Mark Pope explains why Kentucky doesn't have a traditional General Manager

[Matt Dillon]

For the third day in a row, Mark Pope is answering Kentucky fans’ questions. Today, he tackled one of the biggest critiques of the program right now: why Kentucky doesn’t have a general manager.

Pope said that instead of going with a traditional general manager, he’s built a front office team comprised of four individuals: Keegan Brown, who was hired as the team’s Director of Roster Management in March; Nick Robinson, who was already on staff as the director of men’s basketball operations; Kevin Sergent, UK’s associate athletic director of compliance; and Kim Shelton, a JMI Sports executive who works with UK on NIL.

“In this ever-changing, dynamic college basketball environment, everybody is trying a different solution,” Pope said. “For us, instead of hiring a singular GM, we’ve gone with a more comprehensive general management team approach".

Mark Pope explains why Kentucky doesn't have a traditional General Manager

[Cawood86]

The team concept in that area doesn't seem to be working right now

[Pobilly]

Not sure there is any right way to do this. UK seems to have a convoluted way of business when it comes to Mens basketball.

Kenny Brroks does not have a GM does he? I am asking because I do not know. Stein I think does have a GM.

Mens basketball seems to have many more hoops to run through. Is that on Pope, is it on UK admin. I have no idea.

No matter what GM or no GM: the coach has final say. It seems that Stein and Brooks have figured things out and in year 2 Pope still does not. He for sure said he went all in on Stokes. It was the last mistake of many recruiting mistakes. Will it cost him his job. We will not know until the roster is complete, the practices and summer games are played, the fall starts and games are played. It will be a ride. Could be a horror ride of could the the cooling waters of the log flume. Just have to wait and see.

[Cawood86]

My thing is.....you gotta get talent. You gotta have dudes. Maybe they have them. I think Wilkins and Diallo are legit. Maybe Moreno takes the next step. Don't know enough about McBride to say or Ndiaye.

Backcourt is definitely key in college basketball. Last year was not good at all in that regard. Florida won it because of their guards last year.

[bthaunert]

The team concept in that area doesn't seem to be working right now

Agree. Negotiating a contract is an obvious weakness right now. There just seems to be way too many people involved. You probably have Pope, Brown and JMI all talking to a kid about potential deals and Sargent working his way in from a compliance perspective where other schools have it all going through one person. It would be so much easier for Pope to say to a recruit, "I want you here bad. Billy is our GM and he will be working with you to make sure this happens from a financial perspective" rather than, "I really want you here, Keagan and Nick will be working with you and then we will have you work with Kim from JMI for that part of the deal and Kevin will be involved from a compliance perspective."

[Cawood86]

Agree. Negotiating a contract is an obvious weakness right now. There just seems to be way too many people involved. You probably have Pope, Brown and JMI all talking to a kid about potential deals and Sargent working his way in from a compliance perspective where other schools have it all going through one person. It would be so much easier for Pope to say to a recruit, "I want you here bad. Billy is our GM and he will be working with you to make sure this happens from a financial perspective" rather than, "I really want you here, Keagan and Nick will be working with you and then we will have you work with Kim from JMI for that part of the deal and Kevin will be involved from a compliance perspective."

Agree completely

[EKYCat]

Not sure there is any right way to do this. UK seems to have a convoluted way of business when it comes to Mens basketball.

Kenny Brroks does not have a GM does he? I am asking because I do not know. Stein I think does have a GM.

Mens basketball seems to have many more hoops to run through. Is that on Pope, is it on UK admin. I have no idea.

No matter what GM or no GM: the coach has final say. It seems that Stein and Brooks have figured things out and in year 2 Pope still does not. He for sure said he went all in on Stokes. It was the last mistake of many recruiting mistakes. Will it cost him his job. We will not know until the roster is complete, the practices and summer games are played, the fall starts and games are played. It will be a ride. Could be a horror ride of could the the cooling waters of the log flume. Just have to wait and see.

May not be a right way to do it. But it seems UK is doing it wrong!

I agree Cawood, you have to have studs. Not seeing it on paper. Only time will tell, I reckon.

[WeWant9]

Agree. Negotiating a contract is an obvious weakness right now. There just seems to be way too many people involved. You probably have Pope, Brown and JMI all talking to a kid about potential deals and Sargent working his way in from a compliance perspective where other schools have it all going through one person. It would be so much easier for Pope to say to a recruit, "I want you here bad. Billy is our GM and he will be working with you to make sure this happens from a financial perspective" rather than, "I really want you here, Keagan and Nick will be working with you and then we will have you work with Kim from JMI for that part of the deal and Kevin will be involved from a compliance perspective."

After seeing this laid out, I wonder if one of the issues is too many chefs in the kitchen. We all want to speculate on missing recruits: is it Pope, JMI, pressures from BBN, etc. But if a guy/agent has to work through various channels to get their deal, that might be a problem. If you got UK and another school offering similar money, but the process is much easier elsewhere, I could see why guys seem to lose interest in UK and go elsewhere.

