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KSR Today: House Settlement, Murray State, Tyran Stokes, and more

On3 imageby: Tyler Thompson06/09/25MrsTylerKSR
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Photos via Imagn Images and UK Athletics

Good morning, friends. It was a surprisingly busy weekend in the UK sports world and beyond, one that kicked off with the news that the House Settlement has been approved, which will change college sports as we know them, and didn’t really slow down even though we’re firmly in the offseason.

From there, Malachi Moreno won MVP honors at the Kentucky vs. Indiana All-Star Game with several of his new teammates in attendance; Kentucky Basketball hosted a pair of youth camps, giving us our first glimpse of the 2025-26 team; Kentucky Football hosted its Sunday Showcase camp at Kroger Field, with some big official visitors in town; and the OKC Thunder bounced back to even the series with the Indiana Pacers in the NBA Finals. Shortly before tipoff of that game, we found out that Tyran Stokes, the No. 1 player in the country, was on Kentucky’s campus for an official visit. And, oh yeah, Sovereignty won the Belmont, beating out Journalism and leaving us all wondering what could have happened if the Derby winner also competed in the Preakness.

There’s plenty on tap today, too. Murray State is also playing for its first-ever College World Series berth vs. one of Kentucky’s biggest rivals. Let’s start with the House Settlement, because it truly feels like a new era of college sports is upon us.

Coming to terms with the House Settlement

If you disconnected from the news on Friday afternoon, first, good for you; however, you missed a heck of a Friday night news dump. Around 9:00 p.m. on Friday, Judge Claudia Wilken approved the House vs. NCAA settlement, which brings revenue sharing to college sports. Starting July 1, schools will be able to pay student-athletes directly for the first time ever. Additionally, college student-athletes who competed from 2016 to 2024 will be eligible for $2.8 billion in back payments. Moving forward, every NIL deal over $600 must be approved by a third-party clearinghouse, which means that the days of cutting a player a check without services rendered are over. Roster limits are up across the board: 15 for men’s and women’s basketball, 105 for football, 34 for baseball, 28 for men’s and women’s soccer, 25 for softball, and 18 for volleyball.

Now, some tough decisions must be made. For the 2025-26 season, schools are permitted (although not required) to share up to $20.5 million with their athletes across all sports. How they divvy that up is entirely up to them. Football, the largest revenue generator for all schools — even basketball ones like Kentucky — will get the lion’s share. Men’s basketball is probably next in the pecking order for most. But what about after that? Women’s basketball? Baseball? Volleyball? Which sports will schools prioritize? In Kentucky’s case, there are good arguments to be made on behalf of several programs. Mitch Barnhart issued a statement on Saturday about how UK Athletics will “not only survive, but thrive,” but I’m glad I’m not the one in his shoes making the calls.

What’s next? On Sunday, President Trump hosted SEC commissioner Greg Sankey and Notre Dame athletic director Pete Bevacqua for a round of golf at Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster. The trio was expected to discuss the future of college sports and Trump’s involvement. Does that mean an executive order is on its way? Will the meeting expedite Congress’ plans for a federal college sports bill? The House Settlement is a big step forward, but more guardrails are needed to make sure things don’t veer wildly off track.

The next few years will be anything but boring. I’m looking forward to hearing Matt and the guys break down the House Settlement on today’s show. In case you missed it, Matt’s conversation with Ross Dellenger last week about these issues was excellent.

Great Kentucky Basketball camp moments

It was a big weekend at the Joe Craft Center, where Mark Pope hosted his annual Father/Son and Father/Daughter youth camps. All of the players, save Andrija Jelavic (who is wrapping up some things at home in Croatia before making the trip overseas), were there, giving us our first look at Pope’s second Kentucky squad.

A few moments stood out. First, Pope made a young camper change his socks because he couldn’t stand the sight of red in his gym. Brandon Garrison hooked the camper up with some new blue and white socks, a sweet, wholesome rivalry moment.

