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KSR Today: NBA Finals, Bearded Mark Pope, Football Recruiting

Tyler-Thompson
Tyler Thompson@MrsTylerKSR
1mo
ksr-today-nba-finals-bearded-mark-pope-football-recruiting
Left photo: © Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images; Center photo: @CoachMarkPope/Twitter; Right photo: @ReedGerken/Twitter

Good morning, friends. It’s not a happy one for fans of the New York Knicks, who lost Game Three of the NBA Finals last night. Former Cat De’Aaron Fox was to thank for that, hitting a stepback jumper with 12.2 seconds to go to help seal the 115-111 victory for the San Antonio Spurs. With their backs against the wall, the Spurs finally landed the knockout punch, extending the series at least one more game.

It was the first time the Knicks had lost in 46 days, a streak going back to the first round of the NBA Playoffs in April. Madison Square Garden was electric, long-suffering Knicks fans eager to see their team get one step closer to the first title in 53 years. Celebrity row was packed, and you could feel the energy through the TV during introductions; however, once the ball was tipped, the Spurs stole the spotlight, jumping out to an early lead. They led 33-22 after the first quarter, during which they dished 11 assists.

The Knicks didn’t go away, finally taking their first lead with four minutes to go in the second quarter. The two teams battled back and forth in the third quarter, and in the fourth, the Spurs took control. After a shaky Game 1 and Game 2, Victor Wemabnyama returned to form, finishing with 32 points, 8 rebounds, and six assists. On the other side of the ball, it was a quiet night for Karl-Anthony Towns, who totaled just 11 points, 8 rebounds, 3 steals, and 2 blocks. In the second half, the Spurs had a 24-8 advantage in free throw attempts, but Karl refused to use officiating as an excuse, pointing instead at the Knicks’ 13 turnovers.

“That ain’t cost us the game. We turned the ball over. Didn’t execute, didn’t do what got us 13 straight wins in a row.”

Game 4 is Wednesday night in Madison Square Garden before heading back to San Antonio for Game 5 on Saturday. As cool as it would have been to see the Knicks win in four, I’m glad the series is now a little more competitive, and that De’Aaron Fox had his NBA Finals moment. People forget just how awesome he was at Kentucky.

Now, let’s take a look at what is happening closer to home.

Rest in Peace, Nic Smith

Monday was a tough day in the Bluegrass, as UK announced that redshirt freshman defensive lineman Nic Smith passed away. Smith, a native of Loganville, Georgia, was just 20 years old. He never got to play in a game after redshirting his first season, but Smith was beloved, with an infectious smile and personality that earned him the nickname “Big Happ.” He was even listed on Kentucky’s roster as “Nic (Happy) Smith.” It is a heartbreaking loss that was felt throughout the program, university, and fanbase on Monday.

“Today our hearts are broken,” Will Stein said in a statement. “Our thoughts and prayers are with Nic’s family, friends, teammates, and everyone who knew and loved him. This is a tremendous loss for our program and university community. We will continue to support one another and honor his memory.”

There is no easy way to transition from this; our hearts continue to go out to Smith’s family, friends, and the Kentucky Football community. According to Ahmad Breaux’s mother, the staff is handling it as well as possible.

Kentucky FB got another commitment on Monday

Will Stein’s heater continued on Monday when three-star offensive lineman Reed Gerken committed to Kentucky, picking the Cats over Virginia Tech, Illinois, and Wisconsin. It was a Kentucky vs. Virginia Tech battle at the end for the 6’4″, 290 lbs. Perryburg, Ohio, native, who revealed during his announcement that he actually committed on May 21 during an in-home visit with Cutter Leftwich. It’s yet another win for Will Stein over James Franklin, for a top 600 player, No. 46 among interior offensive linemen. You love to see it.

Gerken is Kentucky’s 22nd commitment in the 2027 class, which ranks No. 23 nationally, and the fourth future member of the Big Blue Wall. In the midst of the busiest recruiting month of the summer, more commits are on the way. Four-star offensive tackle Dominic Black announces his decision on Wednesday. He’s down to Kentucky, Indiana, Michigan State, Tennessee, and Virginia Tech.

Tomorrow is also Will Stein’s second high school camp. We’ll have boots on the ground at Kroger Field to capture all the sights and sounds.

Bearded Mark Pope may be a thing now

Mark Pope is on a roll, coming off his best week as Kentucky’s coach, a span that started with Milan Momcilovic‘s commitment and was capped off by one from Top 10 2027 recruit Ryan Hampton. As he’s been racking in wins, Pope has been growing some facial hair. He spent part of his Monday in the TV studio, filming promos for UK Sports Network, Coca-Cola, UK Healthcare, and Golisano Children’s Hospital at UK. Instead of shaving off that fuzz, he’s sticking with it, giving life to the Dark Pope memes that have circulated on social media the last few weeks.

That UK Sports Network promo suggests offseason interviews are just around the corner, music to this content creator’s ears. The team is still settling into its new digs this week after arriving on campus this weekend; summer practice officially starts on Monday, June 15.

Freddy the German Soccer Fan is roadtripping SEC country

We’re another day closer to the World Cup, which means more soccer fans from around the world are arriving on our shores. It also means another day of adventures for Freddy the German soccer fan and his friends, who are roadtripping across the south ahead of Germany’s first match in Houston. Freddy’s tweets have gone viral over the past few days as they’ve experienced American culture and cuisine. Last night, they swapped fast food for fast casual and watched the NBA Finals at a Chili’s in Chattanooga.

Now, they’re headed back south to tour SEC country, beginning with a stop in Auburn, Alabama, where the Argentina national team is playing a friendly vs. Iceland in Jordan-Hare Stadium. Messi in an SEC stadium. What a sight.

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2026-07-15
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