POLL: It's Early, But Who Returns Next Year ??

[megablue]

Yes, it is early, but many are understandably thinking about what kind of team we can expect next year to get the program back on track.
Who do you think will be back ??

NOTE: Due to Maximum of ten (10) Hawthorne and Potter are not listed. As redshirts, I guess it is fair to assume they will be returning.

 

[FitchandMurray29]

I tried to look through the lens of who might want to return and who Pope should want back.

I came up with Malachi and then it became much harder to come up with the next name

 

[megablue]

I tried to look through the lens of who might want to return and who Pope should want back.

I came up with Malachi and then it became much harder to come up with the next name

I understand ... and there is no certainty that Hawthorne and Potter will want to stay on board, of course,

 

[jedwar]

I picked Moreno because I had to pick at least one. I really don't think any return but maybe he does. I wouldn't if Pope is coaching.

 

[wildcatsincebirth]

I don’t really want any of them including the coach. This is the most broken *** basketball team I’ve seen since 2009. And Billy G had a better record lmao

 

[UKnine]

What I think is funny is that Demarcus Cousins was drafted 5th and the mock drafts have JQ being drafted 5th.

 

[TTTblue24]

Do we go with mostly ky boys and know they will play with heart and fire but lose alot??? It’s not like we are winning without them now??

Honestly, who is the next coach whenever that happens?

 

[BlueBomb]

I honestly believe that if Pope remains the coach, it's possible the entire team leaves. Seriously.

 

[FitchandMurray29]

I honestly believe that if Pope remains the coach, it's possible the entire team leaves. Seriously.

That’s by far the best case scenario for Pope if he’s here in 26-27

I’m much more hopeful for next season if that happens than I would be if like 6 or 7 of these guys returned.

 

[Old Blue Fart]

These players might leave but seriously, what coach is going to pay them like UK is for this kind of performance?
They may leave but other than Moreno, I can't see any other getting a raise from where they are now.

The Johnson kid could since we really do not know much about him. I think in the right system he could be a player.

The Jelly kid need time to learn how to play against American players I believe. More defense and less just offense.

The rest? I like to keep Trent Noah but hell he would be better off playing full time at a school that wants him.

The rest of them needs to allow a refund on their NIL money.

 

[Drcatfan]

Well there better be significant turnover. Can expect another year with the same group would be a significant improvement.

I hope Lowe is gone and we get a stud PG. there is a lot wrong with this team but it starts there

 

[I’m The Village Idiot]

I can’t say with confidence anyone will be. Me saying Pope would get a third year unless things get even worse —- well, last night was worse. A quad 3 loss at home with coaching staff and players playing the blame game —- if we miss the tournament, something I never would have imagined 14 hours ago — and a coaching staff who have lost the locker room entirely. Idk maybe it is possible he doesn’t get a 3rd year.

 

[SkyPrince]

No matter how bleak things look now, rest assured that UK will field a formidable roster for 26-27 at least on paper.
UK is paying out too much money for it to be any other way.
There's lots of players who would like to have a cut of the 22 mil.
This current roster is about as bad as it gets.
You would really have to try to bring in a worse 2 G and PF than Aberdeen and Mo.
Throw in that JQ is hands down the worst high dollar player in CBB and you have nowhere to go but up.
Pope wasn't nearly this bad last year.

 

[megablue]

No matter how bleak things look now, rest assured that UK will field a formidable roster for 26-27 at least on paper.
UK is paying out too much money for it to be any other way.
There's lots of players who would like to have a cut of the 22 mil.
This current roster is about as bad as it gets.
You would really have to try to bring in a worse 2 G and PF than Aberdeen and Mo.
Throw in that JQ is hands down the worst high dollar player in CBB and you have nowhere to go but up.
Pope wasn't nearly this bad last year.

Respectively, I must ask: If you think "This current roster is about as bad as it gets" ... how can you confidently "rest assured that UK will field a formidable roster for 26-27 at least on paper." ?????
The only way I can see this happening is if Pope and staff make some fundamental changes in their focus and selectivity in the recruiting process.
Surely, lessons simply HAVE to be learned by what has transpired this season. Will / Can they do it ...we'll see, I guess.

 

[Anon1759768907]

hopefully mark pope hits the portal

 

[NociHTTP]

Well there better be significant turnover. Can expect another year with the same group would be a significant improvement.

I hope Lowe is gone and we get a stud PG. there is a lot wrong with this team but it starts there

I want him to stay, but ONLY as the backup. I went with Lowe, Kam, Collin, Andrija and Dioubate.

