Big if here.

[sk73]

iF is the key word. Most of us thought last years team could make a deep run.

IF we had no injuries and IF Pope can form a team that's cohesive and fits his system

If you can explain his system, it would be greatly appreciated. I saw nothing resembling a system over the last two years. I did see 26 losses though. Surely that is not the goal of his system.

 

[BookofMormon]

It ain't about the X's and O's, it's the Jimmy and Joe's. Gotta have talent with ball IQ.

However, DA seemed to think we had plenty of talent but our practice preparation and execution was lacking. He specifically referenced the inability to adjust against Iowa St. trapping defense. Said the staff should have taught guys to cut to the open spot when their man went to trap. Elementary stuff!

It's not just the jimmy and joe's - you need to be an intentional roster builder, so the pieces work and they have chemistry. You can bring in 5 studs that play horrifically together. That's the art of roster building.

 

[BlueSince92]

If Pope does land Stokes, Wilkins, Freeman, Diallo and others does that change anyone’s opinion of his recruiting ability or does he have to sustain for several years before the perception changed?

It would instantly change the perception.

Wouldn't totally reverse it. You'd have a whole gamut from a few holdouts to people changing their minds completely and deciding he's a heavy-hitter recruiter, with the bulk of people in between adding corollary propositions like, "Pope can only recruit when he has X and Y."

But none of those details matter so there's no need to get into the weeds with any of that. The important thing is never afterwards could it be said Pope has never gotten any of his first-choice big talent targets. And so that couldn't be used against him on the recruiting trail anymore either. It would make a difference.

 

[KFuqua]

I wouldnt call getting blown out of the gym by 30 in the Sweet 16 a "success."

No? Then you really don't understand basketball. If he didn't have to start from scratch...no players, no coaches, etc.and wasn't hired late, making the sweet 16 in his first year, with all the injuries would have been a success. Definitely not where we want Kentucky to max out every year, but given what he had in his first season, that was a major success.