POLL: How Many 5-Stars will Pope sign each year ??

[megablue]

Most everyone was tired and upset with Cal's strategy of heavily recruiting 5-star Freshmen, so, after Mark Pope gets established and his program is online, how many 5-star, one-and-done type, recruits will he successfully add to his roster every year ?? He's admitted that he can now recruit players that he never considered in his past, so it will be interesting to see how he approaches recruiting high-schoolers.

 

[Phil_The_Music2]

5 star recruits aren't typically the value like they were 10 years ago. There's 2 or 3 maybe in each class that can make a big impact as freshmen. The rest think they can but don't, and bolt after 1 year. Seems like the sweet spot is an impact 5 star, 2-4 four stars and fill the rest in with older transfer guys.

 

[ImTheVillageIdiot]

Everyone was tired and upset with Cal's strategy of recruiting 5-star Freshmen so heavily, so, after Mark Pope gets established and his program is online, how many 5-star, one-and-done, recruits will he be looking to add to his roster every year ?? He's admitted that he can now recruit players that he never considered in his past, so it will be interesting to see how he approaches recruiting high-schoolers.

Two one and done as are the sweet spot imo. You can go after other fringe five star guys that may be on a two year plan, but if you end up with 60% of your starting lineup being OAD guys, you end up in the same roster retention cycle we were in before. Id even be okay with one OAD per year starting in the ‘27 season. I think you might need an extra next year

 

[Susan2361]

Everyone was tired and upset with Cal's strategy of recruiting 5-star Freshmen so heavily, so, after Mark Pope gets established and his program is online, how many 5-star, one-and-done, recruits will he be looking to add to his roster every year ?? He's admitted that he can now recruit players that he never considered in his past, so it will be interesting to see how he approaches recruiting high-schoolers.

I like Coach Pope's strategy so far. I think he'll go for one or two per year. The thing about Pope is that he has something that a lot of coaches don't have...that is CHARISMA!!!! I like it!!! His enthusiasm is contagious!!

GO BIG BLUE AND
COACH POPE, TOO!!!

 

[megablue]

Two one and done as are the sweet spot imo. You can go after other fringe five star guys that may be on a two year plan, but if you end up with 60% of your starting lineup being OAD guys, you end up in the same roster retention cycle we were in before. Id even be okay with one OAD per year starting in the ‘27 season. I think you might need an extra next year

I agree with your post. I voted for two (2) a year. Of course, with NIL$$$ and the portal now, one-and-done players are not solely limited to highly-related Freshmen.

 

[jrpross_rivals]

Two one and done as are the sweet spot imo. You can go after other fringe five star guys that may be on a two year plan, but if you end up with 60% of your starting lineup being OAD guys, you end up in the same roster retention cycle we were in before. Id even be okay with one OAD per year starting in the ‘27 season. I think you might need an extra next year

I agree wholeheartedly. 2 top level OAD’s is perfect. In that Athletic article in another thread it seems like that’s what Pope is looking to do. He wants to mix up the best of the best with freshmen that can contribute but maybe be more of a 2-year guy and then guys that are willing to stick around and be those junior & senior leaders. The 2012 team is a good example; you had AD & MKG, you had Jones and Lamb, and then you had Miller. Ideally you’d have another Miller or 2 but you can see how that mix turned out and frankly AD was so good he made up for any deficiencies.

 

[megablue]

I agree wholeheartedly. 2 top level OAD’s is perfect. In that Athletic article in another thread it seems like that’s what Pope is looking to do. He wants to mix up the best of the best with freshmen that can contribute but maybe be more of a 2-year guy and then guys that are willing to stick around and be those junior & senior leaders. The 2012 team is a good example; you had AD & MKG, you had Jones and Lamb, and then you had Miller. Ideally you’d have another Miller or 2 but you can see how that mix turned out and frankly AD was so good he made up for any deficiencies.

I agree with your post, but one thing is different now ... NIL$$$ and the portal. It will remain to be seen if players are just as inclined to stick around and grow with a program. If not, it will not be a reflection on Pope, but a simple reflection of the reality of today. It will be very interesting to see how it all unfolds. GO CATS !!

 

[JonathanW_rivals]

Our prior coach wanted to get as many of the best from each class as he could, even if it was a weaker class and few of them were "elite" guys, you know guys like Wall, Cousins, Davis, Randle, Towns, Murray, Fox, Bam, Monk. I'm ok with those type guys, how could you not be. Instant best player (or 2) on your team. The problem w/ that coach's philosophy is that every year there are only say 2-6 of those type guys. The next tier (3-20) thinks they are that good, but aren't, and so they have the OAD expectation ever before our former coach brought it up to them.

So, what I think and hope Pope does is still try to get 1-2 of those "elite" guys; then mostly skip that 2nd tier (a few exceptions), and adds 2-3 from the 3rd tier (guys who will become good players, but most probably not right away, and also don't have the OAD expectation or even an expectation of being a top 5 guy on your team in minutes as a FR, but are willing to be patient).

But NIL certainly complicates things!!!

