On recruiting let’s not forget we have a big step up for next year

[theKybluedude]

Most of the complainers are forgetting we have very very good player and another solid size guy in the wings. One is a projected NBA talent in time. Mentions that he might have the most blend of skills on the team. Saw him in HS. Very talented. The other is a solid role player with good touch and 7 feet. Practicing, and learning.
Great start to our recruiting next year plus we will return quite few.

 

[bgoad72]

Most of the complainers are forgetting we have very very good player and another solid size guy in the wings. One is a projected NBA talent in time. Mentions that he might have the most blend of skills on the team. Saw him in HS. Very talented. The other is a solid role player with good touch and 7 feet. Practicing, and learning.
Great start to our recruiting next year plus we will return quite few.

 

[bgoad72]

Huh? We have ZERO recruits for next year as of now. You smoking early this morning?

 

[LineSkiCat14]

Recruiting for 2026 is pretty much kaput for UK. Pope and staff should focus on the best potential transfers, and id even considering contacting some now just to let them know "we have potentially $2mil here for you" and dare the NCAA to do anything. Then, with Pope giving up on 2026, can focus bigly on the 2027 class and building those connections early.

 

[travisbickle]

Huh? We have ZERO recruits for next year as of now. You smoking early this morning?

Pretty sure he’s referring to Hawthorne and Potter, which I hadn’t considered but should definitely factor into the upcoming class since they’re both redshirting.

 

[KyKevin]

Look what Pope is doing with recruits that ha

Huh? We have ZERO recruits for next year as of now. You smoking early this morning?

Didn't I see where we got Stokes and Collins...
.
......damn this must have been some good s.hit to

 

[Tim0808]

Most of the complainers are forgetting we have very very good player and another solid size guy in the wings. One is a projected NBA talent in time. Mentions that he might have the most blend of skills on the team. Saw him in HS. Very talented. The other is a solid role player with good touch and 7 feet. Practicing, and learning.
Great start to our recruiting next year plus we will return quite few.

If Pope is sitting a healthy NBA talent with this team's struggles, then we have real coaching issues.

 

[CrimsonCats_rivals]

Hawthorne may be able to give us something assuming he hangs around. Potter was averaging 6 points and 3 rebounds off the bench for a MAC team. I definitely don’t mind having him in what used to be a walk on spot before the scholarship limit expanded, but if we’re counting on him being an important piece of the rotation next year, we’re probably in trouble.

 

[katwest]

I want a couple of studs from high school every year too, but as long as the portal is there and we are Kentucky there will be plenty of talent here. Even if we miss on some of the ones we want most of all. Those players others are getting will be gone after a year anyway. Recruiting will come around.

 

[bbnkat02]

We need a couple of good shooters, a playmaker and a servicable big.

Keep Moreno
Maybe JJ stays and becomes something.
But we've got to find a couple of knockdown dudes that don't wilt

I love Noah's heart but he's been highly disappointing so far.
And bless Chandler's soul- I need the duded that jackhammered that dunk early in the year back.

 

[Monday Nitro]

Recruiting for 2026 is pretty much kaput for UK. Pope and staff should focus on the best potential transfers, and id even considering contacting some now just to let them know "we have potentially $2mil here for you" and dare the NCAA to do anything. Then, with Pope giving up on 2026, can focus bigly on the 2027 class and building those connections early.

LOL at people hating Freshman for years and now they have upside down smiles because they covet them so badly. What a clown show.

 

[theKybluedude]

Huh? We have ZERO recruits for next year as of now. You smoking early this morning?

Weeded out the fans who don’t know much about the team or it’s makeup for next year. Pretenders.

 

[Woodrow24]

Good thing about next year, we should have more guys returning than we normally have in awhile If I’m not mistaken.

 

[LineSkiCat14]

LOL at people hating Freshman for years and now they have upside down smiles because they covet them so badly. What a clown show.

Wut?

Im just talking for NEXT year. Not in general. But we arent getting dick for this HS recruiting cycle and thats a fact. We are gonna have to hit the transfer portal hard for NEXT season to make our team and then work on the 2027 freshman class. We simply struck out this yesr with JMI and the rumors of Pope kind of struggling.

 

[bigblue1971]

Give JQ 7-8 mil and beg him to stay.

 

[NociHTTP]

Huh? We have ZERO recruits for next year as of now. You smoking early this morning?

The recruiting is suffering. OP is trolling.

 

[I’m The Village Idiot]

The recruiting is suffering. OP is trolling.