[Jload]

Coach Pope sounds like a politician when asked about why something the government is doing isn't working. Spends time laying a detailed explanation of PROCESS not results. I don't care how many guys he has to handle this issue, nor do I care how great they are.WHAT WE ARE DOING ISN'T WORKIBG. His inability to acknowledge this and fix it will end up costing him his job here. My gut instinct is that JMI is a much greater impediment to this issue than Pope is but I have no proof of that.

[KentuckyWild2020]

Rumor of Jamal Crawford gaining more traction. If Pope can actually add him to the staff, that is a huge step in the right direction in my opinion. We need some good news and someone with the NBA ties.

This would be great if it happens...

[bthaunert]

Rumor of Jamal Crawford gaining more traction. If Pope can actually add him to the staff, that is a huge step in the right direction in my opinion. We need some good news and someone with the NBA ties.

This would be great if it happens...

Agree. I'm good with one spot on the staff going to a guy with no coaching experience but the "cool factor" and a long history in the NBA. Doesn't hurt that his son is a helluva player too.

[KentuckyWild2020]

Agree. I'm good with one spot on the staff going to a guy with no coaching experience but the "cool factor" and a long history in the NBA. Doesn't hurt that his son is a helluva player too.

I didn't know he even had a son that played, that's pretty cool. I know right now he is calling games in the Western Conference Finals I believe. Still actually likedJamal Crawford in the pro's, that dude could go off. Not a Michigan fan so didn't follow him there but he was decent in NY and LA.

Anyways, someone as close to the game as he is now, I think it's a great move. Since the Cal departure, we need something to get the big time recruits looking our way again, maybe Crawford helps in that regards. I never was sold on Jason Hart because at the end of the day, who's Jason Hart?????

[WeWant9]

I didn't know he even had a son that played, that's pretty cool. I know right now he is calling games in the Western Conference Finals I believe. Still actually likedJamal Crawford in the pro's, that dude could go off. Not a Michigan fan so didn't follow him there but he was decent in NY and LA.

Anyways, someone as close to the game as he is now, I think it's a great move. Since the Cal departure, we need something to get the big time recruits looking our way again, maybe Crawford helps in that regards. I never was sold on Jason Hart because at the end of the day, who's Jason Hart?????

I think his son is in the class of 29, but have seen people say he's one of the better prospects regardless of age.

[KentuckyWild2020]

I think his son is in the class of 29, but have seen people say he's one of the better prospects regardless of age.

Start em off young lol lol.... I would just feel better to know we have someone who's connected in today's game of basketball particularly the next level. Still can't understand why Pope isn't after Wall or Rondo to help at Kentucky unless he just feels threatened by their presence if they was on his staff??

With all the history and all the alumni of Kentucky basketball, I just can't understand why we don't run this thing like Duke does in many ways, in house support? It must be a whole lot of chiefs and not enough indians in Lexington. From Issell to all the modern day players and connections, i suppose you have in house beef from Pitino's guys and Cal's guys, who knows, don't seem like people are able to put differences aside and come together for Kentucky basketball as a whole.. i do think and believe Pope is on the side of KENTUCKY BASKETBALL and great tradition, just hope he can survive it all.

I don't like how the off season has went in regards to big name targets but it would not surprise or shock me at all for Pope to have a great year this year with a bunch of guys who are off the radar and by all means low fan expectations going into this. It is a huge gamble on his end, if it works he's a genuis if it fails he's probably out of here....

[bthaunert]

Start em off young lol lol.... I would just feel better to know we have someone who's connected in today's game of basketball particularly the next level. Still can't understand why Pope isn't after Wall or Rondo to help at Kentucky unless he just feels threatened by their presence if they was on his staff??

With all the history and all the alumni of Kentucky basketball, I just can't understand why we don't run this thing like Duke does in many ways, in house support? It must be a whole lot of chiefs and not enough indians in Lexington. From Issell to all the modern day players and connections, i suppose you have in house beef from Pitino's guys and Cal's guys, who knows, don't seem like people are able to put differences aside and come together for Kentucky basketball as a whole.. i do think and believe Pope is on the side of KENTUCKY BASKETBALL and great tradition, just hope he can survive it all.

I don't like how the off season has went in regards to big name targets but it would not surprise or shock me at all for Pope to have a great year this year with a bunch of guys who are off the radar and by all means low fan expectations going into this. It is a huge gamble on his end, if it works he's a genuis if it fails he's probably out of here....

I don't think it's a feeling threatened thing at all. I just feel as if he doesn't believe that he's close to either of those guys. In someone like Wall's case, I'm not sure he has a college degree, so he would not be eligible for a position.

Coach K seemed to hire a very specific type of former player. Very few of these guys went on to pro careers and many transitioned almost immediately to coaching at Duke. Amaker the year after he graduated. Collins 4 years after he graduated after a stint as an assistant at Seton Hall. Wojo a year after he graduated. Scheyer 3 years after he graduated and a stint in Europe. Bilas 3 years after he graduated and a stint in Europe. Someone like Dawkins is an exception. I also think it helps that they had the same HC for 42 years and he hired guys that played for him. In that same time frame, UK had 6 coaches. UK coaches tend to not stay long enough to get their guys in those type of positions.

With Crawford, I'm not sure he would be considered if his son wasn't one of the top HS players out there.