Portal

[KentuckyWild2020]

Jones said Wilkins is on his way to Lex for a visit.

Of course he is. Go to Lexington, get a meeting, share it all on Monopoly Tube, FaceCrook, X, Tik Tok, Instagram, get Ai to make a Song about it on Suno. Build it all up to drive up the price, sign to play elsewhere anywhere but Kentucky.

I done seen this rodeo a time or two already.....

[Pobilly]

I will remain in the boat where I will wait and see. No way to predict who will move to the portal between now and the 21st. No way to predict who will go where. No way to predict who we will get. Then no way to know how they mesh together. I mean Kansas had some big name guys last year. How did their year work out? Too many times of teams with big name players and they end up empty handed. We are in a new age of basketball and we all act like we know how things are going to work out. We all think we know how it should be done. Well there is not one expert yet. Michigan did the best so far with portal players. Lets see if he goes back to back and has the formula to be followed. Not 1 talking head knows anything, not one coach, AD, Fan or even Player. It is like going to Vegas with your last 100.00 and thinking you are going to come out a millionaire. What are the odds?

[Rondo#9]

JMI is the bigger issue than Mark Pope himself. One that I'm not sure can be fixed. Anybody who has all the answers, feel free to enlighten me.

[UKHoops01]

JMI is the bigger issue than Mark Pope himself. One that I'm not sure can be fixed. Anybody who has all the answers, feel free to enlighten me.

I tend to agree. I think it's MORE of a JMI than a Mark Pope problem. Perhaps Pope doesn't help matters much, but I honestly feel like it's primarily a JMI problem.

[Rondo#9]

On a different note, I really hope Wilkins ends up a Wildcat. Dude is a baller.

[WildcatRick]

Folgueiras to Louisville.

[Rondo#9]

Folgueiras to Louisville.

Source?

[Tomcats1990]

Hofstra PG Cruz Davis will visit KY. He would be a nice pickup if we can land him.

[WildcatRick]

Source?

Google news feed

https://nationaltoday.com/us/ky/louisville/news/2026/04/15/louisville-basketball-lands-top-transfer-target-alvaro-folgueiras/

[Rondo#9]

Google news feed

https://nationaltoday.com/us/ky/loui...ro-folgueiras/

Props. Looks sus though. Not to mention it's the only source on the entire internet that's reporting it.

He probably will end up there though.

[Matt Dillon]

I will remain in the boat where I will wait and see. No way to predict who will move to the portal between now and the 21st. No way to predict who will go where. No way to predict who we will get. Then no way to know how they mesh together. I mean Kansas had some big name guys last year. How did their year work out? Too many times of teams with big name players and they end up empty handed. We are in a new age of basketball and we all act like we know how things are going to work out. We all think we know how it should be done. Well there is not one expert yet. Michigan did the best so far with portal players. Lets see if he goes back to back and has the formula to be followed. Not 1 talking head knows anything, not one coach, AD, Fan or even Player. It is like going to Vegas with your last 100.00 and thinking you are going to come out a millionaire. What are the odds?

Great post, Pobilly. There'll be plenty of time for a nervous breakdown if things don't work out next season.

[South jones]

So you're telling me there's a chance

there is always a chance my friend, slim maybe but still hope.

[EKYCat]

I will remain in the boat where I will wait and see. No way to predict who will move to the portal between now and the 21st. No way to predict who will go where. No way to predict who we will get. Then no way to know how they mesh together. I mean Kansas had some big name guys last year. How did their year work out? Too many times of teams with big name players and they end up empty handed. We are in a new age of basketball and we all act like we know how things are going to work out. We all think we know how it should be done. Well there is not one expert yet. Michigan did the best so far with portal players. Lets see if he goes back to back and has the formula to be followed. Not 1 talking head knows anything, not one coach, AD, Fan or even Player. It is like going to Vegas with your last 100.00 and thinking you are going to come out a millionaire. What are the odds?

The same can be said about any era of college basketball. Yeah, the portal and NIL has turned the whole world upside down. But, nobody knew how teams were going to come together under the old system either. Look at "Team Turmoil" or, on the other end of the spectrum, a couple of Cal's teams that came together late to make a run. There are signs, though. And teams that are landing better players obviously have a better chance at cutting down the nets. I'd certainly feel a lot better with a roster full of talent than I do with 2 commits while other teams seem to be picking up guys who are being recruited by multiple programs. In general, the teams with the best players win. Right now, it doesn't appear we're getting the best players.

[Bluehausen]

I tend to agree. I think it's MORE of a JMI than a Mark Pope problem. Perhaps Pope doesn't help matters much, but I honestly feel like it's primarily a JMI problem.

I may seem new here, but I used to be here on the old forum and remember names like Lighthouse (RIP from what I understand) and Will Lavender and posted under the name Blue Dude a long time ago. I deleted my profile back then because I didn't have much to say about UK Athletics but I figured it was time to come out of retirement and make a new profile. I have been checking in with no profile from time to time. That said...

I understand that Basketball and Football are both totally different sports, but I find it incredibly difficult to believe that the principles of recruiting are that much different when Will Stein and even Kenny Brooks for the women's are getting recruits in with JMI hanging over their heads as well. I think it is a MARK POPE problem and having 2 years of sample size at UK with his bizarre sub patterns, I can definitely see why players and recruits wouldn't want to come here. Pope kills momentum in games with those patterns, more often than not.

This is all said with all due respect of course, and not necessarily going after the poster quote here because I see this JMI Argument all over the internet/socials. Being a former member of our military, I see it as recruiting is recruiting and each branch, like a University, is competing for a person to join their team and people are going to take the best offer that fits them at the time. With this also being said, JMI could be an issue, but I don't think it is the main issue as you see people argue all over the web.

Also good to be back. I hope if I have an opinion that disagrees with the vast majority that it will not be taken as a sign of disrespect or hostility. I am a call it as I see it guy and I will do my best to ensure that it doesn't go there should I have a disagreement.

[Pobilly]

The same can be said about any era of college basketball. Yeah, the portal and NIL has turned the whole world upside down. But, nobody knew how teams were going to come together under the old system either. Look at "Team Turmoil" or, on the other end of the spectrum, a couple of Cal's teams that came together late to make a run. There are signs, though. And teams that are landing better players obviously have a better chance at cutting down the nets. I'd certainly feel a lot better with a roster full of talent than I do with 2 commits while other teams seem to be picking up guys who are being recruited by multiple programs. In general, the teams with the best players win. Right now, it doesn't appear we're getting the best players.

Nope cannot say the same for every era.

This is the era where you pay players above board and some of these players are making more than coaches make. That changes everything. This isnt 50 dollar handshakes and such. This is guys in a locker room, one make 250k and playing his butt off trying to reach the next level and another making 2 mil, thinking they are better than everyone else in the locker room. It cannot work in college athletics year to year. You can have a great group one year and not the next.
From the time NCAA started with their 10 volume 250000 page books and such on rules and regs, there was some type of stability (be it they look past issues with team a and kill team b for the same issues) but guys in the locker room became teams easier.

Getting players was different as well. Again, you had some players getting money but not life changing money. Maybe short term changing money.

Nothing is even close to the same. Nor will it be ever again. We are watching the end of the NCAA and the beginning of the next phase of semi pro sports through Universities.