 

[PoBilly]

Pope will go after 2 to 4 top players hoping to sign 1 to 2 of them. Then he will go after 4 and 3 star players that fit his system again 2 or so, rest will be transfer portal, get a known commodity at the college level. Too many unhappy good players that are in their 20s with full grown bodies that can build your team. Of course holding over players not drafted.

 

[Elliott Tim]

I agree wholeheartedly. 2 top level OAD’s is perfect. In that Athletic article in another thread it seems like that’s what Pope is looking to do. He wants to mix up the best of the best with freshmen that can contribute but maybe be more of a 2-year guy and then guys that are willing to stick around and be those junior & senior leaders. The 2012 team is a good example; you had AD & MKG, you had Jones and Lamb, and then you had Miller. Ideally you’d have another Miller or 2 but you can see how that mix turned out and frankly AD was so good he made up for any deficiencies.

Good post.

 

[St.PatterSoN-54-]

Recruit, or land?

 

[megablue]

Recruit, or land?

Good point ... I should've said SIGN. I edited the title. Thanks for the correction. GO CATS !!

 

[CoolCat62_rivals382836]

A 3 -4 STAR PLAYER -works to become a pro @ and could -leads to mult years in collage
A 5 STAR PLAYER THINKS /and doesn’t care -knowing I’m a pro anyway
—see ya -
I’m a one and done

 

[Elliott Tim]

Everyone was tired and upset with Cal's strategy of heavily recruiting 5-star Freshmen, so, after Mark Pope gets established and his program is online, how many 5-star, one-and-done type, recruits will he successfully add to his roster every year ?? He's admitted that he can now recruit players that he never considered in his past, so it will be interesting to see how he approaches recruiting high-schoolers.

I'm not in the everyone category.
You recruit the best and have a staff that gets them to buy into a system that works.
A head coach is or should be a CEO with one's they trust to make everyone around them better.
And not everyone will agree with me.

 

[megablue]

I'm not in the everyone category.
You recruit the best and have a staff that gets them to buy into a system that works.
A head coach is or should be a CEO with one's they trust to make everyone around them better.
And not everyone will agree with me.

I understand your sentiment and I probably should’ve said many/most.
I do think Cal’s recruiting emphasis on the 5-star Freshmen was recently undermined, to a large extent, by the NIL$$$ and the portal.
He will modify his approach at Arkansas, I suspect.

 

[anonymous_2024]

Recruit, or land?

That is the big difference. Can our staff close the deal on elite players? It was the big question initially after the hire and still remains.

 

[MidseasonTweak]

Two should be the max

 

[mrhotdice]

Everyone was tired and upset with Cal's strategy of heavily recruiting 5-star Freshmen, so, after Mark Pope gets established and his program is online, how many 5-star, one-and-done type, recruits will he successfully add to his roster every year ?? He's admitted that he can now recruit players that he never considered in his past, so it will be interesting to see how he approaches recruiting high-schoolers.

Not all 5 stars are one and done. Once NBA lets kids be drafted after HS everything will change. Why waste a year in college. To me once you sign an agent, your college days are over. Now you have NIL agents. Thats just the system being run by the inmates.
.

 

[L.O.D.]

Go after 1 top 10 guy rest add thru portal.


But .......... pretty sure the Portal ends in a few years.

College ball is un sustainable having open portal and un limited Nil.

 

[RunninRichie]

A 3 -4 STAR PLAYER -works to become a pro @ and could -leads to mult years in collage
A 5 STAR PLAYER THINKS /and doesn’t care -knowing I’m a pro anyway
—see ya -
I’m a one and done

There’s a difference. You want the top 10 freshmen. You don’t want the fringe top 20-25.

 

[mrhotdice]

I like Coach Pope's strategy so far. I think he'll go for one or two per year. The thing about Pope is that he has something that a lot of coaches don't have...that is CHARISMA!!!! I like it!!! His enthusiasm is contagious!!

GO BIG BLUE AND
COACH POPE, TOO!!!

Pope has one more thing most coaches dont have. A Championship of his own, that he earned with hard work. The Pitino coaching tree has Blue roots.

 

[Elliott Tim]

I understand your sentiment and I probably should’ve said many/most.
I do think Cal’s recruiting emphasis on the 5-star Freshmen was recently undermined, to a large extent, by the NIL$$$ and the portal.
He will modify his approach at Arkansas, I suspect.

Thank you for accepting this in the way it was posted.

 

[4Frusciante#]

I voted 5 because 6 wasn't on the list and I don't give a crap how many anyway. I'd love for the next superstar to play for UK but very few 5 stars are among college basketball's best players as freshmen. I'd love to get the next AD but the guy is way more likely to be Boston, Edwards, Bradshaw, etc. I'd recommend not recruiting any 5 star eligible for the NBA draft after their freshman season unless they had the skills to be an All-American as a freshman. I just don't want to see any more athletes that have no basketball skills working on their game during Kentucky's games.