Secondly, Pope told the story of how he found out Otega Oweh was returning to Kentucky. Oweh called Pope, who was on the plane, and somehow, the call went through. After being scolded by the pilot for answering his phone, Pope called Oweh back, and the two shared a heartfelt moment about Oweh running back for his senior season.

One lucky camper won a “golden ticket” for free courtside seats next to Lee Anne Pope at a game next season, another got some special attention from Collin Chandler, and the rest of the squad showed off their shooting — and in Jasper Johnson’s case — juggling skills. Steven Peake was there on Sunday to capture the scene for us, so make sure to check out KSR’s social media accounts (Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok) for the best moments.

Tyran Stokes took an official visit to Kentucky

When it comes to future Wildcats, the No. 1 player in the 2026 class was also on Kentucky’s campus this weekend. Five-star small forward Tyran Stokes took an official visit on Sunday, making up for the visit he had to postpone last month. The 6’7″ 225 lbs. Louisville native is also considering Louisville and Kansas. Later this week, Stokes will join Mark Pope, Malachi Moreno, and Jasper Johnson at the USA Basketball U19 Training Camp in Colorado Springs. The more face time, the better!

How good is Stokes? Check out this dunk he threw down a few weeks ago.

Decisive Super Regional Monday in NCAA Baseball Tournament

Seven teams advanced to the College World Series this weekend. Only one spot is left, and it will either be filled by Murray State, the tournament’s Cinderella, or the evil Duke Blue Devils. Duke took the first game on Saturday, 7-4, but the Racers came storming back on Sunday, beating the Blue Devils 19-9 and forcing a winner-takes-all game three tonight at 7 p.m. ET (ESPN). We are all Racer fans today.

Here’s the list of who’s going to Hoover so far. On Sunday, Louisville advanced with a 3-2 win over Miami (FL). From the SEC, LSU knocked out West Virginia — who beat Kentucky in the regional round — and Arkansas beat Tennessee:

  • No. 3 Arkansas (won Fayetteville Super Regional)
  • No. 6 LSU (won Baton Rouge Super Regional)
  • No. 8 Oregon State (won Corvallis Super Regional)
  • No. 13 Coastal Carolina (won Auburn Super Regional)
  • No. 15 UCLA (won Los Angeles Super Regional)
  • Arizona (won Chapel Hill Super Regional)
  • Louisville (won Louisville Super Regional)
  • Murray State OR Duke (Durham Super Regional)

A dominant Game 2 in the NBA Finals

After collapsing down the stretch in Game 1 of the NBA Finals, the OKC Thunder stormed back on Sunday to even the series at 1-1. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander looked every bit the MVP, scoring 34 points and dishing eight assists to lead the Thunder to a 123-107 win over the Pacers. His first bucket marked his 3,000th point this season. After this one, he hit Bennedict Mathurin with the “too small” celebration:

Now, the series heads to Indianapolis for Game Three on Wednesday night.

Happy Trails to John Clay

Congratulations to John Clay, the longtime Lexington Herald-Leader sports columnist, who announced this morning that he is retiring after 44 years with the paper. Clay has covered it all during his decades on the beat and was recently inducted into the U.S. Basketball Writers Association Hall of Fame. A pro’s pro, his knowledge, kindness, and talent will be missed in the press box. Cheers to a great career and a happy retirement ahead.

New KSR Happy Hour

It’s Monday, which means it’s time for another KSR Happy Hour. Drew Franklin is off for the week to turn 40, so join me, Jack Pilgrim, and Nick Roush as we break down a newsy weekend and look ahead while enjoying some cold beverages on a Monday afternoon. The fun starts at 4 p.m. ET on the KSR YouTube Channel. I’m sure we’ll talk about the House Settlement, Kentucky Basketball and Football’s camps over the weekend, and, of course, the zebra that was rescued after a week on the loose outside Nashville.

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2025-08-03