Radical changes needed for UK's Basketball Program

[sefus12]

2 seasons going 46-26 hasnt been much fun. losing isnt fun. getting down double digits all the time isnt fun. missing out on elite talent isnt fun. having a coach that makes an *** out of himself every time he speaks isnt fun. not being hyped to start a season because the roster construction looks mid isnt fun.

i suppose if you try really hard and reduce uk basketball into the tiniest thing and completely ignore all other context.....you can fabricate a scenario that might be fun. but as a uk basketball fan....i shouldnt have to do all that

So if you’re so sure about how bad this season will be, why don’t you go make a ton of money betting against the cats? Feels like some of you are just hoping it will be bad so your negativity can be justified.

What I’m saying is that this is damn near an entirely new roster and we have no idea how the season will go. I’ll take a wait-and-see approach as opposed to bumping my BP up and already bitching about how big a failure it is.

 

[Wildcat_in_DC]

So if you’re so sure about how bad this season will be, why don’t you go make a ton of money betting against the cats? Feels like some of you are just hoping it will be bad so your negativity can be justified.

What I’m saying is that this is damn near an entirely new roster and we have no idea how the season will go. I’ll take a wait-and-see approach as opposed to bumping my BP up and already bitching about how big a failure it is.

and what i'm saying is that everything to date has been a failure to live up the programs standards. so i dont think its all that shocking that a lot of folks are indifferent on the year.

 

[RedwoodHigh]

It does not look like his "best yet", not even close.

Wrong

 

[moses1uk]

Pope has played like 70 games at this point.

And he went father in the tourney than Cal could his last many years

 

[Wildcat_in_DC]

And he went father in the tourney than Cal could his last many years

unfortunately for pope.....comparing his performance to cal's final years is fundamentally irrelevant since that is not how we measure any kind of success at this program.

 

[Catastic5]

No basketball team overcomes 3 injured starters. Not the 1996 UK team. They are starters for a reason. Even Florida this year. Pope has had that for his first 2 seasons.

No matter how much you try to push it, Quaintqnce was added to the roster already injured. Pope doesn’t get to complain about an injury for a player he knew was compromised.

 

[Catastic5]

And he went father in the tourney than Cal could his last many years

Wow, a Sweet 16 16. And what happened during that Sweet 16 game? Do tell.

 

[BlueVelvetFog]

Basketball gets what it needs and then we go from there. Maybe a better basketball coach won't need quite as much money and we can spread it around better, but who knows. Basketball eats first.

LOL. Ok

 

[JustBlue]

missing out on elite talent isnt fun.

You should never ever, ever consistently struggle to land elite talent at UK. You might not be the very best every year (everyone has a "not as strong as usual" year here and there) but you must get your share A+ guys and be turning away more than not. The whole "Pope may surprise some people with the roster he has put together" spin is complete garbage. You are Kentucky and should be near the top almost all the time.

"This is the best team on paper" and they are projected middle of the pack? I hope they win every game but no one can convince me that's what UK is about.

JB

 

[Cats4321]

These polls are basically what I've been saying. Our roster is pretty good and we can be a much improved team over last year. Unfortunately, we could end up in basically the same position because there are so many really good rosters this year. We might be good relative to previous years, but that doesn't mean we won't be mediocre relative to the teams we have to play thiis season. I am hopeful this team can exceed expectations. I'm not really negative about this team...taking a wait and see approach. But one thing I know is that a mediocre season won't cut it. The Kentucky basketball program has WAY too many financial resources to settle for "at least we are a little better this year".

 

[Catastic5]

You should never ever, ever consistently struggle to land elite talent at UK. You might not be the very best every year (everyone has a "not as strong as usual" year here and there) but you must get your share A+ guys and be turning away more than not. The whole "Pope may surprise some people with the roster he has put together" spin is complete garbage. You are Kentucky and should be near the top almost all the time.

"This is the best team on paper" and they are projected middle of the pack? I hope they win every game but no one can convince me that's what UK is about.

JB

Scary isn’t it? This is Pope’s best foot forward. What the heck are we doing if this is the peak of what Mark Pope is capable of?

 

[Bluesbrother]

The Latest Headline:

SEC preseason picks: Florida holds off Texas, Arkansas​

https://www.cbssports.com/college-b...eseason-predictions-2026-27-florida-texas-uk/
Over the last 5 years or more, the program has hit mediocrity. We are in a danger zone. A complete evaluation of the program is needed.

