Freeman?

[bucsrule8872]

Ouch!

When you put it like that....

That's a bubble team.... sitting anxiously on Selection Sunday to see IF they're even in!

It looks like McBride might be our best backup 4 option. If he's the starter, though...

247Sports lists Momcilovic as a Power Forward, even though he's really a Small Forward. Still, I'd love to have him... and if that meant we had a lineup like

PG- Diallo / Wilkins / Mason Williams
SG- Wilkins / Cox
SF- Stokes/Kam Williams / Noah / Hawthorne
PF - Momcilovic/McBride / Kam Williams
C - Moreno / Devin Williams / Potter

Then so be it.

If we could get Momcilovic and Stokes, we would have to be a top 5-10 preseason team. On paper, that’s a contender.

If we had the money, and could convince them to play together, that would be a lethal combo at the 3 and 4. They would be interchangeable. Both have the size to play the 4 (Momcilovic is 6’8, 225 and Stokes is 6’7, 230) and the skill to play the 3. In fact that would be ideal, IMHO.

The problem is making the money work. Momcilovic Is a top 5 portal player. He will command a hefty price. We already know Stokes has a huge price tag. It is unlikely we can afford both.

But man, that would be a killer lineup. Diallo, Wilkins, and Stokes can get to the rim and Momcilovic cannot be left open. As long as those other guys don’t chuck bricks all season, the offense would be hard to stop. If Moreno commands any attention at all inside, we could be a matchup nightmare for most everyone.

[Rondo#9]

For a player who's ranked so highly, he sure doesn't have a lot of schools chomping at the bit to get a commitment from him, from the look of it. I'm starting to wonder about this guy. Maybe it's just a simple case of having an agent who sucks at his job, Idk.

[Bluehausen]

I have a question to pose.

If rumors are true that Donnie Freeman personally wants to come here, but his agent is the one somehow holding it up, how come Donnie can't overrule the guy who supposedly works for him?

[Pete Hogwallop]

That's a good question. I'm going to guess that the answer is probably that it's not really just the agent holding it up. Most of this portal "info" that's out there is just made up stuff.

[WeWant9]

I have a question to pose.

If rumors are true that Donnie Freeman personally wants to come here, but his agent is the one somehow holding it up, how come Donnie can't overrule the guy who supposedly works for him?

This is why I have checked out of following the portal. Who really knows what is true or not.

But this opens the door for an interesting discussion on the "agents" some of these guys are using right now. This is another area where there are basically zero rules or regulations in place by the NCAA. Any ol' uncle can become an "agent" and put their own interests ahead of the kid.

[UKHoops01]

That's a good question. I'm going to guess that the answer is probably that it's not really just the agent holding it up. Most of this portal "info" that's out there is just made up stuff.

Sounds about right. "Blame the other guy". If Donnie wants to come to Kentucky, guess what's happening? I'd be willing to guess that Donnie wants more money, he's saying that he wants to come to Kentucky to get Kentucky to make a bigger offer, and then if St. John's offers more, we're back to square one.

Has Stokes specifically told Kentucky that if they get Diallo AND Freeman he'll come to Kentucky???

[UKHoops01]

This is why I have checked out of following the portal. Who really knows what is true or not.

But this opens the door for an interesting discussion on the "agents" some of these guys are using right now. This is another area where there are basically zero rules or regulations in place by the NCAA. Any ol' uncle can become an "agent" and put their own interests ahead of the kid.

At some point the NCAA is going to have to get involved and implement rules and guidelines for players, agents, everyone involved. Right now it's an out of control madhouse that needs structure.

[WeWant9]

Has Stokes specifically told Kentucky that if they get Diallo AND Freeman he'll come to Kentucky???

All I have seen is he wanted to wait two weeks (from his last UK visit) to see the roster make up of UK and KU. He will royally screw one of the teams with this waiting, just hope it is not us.

From what I have read online, KU fans are just as lost as we are on his commitment.

[Rondo#9]

On the bright side, if this keeps going the way it's going it could be Pope's last year here.

[Rondo#9]

In the front court... UK has Moreno & Potter.

Somebody random like, let's say USC. Who was a complete joke a season ago and for many years prior to that, has:

Eric Reibe, Christian Collins, & the Ratliff twins.

From the words of the great Paulie Gaultieri from Sopranos- " ******* Depressing"

[Matt Dillon]

On the bright side, if this keeps going the way it's going it could be Pope's last year here.

I'd much rather coach Pope would succeed than for us to have to endure another lost season plus the next coach might not be able to take us where we want to go either.

[UKHoops01]

In the front court... UK has Moreno & Potter.

Somebody random like, let's say USC. Who was a complete joke a season ago and for many years prior to that, has:

Eric Reibe, Christian Collins, & the Ratliff twins.

From the words of the great Paulie Gaultieri from Sopranos- " ******* Depressing"

Yeah, I'm amazed at the approach they've taken, which seems to be "We're entertaining a lot of guys, but prioritizing players". Like, bring in Rancik...but really as a fallback plan if Freeman doesn't commit. Meanwhile, completely ignoring Alvaro Folgueiras and not taking DeSean Goode all that seriously. Obviously, this is kind of the impression that has been given, maybe behind the scenes they're acting more aggressively than we're being led on...who knows. One thing is crystal clear, though, like you said... it's depressing, AND frustrating.

[UKHoops01]

I'd much rather coach Pope would succeed than for us to have to endure another lost season plus the next coach might not be able to take us where we want to go either.

True, but the last couple of times Kentucky moved on from a coach after a very short tenure it worked out pretty well - Rick Pitino after a few years of Eddie Sutton and John Calipari after a couple of years of Billy Gillespie.

[Matt Dillon]

True, but the last couple of times Kentucky has moved on from a coach after a very short tenure for the previous coach it worked out pretty doggone good - Rick Pitino after a few years of Eddie Sutton and John Calipari after a couple of of Billy Gillespie.

This is true but, things are so different now, who knows what might happen.

[Rondo#9]

I'd much rather coach Pope would succeed than for us to have to endure another lost season plus the next coach might not be able to take us where we want to go either.

You probably read enough of JFCats posts that you're confusing me for him. (Almost) Everybody who's a real fan wants Pope to succeed... but it's not looking good right now if we're being honest with ourselves. I still blame JMI & the genius that is Mitch Barnhart for the current state of affairs in Lexington.

And you're right, with the next coach there's a decent chance he won't get us to where we want to go either.

I hope I'm wrong about how I see things right now & in 2 weeks we hear Stokes is committing to UK, and the trajectory starts looking different than it currently does. Maybe Pope turns it around but like I said I'm not too confident.