That’s a good way to look at this situation. I wouldn’t want to ruin anyone else’s hope for the season. It’s not impossible for this situation to get fixed and those people could be right for being patient.
Zoooom Diallo - Washington
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Andrew Harrison was a beast at getting to the rim.
You had the fast type this season at uk
I don’t have any faith Pope survives next season and I would have been happy if they’d pulled the trigger after this season. But you know how things go with our program. I won’t have high expectations but maybe they’ll surprise us.
Nobody knows. They are taking it as a fact that Matt Jones said 1 of the 2 were our first choices. Well that can always change
Agree on Rippey, he's a Cal level pg .
My point was that all the portal PG's are a crapshoot.
You just have to hope to get lucky and it work out.
Kinda like Cadeau did for Mich.
Cadeau was a 5 star out of HS. Zoom was top 50-ish, not the worst, but still outside that Booker / SGA / Herro range. Totally agree with you on the portal PGs not really being all that different in terms of talent level.
I didn't say they didn't. But there's 10 other more important things for a pg.
Just look at any top team this year . They all had in common pass first pg that can handle it on a string and get to the hoop. Make one every now n then from outside
A great shooter will make about 3 per game. That's 3 possessions. Now how many possessions will his passing and ball handling skills matter?
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Wouldn't say 10. Maybe 3. Not saying you're completely wrong but I'm looking up the final 4 and here's what I see:
- Cadeau: 37.6% 3 / >50% eFG
- Demary: 38.5% 3 / >50% eFG
- Wagler: 39.7% 3 / >54% eFG
- Bradley: 39.4 3 / 49.9% eFG
The final four certainly contradicts your point. But I won't say you're completely wrong because there is ample evidence of winning PGs that shot the 3 poorly. Marquis Teague comes to mind. However, even Teague was 32.5% from 3.
I don't think there's a sense of just how "bad" 27% is. I do see the argument that an 82% FT shooter has the potential to get better -- I won't dismiss that completely. Still it's on him to get better, and this staff hasn't shown evidence they can develop anyone.
Edit: 27% was his career -- 31.5% last year. Still bad, but trend up. I mean, if we're going to grasp at straws and "hope", why not. May as well get Zoom.
Bradley made .7 per game
Cadeau made 1.4 per game
Demary made less than 1 per game
Look at how many they made . That's the most important.
Wagler is the only one that was a standout and he is more of a 2g
Jaden Bradley is one of the worst shooting of in recent memory
Again though, this is only 2 possessions a game you are concerned about
Fair that they don't shoot it much. I'd still argue the percentage makes them a threat, but I see where you are coming from.
5 percentage points less wouldn't make any less of a threat in my opinion.
2 years straight we have had 1 maybe 2 players that can handle a ball and drive to the basket. Popes first year nobody besides Butler had a chance. We have got to get play makers that can get in the lane, that's what spreads the floor. Getting in the paint and kicking out
Sure, not like Steph Curry, Kyrie Irving, Dame Lillard, Luka Doncic, Cade Cunningham, need their 3 point shooting. So overrated.
This is college basketball. All the NBA is about is 3 pt shooting
I never said it's not important... But majority of people on this board only think of 3 point percentage. For a PG it's the least of what you should be looking for
That's the way I feel. Had Pope had a press conference at the end of the season saying he realizes the job is more than he can handle, I would have been fine with that, but I don't think UK should or can fire a coach who made the NCAA tournament 2 years straight with 2 years on the job, no matter the lows of the season. Its not about being excited, its about hoping he figures this out. I want Pope to succeed, I want the story book ending of a former UK player fighting thru adversity to put UK on a run of great seasons, winning the fans back and reaffirming UK's position as a destination college.
and while I'd love any coach to do that, it would just be better with one that loves our school.
also, I am from the school of needing a high scoring PG. I don't want a defensive specialist who just delivers assist, Ideally I want a 12/5 guy that is a 35% 3 point threat. Its too limiting for a team that wants to shoot 20+ 3 pointers a night to have the 2 and wings do it all, especially if your PG can't space the floor and demand a close-out defender. You find that PG, then you spend above market rate to get him.
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I agree with that statement. 12 and 6 can be got by any pg we are rumored to be talking with. 33% from 3 is plenty good enough to be a threat too.
