Nike Hoops Summit - Stokes

[JwUKFan11]

With Stokes nearing a decision and pushing the announce back from MCDAA game to sometime later the next event coming up is the Nike hoops summit on 11 April.

IF, and this is just an If, he decides to announce at the event you would have to think we have a little bit of a better chance. I cannot imagine he would announce there that he was going to an Adidas school. If it comes before or after that I think it’s Kansas though.

 

[JPFisher]

I think the Mo Williams hire has something to do with the decision, too. We'll see what happens.

 

[TTTblue24]

I wonder if Mo and Crawford and buddies , sure hope so.

 

[mdluk1]

I don’t know but if UK has a chance at a big time portal player, then I wouldn’t hold the spot for him. If he seriously wants to come here, say so.

 

[mdluk1]

How did stokes lookin the scrimmage yesterday? I only saw a couple minutes. He had a couple nice passes but I never heard how much he scored.

 

[PastorofMuppets82]

I tend to agree that it seems highly unlikely Stokes would announce his commitment to an Adidas school at the Nike Hoops summit. With the Spring Signing Period opening April 15th and the Dead Period beginning May 1st, (though he could still sign well into August if he wanted to wait even longer) the decision has to come soon one would think. With no announcement from Self yet, one has to think Self stays another year (or pulls a Pearl and retires post portal and signing periods) and that Stokes goes there. I think the Mo Williams hire helps some, but I don't know if it is enough to move the needle even slightly further in our direction. Obviously the NIL ramifications of having to "wait" on Stokes with that offer out there might have a huge effect on UK in the portal. Tying up that many millions on a hope and a prayer and ultimately not landing Stokes and missing out on players at that position or other positions where that money could have been spend really would be the final nail.

 

[Cats192]

I don’t know but if UK has a chance at a big time portal player, then I wouldn’t hold the spot for him. If he seriously wants to come here, say so.

On the flip side, if he seriously wanted to go to Kansas--he hasn't said so that way either.

He's good enough, you hold on and hope we get him. This is just what these kids have always done.

The portal won't open for another 7-8 days. I assume we'll have a lot more clarity by then--whether he's announced or not.

If everyone truly believes it comes down to Self's retirement, Self's going to have to announce soon to keep his team together.

 

[sk73]

I think the Mo Williams hire has something to do with the decision, too. We'll see what happens.

Why would this hire do anything to influence a recruit today? Sure, if guys were in their 30s and being recruited, Mo would move the needle. Stokes and, other recruits, has probably never heard of Williams as a player. They can look it up and see that he was a player but, they can also see he had a grossly losing record at Jackson State. I believe his son will be a good addition to the team but, I am not enthused about Mo being a great recruiter. Hope I am wrong. He can only be an upgrade over what we had.

 

[PastorofMuppets82]

Why would this hire do anything to influence a recruit today? Sure, if guys were in their 30s and being recruited, Mo would move the needle. Stokes and, other recruits, has probably never heard of Williams as a player. They can look it up and see that he was a player but, they can also see he had a grossly losing record at Jackson State. I believe his son will be a good addition to the team but, I am not enthused about Mo being a great recruiter. Hope I am wrong. He can only be an upgrade over what we had.

Mo Williams is still a current "Nike Inspired Athlete" (a step below Nike Signature Athlete) with deep ties to Nike. His Nike ties got him the job at UK. Does it move the needle with Stokes, who knows, but it's likely Mo the Nike ties and connections athlete than the Mo the All-Star NBA Champion point guard of yester year that moves the needle as a recruiter.

 

[UKCowboys]

I would split the money we are offering Stokes between Vaaks and Muurinen and get them in here today and pull out on Stokes. Then watch Stokes reopen his recruitment to the whole nation when Self retires and KU cuts the offer they were only throwing out to drive our number up

 

[cornbreadnmilk]

Why would this hire do anything to influence a recruit today? Sure, if guys were in their 30s and being recruited, Mo would move the needle. Stokes and, other recruits, has probably never heard of Williams as a player. They can look it up and see that he was a player but, they can also see he had a grossly losing record at Jackson State. I believe his son will be a good addition to the team but, I am not enthused about Mo being a great recruiter. Hope I am wrong. He can only be an upgrade over what we had.