 

[mrhotdice]

To me, the problems with 5 Star kids is their posse and their handlers filling their heads wirh BS, and the shoe companies

 

[ImTheVillageIdiot]

To me, the problems with 5 Star kids is their posse and their handlers filling their heads wirh BS, and the shoe companies

If every 5 star kid was Tyrese Maxey I wouldn’t mind Kentucky basketball going back to being a nursery but we know there’s a lot more Chris Livingston’s at the top than the rest when you get down to it.

 

[fs-ripcord65]

I like Coach Pope's strategy so far. I think he'll go for one or two per year. The thing about Pope is that he has something that a lot of coaches don't have...that is CHARISMA!!!! I like it!!! His enthusiasm is contagious!!

GO BIG BLUE AND
COACH POPE, TOO!!!

This ! ! !

 

[billoliver40]

I would say enough for him but not enough for us.

 

[NegaDave]

1.5

 

[Trinity45]

Most everyone was tired and upset with Cal's strategy of heavily recruiting 5-star Freshmen, so, after Mark Pope gets established and his program is online, how many 5-star, one-and-done type, recruits will he successfully add to his roster every year ?? He's admitted that he can now recruit players that he never considered in his past, so it will be interesting to see how he approaches recruiting high-schoolers.

I agree, I think he will recruit a top few players but unlike Cal I think he will also recruit players who come to UK for multiple years and have roles.

 

[Mdnerd]

Don’t care at all. How many games will he win in March? That’s literally the only question. Recruiting stars and ranking mean zilch.

 

[Cleatortoises]

92 and 93 had one. The same one. 98 had one or zero true 5 star players. Anything may happen but I really am not too worried. We'll get some by accident. Pope is dope. He's got this.

 

[W1LDCAT22]

I voted 5 because 6 wasn't on the list and I don't give a crap how many anyway. I'd love for the next superstar to play for UK but very few 5 stars are among college basketball's best players as freshmen. I'd love to get the next AD but the guy is way more likely to be Boston, Edwards, Bradshaw, etc. I'd recommend not recruiting any 5 star eligible for the NBA draft after their freshman season unless they had the skills to be an All-American as a freshman. I just don't want to see any more athletes that have no basketball skills working on their game during Kentucky's games.

So in order to stay away from the Bradshaw's, Edward's, and Boston's, you're fine with also missing out on the Reed Sheppard's, the Dillingham's, Maxey's, Murray's, the Fox's and Bam's?

 

[MegaBlue05]

I’m good with 1-3. Have no desire to have a freshman class with 7 or more ever again.

Give me a productive junior over a beanpole high schooler who might be great or might be just alright but expects to be treated like he’s great.

 

[4Frusciante#]

So in order to stay away from the Bradshaw's, Edward's, and Boston's, you're fine with also missing out on the Reed Sheppard's, the Dillingham's, Maxey's, Murray's, the Fox's and Bam's?

Yes I'm fine with missing some of them. Still wouldn't have missed all of them; I am not saying don't recruit any 5 star players. I'm saying don't recruit ones that are only 5 star because of perceived potential for their size and athleticism and will only be around for one year. For instance, neither Bradshaw, Edwards, or Wagner were ever good in game 3 point shooters in coming into college. When they were taking them at UK they were all trying to become good in game 3 point shooters for the first time at our expense; trying to prove it to the NBA with no thought of making their current team better. I'm saying we shouldn't try to recruit any raw athletes that are rated to be around only one year that don't already have offensive skills. I wouldn't recruit any highly ranked player that wasn't an excellent shooter coming out of high school; if they don't have it by then they probably won't develop it in the short time they are at UK.
I don't think my criteria would have cost us many of the good ones you named. I would prioritize Kentucky players and great shooters and the very few with unusual physical advantages over other players...for instance I'd never pass on anybody with the speed of Wall, Fox, or Dilly unless they had a broken shot or character issues. That kind of speed translates at all levels. And nobody would pass on AD or Cousins or Towns with their rare combinations of size and skills. Of the good ones you named I'd have missed on Bam but you can't get everybody.

 

[Bluegrassking]

Depends on the classes to me.

Some years zero, others maybe three.
If the there are multiple in state available somehow it may even be more

Classes are not created equal and they have to be a fit.

I'm also not running away from 4/5 cusp guys either, we actually seem to do pretty well with those guys even if they only last a year

 

[Tubbyfan78]

lol, y'all say 2 OAD's like it's easy. I expect most years he will have between 0-1. He may have some years here and there with 2. We're just so far removed from reality when it comes to recruiting. 2 true OADs is a monster haul.

 

[MonsterMash79]

Don’t care about the stars anymore. Just get players that fit your system and run it

 

[Monroe Claxton]

He needs to sit at Reed’s and Dilly’s tables at the NBA draft

 

[megablue]

Don’t care about the stars anymore. Just get players that fit your system and run it

Just win, baby !!!

 

[megablue]

lol, y'all say 2 OAD's like it's easy. I expect most years he will have between 0-1. He may have some years here and there with 2. We're just so far removed from reality when it comes to recruiting. 2 true OADs is a monster haul.

More so, 5-stars, rather than being NBA OADs.