However the thing that killed uk this season was leaving everything on the 1 and 3. Ball handling. We had none and that is why our offense was bad. You can have 10 great shooters but if you can't drive to the rim it means nothing. Pope first year was prime example
He nearly doubled his three point shooting from year 1 to year 2. Like Butler, I would not conclude he has ceilinged on threes.
You would love a Brea type shooter at PG. everyone would. But you need a PG who can shoot it well enough to keep the defenses interested and from sagging. 30% is probably that kind of a shooter.
When Butler was healthy , I have no idea what his 3 point % was but he was consistent enough they had to stay on him or he'd drill them. I'd be excited to have a PG like Butler (healthy) leading the team. We just haven't had the luxury of having our PG show up for every game.
How many banners did those guys hang in college? Same amount as Rondo, who coincidentally has more NBA rings than all but 1 guy listed there, and we all know what a marksman Rondo was.
I tend to agree with you. Our last 2 championships came from below average shooting pgs (Teague, Turner) who did other things very well, like penetrate the defense and great on ball defense.
Now, can Pope's system run effectively with a pg who isn't a 35%+ shooter? That's the question that I'm still not sure on.
2025-26 Champion PG: Elliot Cadeau - 37.6% 3 point %
2024-2025 Champion PG: Walter Clayton - 38. 6% 3 point %
2022-2024 Champion PG: Tristen Newton - 34% 3 point shooting combined 2 years.
2021-2022 Champion PG: Remy Martin - 38% 3 point shooting.
I could go on…… The fact is, all NCAA champion PGs for the past 5 years are an above average (33%) 3 point shooter. Your PG has to be able to shoot to win a championship. This isn’t rocket science.
2024-2025 Champion PG: Walter Clayton - 38. 6% 3 point %
2022-2024 Champion PG: Tristen Newton - 34% 3 point shooting combined 2 years.
2021-2022 Champion PG: Remy Martin - 38% 3 point shooting.
I could go on…… The fact is, all NCAA champion PGs for the past 5 years are an above average (33%) 3 point shooter. Your PG has to be able to shoot to win a championship. This isn’t rocket science.
As of right now he is the #10 ranked PG on the transfer portal lol. Pope probably has a shot if he pays him top 5 money.
I don’t even know how they see him. He’s Zooming on Zoom all across the screen.
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He seems to be improving every year. That is a good sign. I like his FT % that shows that his 3% should continue to get better.
That's why zoom Diallo is a good selection for pg.
Although making 1 3 point shot a game isn't exactly a marksman. Which is what Cadeau avg
Some of us don’t play pretend, only to be brought back down to reality when it does eventually set in. Been there, done that.
I like his increase in percentage though, and his FT % looks like he could continue to improve. All he needs to do is get around 35-36% to be a good enough shooter to keep the defense honest.
Butler couldn’t shoot early and he became a solid shooter here. He could really breakout this year. Home steadily improved each season so far.
Not great but a lot better than this last season. I’m on record saying I don’t think Pope can do much better than year one. It is what it is
Play pretend? I mean you’re more than welcome to dog every new player we get I guess? I’m not sure what you’re getting at. I’ve posted plenty of times I don’t expect Pope to turn it around but I’m not going to be miserable the next twelve months. Being upset about things you can’t control will only make you go crazy, bud.
Zoom+stokes+avladas+freeman+moreno would be my starting lineup if possible… sure u could switch Zoom for wright but if you can get that 4 to come with Moreno you take it
Is Zoom still on his visit or has he left already? If he left with out committing, I don't like our chances.
If we get back to running Pope's action sets, you need a PG who can dive or can reject and get set for a 3. It's a different type of skill than creating a 3 off of the dribble. The pg can get more set shots in this type of offense if we have enough 3 point threats out there.
Butler looked much better shooting here because most of his looks were higher quality than what he was getting at SDSU. Plus, would you rather Butler or Brea and Robinson take that shot? Opponents would rather Butler take the shot than letting Brea rip them.
Butler looked much better shooting here because most of his looks were higher quality than what he was getting at SDSU. Plus, would you rather Butler or Brea and Robinson take that shot? Opponents would rather Butler take the shot than letting Brea rip them.
I assume he’s left now as those are usually 48 hour type things and he was on campus Friday morning.
With these kids and edits/announcements I’d put the timeline more between now and tomorrow night, after that then I’d start to think he ain’t coming.
I like the Blyden kid from Toledo. Bring him in with Zoom and we are set . Get some SG and bigs.