Start with changing coaches. Get the right coach ... the right coach was exactly what changed the football program that was viewed nationally as a joke. The BB program is waiting for the right coach.

 

[Goingfor9]

Pope will be the Ky coach for at least 5 more years. 2 more Sweet 16’s gives him 7 more years.
Will Stein will be offered several big time jobs over the next few years including Penn State & several NFL JOBS.

Stein isnt leaving unless it’s for an nfl gig. Idk why he would ever think about leaving if he builds this program. Stein makes peanuts right now that’s how much he wanted the job. The likes of Penn st, Oregon, Ohio st if those are his goal I don’t think he would have ended up taking the UK job.

 

[Cleatortoises]

2 seasons going 46-26 hasnt been much fun. losing isnt fun. getting down double digits all the time isnt fun. missing out on elite talent isnt fun. having a coach that makes an *** out of himself every time he speaks isnt fun. not being hyped to start a season because the roster construction looks mid isnt fun.

i suppose if you try really hard and reduce uk basketball into the tiniest thing and completely ignore all other context.....you can fabricate a scenario that might be fun. but as a uk basketball fan....i shouldnt have to do all that

Thinking you deserve something is odd.

 

[Damage_inc]

Basketball is killing the football high we’re experiencing right now. But Stein’s success is really bothering me that the basketball is struggling despite the amount of resources it has compared to the football team.

We legit spent more NIL on the basketball team. 14 man roster vs a full football roster. You'd expect the ROI to be better. Keep in mind that football is funded with rev share so all the private money is going to BB. But still.

the difference in stein and pope is so stark. It's insane that both hires were made by the same guy.

 

[Drcatfan]

I will say Pope had a substantial NIL budget and built this roster. Barring major injuries, this season should be good test of his coaching ability.

IMO, if we are a top 15 team and make it to the sweet sixteen or better then he earns another year. If we are outside the top 20 and exit the first weekend of the tourney then he definitely needs to go.

 

[seccats04]

We legit spent more NIL on the basketball team. 14 man roster vs a full football roster. You'd expect the ROI to be better. Keep in mind that football is funded with rev share so all the private money is going to BB. But still.

the difference in stein and pope is so stark. It's insane that both hires were made by the same guy.

Hint: they weren’t hired by the same guy. If you think Stein was a Mitch hire, that lasted about two days, I don’t know what to tell you. He didn’t want to fire Stoops. He let Sumrall go to Florida while watching us get shut out by UL and seeing if he could extend Stoops for going to the Sav A Lot bowl if we had won that game. Mitch didn’t have a clue or a backup plan. That’s how we ended up with Pope.

 

[Haggin_Hall_1983]

No matter how much you try to push it, Quaintqnce was added to the roster already injured. Pope doesn’t get to complain about an injury for a player he knew was compromised.

You still failed to address my point- that Pope did well given what he had to work with. I want someone who can deliver as a coach when we have the right players- I still think we have that guy. So you are in the camp "we do not take chances on injured players".
So when this seasons Freshman stud that is on everyones top 5 list gets injured and goes into the portal, its hands off for you. Got it.

 

[BarHasDropped]

I will say Pope had a substantial NIL budget and built this roster. Barring major injuries, this season should be good test of his coaching ability.

IMO, if we are a top 15 team and make it to the sweet sixteen or better then he earns another year. If we are outside the top 20 and exit the first weekend of the tourney then he definitely needs to go.

Dang a sweet sixteen and top fifteen team keeps his job? The standard really doesn't exist anymore. Top 15 team with top five resources if not better. Crazy work BBN.

Football is a top 15 team with bottom feeder resources. Pope needs nothing less than a final four.

 

[seccats04]

I couldn’t care less about UK basketball. Barnhart and Cal ruined it.

I’ll still watch because I’ll always love UK but I’m not expecting much. Mitch and Pope leading the program really killed my enthusiasm. Now football OTOH….

 

[VC99]

Wow, a Sweet 16 16. And what happened during that Sweet 16 game? Do tell.

I think if I had to sum up the problem these people are having is they are so worried about Pope's "success" that they lost sight of Kentucky's success.

It doesn't matter if Pope reaches a sweet 16 or elite 8, that's Pope success. Kentucky's success is winning titles and final fours.

They're so fixated on Pope having his best season or whatever that looks like that they can't clearly see the changes that need to happen for KENTUCKY.

The top of Pope's abilities are elite 8's. The top of Kentucky's abilities are Championships.