Imagine Bruce Pearl at UK with 22 mil

We don’t have 22 million for 2026 recruits so no he wouldn’t. He sure as hell wouldn’t have recruited this current team though.

JwUKFan11 said:

We don’t have 22 million for 2026 recruits so no he wouldn’t. He sure as hell wouldn’t have recruited this current team though.

Why don't we?

But would he understand the assignment since he didn't have any previous relationship with the school or state? This should be one of the biggest prerequisites when hiring a coach at UK. Signed, Mitch Barnhart

JwUKFan11 said:

We don’t have 22 million for 2026 recruits so no he wouldn’t. He sure as hell wouldn’t have recruited this current team though.

you guys realize Pearl did not recruit like Cal right? He brought in mostly 4 stars with the occasional 5 star

Pearl never coached at Kentucky. He'd get more than his fair share with our resources. Hell, maybe even a grill shaped like a mine car.

KYWC36 said:

you guys realize Pearl did not recruit like Cal right? He brought in mostly 4 stars with the occasional 5 star

he started heating up at the end though, shareef cooper, jabari, tahaad, almost stole jasper from us

Anon1759768907 said:

We would have Stokes, Holt, and likely a All Sec Player too

I don't think it's worth speculating about Pearl at UK. Even if the Pope era ends after next season Pearl will be 67 going into his first season. Do we really want to hire a coach in his final years on the job, who already retired once...? With that said I do think, if this doesn't work out with Pope, Kentucky MUST get someone proven this go-round. No more learning on the job, we need to know you've done it before. I think someone with Pearl/Oats' pedigree is the minimum--ie consistent success and at least a final four.

He wouldn’t even need to give them a bbq!

I would take Pearl at 67 yrs old. Give him 3 years and after that see if he is up for more.

Pearl was lined up, you can thank the “greatest UK AD of our lifetime” and president Cap for this mess. They wanted Pearl nowhere near the program and but a dead stop on it.

wildcatdon said:

I would take Pearl at 67 yrs old. Give him 3 years and after that see if he is up for more.

Absolutely. 67 is not very old at all these days. …Now if a 73-year-old dude wants to come here and coach, you’d better be able to convince me he already won a title here and near enough two more.

Pearl would have given 5 years or so of unmatched passion and energy. Should have been the call. It was right and logical. Then see who had EARNED the opportunity to be next. No 12 losss a year coaches who had never won anything of importance.

KYWC36 said:

you guys realize Pearl did not recruit like Cal right? He brought in mostly 4 stars with the occasional 5 star

You do realize that Bruce Pearl effectively made Tennessee and Auburn relevant in basketball?

SBKY said:

You do realize that Bruce Pearl effectively made Tennessee and Auburn relevant in basketball?

This shows your youth, A- that is not true at all- I will give him more credit for Auburn because they had been up and down before him, but Tennessee has a long bball history before you and I were even born and B- that has nothing to do with what I said. He's a great coach, he not an elite recruiter who brings in top class after top class, he wins on his ability not 5 star recruits, that was the point. How about read for context next time? Good effort though

Dr.LutherSan said:

But would he understand the assignment since he didn't have any previous relationship with the school or state? This should be one of the biggest prerequisites when hiring a coach at UK. Signed, Mitch Barnhart

Indiana football says hello

KYWC36 said:

This shows your youth, A- that is not true at all- I will give him more credit for Auburn because they had been up and down before him, but Tennessee has a long bball history before you and I were even born and B- that has nothing to do with what I said. He's a great coach, he not an elite recruiter who brings in top class after top class, he wins on his ability not 5 star recruits, that was the point. How about read for context next time? Good effort though

Before I was born they best they had ever finished was make it to the 2nd round (I'm 46). They went the majority of the 80s and 90s without even making the tournament. When he took over, they had not been to the tournament in 4 years. He made the tournament every year, with 3 Sweet 16s and 1 Elite 8. (The farthest they had ever made it in the tournament) Tennessee Volunteers Men's Basketball Index | College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com Auburn was never up and down - they were always down. They had made the tournament a total of 8 times before him. He took them to the Final 4 twice. Again, the best they had ever finished, like Tennessee. Auburn Tigers Men's Basketball Index | College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com

KYWC36 said:

you guys realize Pearl did not recruit like Cal right? He brought in mostly 4 stars with the occasional 5 star

Exactly. If you want Pearl, its for a fun style and a guy that can coach his *** off

SBKY said:

Before I was born they best they had ever finished was make it to the 2nd round (I'm 46). They went the majority of the 80s and 90s without even making the tournament. When he took over, they had not been to the tournament in 4 years. He made the tournament every year, with 3 Sweet 16s and 1 Elite 8. (The farthest they had ever made it in the tournament) Tennessee Volunteers Men's Basketball Index | College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com Auburn was never up and down - they were always down. They had made the tournament a total of 8 times before him. He took them to the Final 4 twice. Again, the best they had ever finished, like Tennessee. Auburn Tigers Men's Basketball Index | College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com

Game ,set , match.

JwUKFan11 said:

We don’t have 22 million for 2026 recruits so no he wouldn’t. He sure as hell wouldn’t have recruited this current team though.

Bruce Pearl will get what he wants if he became the coach UK donors would pitch in because it will be a 3 to 5 year sprint to a title

UKGrad24 said:

Pearl was lined up, you can thank the “greatest UK AD of our lifetime” and president Cap for this mess. They wanted Pearl nowhere near the program and but a dead stop on it.

We have to be careful about what we say about Barney because this is getting to a point where he literally has full control of our athletic programs and he is allowing our basketball program to slowly deteriorate. He’s been at it for over a quarter of a century and he has succeeded he succeeded in tamping down expectations for our basketball program. The man needs to go immediately. This isn’t a laughing matter at this point it’s a lot of memes and and stuff making fun of the situation with Barney, but it’s to the point where the guy should be fired and honestly the president needs to go with them. It’s a big mess Barney has created our basketball program potentially will not survive Barney‘s tenure at. All of those expectations that have been built all of the success over the last 100 years and somehow this guy was able to come in and squat for a quarter century pulling crap like the nostalgia garbage with pope to brainwash Kentucky ends to accept his media mediocre effort. This must change this has to change or it’s over UK basketball will be over. It’s already over as we knew it, but I mean we’re looking at fighting to be a top 25 team not fighting to stay a top five team that’s Kentucky standard.

UKCowboys said:

Exactly. If you want Pearl, its for a fun style and a guy that can coach his *** off

That sounds exactly like what everyone has always wanted from a HC at UK.

Goingfor9 said:

Bruce Pearl will get what he wants if he became the coach UK donors would pitch in because it will be a 3 to 5 year sprint to a title

Not how it works going forward. Money either comes from the 22 million from the rev share (which basketball gets around 4 mil from) or it has to come from actual NIL deals.

KYWC36 said:

you guys realize Pearl did not recruit like Cal right? He brought in mostly 4 stars with the occasional 5 star

Yeah and this roster isn't full of guys he would recruit. I don't care what they are ranked, Pearl can actually see talent and build rosters unlike the current coach.

Anony Moose said:

Why don't we?

Rev share and NIL are the ways players are paid going forward. That is why over the summer players were signing before that ruling took place to lock in their money.