2026-2027 Roster discussion thread

[WeWant9]

Another up and down time as a Cat fan.

Going into the offseason there were three guys I really wanted to retain: Moreno, K. Williams, and Chandler. We kept 2/3 (assuming Moreno doesn't stay in the draft). Not bad

I wanted to see a staff shakeup. Hart and Brooks left, and we brought in Mo Williams. I think bringing in Mo was a solid pick up, but I think it was not smart to go into portal season down an assistant. I personally would like to see Mark Fox off the staff. A mixed bag there.

The start of offseason had talks of Wright, Freeman, and Stokes. We landed none of them. Not good. I have serious concerns with Pope as a recruiter.

As of now, I do not think we have a team that enters next season in the top 25. With Stokes off the table, hopefully that frees up a chunk of change to throw at someone testing the draft waters. I do agree with others that games are won on the court, but I do not see how any could say we didn't take some hard lumps this offseason.

A lot will depend on Diallo and Wilkins. If they can gel and become floor leaders, plus pick up one guy leaving the draft, we can see what happens come November.

[Cawood86]

Just goes to show that last year's team was the best team he ever had on paper in his entire life and it was TOTAL TEAM CHAOS, HE CAN'T HANDLE IT!!!!!!!!!


Imagine actually having some REAL STAR POWER on a team and managing those ego's!!!!!!


Bush league.....

I don't get this tore up. UK has missed on recruits before. Ralph Sampson. Larry Bird. Many, many more.

Pope knows he has to do much better this year. No question. It's put up or shut up.

[KentuckyWild2020]

Rewind!!!!!!!

What is the real and main reason why Tubby Smith was forced out by the fans??????

Was he not a nice guy?

Was he not a good X's and O's coach?

Did the players not respect him?

Was in the swimming pool drunk partying with girls half his age?

Was the NCAA investigating him?

Why would the fans turn on a guy who took Pitino's roster and won a Championship??


DUDE COULD NOT RECRUIT!!!!!!!!!!!


STAR POWER, 5 STAR TALENT, GAME CHANGERS,

If you take a pool of the top 10 incoming freshman or the top 10 ten portal free agents, there is nor reason AT ALL that the University of Kentucky should not at least have 1 of each.

Nike school, history, TV money, all of the above.....

Stop acting like this is GEORGETOWN KENTUCKY, it's Lexington Kentucky!!!!!

[EKYCat]

Rewind!!!!!!!

What is the real and main reason why Tubby Smith was forced out by the fans??????

Was he not a nice guy?

Was he not a good X's and O's coach?

Did the players not respect him?

Was in the swimming pool drunk partying with girls half his age?

Was the NCAA investigating him?

Why would the fans turn on a guy who took Pitino's roster and won a Championship??


DUDE COULD NOT RECRUIT!!!!!!!!!!!


STAR POWER, 5 STAR TALENT, GAME CHANGERS,

If you take a pool of the top 10 incoming freshman or the top 10 ten portal free agents, there is nor reason AT ALL that the University of Kentucky should not at least have 1 of each.

Nike school, history, TV money, all of the above.....

Stop acting like this is GEORGETOWN KENTUCKY, it's Lexington Kentucky!!!!!

Tubby's downturn started with Sheray, Bobby Perry, etc. You're right. Talent level dropped off and so did the wins.

[Pobilly]

Well it was pretty stupid for Pope to come in and take down all the ex UK alumni that are playing in the current NBA. If you don't think the WOW factor doesn't help in recruiting play into top recruiting I don't know what to tell you.


Let's make it easy. Go play for a coach who's coached big time talent or go play for a coach who's never coached a star recruit??

Money??? Doesn't matter, Im getting paid here or there, its' all the same.

The other side of that is coaches telling recruits, how many of those guys did the current coaching staff coach. Heck that is just as bad if not worse. I know if that was on the wall and guys were posing with that in the background, the first thing I would say to said recruit. How many of those did Pope coach. How many of those did Pope bring in to the program. That is a back fire right there. Danged if you do or don't.

[Helix]

Having a good team on paper and having one that fits the system you coach are two different things. I think Pope tried to go out and recruit a bunch of dudes that could bang with the SEC physicality. In the end, that proved to derail his system. His first roster here was probably one of the best he's ever coached as well, but it also fit his system. and that cobbled together, last minute roster made it to the Sweet 16. I'm hoping this current roster can be more like his first in terms of fitting his system.

Agree with this. His first team fit his style so much better, and, as the season wore on it was obvious last year’s team did not.

Why he went away from what he does best is a mystery.

I’m hoping this team will be far more like year one. If it doesn’t work out, at least go down coaching and playing the style you know best.