Is OP incorrect or have we been forcefed a bunch of crap to overdose on?

Is it true that Pope did not get all his first targets? Yes!

Is it true that recruiting is “suffering”? Well, no —- at least not the only completed year of recruiting. Here’s what you won’t hear from this board because many people do not care about integrity and consistency.

Pope was brought in during the active portal season from a school that was in its first year of being in a major conference. Also, it is a religious school. (We can debate about whether Pope should have been hired, but he was.) In the limited time Pope had, he still netted the 16th best high school class for the 2026 season per On3 (2025 HS recruiting class). Pope then netted for the 2025-26 season the 2nd best portal class per On3. Only two schools managed to recruit a top 20 high school class AND a top 5 portal class…USC (anyone jealous of them?) and Kentucky. When you consider the rating of both teams, our overall class was better. The argument can absolutely be made that we had the best combined recruiting class out of anyone…and what do you know —- that doesn’t always equal wins on the court. Wonder where have heard that before? I dunno… maybe the black sheep of this website. The guy who keeps telling everyone to consider the long game but is the source of ridicule…me.

 

[HipTer]

Good thing about next year, we should have more guys returning than we normally have in awhile If I’m not mistaken.

Eleven guys can return (Oweh, Aberdeen and Quaintance exit). If both sides want that, then there is not much room. I thought Pope would only take two high school kids for next year, with one being a PG, but maybe that ends up being none or only one. Space for transfers could be just as tight. Still, you have to think a few current players don't return.

 

[Anon1679859502]

Wut?

Im just talking for NEXT year. Not in general. But we arent getting dick for this HS recruiting cycle and thats a fact. We are gonna have to hit the transfer portal hard for NEXT season to make our team and then work on the 2027 freshman class. We simply struck out this yesr with JMI and the rumors of Pope kind of struggling.

Will portal players want to come here with the JMI deal in place? Could be the same results as it is for high school recruits

 

[LineSkiCat14]

Will portal players want to come here with the JMI deal in place? Could be the same results as it is for high school recruits

It seems to be easier to get them than the freshman. Sadly, while we may not get our top picks in the portal, we can still get the Aberdeens and Lowe's of the world, because money still talks.

But that is not how a program like UK should be operating.. not only missing on elite freshman, but getting the scraps in the portal because Kentucky is giving them 50% more than what Maryland or Drexel was offering.

That's what's interesting and concerning.. there's a very possible reality that we only got THESE recruits because a guy like Jaland Lowe got $500k more from UK than any other school. He had not choice BUT to come to UK for that payday, and it may explain why some of our guys have had "meh" attitudes to start. And if THAT turns out to be how this is going, then thats not good.

 

[theKybluedude]

Is OP incorrect or have we been forcefed a bunch of crap to overdose on?

Is it true that Pope did not get all his first targets? Yes!

Is it true that recruiting is “suffering”? Well, no —- at least not the only completed year of recruiting. Here’s what you won’t hear from this board because many people do not care about integrity and consistency.

Pope was brought in during the active portal season from a school that was in its first year of being in a major conference. Also, it is a religious school. (We can debate about whether Pope should have been hired, but he was.) In the limited time Pope had, he still netted the 16th best high school class for the 2026 season per On3 (2025 HS recruiting class). Pope then netted for the 2025-26 season the 2nd best portal class per On3. Only two schools managed to recruit a top 20 high school class AND a top 5 portal class…USC (anyone jealous of them?) and Kentucky. When you consider the rating of both teams, our overall class was better. The argument can absolutely be made that we had the best combined recruiting class out of anyone…and what do you know —- that doesn’t always equal wins on the court. Wonder where have heard that before? I dunno… maybe the black sheep of this website. The guy who keeps telling everyone to consider the long game but is the source of ridicule…me.

OP is not incorrect nor is he trolling. You have to consider the 2 redshirts as a good start in next year’s limited number recruiting class.

 

[travisbickle]

OP is not incorrect nor is he trolling. You have to consider the 2 redshirts as a good start in next year’s limited number recruiting class.

Redshirting and playing two bigs at once. Feels like it’s the 80’s and I’m waiting for my Cats Pause magazine. Hell we even pressed a good portion of the secomd half.

 

[I’m The Village Idiot]

OP is not incorrect nor is he trolling. You have to consider the 2 redshirts as a good start in next year’s limited number recruiting class.

I know. I was agreeing with you.

