2026-2027 Roster discussion thread

[bucsrule8872]

With Momcilovic, the amount of shooting and firepower we can surround Moreno with will be incredible. He should have plenty of room to operate in the post.

G Diallo- P5 starter, double digit scorer, 32% from 3.
G Wilkins- D1 starters, double digit scorer, 33% from 3.
F Momcilovic- P5 starter, double digit scorer, 49% from 3.
F McBride- D1 starter, double digit scorer, 40% from 3.
C Moreno- P5 starter.

Second unit would also look pretty strong.

G Morton- D1 starter, 39% from 3.
G K. Williams- P5 starter, 39% from 3 (career).
F B. Hawthorne- 4-star, known as a shooter in HS.
F N’Diaye- international starter, 30% from 3 (career).
C Kepnang- P5 starter.

Offensively, we should be really good with Mom in the fold.

Defensively, we might struggle, but scoring should not be a problem.

[EKYCat]

Milan Momcilovic is an absolute must for this team to be competitive next year. Get it done and UK finds themselves in the Top 25. Don't, and I think it's more like last year.

[Pobilly]

I think we are a much better team than last year without MOM. We had issues on that team there is no denying it. Most of the guys are gone. I do believe the ones that stayed were not the problem. Are we an elite 8 team as it, doubtful. Could we get there, sure could. We have guys that are unproven. To think each of the guys that came back do not improve over the summer and such is not realistic. If we get MOM, which I sure hope we do, we are then discussing if we are elite 8 or final 4 good. All will depend of guys getting here, getting to know one another, getting to play with one another and finally gelling. Will be interesting few days for sure waiting on his decision. GO BIG BLUE!!!!!

[Matt Dillon]

I think we are a much better team than last year without MOM. We had issues on that team there is no denying it. Most of the guys are gone. I do believe the ones that stayed were not the problem. Are we an elite 8 team as it, doubtful. Could we get there, sure could. We have guys that are unproven. To think each of the guys that came back do not improve over the summer and such is not realistic. If we get MOM, which I sure hope we do, we are then discussing if we are elite 8 or final 4 good. All will depend of guys getting here, getting to know one another, getting to play with one another and finally gelling. Will be interesting few days for sure waiting on his decision. GO BIG BLUE!!!!!

I agree with everything you said, Pobilly. Also, I believe we'll see better coaching from coach Pope.

[UKHoops01]

I think we are a much better team than last year without MOM. We had issues on that team there is no denying it. Most of the guys are gone. I do believe the ones that stayed were not the problem. Are we an elite 8 team as it, doubtful. Could we get there, sure could. We have guys that are unproven. To think each of the guys that came back do not improve over the summer and such is not realistic. If we get MOM, which I sure hope we do, we are then discussing if we are elite 8 or final 4 good. All will depend of guys getting here, getting to know one another, getting to play with one another and finally gelling. Will be interesting few days for sure waiting on his decision. GO BIG BLUE!!!!!

Without Momcilovic, we are slightly better than last year's team but not as good as Pope's first years team. With him, we are probably about as good as Pope's first year team. Different style of play, of course, because the three-point shooting won't be as good, but still it should be similar in terms of results.

[Pete Hogwallop]

I think we are a much better team than last year without MOM. We had issues on that team there is no denying it. Most of the guys are gone. I do believe the ones that stayed were not the problem. Are we an elite 8 team as it, doubtful. Could we get there, sure could. We have guys that are unproven. To think each of the guys that came back do not improve over the summer and such is not realistic. If we get MOM, which I sure hope we do, we are then discussing if we are elite 8 or final 4 good. All will depend of guys getting here, getting to know one another, getting to play with one another and finally gelling. Will be interesting few days for sure waiting on his decision. GO BIG BLUE!!!!!

I agree with this as well. I don't understand why some people do not think young won't improve.

[UKHoops01]

And now it appears that DEJA VU is entering into the equation.

Has Kentucky become the program that kids and their agents just USE as leverage to up the ante to get the team(s) that they truly WANT to play for to pay up?

Goodman is an Arizona alum and has close contacts there, so I'm sure there's truth to this. Not sure what happens here, but the way that Kentucky is being used as leverage, only to get the shaft, has officially become annoying AF.

https://youtu.be/Y76GX-p00h8?si=mBPTsdOcwAJeTcRC

[Matt Dillon]

This doesn't surprise me at all. I've thought for some time now that if Mom removes himself from the draft, which he almost certainly will, that there would be more than three teams interested in him. I wouldn't be at all surprised if he ends up at UK.

[Pobilly]

And now it appears that DEJA VU is entering into the equation.

Has Kentucky become the program that kids and their agents just USE as leverage to up the ante to get the team(s) that they truly WANT to play for to pay up?

Goodman is an Arizona alum and has close contacts there, so I'm sure there's truth to this. Not sure what happens here, but the way that Kentucky is being used as leverage, only to get the shaft, has officially become annoying AF.


https://youtu.be/Y76GX-p00h8?si=mBPTsdOcwAJeTcRC

Goodman does this stuff for clicks. That is all. How many times has he had to flop on any of his predictions to try to look like he is in he know. I do not consider the guy any type of credible source. If we start to hear from some others in the portal game start listing other schools then we can start listening. It does not seem to matter with any high profile player that ever talks about Kentucky. All of these guys start to predict UK, then to keep clicks going start to questions things. I do not believe anyone knows what MOM will do and no sense worrying until he does make that choice.