 

[NociHTTP]

I can’t say with confidence anyone will be. Me saying Pope would get a third year unless things get even worse —- well, last night was worse. A quad 3 loss at home with coaching staff and players playing the blame game —- if we miss the tournament, something I never would have imagined 14 hours ago — and a coaching staff who have lost the locker room entirely. Idk maybe it is possible he doesn’t get a 3rd year.

I can not blame what happened the last minutes of that game. The players completely **** the bed. They panicked.

 

[BlueBlood96Cat]

Some of the fans won’t return at this rate.

 

[BlueBlood96Cat]

I can not blame what happened the last minutes of that game. The players completely **** the bed. They panicked.

Yea that’s also not on Pope for having players not ready for this level of basketball…. Darn equipment managers

 

[I’m The Village Idiot]

I can not blame what happened the last minutes of that game. The players completely **** the bed. They panicked.

It’s the second game that we crapped the bed though. UNC and Missouri should both be wins. If you need to, call a timeout and ease the tensions. There’s an old coaching hack that some guys used to do where if you had a player going to the free throw line for a clutch free throw, you say something goofy and unrelated to them in the huddle to get them laughing. I don’t expect Pope to fix literally every single issue, but I expect him to see we are crapping the bed and at least call a timeout or something.

 

[BlueBlood96Cat]

Malachi Moreno and Trent Noah will be the only players here next year. Maybe Hawthorne

 

[NociHTTP]

Respectively, I must ask: If you think "This current roster is about as bad as it gets" ... how can you confidently "rest assured that UK will field a formidable roster for 26-27 at least on paper." ?????
The only way I can see this happening is if Pope and staff make some fundamental changes in their focus and selectivity in the recruiting process.
Surely, lessons simply HAVE to be learned by what has transpired this season. Will / Can they do it ...we'll see, I guess.

Pope is a smart dude. He's a good guy and sometimes weird, and he's smart. One way to look at it is he went with offense his first year, tried to go with more size and defense this year (but some players didn't actually buy in), and so I think we'll see a combination of shooting and defense his third year. I also expect the new Administrator to tell him to try and become less of a father figure and more of a coach.

 

[Argonaut]

So if boosters turn off the NIL faucet, how would Pope pay for current players? Or will he have to offer them smaller contracts?

 

[OliverSimmonsTwinBrother]

Maybe harsh but I hope they all leave including the coaching staff. This is my least favorite UK team in my 112 years of watching

 

[I’m The Village Idiot]

Pope is a smart dude. He's a good guy and sometimes weird, and he's smart. One way to look at it is he went with offense his first year, tried to go with more size and defense this year (but some players didn't actually buy in), and so I think we'll see a combination of shooting and defense his third year. I also expect the new Administrator to tell him to try and become less of a father figure and more of a coach.

Being a smart guy doesn’t mean you have every type of intelligence. In school, others thought I was highly intelligent. I couldn’t even tell that a girl I was into had a crush on me. Others had to tell me and by the time they did, that ship had sailed — I lacked social intelligence. Pope might figure this out and be Rupp 2.0 but his handling of basketball operations to this point hasn’t indicated that his intelligence of all factors related to running this organization is sufficient.

 

[NociHTTP]

It’s the second game that we crapped the bed though. UNC and Missouri should both be wins. If you need to, call a timeout and ease the tensions. There’s an old coaching hack that some guys used to do where if you had a player going to the free throw line for a clutch free throw, you say something goofy and unrelated to them in the huddle to get them laughing. I don’t expect Pope to fix literally every single issue, but I expect him to see we are crapping the bed and at least call a timeout or something.

One angle might be that he redeems himself to the press, saying that he's no longer going to be Mr Nice Guy, and then suddenly the players are on the hook. Don't redeem yourself to the players, don't give them a sliver of hope to the contrary.

 

[I’m The Village Idiot]

One angle might be that he redeems himself to the press, saying that he's no longer going to be Mr Nice Guy, and then suddenly the players are on the hook. Don't redeem yourself to the players, don't give them a sliver of hope to the contrary.

None of that really matters. Remember how important it was that he chew into a player two weeks ago? Now that’s happened multiple times and no one cares. It was never really about the things he says in the pressers, how he behaves on the court, his demeanor etc. It’s the losing and the way the losing is happening. That either gets fixed or he won’t be here.

 

[NociHTTP]

Being a smart guy doesn’t mean you have every type of intelligence. In school, others thought I was highly intelligent. I couldn’t even tell that a girl I was into had a crush on me. Others had to tell me and by the time they did, that ship had sailed — I lacked social intelligence. Pope might figure this out and be Rupp 2.0 but his handling of basketball operations to this point hasn’t indicated it.

