All 5 returning?
- Thread starter chasingwildcat
- Start date
Pretty expected but glad to see it hopefully 100% confirmed.
This means that we will have (at least) 4 native Kentuckians as scholarship players, at least 3 of who will be regular rotation players. You have to go back many years, probably the Unforgettables, since that has happened.
I honestly think this is how Pope competes in the NIL era. Create a program culture that guys want to stick around in. Izzo has largely been able to do it, although he did lose a few guys this year. Painter has been able to do it. I think if Pope can do it we will see a pattern where he gets transfers with two or three more years of eligibility, they stick around the program for a few years, and by their senior year they're a Sears/Broome type player who the other team hates to see.
The guy can coach. That much is obvious. I'm starting to get genuinely worry about his ability to get the best talent though.
Outside of Otega I don't think any of the 5 would get a better NIL deal elsewhere. Real test will be if Pope gets players other teams want and is able to keep them.
The 2006-2007 squad had Sparks, Rondo, Ravi Moss, Brandon Stockton, Preston LeMaster, and Jared Carter.
I’m still a little shy of being officially worried——-but I’ll admit more and more of that all the time is blind faith. The big chips are coming off the table and we are standing still. And based on our success this past season versus the top 15, the iron will probably never be hotter than it is right now. We are not striking, whether that’s a can’t or a won’t.
There are other ways we can win. But if we’re going to win with even some top talent this coming season we’ve already pretty much got all our eggs in one basket (Yaxel).
Apparently Cal was getting the best talent, how'd that work out?
Need that continuity
This year final 4 team core players (except for Duke) all have played together for multiple years
This year final 4 team core players (except for Duke) all have played together for multiple years
If Pope is able to keep everybody but Kerr, that’s a heck of a win and a good sign in my book!
Yeah I really don't care about getting the "best" transfer portal talent. The rankings are often wrong anyway, and signing the top guys doesn't automatically lead to success. A lot of the guys in the SEC who punched us in the mouth this year weren't highly ranked in the portal.
Amari was ranked in the 80s last year and by the end of the year he was a machine. Give me guys that Pope feels are fits for the program and keep them in the program for a few years. I think that's the path to success here.
I'm much more concerned about who stays and not so much who is signed.
Cal did take us to four final fours and won a national title.
Regardless of what happened at the end, you still need talent if you want to compete for national titles.
You realize it’s possible to both recruit and coach right?
You often don’t really know the talent level of the portal guys for a year or two though. I don’t think any predicted Broome to be one of the two possible Naismith winners his senior year when he transferred to Auburn. Sears was ranked in the 40s I think.
I think the key is getting guys who fit the system and getting them to stay so they’re studs by the time they’re upperclassmen.
I felt like he would just go down the recruiting rankings and try at best available even if it didn’t fit
If you go look at how the portal was ranked last year from what we know today, it becomes abundantly clear those rankings didn’t mean diddly squat. You’re right in my mind. Pope has to find the right guys for him and some of those won’t have the “right” little number next to their names in those “rankings”. Trust Pope
This is why I feel like you still need a decent mix of portal players and freshmen and maybe get the home runs from the freshman.
Most people knew Flagg was a star. The three freshman are a big reason why Duke is the favorite to cut down the nets.
I feel like people poo poo on Cal and his method but we didn't have "awful" results going that route.
Not that I'm suggesting go full blown on HS kids............but mix portal and HS and try to maximize the best chance of getting those stud players you absolutely need here. I feel like the miss rate on the portal guys is very high.
I don't know. It's obvious Pope is trying to get the top talent in the portal but just hasn't had luck at this point.
Agreed. Pope is gunning for that perfect mix. Unfortunately if we want the Cooper Flaggs in the future we have to go harder for basketball NIL from an organizational standpoint. Looking at the Yaxel tape, he sure looks like Cooper Flagg lite to me. Modern positionless player with power forward size, guard passing, post scoring, jumper, excellent dribbling, rebounding, defense and straight gas from an intensity standpoint
Until it's proven I shouldn't, I'm just going to relax and keep doing so. Because, let's be honest, Pope and his staff know infinitely more than anyone on this board about any of these transfers. They probably have analytics and scouting reports out the wazoo on the guys they're looking at.
The simple answer is, yes, yes they are.
Well and if you look at Duke, they had some key returnees too. They brought in some talented transfers and uber talented freshman. But your point certainly stands, teams with the most continuity seem to progress the farthest.
Do you think Pope already knows who he gets and is keeping it quiet ? He is good at keeping things pretty close to the vest.
And if we win a title (or even final4) while those 4 are on the roster in the next 2 years….it’ll no doubt go down as a historical fan favorite team
How ironic someone named tubby fan saying pope can’t recruit. Cal fans, Tubby fans, Rick fans, Louisville fans can go make their fan bases look bad.
If we get to August with no players worry then. All you do is make Kentucky fans look like doom and gloomers.
Hell if everyone was not injured this year we could be in the final four with the team we had last year. I can’t believe this is real Kentucky fans…
If we get to August with no players worry then. All you do is make Kentucky fans look like doom and gloomers.
Hell if everyone was not injured this year we could be in the final four with the team we had last year. I can’t believe this is real Kentucky fans…
So weird all these folks that weren't here all last season, probably didn't even watch the games, but are here to play rotisserie basketball.
