When should we be nervous?
- Thread starter The Last Ronin
- Start date
It's Wednesday.
Put down your phone and turn off your computer. Pick it back up in November.
Here are the studs left on the board, in order based on player efficiency rating in 2023-24:
Vladislav Goldin - C
Amari Williams - C - UK Commit
Aubin Gateretse - C
Jalen Smith - PG
DJ Burns - PF
Matt Cross - PF
Great Osobor - PF
Chaz Lanier - G
Anthony Dell-Orso - SF
From here up had player efficiency ratings higher than Zvonomir Ivisic, Reed Sheppard, Antonio Reeves, and Rob Dillingham in 2023-24. There are a couple more who also did but were left off the list for having less playing time than an average starter.
Jonas Aidoo - SF
BJ Freeman - PF
Jamarii Thomas - G
Johnell Davis - G - Trending Arkansas
Sean Stewart - G
Nana Owusu-Anane - PF
Deivon Smith - G
Clifford Omoruyi - C
Duncan Powell - C
Richie Saunders - G
Jalen Blackmon - G
Khalif Battle - G
Nikita Konstantynovskyi - C
Brycen Goodine - G
Andrew Carr - SF
Cade Tyson - SF
Tyler Bilodeau - PF
Max Shulga - G
Dante Maddox, Jr. - G
Marcus Hill - G
Kevin Miller - G
Dejour Reaves - G
Camren Hunter - G
Felix Okpara - C
Koby Brea - G
Jordan Pope - G
Dakota Leffew - G
Sean Pedulla - G
Aaron Scott - SF
Javon Small - G
Xavier Amos - PF
Brandon Garrison - C
From here up had player efficiency ratings higher than Adou Thiero, UK's 5th rated player in efficiency in 2023-24. There are a couple more who also did but were left off the list for having less playing time than an average starter.
Adou Thiero - SF
Ezra Ausar - PF
Aaron Bradshaw - PF - UK's 6th rated player in player efficiency 2023-24.
At this point, there are many players left in the portal that are below average in player efficiency from 2023-24. The above players listed are all above average. If we get 4-5 of the players listed above, we will be in as good of shape of any of the top programs for 2024-25. Start to worry when all of these drop off the board and there are no other players taking their place. Remember, the portal doesn't close until May 1.
Vladislav Goldin - C
Amari Williams - C - UK Commit
Aubin Gateretse - C
Jalen Smith - PG
DJ Burns - PF
Matt Cross - PF
Great Osobor - PF
Chaz Lanier - G
Anthony Dell-Orso - SF
From here up had player efficiency ratings higher than Zvonomir Ivisic, Reed Sheppard, Antonio Reeves, and Rob Dillingham in 2023-24. There are a couple more who also did but were left off the list for having less playing time than an average starter.
Jonas Aidoo - SF
BJ Freeman - PF
Jamarii Thomas - G
Johnell Davis - G - Trending Arkansas
Sean Stewart - G
Nana Owusu-Anane - PF
Deivon Smith - G
Clifford Omoruyi - C
Duncan Powell - C
Richie Saunders - G
Jalen Blackmon - G
Khalif Battle - G
Nikita Konstantynovskyi - C
Brycen Goodine - G
Andrew Carr - SF
Cade Tyson - SF
Tyler Bilodeau - PF
Max Shulga - G
Dante Maddox, Jr. - G
Marcus Hill - G
Kevin Miller - G
Dejour Reaves - G
Camren Hunter - G
Felix Okpara - C
Koby Brea - G
Jordan Pope - G
Dakota Leffew - G
Sean Pedulla - G
Aaron Scott - SF
Javon Small - G
Xavier Amos - PF
Brandon Garrison - C
From here up had player efficiency ratings higher than Adou Thiero, UK's 5th rated player in efficiency in 2023-24. There are a couple more who also did but were left off the list for having less playing time than an average starter.
Adou Thiero - SF
Ezra Ausar - PF
Aaron Bradshaw - PF - UK's 6th rated player in player efficiency 2023-24.
At this point, there are many players left in the portal that are below average in player efficiency from 2023-24. The above players listed are all above average. If we get 4-5 of the players listed above, we will be in as good of shape of any of the top programs for 2024-25. Start to worry when all of these drop off the board and there are no other players taking their place. Remember, the portal doesn't close until May 1.
Considering their coaching change was known for a long time and ours just fell out of the sky with no warning what do you expect?
Well, it's never too late to start again. And it's an excuse to make up for lost time as well.
I know 3 players doesn't sound like a lot, but when you break it down that is already 25% of our roster completed. Even in a worst case scenario where we lose out on every player we are in for right now, it would be shocking if we don't get at least 3 more commits by May 1. Thats already 50% of the roster complete.
0 reason to panic
0 reason to panic
Exactly!!
Even U Conn and Hurley are not getting the kids they want to just commit right away and they just won back-to-back titles!!!
These kids are going to weigh ALL of their options which in the long run makes the kids that actually end up at UK the ones that see the most upside in Coach Pope’s system. That’s the kids we should ALL want!!