[Pete Hogwallop]

And now it appears that DEJA VU is entering into the equation.

Has Kentucky become the program that kids and their agents just USE as leverage to up the ante to get the team(s) that they truly WANT to play for to pay up?

Goodman is an Arizona alum and has close contacts there, so I'm sure there's truth to this. Not sure what happens here, but the way that Kentucky is being used as leverage, only to get the shaft, has officially become annoying AF.


https://youtu.be/Y76GX-p00h8?si=mBPTsdOcwAJeTcRC

Maybe he and his agent are using Arizona as leverage to get more out of Kentucky :-)

And also, Arizona doesn't really play a style that's a good fit for him.

[UKHoops01]

Goodman does this stuff for clicks. That is all. How many times has he had to flop on any of his predictions to try to look like he is in he know. I do not consider the guy any type of credible source. If we start to hear from some others in the portal game start listing other schools then we can start listening. It does not seem to matter with any high profile player that ever talks about Kentucky. All of these guys start to predict UK, then to keep clicks going start to questions things. I do not believe anyone knows what MOM will do and no sense worrying until he does make that choice.

There's a lot of truth to what you are saying, but I wouldn't rule Goodman out so hastily. Yes, he's wrong quite often...but that's mainly because he's willing to put himself out there with a thought, theory or prediction that others wouldn't dare to go out on a limb with. On the flip side, he's right probably just as much (if not more) than he is wrong....so I'd say take what he says with about a 50/50 grain of salt/chance of it happening. That said, you're absolutely right about the cycle of "predict UK, and then start in with the click bait articles, videos, etc. about how the likely destination is now in question".

[UKHoops01]

Maybe he and his agent are using Arizona as leverage to get more out of Kentucky :-)

And also, Arizona doesn't really play a style that's a good fit for him.

Possibly. The Arizona talk is probably heating up because of the uncertainty involving Koa Peat. If he remains in the draft, I wouldn't be a bit surprised if Arizona goes after Momcilovic hard! If Peat returns to Arizona, then I think pretty much any and all talk of them going after him is a moot point.

[EKYCat]

I think we are a much better team than last year without MOM. We had issues on that team there is no denying it. Most of the guys are gone. I do believe the ones that stayed were not the problem. Are we an elite 8 team as it, doubtful. Could we get there, sure could. We have guys that are unproven. To think each of the guys that came back do not improve over the summer and such is not realistic. If we get MOM, which I sure hope we do, we are then discussing if we are elite 8 or final 4 good. All will depend of guys getting here, getting to know one another, getting to play with one another and finally gelling. Will be interesting few days for sure waiting on his decision. GO BIG BLUE!!!!!

What makes you think we are much better than last year? Even if our guys do improve over the summer (not a foregone conclusion based on returnees from year 1 under Pope), are they good enough to compete on a level that gets us back to where we want to be? The backcourt could be pretty good, but I don't see the talent level elsewhere on the roster to make me think they're much better than last year.

[Pobilly]

What makes you think we are much better than last year? Even if our guys do improve over the summer (not a foregone conclusion based on returnees from year 1 under Pope), are they good enough to compete on a level that gets us back to where we want to be? The backcourt could be pretty good, but I don't see the talent level elsewhere on the roster to make me think they're much better than last year.

1. And the main thing: Last year was a team full of issues. Point blank. They were not cohesive at all. Did not care to play with one another. You could see it game to game.
2. BG headcase. Point blank, would rather be a mental problem on the court than to play to his abilities. When he played to his abilities he was decent for sure. Aberdeen was out of position trying to be something he was not and could not do it well at all.
3. Mo D: had a motor but was a fish out of water on a Pope style team.
4. Oweh was solid. He was also a nightmare that clogged up the game as much as anything. His first month of the season, he was a major issue on the team.
5. Pope did not know how to coach the players he landed and could not get what he needed out of them.
6. Jasper was no superstar nor did he care to be one here. Unprepared for the college game. You see it with players. They make it to the summit of what they wanted only to think it is all down hill from here.

This year:

Our incoming guards have the ability to get other players the ball and both with over a 30% ASSIST rate. I think experts said only 1 other team has that.
Our guards can do what Oweh did for us last year and both can hit an open shot compared to Oweh. Our back up guards are a good fit for the Pope style of play.
We gat a back up center that can play and not have a large drop off.
Ouseman (SP) is a total hit or miss guy. Could be the diamond of the team or could be the fools gold. Only need to wait and see.
McBride is a much better fit for Pope style of Mo D.
Wilkins I think is legit guard and can be a super star if he takes the jump from Freshman to sophomore year.
Williams will be better and was getting better throughout the year till the foot injury.
Hawthorne (no one knows). But 1 thing for sure he will give us 100% more this year than he did last year.
Potter is in the same boat.
Noah is what he is. But he is a Junior and could still make a jump like Cameron Mills. His body transformation from So to Jr year was what got him on the court.

I will not be negative until the team gives me a reason (on the court) to be negative. We have 1 or 2 more possible pieces. No matter what they will be in Pope's hands with a somewhat new staff to help.

That is what we have so far.

[bucsrule8872]

Arizona is not a good fit for Momcilovic. They don’t shoot very many 3’s.

It would help Zona to add him for sure, to open things up inside, but his stats would likely drop there. Not as many opportunities to shoot it with their style.

If he is all about winning and being a contender, Zona is not a bad choice, but he will sacrifice his numbers in their system, most likely.