 

[TTTblue24]

I’ll take stokes & collins over our 2 guys red shirting if that’s where this topic is going, along with several other hs players that have already committed to other teams while we still have no one signed. Gotta mix a hs stud or 2 in with transfer guys & whatever the reason is for this not happening then UK or jmi or pope needs to get it fixed. All the other big time schools have commits but we are the only one big boy that doesn’t, there’s a problem somewhere along the recruiting trail.

 

[Ash Williams]

Sunshine pumper timeline:

1. We got a $22 million payroll babeeee! 40-0!
2. So what if we lost 4 games, let's see how the season plays out, shut up and stop whining fake fans!
3. We beat IU and St.J, suck it haters! 36-4!
4. Hey, look over there! It's next year's recruits! <<<<<<<<------------YOU ARE HERE

 

[I’m The Village Idiot]

Sunshine pumper timeline:

1. We got a $22 million payroll babeeee! 40-0!
2. So what if we lost 4 games, let's see how the season plays out, shut up and stop whining fake fans!
3. We beat IU and St.J, suck it haters! 36-4!
4. Hey, look over there! It's next year's recruits! <<<<<<<<------------YOU ARE HERE

I’ll agree that plenty believed in 40-0. I didn’t ever expect a title this year, and I believe I was justified in those beliefs. No one should be telling anyone not to be upset about how the season has went —- but it’s also fair to point out there is still time to get better. I don’t put that much stock in winning the IU and SJU games specifically, but I think the WAY we played shows upward trajectory and improvement. I don’t know what #4 means —- I’m not resting my hopes on fulfilling any recruiting or portal ranking thresholds. There’s more than enough talent for Pope to get this figured out —- I’ve been consistent on that.

 

[FitchandMurray29]

Being honest, Potter does nothing for me. A break in case of emergency C just doesn’t provide much to ever get excited about.

Hawthorne I can be convinced. Was anywhere from a top 90 to 35 recruit in a stronger recruiting class than 2026.

Especially with the raw tools, I wouldn’t be shocked to see him look the part next season as a top 25 type ranked freshman.

Where he fits, if Mo/Kam/Trent return and we get a minute eater high profile guy to replace Oweh at the 2/3 is a bit of a mystery.

Being patient and collecting checks while redshirting one year is one thing. Smart decision actually lol. Not sure if we returned the above 3 and signed say a Stokes(work with me, not saying it happens), where Hawthorne would see himself fitting in.

I don’t see a big difference between Braydon Hawthorne as a RS Freshman and a guy say like Maximo Adams. But there’s an undeniable cache and excitement that goes along with that wrapped present of a highly ranked recruit/draft pick/signing/etc.

 

[paulcalhoun_rivals397471]

Being honest, Potter does nothing for me. A break in case of emergency C just doesn’t provide much to ever get excited about.

Hawthorne I can be convinced. Was anywhere from a top 90 to 35 recruit in a stronger recruiting class than 2026.

Especially with the raw tools, I wouldn’t be shocked to see him look the part next season as a top 25 type ranked freshman.

Where he fits, if Mo/Kam/Trent return and we get a minute eater high profile guy to replace Oweh at the 2/3 is a bit of a mystery.

Being patient and collecting checks while redshirting one year is one thing. Smart decision actually lol. Not sure if we returned the above 3 and signed say a Stokes(work with me, not saying it happens), where Hawthorne would see himself fitting in.

I don’t see a big difference between Braydon Hawthorne as a RS Freshman and a guy say like Maximo Adams. But there’s an undeniable cache and excitement that goes along with that wrapped present of a highly ranked recruit/draft pick/signing/etc.

Isn't 247 supposed to be a composite ranking? They had Hawthorne at 33.

https://247sports.com/player/braydon-hawthorne-46144246/

 

[FitchandMurray29]

Isn't 247 supposed to be a composite ranking? They had Hawthorne at 33.

https://247sports.com/player/braydon-hawthorne-46144246/

That was just 247’s, not their composite.

He doesn’t pull into their composite for some reason. Essentially Branham at 247 was really high on him after watching him late in the year and ranked him highly for 247 itself.

On3 had him at 64. ESPN at 85. Average of those 3 is right around 60.

 

[UKWildcats1987]

Neither of those guys excite me. Hawthorne would be playing this year if he was really good. Maybe he develops into something. Other guy is a 12th or 13th man type.

These posts remind me of Clyde and his recruiting adventures. UK fans sure have lowered our standards. Disturbing.

 

[theKybluedude]

I’m excited about Hawthorne. Very skilled. Needs a year to build strength. Skinny but 6 8 and talented. Already drawing comparisons to T Prince. He will play pro ball.