Mo is friends with Jamal Crawford who is Stokes coach.

 

[sk73]

Mo is friends with Jamal Crawford who is Stokes coach.

Thanks.

 

[TheApostleSaulSmith]

I would split the money we are offering Stokes between Vaaks and Muurinen and get them in here today and pull out on Stokes. Then watch Stokes reopen his recruitment to the whole nation when Self retires and KU cuts the offer they were only throwing out to drive our number up

Honestly I don't hate the idea.
Vaaks would be a great fit for Pope. Especially if CC leaves.
And Muurinen is a special player. He's getting a lot of hype from his international play. Long and rangy, great in the fast break. A lot of fun to watch. I heard he was a UNC lean but their coaching situation might change that.

 

[sk73]

Mo Williams is still a current "Nike Inspired Athlete" (a step below Nike Signature Athlete) with deep ties to Nike. His Nike ties got him the job at UK. Does it move the needle with Stokes, who knows, but it's likely Mo the Nike ties and connections athlete than the Mo the All-Star NBA Champion point guard of yester year that moves the needle as a recruiter.

Thanks.

 

[UKGrad24]

With Stokes nearing a decision and pushing the announce back from MCDAA game to sometime later the next event coming up is the Nike hoops summit on 11 April.

IF, and this is just an If, he decides to announce at the event you would have to think we have a little bit of a better chance. I cannot imagine he would announce there that he was going to an Adidas school. If it comes before or after that I think it’s Kansas though.

Jw, I know you’ve said Kansas. Would be a helluva call because I don’t think it’s happened straight out for a Nike kid to an adidas school without some kind of catch (team changing) or New Balance deal. Just straight Nike kid to adidas stronghold I might be wrong but I never remember seeing that. If that happens you nailed one. On the head. Would be wild.

What’s even crazier is I’m starting to agree with it. Unless Kentucky decides getting stokes is so important they’ll just go mad, I legitimately think Pope might be the first “Nike Elite” coach to lose a player to an adidas stronghold. Not to mention MO Williams ties to Nike.

To me, if that happens, Pope is officially done in ways I’m not sure how anyone could argue. Like well done.

 

[UKCowboys]

Honestly I don't hate the idea.
Vaaks would be a great fit for Pope. Especially if CC leaves.
And Muurinen is a special player. He's getting a lot of hype from his international play. Long and rangy, great in the fast break. A lot of fun to watch. I heard he was a UNC lean but their coaching situation might change that.

Exactly on both of them. And that shouldn't effect anything else we were already going to add in the portal to go with Stokes, as the money was just redistributed. If we add Vaaks and Muurinen, retain Chandler, Moreno and Kam, all we would need from the portal is a starting PG a rotaional PF/C and we would have a Heck of a team

 

[Skyguyb27]

There’s to much Nike money invested and smoke now. He will be at UK. This is Pope’s make or break. If he flops with the top recruit he’s cooked.

 

[TheApostleSaulSmith]

Jw, I know you’ve said Kansas. Would be a helluva call because I don’t think it’s happened straight out for a Nike kid to an adidas school without some kind of catch (team changing) or New Balance deal. Just straight Nike kid to adidas stronghold I might be wrong but I never remember seeing that. If that happens you nailed one. On the head. Would be wild.

What’s even crazier is I’m starting to agree with it. Unless Kentucky decides getting stokes is so important they’ll just go mad, I legitimately think Pope might be the first “Nike Elite” coach to lose a player to an adidas stronghold. Not to mention MO Williams ties to Nike.

To me, if that happens, Pope is officially done in ways I’m not sure how anyone could argue. Like well done.

Would be absolutely unprecedented. Pope is such a bad recruiter that he could change the entire college landscape. Hey, that's an accomplishment, right??

 

[cornbreadnmilk]

There’s to much Nike money invested and smoke now. He will be at UK. This is Pope’s make or break. If he flops with the top recruit he’s cooked.

I sure hope you are right.

