Miles Byrd

JohnRambo82

Senior
Mar 25, 2026
287
432
58
Popes gonna crush the portal I’ve been saying it! He’s fixing his mistakes and we will be back. He gonna do everything he can to keep his job
Rambo Lionsgate GIF by Rambo: Last Blood
 

BlueBloodKyFan73

All-Conference
Oct 29, 2010
3,757
4,599
113
He can’t score the ball there will be others who can and still defend maybe not as good as him but you need to score and be average or above average defender
 

seccats04

Heisman
Dec 6, 2004
14,392
23,036
113
Defensive Player of the Year.
If he comes here he’ll look like he’s never played defense before. Our guys are constantly out of place, don’t fight through screens and many times just run away from the shooters hoping they’ll miss.
 

SECHonk

Junior
Jan 3, 2014
1,203
260
63
Popes gonna crush the portal I’ve been saying it! He’s fixing his mistakes and we will be back. He gonna do everything he can to keep his job
Rambo Lionsgate GIF by Rambo: Last Blood
Yep going to crush! Then expectations will be through the roof and this blip on the radar will be but a distant memory. FF or bust
 

TX Wildcat

All-Conference
Apr 12, 2024
860
1,755
93
Mountain West POY. Outside of 00, we sadly had no one else that could have earned that title last season.

Would instantly make our team better. Could lock up several star SEC guards. Plus, guard play (or shutting it down) is so important in the NCAA Tournament.

Would be an upgrade to the team as a Sr. leader who would not fatigue easily.
 
Jun 30, 2025
449
677
93
I am not sure he is much of a PG. It seems like he played alongside a guard who had a much higher assist rate. Bird’s assist rate of 18% doesn’t scream PG to me. That assist rate is decent for a 2 guard or wing though.

That said, for a wing, his rebounding, block rate, and steal rate is unparalleled for his position. I reckon he is one of, if not, the best defensive wings in the portal after a cursory glance.
 

Bichoto

Junior
Mar 26, 2026
110
244
43
Uh, you do realize John Wall wasn’t available, right? Guy was a generational talent that we haven't seen since.
So yeah, no sh*t, but that doesn't mean Butler sucked.
I didn’t say butler sucked. I said he led us to 24-12, and I keep seeing posters saying pope had an awesome first season so butler did awesome to lead us to 24-12
 

kyjeff1

Heisman
Sep 8, 2012
50,470
70,655
113
I didn’t say butler sucked. I said he led us to 24-12, and I keep seeing posters saying pope had an awesome first season so butler did awesome to lead us to 24-12
Nobody said he had an awesome first season. He did a heck of a job considering he didn't have a single player, or assistant coach until mid April.

He also played one of the toughest schedules we have ever played, lost his backup pg, Carr was injured for a while, Butler busted his shoulder on his shooting arm and Robinson bowed out with a wrist injury. Fully healthy, that team at least gets to the E8.

If you think that's not good enough for year 1, because you think UK has some ridiculous standard that we don't actually have, then you’re not worth talking to. That was a hell of a job. Sure, there were some blunders, but that was a successful first season.

From what I can gather from this season, he lost this team early and they never truly bonded, then there were injuries that derailed everything.

He probably isn’t the right guy for this job, but he deserves a third year to fix what went wrong. It’s that simple.

And sorry, but Butler played at a high level last year. No, he's not John Wall, duhhhh, but he was a damn good player here.
 

Bichoto

Junior
Mar 26, 2026
110
244
43
Nobody said he had an awesome first season. He did a heck of a job considering he didn't have a single player, or assistant coach until mid April.

He also played one of the toughest schedules we have ever played, lost his backup pg, Carr was injured for a while, Butler busted his shoulder on his shooting arm and Robinson bowed out with a wrist injury. Fully healthy, that team at least gets to the E8.

If you think that's not good enough for year 1, because you think UK has some ridiculous standard that we don't actually have, then you’re not worth talking to. That was a hell of a job. Sure, there were some blunders, but that was a successful first season.

From what I can gather from this season, he lost this team early and they never truly bonded, then there were injuries that derailed everything.

He probably isn’t the right guy for this job, but he deserves a third year to fix what went wrong. It’s that simple.

And sorry, but Butler played at a high level last year. No, he's not John Wall, duhhhh, but he was a damn good player here.
Calipari had 4 brand new starters year 1, hired in April, and went 35-3, elite 8 year 1.
 

kyjeff1

Heisman
Sep 8, 2012
50,470
70,655
113
Calipari had 4 brand new starters year 1, hired in April, and went 35-3, elite 8 year 1.
Can you name anyone else?

You just described an outlier, that's not normal at all.

Also, what did Calipari do last year under the same circumstances? Sure, he had a surge at the end, but he damn sure didn't go 35-3 now did he? He got an 11 seed.
 

Bichoto

Junior
Mar 26, 2026
110
244
43
Can you name anyone else?

You just described an outlier, that's not normal at all.

Also, what did Calipari do last year under the same circumstances? Sure, he had a surge at the end, but he damn sure didn't go 35-3 now did
Tubby went 35-4 national championship. That’s decent.
 

Smeegs

All-Conference
Nov 19, 2025
505
1,377
93
I am not sure he is much of a PG. It seems like he played alongside a guard who had a much higher assist rate. Bird’s assist rate of 18% doesn’t scream PG to me. That assist rate is decent for a 2 guard or wing though.
Who claimed he was a PG? Nobody that I’ve seen.

He’s not a point. But he is apparently one of the very best defensive wings in the country. Which sure sounds like something that we could use.
 

HipTer

Senior
Apr 11, 2012
957
641
93
Great option if you are a defensive-minded coach and the roster is built around that philosophy.

Not a great passer either, Just don't see the fit.
I don't know if you've watched him much, and maybe you're going more off of stats and reports, but if you have seen him a few times he sounds somewhat like Richmond at Ark. Is that fair?
 

Jtf2217

Senior
Apr 20, 2024
468
963
93
No but I don’t think John wall would have went 24-12 with Oweh, brea, Carr and Amari.
Neither would butler if he wasn't hurt for a lot of that. Butler was a excellent PG here when healthy, or healthy enough to come back for a spurt. Much like last year the main issue is not having anyone that is a actual PG behind the main guy. If butler stays completely healthy along with Jax that team loses 4-6 games.
 

Bichoto

Junior
Mar 26, 2026
110
244
43
Yeah, with Pitino's players.
You're really reaching.
It’s very rare a first year head coach had a brand new team in the 90s. Give me one example of a first year head coach having all new hires. Mitch poped the bed with pope abd Gillispie. It’s okay to admit it.
 

Bichoto

Junior
Mar 26, 2026
110
244
43
Yeah, with Pitino's players.
You're really reaching.
Pitino was on the death sentence with Kentucky, ineligible for post season play his first season and he lost as many games as pope in year 2. But yeah pope is the best.