April 11, 2024 is when you should have started being nervous. That’s the day all this kicked off.
Then the mind boggling move of turning down Antigua compounding it making things worse. Brooks was a good hire but I’m not sold on Hart being able to recruit at the level needed at UK.
Missing on Johnell Davis hurts, a lot. Makes it even worse that Kal is the one taking him. Not worried about Arkansas winning anything though.
I haven’t even seen us being linked to any of the guys leaving Duke except Roach. Really surprised Mitchell wasn’t looked at.
Then the mind boggling move of turning down Antigua compounding it making things worse. Brooks was a good hire but I’m not sold on Hart being able to recruit at the level needed at UK.
Missing on Johnell Davis hurts, a lot. Makes it even worse that Kal is the one taking him. Not worried about Arkansas winning anything though.
I haven’t even seen us being linked to any of the guys leaving Duke except Roach. Really surprised Mitchell wasn’t looked at.
No problem.
If we could land Osobor and Lanier, that would give us 3 of the top 10 portal players for the year.
Richie Saunders is also a great get, as he was 7th in the Big 12 in player efficiency. If we land Brea/Small, Saunders, and Carr, we have a starting 5 that would really compete.
The coach they got was like their 6th choice. So, no, that wasn't known or expected for a while in a way that aided UK.
I expect us to build a roster a bit faster than we are. So far, things in that front are exactly looking good.
Also, it was supposedly win or bust for Cal all season. So it wasn't exactly completely unexpected.
This was going to happen sooner or later. With Cal retooling every year with freshman it was inevitable that a new coach would come in with nothing on the shelf. We are lucky that the portal is where it is now. I look at 24-25 being on probation and if we do anything it will be a bonus!
You should never be nervous about basketball in general . Plus this is not something we as fan can control.
Pope is paid a nice salary, has great enthusiasm, loves Kentucky and winning , started assembling a great coaching team, knows what his responsibilities are , so lets relax and enjoy the process.
It’s going to take 2-3 years to rebuild the program and change the culture. What was destroyed in 20 plus years cannot be rebuilt in 2 weeks, or even a year .
Pope is paid a nice salary, has great enthusiasm, loves Kentucky and winning , started assembling a great coaching team, knows what his responsibilities are , so lets relax and enjoy the process.
It’s going to take 2-3 years to rebuild the program and change the culture. What was destroyed in 20 plus years cannot be rebuilt in 2 weeks, or even a year .
Well when someone that joined 9 days ago says we should be nervous, the last thing I'll do is get nervous.
Where are all these new posters coming from?
I think they're Hog agents reporting our stress level .
Im good with just 3 for the season, just so we can finally get that zone I've been looking for.!
I appreciate your opinion, it’s well thought out and logical. HOWEVER, Mitch told us at the press conference he HAD to hire a coach (Pope) that previous weekend in order to ensure that we were competitive THIS YEAR. So, no I’m not willing to let Mitch off the hook for a rushed and panicked coaching search that he justified by claiming it was necessary to be competitive next year. We need to be competitive this year or Mitch needs to be fired. (None of that is Pope’s fault BTW)
He likely did have to hire a coach in that time frame to have any chance to be successful this year. So from my perspective, he either pulled the trigger and had an opportunity to, or he waited and had very little opportunity. Both could have ended up in success or failure but the odds were in favor of the early hire.
Lol, can you point to where I said you should be nervous?
Jeez, try not to be the poster child for illiteracy!
May 1 is when the Portal entry door closes (for most). Players may not decide instantly, I say give that weekend (3rd-5th) in case they want to visit a school. So on May 6th, if we don't have at least 6-7 guys, including at least 3 I would feel comfortable with as starters (so not Perry or Chandler as FR), will get nervous then.
What was your last smug alias ? You're here to plant doubt. It's not gonna work.
What was yours?
What doubt have I planted? Are you admitting you have doubts? You seem very fragile!
So Brooks can get players to play for a guy like Scott Drew at Baylor, but he's not going to be able to get them to play for Pope at Kentucky
Why would you get nervous 3 weeks from now? This is his very 1st recruiting class and he had hardly any time to throw it together. You're gonna get nervous over Pope in year 1 when he came in with zero players and had a very short period of time to try and put it together? Wow.
Everyone seems to be. UCONN has like 5 on their roster right now. Arkansas a Cal have 3. It’s not moving quickly for anyone in rebuild mode right now.
You struggle, don't you? The thread title asked a question. My answer was I would worry if we haven't added anyone else by mid May. That's a pretty logical response.
A guy with a screename of a mutant ninja turtle that started a thread wondering when to get nervous is calling others fragile. LOL!!!
Thanks for the laugh !
His first steps was to put together one helluva staff and he’s done just that. He added Hart and Fueger officially Monday. He just added Brooks today. So they’ve had respectively 2 days and 1 has had a half a day on the job. So we as fans have got to give these guys some time to be able to do their job and recruit some kids.
um Yes? Scott drew is a future hall of fame coachSo Brooks can get players to play for a guy like Scott Drew at Baylor, but he's not going to be able to get them to play for Pope at Kentucky