[UKHoops01]

I disagree with above poster. We supposedly had a " Ferrari" roster last year and it didn't pan out.Pope did much better with his first team which supposedly, according to the so-called experts, had less talent. I want to see our final roster play together next year before rendering judgement. To give up on a team still being formed before they even play seems ridiculous to me at least.

There, fixed it for you.

[UKHoops01]

Rewind!!!!!!!

What is the real and main reason why Tubby Smith was forced out by the fans??????

Was he not a nice guy?

Was he not a good X's and O's coach?

Did the players not respect him?

Was in the swimming pool drunk partying with girls half his age?

Was the NCAA investigating him?

Why would the fans turn on a guy who took Pitino's roster and won a Championship??


DUDE COULD NOT RECRUIT!!!!!!!!!!!


STAR POWER, 5 STAR TALENT, GAME CHANGERS,

If you take a pool of the top 10 incoming freshman or the top 10 ten portal free agents, there is nor reason AT ALL that the University of Kentucky should not at least have 1 of each.

Nike school, history, TV money, all of the above.....

Stop acting like this is GEORGETOWN KENTUCKY, it's Lexington Kentucky!!!!!

Tubby made it clear that he did not want kids who were going to be "one and done" types coming to play for him at Kentucky. He wanted to recruit four year players,...guys who would stay and develop. Early on he was getting Tayshaun Prince and Keith Bogans type players....but once the college basketball landscape started changing where every kid leaving high school thought he was the next Kobe Bryant or Kevin Garnett... that's when we saw guys using colleges for their own personal platform to showcase their talents, and I believe that's what Tubby wanted to avoid and why the quality of his recruiting went downhill.

[Matt Dillon]

Well it was pretty stupid for Pope to come in and take down all the ex UK alumni that are playing in the current NBA. If you don't think the WOW factor doesn't help in recruiting play into top recruiting I don't know what to tell you.


Let's make it easy. Go play for a coach who's coached big time talent or go play for a coach who's never coached a star recruit??

Money??? Doesn't matter, Im getting paid here or there, its' all the same.

It's obvious that you're all torn up because we didn't get Stokes, although you should have seen it coming and been prepared for your disappointment. Still, that's no reason to put words in my mouth. I never said anything about the "wow" factor or recruiting.

[KentuckyWild2020]

It's obvious that you're all torn up because we didn't get Stokes, although you should have seen it coming and been prepared for your disappointment. Still, that's no reason to put words in my mouth. I never said anything about the "wow" factor or recruiting.

Not at all, I think Stokes is a prima donna. If Pope couldn't handle last years B players, highly doubt Stokes would have ever bought in ,would have rather have had the kid that went to Arkansas.


Fair enough about the WOW. Since so many crucified Calipari and his one and done ways and all his coaching failures, man still brought in talent that at least gave fans some hope year in year out, still doing it right now.

We are in a situation now that everything has to go perfect and even so, still not talented enough to win it all in my opinion,this is what we have to look forward to year in year out,. Wash rinse repeat and for the cherry on top, can't even get program players to stay long enough to develop and actually build a team, what is the difference between transfer one and done NIL or Star player one and done????

Point is, top 1-10 incoming freshman or top 1-10 portal transfer talent isn't coming to Kentucky, we can't land not one, should have 1 of each bare minimum.


Are we playing to win titles or we just going through the motions?

Was Kentucky basketball built on low expectations year in year out?

Pope can be the coach steer the ship that's fine, still need a top dog recruiter in house and someone on the sidelines behind closed doors to be the bad guy with some of these players. Is Mo Williams that guy or is her here because his son is here??


Good news, It's not my problem, it's Pope. This thing will work itself out one way or another, just give it time.

[UKHoops01]

....so many crucified Calipari and his one and done ways and all his coaching failures, man still brought in talent that at least gave fans some hope year in year out, still doing it right now.

Point is, top 1-10 incoming freshman or top 1-10 portal transfer talent isn't coming to Kentucky, we can't land not one, should have 1 of each bare minimum.

I agree with the sentiment that UK should be getting 1 of the top high school recruits and one of the top transfer portal recruits each year. And in that regard Mark Pope IS a failure, make no mistake. We're going on 3 years now where that has been the case.

But as far as Calipari "giving fans hope".....that quit happening before he got his "lifetime contract". It didn't matter if he had the #1 recruiting class....he wasn't winning titles and had proven that he was more worried about "getting these kids to realize their hopes and dreams". He obviously cared more about turning 19 year olds into multi-millionaires and creating "generational wealth" than he did in bringing banners and championships to Lexington.