We can hope, though, right? There's a lot to complain about, but few are making any kind of effort to look for the positive.

 

[NociHTTP]

None of that really matters. Remember how important it was that he chew into a player two weeks ago? Now that’s happened multiple times and no one cares. It was never really about the things he says in the pressers, how he behaves on the court, his demeanor etc. It’s the losing and the way the losing is happening. That either gets fixed or he won’t be here.

Wonder who the people who do matter think about it?

 

[Cowtown Cat]

Respectively, I must ask: If you think "This current roster is about as bad as it gets" ... how can you confidently "rest assured that UK will field a formidable roster for 26-27 at least on paper." ?????
The only way I can see this happening is if Pope and staff make some fundamental changes in their focus and selectivity in the recruiting process.
Surely, lessons simply HAVE to be learned by what has transpired this season. Will / Can they do it ...we'll see, I guess.

Cohesiveness matters. If you can field a team where the pieces fit, that’ll go a long way. At least two PGs, maybe one with elite scoring ability, but both must be ACTUAL PGs! Then some 2s and 3s that can shoot, pass and dribble and play defense. A couple four men, that can stretch the floor but also rebound and block shots. A big that can actually play with his back to the basket. Start there.

 

[I’m The Village Idiot]

We can hope, though, right? There's a lot to complain about, but few are making any kind of effort to look for the positive.

If there was even a sliver of positive, I’d hyperfixate on it and that would be my slant. I hate being hyper negative. I don’t see another option right now

 

[Padsfs07]

I think Moreno and Noah return. I could see Lowe coming back too. I think Hawthorne and Potter will be here next year as well.

Pope needs to exclusively recruit the best shooters to go with them though. He absolutely has to have an elite stretch 4 and a knock-down, Brea/Reeves type, SG for his offense to work.

Garrison, Chandler, Johnson, Dioubate don’t fit that plan at this time. I don’t think Williams does either.

 

[theBlues]

I picked Moreno because I had to pick at least one. I really don't think any return but maybe he does. I wouldn't if Pope is coaching.

Same here and MM is not the type center Pope's offense needs.

 

[IowaCityLit]

I tried to look through the lens of who might want to return and who Pope should want back.

I came up with Malachi and then it became much harder to come up with the next name

This is one of those situations where you hope no one comes back. It’s just a poorly assembled roster with no studs and no one who can develop into a stud and role players who think they’re special.

it may be painful but you gotta blow this thing up. Start over. Happens all the time now. And only pay premium money for premium talent.

 

[HipTer]

What I think is funny is that Demarcus Cousins was drafted 5th and the mock drafts have JQ being drafted 5th.

That tells us all we need to know about correlating projected draft pick positions with the best college basketball players today. I don’t understand why draft position should even come up when arguing how good a college player is currently. It’s a non-sequitur.

 

[I’m The Village Idiot]

That tells us all we need to know about correlating projected draft pick positions with the best college basketball players today. I don’t understand why draft position should even come up when arguing how good a college player is currently. It’s a non-sequitur.

If only there was someone who says that to almost unanimous (and vicious) disapproval.

- College player
- NBA player

^ Two completely different things. Sometimes players are excellent at both. Sometimes they aren’t.

 

[Runt#1969]

none

 

[blackcat714]

Do you have to let a player return if they want to come back

 

[megablue]

Do you have to let a player return if they want to come back

I don't know, but if you do not pay them, they will probably leave.

 

[The Ganner]

Oweh and Aberdeen graduate

Guys who stay:
Noah - kentucky guy, not really going to excel at a high major program, NIL as good as its gonna get here
Chandler - likes Pope, Pope likes him, I think he sticks around
Moreno - He's starting as a freshman, one of the few sort-of-bright-spots this year.
Lowe - Maybe a bit of a longshot here but I think he get shoulder surgery and runs it back, and Pope doubles down on what he saw in him. Coming off injury and not showing much this year to improve on what he was last year, not sure he finds a better spot.

Guys who leave:
Quaintance - Draft
Garrison - he almost left last year, he's not starting, he's never going to be starter quality. Tries out another school.
Jasper Johnson - getting no PT, something's just not working out, he'll go somewhere he feels he'll have more chance to shine
Mo D - He's not happy here
Jelavic - same as JJ, goes somewhere he feels he'll have more chance to shine
Kam Williams - kind of like Lowe I'm sort of 50/50 on him but feel like he might fall on the other side. He'll have plenty of suitors.