Potter has skills as well. Welcome addition at 7 ft. Good kid. Sure doesn’t hurt to have him. Top flight depth is important.

 

[Tapemaster8]

We need a couple of good shooters, a playmaker and a servicable big.

Keep Moreno
Maybe JJ stays and becomes something.
But we've got to find a couple of knockdown dudes that don't wilt

I love Noah's heart but he's been highly disappointing so far.
And bless Chandler's soul- I need the duded that jackhammered that dunk early in the year back.

People give up on Noah and Chandler way too early. Neither one has been on the floor with a real point guard this year!

 

[Goingfor9]

OP is not incorrect nor is he trolling. You have to consider the 2 redshirts as a good start in next year’s limited number recruiting class.

That’s ridiculous and this is why we are beginning to suck. Our expectations go from Collins and stokes to potter and Hawthorne. They are both role players. If we lose the fanbase to more apathy it’s over. We won’t ever bounce back. I hope JQ changes the team and we can make a run in March but until I’ve seen pope do it once I will want to hire an elite coach. And yes they will come. Barney is a tight wad unless it’s one of his guys. Barney and any do not hire list that exists needs to go. We need a fresh start with winning the priority.

 

[RunninRichie]

If your starting center is Reece Potter. You're losing 15 games.

 

[travisbickle]

If your starting center is Reece Potter. You're losing 15 games.

I’m guessing Moreno will be the starting center next year. Potter will be a bench piece that’s played a year of DI already plus had a year learning the system. Not a bad bench piece IMO.

 

[preston-lemasterpiece]

People give up on Noah and Chandler way too early. Neither one has been on the floor with a real point guard this year!

Idk man Noah has been give a lot of opportunities. Maybe next year he'll be better? He looks like he's regressing to me.

 

[*Fox2Monk*]

Most of the complainers are forgetting we have very very good player and another solid size guy in the wings. One is a projected NBA talent in time. Mentions that he might have the most blend of skills on the team. Saw him in HS. Very talented. The other is a solid role player with good touch and 7 feet. Practicing, and learning.
Great start to our recruiting next year plus we will return quite few.

Yeah, those two are definitely what is scaring away all the NBA HS prospects.

 

[*Fox2Monk*]

These threads are scarily reminiscent of the late Tubby years recruiting classes. Don’t worry, Adam Chiles is killing it in practice. I’ve heard Rekalin Sims looks the part of a future pro. Jerad Carter has great size, and AJ Stewart was really under rated. We made the final 5 for Brandin Wright, but we don’t really need him.

I am not saying Hawthorne is anything like these guys and can’t be a really good college player, but we shouldn’t be relying on that kinda hope when we have the money we do. He is a great development piece for the future. I’m happy he is taking this year to RS and get stronger. We could really get some good time out of him if he stays 2-3 more years.

 

[I’m The Village Idiot]

These threads are scarily reminiscent of the late Tubby years recruiting classes. Don’t worry, Adam Chiles is killing it in practice. I’ve heard Rekalin Sims looks the part of a future pro. Jerad Carter has great size, and AJ Stewart was really under rated. We made the final 5 for Brandin Wright, but we don’t really need him.

I am not saying Hawthorne is anything like these guys and can’t be a really good college player but we shouldn’t be relying on that kinda hope when we have the money we do. He is a great development piece for the future. I’m happy he is taking this year to RS and get stronger. We could really get some good time out of him if he stays 2-3 more years.

Love you Fox, but man you’re buying a lot of misleading boloney on here. Between portal and high school we were one of the top, if not the top recruiting school the past season. I can prove it. No, the results haven’t been what we want but comparing to the Tubby years in recruiting is ridiculous. We don’t know what the future holds, but we have one year of recruiting data so far for Pope and it has been impressive. And no, that doesn’t mean that he got all his “first” options. I don’t think he ever will for a myriad of reasons. What will it take to get you to come back to earth on this topic?

 

[preston-lemasterpiece]

Love you Fox, but man you’re buying a lot of misleading boloney on here. Between portal and high school we were one of the top, if not the top recruiting school the past season. I can prove it. No, the results haven’t been what we want but comparing to the Tubby years in recruiting is ridiculous. We don’t know what the future holds, but we have one year of recruiting data so far for Pope and it has been impressive. And no, that doesn’t mean that he got all his “first” options. I don’t think he ever will for a myriad of reasons. What will it take to get you to come back to earth on this topic?

in what way has Pope been better at recruiting than Tubby? not portal, HS recruiting