better passer, better ball handler, not as good of a perimeter/3-point shooter

Passing and ball handling PG was one of our main issues this past year. Between DA/OO/CC we had no one that could consistently dribble and run an offense. I am sure Zoom played the style Wash wanted him to and I am sure he will learn Popes system. If we get the summer trip overseas it will be a great learning and team building experience.

[UKHoops01]

So zoom did not play PG at Washington. I thought Aberdeen played mostly off guard at Florida except when there was an injury. Zoom seems to play the lead or PG position. DA never should have tried.

If you watch him play, he is very reminiscent of Denzel Aberdeen. From the look, to body physicality, to desire to drive and look for his own shot at the rim, to cute little turnaround fadeaways in the lane....VERY reminiscent. I disagree with JFCats22 in the sense that he CAN pass.... he's actually a decent passer. Problem is, he doesn't look for it enough. He's a bit of a shoot-first Point Guard, only it's more like drive-first. If his 3-point shot was the equivalent of Aberdeen's, I'd call him an upgrade. As it is, it's more like a lateral move: better passer, better ball handler, not as good of a perimeter/3-point shooter

[Pobilly]

Diallo is Aberdeen 2.0 except maybe a little worse.

A PG that can't shoot, doesn't pass well and plays no defense. Way to go Pope!

So zoom did not play PG at Washington. I thought Aberdeen played mostly off guard at Florida except when there was an injury. Zoom seems to play the lead or PG position. DA never should have tried.

[TrueblueCATfan]

Diallo is Aberdeen 2.0 except maybe a little worse.

A PG that can't shoot, doesn't pass well and plays no defense. Way to go Pope!

GEEZ...let's give the kid a chance

[JFCats22]

Diallo is Aberdeen 2.0 except maybe a little worse.

A PG that can't shoot, doesn't pass well and plays no defense. Way to go Pope!

[WeWant9]

We finally got one, Zoom D. has signed with UK.

[Pobilly]

I did see Matt Jones say the Stokes visit went well and he left Lexington this morning

He also said he is not in a rush to commit. No reason not to commit unless you are leading one team on and trying to sabotage their efforts to field a good team. If a player is down to 2 schools (which most agree) and one team has been in the lead for 5 months (Kansas) and Stokes states, hey I want to go visit UK to see the new staff and what hey have to offer, and you go there, spend a day or 36 hours, leave and state you are not ready to make a commitment yet and it could be 2 weeks then they are playing one side if both continue to wait on said player. Pope did this before and it bit him in the butt. I would have moved on and told the young man we are no longer in play for you. Let him know that I am making that public as his time frame does not realistically fit with what is happening in college basketball. Then no matter what he has to say you are on record and stating we have moved on due to not wanting to wait 2 weeks. Then go get option B or something like that. You will never get option 1 at all positions (typically). So you have to give these (high school kids a shot of reality). This is just money grubbing schemes at this point. Plain and simple. You either hit it off with the new staff or you do not.

Then you have these reports that UK is offering way more than other teams for portal players. Heck Freeman is supposed to be leaning towards 2 other options that cannot match what UK is offering. Again, if I am offering top dollar and a guy cannot make up his mind, call him and remove said offer. Move on. Pope might not be able to get the cream of the crop, so he better start gleaning the fields for the best of the rest.

[WeWant9]

I am hearing as much negative about the visits as positive. I hope you have the source. Might not even be about guys that visited this week so far??

Oh I got nothing, honestly, just waiting for any type of positive news.

[UKHoops01]

I did see Matt Jones say the Stokes visit went well and he left Lexington this morning

I hope you're right. You're the first person reporting positive news on his visit. Nearly everything I've read so far has pointed to doom and gloom regarding his recruiting visit.

[TrueblueCATfan]

I did see Matt Jones say the Stokes visit went well and he left Lexington this morning

[Pobilly]

Patiently waiting for some positive news on next year....

I am hearing as much negative about the visits as positive. I hope you have the source. Might not even be about guys that visited this week so far??

[TrueblueCATfan]

JQ has declared for the draft.

Can't say Im not suprised on this

[WeWant9]

Matt Dillon just posted it!

Seriously, I don't consider JQ leaving "bad news"....he never really was here in the first place.

I am pretty indifferent to the JQ news, never expected him back at UK.

Moreso on this back and forth with Wright. I know we're both hoping he's a Cat.