Besides, how many of Cal's "top talents" flamed out once they got to UK? Oh, they were always rated in the top 25 or so according to Rivals, ESPN, On3, etc., etc., because that's the only way Cal knew to recruit. I don't think he really cared if they were all that good or how great of a fit they were or anything like that.....he just wanted bragging rights over his recruiting class, and how many guys "he put" in the NBA....when truth be told these were guys that were going to the NBA whether they came to Kentucky or if they had gone to USC! But at other schools, they tried to retain them where as Cal pushed them out the door and recruited over them!

Pope can be the coach steer the ship that's fine, still need a top dog recruiter in house and someone on the sidelines behind closed doors to be the bad guy with some of these players. Is Mo Williams that guy or is her here because his son is here??


Good news, It's not my problem, it's Pope. This thing will work itself out one way or another, just give it time.

Still would love to see Orlando Antigua brought back. It took me a minute to realize just how important he was in recruiting, but I get it now!

And you're right, it's not our problem. And I think it will work itself out sooner rather than later.

[bucsrule8872]

I’ve got Morton penciled in, I am not sure what the hold up is for him, but I feel pretty confident we get him. He’s from Lexington and grew up a Cats fan.

If we add Santos as well:

G Diallo/M. Williams
G Wilkins/Morton
F K. Williams/Hawthorne/Noah
F N’Diaye/McBride
C Moreno/Santos/Potter

Then all the holes seem to be filled and Pope can concentrate on trying to secure that final piece to the puzzle: a star/go to guy.

Momcilovic?

Joksimovic?

Ryan Hampton(reclass)?

Someone who hasn’t even been discussed at all?

Or is the roster finished with the additions of Morton and Santos (if we can get him)?

[TrueblueCATfan]

I agree with the sentiment that UK should be getting 1 of the top high school recruits and one of the top transfer portal recruits each year. And in that regard Mark Pope IS a failure, make no mistake. We're going on 3 years now where that has been the case.

But as far as Calipari "giving fans hope".....that quit happening before he got his "lifetime contract". It didn't matter if he had the #1 recruiting class....he wasn't winning titles and had proven that he was more worried about "getting these kids to realize their hopes and dreams". He obviously cared more about turning 19 year olds into multi-millionaires and creating "generational wealth" than he did in bringing banners and championships to Lexington.

Besides, how many of Cal's "top talents" flamed out once they got to UK? Oh, they were always rated in the top 25 or so according to Rivals, ESPN, On3, etc., etc., because that's the only way Cal knew to recruit. I don't think he really cared if they were all that good or how great of a fit they were or anything like that.....he just wanted bragging rights over his recruiting class, and how many guys "he put" in the NBA....when truth be told these were guys that were going to the NBA whether they came to Kentucky or if they had gone to USC! But at other schools, they tried to retain them where as Cal pushed them out the door and recruited over them!




Still would love to see Orlando Antigua brought back. It took me a minute to realize just how important he was in recruiting, but I get it now!

And you're right, it's not our problem. And I think it will work itself out sooner rather than later.

I agree...would love to see John Robic back on the sidelines too

[UKHoops01]

I’ve got Morton penciled in, I am not sure what the hold up is for him, but I feel pretty confident we get him. He’s from Lexington and grew up a Cats fan.

If we add Santos as well:

G Diallo/M. Williams
G Wilkins/Morton
F K. Williams/Hawthorne/Noah
F N’Diaye/McBride
C Moreno/Santos/Potter

Then all the holes seem to be filled and Pope can concentrate on trying to secure that final piece to the puzzle: a star/go to guy.

Momcilovic?

Joksimovic?

Ryan Hampton(reclass)?

Someone who hasn’t even been discussed at all?

Or is the roster finished with the additions of Morton and Santos (if we can get him)?

I wonder if the Ryan Hampton recruitment/possible reclassification is the holdup for Morton. Maybe he (or Pope) is waiting to see what will happen there before there's a commitment.

Also, who is Santos? This is the first I'm hearing of him. I'm guessing Devin Williams is out of the picture....

[bucsrule8872]

I wonder if the Ryan Hampton recruitment/possible reclassification is the holdup for Morton. Maybe he (or Pope) is waiting to see what will happen there before there's a commitment.

Also, who is Santos? This is the first I'm hearing of him. I'm guessing Devin Williams is out of the picture....

Marcio Santos, a 6-foot-8 center with Maccabi Tel Aviv, averaged 8.7 points, 3.9 rebounds, one assist, and 0.6 blocks during the 2025-26. I think he is originally from Brazil. According to reports, Pope flew to Israel last night to see him.