KSR Today: Kentucky Basketball Coaching Staff Roster Construction Continues
A week ago the Big Blue Nation still did not know that Mark Pope would be the next Kentucky basketball coach. As wild as last week was, this one is featuring just as many fireworks as Pope assembles his coaching staff and builds a roster.
Although not yet official, on Wednesday we learned Cody Fueger is joining Mark Pope’s staff at Kentucky. Fueger worked with Pope at Utah Valley and they spent the last five seasons together at BYU. A tactician, former BYU players described Fueger as a “savant about the offensive game” to Jacob Polacheck of KSR+.
“He’s the man. He’s an offensive mastermind, absolutely,” said Even Troy. “He’s relentless just like Pope, but I think he’s got an even savvier mind behind the game of basketball. He’s always on the forefront of recruiting, gameplans, X’s and O’s. Every year, he’s put up really great numbers for our offense. In his first year at BYU, we were the number one three-point shooting team in the country. We had one of the best points per possession.”
Who could be the next to join Pope at Kentucky? We may have to wait until next week for official announcements, but a few more could leak to the media today. We’ll keep our ears low to the ground.
Kentucky Basketball Targets in the Transfer Portal
With each passing day, Kentucky is contacting more and more players in the transfer portal. There were a few players who entered the fold on Wednesday that stand out. Aidan Mahaney is a 6-foot-3 guard who averaged 13.9 ppg. for St. Mary’s last season. In the frontcourt, Kentucky made contact with 6-foot-10 Wake Forest transfer Andrew Carr, who knocked down 37% of his three-point attempts while tallying 13.5 points and 6.8 rebounds per game.
KSR+ spoke with a familiar name Wednesday evening. Kentucky recruited Andrej Stojakovic last season before the McDonald’s All-American committed to Stanford. He has a visit lined up with Cal and is considering a trip to Kentucky.
Pope Goes One-on-One with Liam McNeeley
Liam McNeeley is one of the most talented uncommitted high school basketball players in America. KSR learned late last night that Mark Pope conducted a Zoom call with the McDonald’s All-American. McNeeley has an official visit to UConn set up for next week, but the Wildcats are making a serious push to give Pope a five-star anchor in his first season at the helm of the Kentucky basketball program.
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Mark Pope asks for YOUR Help
Mark Pope cannot build his first Kentucky basketball roster with just a sales pitch. He’s seeking financial help by asking the BBN to support Club Blue Basketball NIL. The recently formed collective is a strong partner for the Kentucky basketball program. “Let’s tip off this new era with strength and unity,” Pope said. You can find more information here and join the initiative today.
No Movement in the Football Transfer Portal
Most eyes are currently on what the Kentucky basketball team is doing in the transfer portal. Meanwhile, the portal is still open for football players. In a bit of a surprise, we did not learn of any roster moves on Wednesday. In the middle of a numbers crunch, Mark Stoops anticipated multiple departures following spring practice. There are currently only three. That may change today as Kentucky sets its sights on other prospective players who are looking for a new college football home.
One Week till the NFL Draft
Lives will change seven days from today in Detroit. People forget that because there’s so much happening around the BBN. Around four Kentucky players are expected to hear their names called, headlined by Andru Phillips and Trevin Wallace, who could go off the board on day two in the second or third round.
A Huge Personal Milestone
Last night I watched my son play in his first organized sporting event, if you want to call it that. It was a memorable moment as my 4-year-old stepped to the plate and hit his first baseball off a tee. My son was exceptional, exceeding my own personal expectations by knocking two balls out of the infield and recording a few outs at first base. While he succeeded, I failed in my coaching debut. Standing next to third base, my job was simple: instruct the children to run home as soon as the ball was hit. The first two base-runners did not run to the bases. They ran toward the ball.
My son’s athletic career may be extraordinary or go nowhere. I’ll enjoy every second of it. One thing is certain. I’m clearly not cut out for coaching.
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