 

[TheApostleSaulSmith]

Exactly on both of them. And that shouldn't effect anything else we were already going to add in the portal to go with Stokes, as the money was just redistributed. If we add Vaaks and Muurinen, retain Chandler, Moreno and Kam, all we would need from the portal is a starting PG a rotaional PF/C and we would have a Heck of a team

In terms of fit, I'd agree with you. And I really don't like the way Stokes has handled this whole situation. He's already a pain in the *ss ad he hasn't even picked a team.

But...negative recruiting has really hurt Pope in his time here. He desperately needs to turn the tide against that. And, with Stokes' Nike affiliation, it is going to be seen as a huge L if he goes to Kansas. It's a tough situation, but for Pope's reputation as a recruiter capable of running a blue blood, he almost needs Stokes to sign here.

 

[#1 cat fan]

Stokes is better than I thought. He plays pg alot . Great handle and slasher. Passing is off the charts. You can build a title around a player like that. Give him whatever he wants

 

[kywildcat1021979]

Stokes is better than I thought. He plays pg alot . Great handle and slasher. Passing is off the charts. You can build a title around a player like that. Give him whatever he wants

Exactly if he wants to play PG let him play PG!

 

[JwUKFan11]

Jw, I know you’ve said Kansas. Would be a helluva call because I don’t think it’s happened straight out for a Nike kid to an adidas school without some kind of catch (team changing) or New Balance deal. Just straight Nike kid to adidas stronghold I might be wrong but I never remember seeing that. If that happens you nailed one. On the head. Would be wild.

What’s even crazier is I’m starting to agree with it. Unless Kentucky decides getting stokes is so important they’ll just go mad, I legitimately think Pope might be the first “Nike Elite” coach to lose a player to an adidas stronghold. Not to mention MO Williams ties to Nike.

To me, if that happens, Pope is officially done in ways I’m not sure how anyone could argue. Like well done.

To me it seems like Nike and Stokes have been working some type of agreement in the background. That has been briefly mention by a few people in the media as well. The Nike/Adidas thing and Self are both working in our favor but either or both could get solved shortly.

Another topic is people keep using the phrase superstar PG with who they expect UK to have next year. The only one as of now that I think fits is Josh Hubbard. That is the only one I have seen in discord groups by people that aren’t just throwing names out just because. I’m sure there will be more but it’s really early.

 

[JPFisher]

Why would this hire do anything to influence a recruit today? Sure, if guys were in their 30s and being recruited, Mo would move the needle. Stokes and, other recruits, has probably never heard of Williams as a player. They can look it up and see that he was a player but, they can also see he had a grossly losing record at Jackson State. I believe his son will be a good addition to the team but, I am not enthused about Mo being a great recruiter. Hope I am wrong. He can only be an upgrade over what we had.

Mo won an NBA 'ship with LeBron in 2016. Most of these kids we're recruiting were born in the mid 2000s. They'd have been between 8 and 12 while watching that. Unlike us, they probably remember that age and how cool it was watching that unfold. It's not like Mo is a dinosaur.

Also, from doing a little research, the Jackson State program is an underfunded one where players are either one foot out the door for greener pastures OR filled out by scrubs, for lack of a better word. I don't take that record into consideration, especially because he... Isn't going to be the head coach. Another poster put it beautifully when they said that Kenny Payne (and also Antigua) were amazing assistants but terrible HCs. So, I'm optimistic.

 

[TheApostleSaulSmith]

Mo won an NBA 'ship with LeBron in 2016. Most of these kids we're recruiting were born in the mid 2000s. They'd have been between 8 and 12 while watching that. Unlike us, they probably remember that age and how cool it was watching that unfold. It's not like Mo is a dinosaur.

Also, from doing a little research, the Jackson State program is an underfunded one where players are either one foot out the door for greener pastures OR filled out by scrubs, for lack of a better word. I don't take that record into consideration, especially because he... Isn't going to be the head coach. Another poster put it beautifully when they said that Kenny Payne (and also Antigua) were amazing assistants but terrible HCs. So, I'm optimistic.

John Robic as well.

 

[SkyPrince]

To me it seems like Nike and Stokes have been working some type of agreement in the background. That has been briefly mention by a few people in the media as well. The Nike/Adidas thing and Self are both working in our favor but either or both could get solved shortly.

Another topic is people keep using the phrase superstar PG with who they expect UK to have next year. The only one as of now that I think fits is Josh Hubbard. That is the only one I have seen in discord groups by people that aren’t just throwing names out just because. I’m sure there will be more but it’s really early.

Hubbard is not really a PG but a do it all lead guard on a team without talent.
That's why the NBA has no interest in him despite his numbers.
I think there is definitely negotiations going on regarding Stokes that Pope is really not a part of.
Nike, the financial package etc

 

[TTTblue24]

Mo is friends with Jamal Crawford who is Stokes coach.

We have a winner and think about it, Mo with some legit Nike ties then is friends with Crawford for one but also may put us in a better place with other recruits going forward.

 

[JwUKFan11]

Hubbard is not really a PG but a do it all lead guard on a team without talent.
That's why the NBA has no interest in him despite his numbers.
I think there is definitely negotiations going on regarding Stokes that Pope is really not a part of.
Nike, the financial package etc

NBA has no interest because of his height. He old have to be incredible to play in the NBA at his size. That is the only name I have seen mentioned that would qualify as a star PG.

 

[*Fox2Monk*]

Why would this hire do anything to influence a recruit today? Sure, if guys were in their 30s and being recruited, Mo would move the needle. Stokes and, other recruits, has probably never heard of Williams as a player. They can look it up and see that he was a player but, they can also see he had a grossly losing record at Jackson State. I believe his son will be a good addition to the team but, I am not enthused about Mo being a great recruiter. Hope I am wrong. He can only be an upgrade over what we had.

I think his name is more familiar to his grass roots connections and teams rather than his career.

 

[*Fox2Monk*]

Jw, I know you’ve said Kansas. Would be a helluva call because I don’t think it’s happened straight out for a Nike kid to an adidas school without some kind of catch (team changing) or New Balance deal. Just straight Nike kid to adidas stronghold I might be wrong but I never remember seeing that. If that happens you nailed one. On the head. Would be wild.

What’s even crazier is I’m starting to agree with it. Unless Kentucky decides getting stokes is so important they’ll just go mad, I legitimately think Pope might be the first “Nike Elite” coach to lose a player to an adidas stronghold. Not to mention MO Williams ties to Nike.

To me, if that happens, Pope is officially done in ways I’m not sure how anyone could argue. Like well done.

It should be damn near impossible for that to happen and the fact that it is probable at this point is scary.

 

[*Fox2Monk*]

There’s to much Nike money invested and smoke now. He will be at UK. This is Pope’s make or break. If he flops with the top recruit he’s cooked.

I hope you are right

 

[*Fox2Monk*]

Stokes is better than I thought. He plays pg alot . Great handle and slasher. Passing is off the charts. You can build a title around a player like that. Give him whatever he wants

Usually the consensus number one player in the country is like that. Every couple years one doesn’t pan out or maybe in a class where 2-3 guys could be the best in a down year they don’t.

 

[sk73]

I think his name is more familiar to his grass roots connections and teams rather than his career.

Thank you.

 

[Skyguyb27]

I hope you are right

I do too. Just seems like a lot more talk to UK than there was.

 

[yoshukai]

With Stokes nearing a decision and pushing the announce back from MCDAA game to sometime later the next event coming up is the Nike hoops summit on 11 April.

IF, and this is just an If, he decides to announce at the event you would have to think we have a little bit of a better chance. I cannot imagine he would announce there that he was going to an Adidas school. If it comes before or after that I think it’s Kansas though.

I don’t know man . This dude LOVES to go against the grain and challenge authority. He’s different. I could see him doing it.

 

[JwUKFan11]

I don’t know man . This dude LOVES to go against the grain and challenge authority. He’s different. I could see him doing it.

He could, but it’s currently unlikely that will even be his commitment date. But if it is I find it hard to believe he would take the chance of ruffling feathers with anyone who signs some of his checks.