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One Kentucky Coach understands the Job, the Mission and the Assignment...

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WildcatWally-77

Junior
Dec 6, 2022
95
244
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“I want to stay in Lexington for a really long time.
And if I don’t go get great players, shoot, you’re gonna be talking trash about me and deservedly so.
How do you win? Get great players. That’s why I am enthusiastic about it.” Will Stein

That is why he is pouring so much energy, not only into his team, but also on the recruiting trail.
This morning, the Wildcats just picked up their 11th commitment in the 2027 recruiting class to move up to No. 18 in the national rankings.
He’s active on the recruiting trail because that’s what it takes to win, and that’s exactly what he plans to do at Kentucky for a long time.
Too bad the Head Basketball Coach does not exhibit those same qualities and exuberance...
 
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Woodrow24

Heisman
Dec 21, 2015
6,533
15,787
78
I understand completely why people criticize Pope, but I don’t think it’s fair to say he’s not trying. He just can’t recruit well enough to make it at a blue blood basketball school. If he was at a football school, his results might work but not here.
 
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RedwoodHigh

RedwoodHigh

All-Conference
Nov 18, 2025
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Woodrow24 said:
I understand completely why people criticize Pope, but I don’t think it’s fair to say he’s not trying. He just can’t recruit well enough to make it at a blue blood basketball school. If he was at a football school, his results might work but not here.
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Pope is a good human being but the jungle of college basketball is not a place for nice guys - it’s a dog eat dog world of $5 million coaches & $2million players. Every player wants to be a pro & most coaches want to be Coach K.
Rick Pitino just out recruited Ky for 2 players by playing full contact recruiting. His tactics of using NYC vs Lexington & MSG vs RUPP worked.Freeman was from DC & Bahamas & flights to both are easy & frequent. We have to face the fact that Lexington Kentucky is no longer the center of the college basketball universe.


Time for Pope to take the gloves off & fight for his JOB & Kentucky Hoops future.
 
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K

KevinM

Redshirt
Oct 12, 2014
34
11
8
Have we gotten Stein to contact Stokes? I think there's a conversation needed here.
 
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Waitingon9

Redshirt
Apr 22, 2026
10
17
3
TFCat11 said:
No one wants to hear this but, Stein will be gone the moment one of the premier jobs come calling, so let’s enjoy him while we can 👍🏼
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Not necessarily. Things have changed a lot in the coaching landscape. Everyone thought IU's football coach would be long gone by now, but he wants to build his own legacy, not go to somewhere like Alabama and be forgotten among the long list of past legendary coaches. Maybe Stein will be the same way if he wins big.
 
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paulcalhoun_rivals397471

paulcalhoun_rivals397471

All-American
Aug 23, 2024
2,635
5,880
113
Woodrow24 said:
I understand completely why people criticize Pope, but I don’t think it’s fair to say he’s not trying. He just can’t recruit well enough to make it at a blue blood basketball school. If he was at a football school, his results might work but not here.
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Not to criticize the sentiment of your post but if not for key injuries and the most difficult schedules in school history he might be cutting it here already.
 
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paulcalhoun_rivals397471

paulcalhoun_rivals397471

All-American
Aug 23, 2024
2,635
5,880
113
TFCat11 said:
No one wants to hear this but, Stein will be gone the moment one of the premier jobs come calling, so let’s enjoy him while we can 👍🏼
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Is your imagination setting stuck on permanent negative in all situations? Even if there is some truth to it I would happily get to that bridge before I'd worry about crossing it.
 
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Woodrow24

Heisman
Dec 21, 2015
6,533
15,787
78
paulcalhoun_rivals397471 said:
Not to criticize the sentiment of your post but if not for key injuries and the most difficult schedules in school history he might be cutting it here already.
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I thought he did good his first year. I respectfully disagree about last season. Lowe wasn’t that good of a basketball player to make much of a difference. That’s why he’s at Georgetown now. JQ was a risk from day one. I don’t even count him because that was a gamble from the start. With the portal, it’s not like in the past because so much money is involved. Teams have always bought players secretly but not like they do now with NIL. You can instantly build a good program and honestly as a fan I’m still having a hard time adjusting to this. I honestly hate how the NCAA has handled it. Anyways, Pope struggling with recruiting is a bad sign and I’ve seen enough that I don’t think he can make it here. He’s not a bad bench coach, but if he doesn’t start building rosters with more talent this just won’t work.
 
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katwest

katwest

Heisman
Feb 16, 2003
39,974
13,969
113
Every morning I check out KSR first thing and all I see is another Kentucky target comes off the board. I really don’t want to know who comes off the board, kind of depressing day after day. Then knowing who they signed with makes you just shake your head. I’ve never seen Kentucky not get most of who they wanted until now, oh well my optimism is fading fast.
 
paulcalhoun_rivals397471

paulcalhoun_rivals397471

All-American
Aug 23, 2024
2,635
5,880
113
Woodrow24 said:
I thought he did good his first year. I respectfully disagree about last season. Lowe wasn’t that good of a basketball player to make much of a difference. That’s why he’s at Georgetown now. JQ was a risk from day one. I don’t even count him because that was a gamble from the start. With the portal, it’s not like in the past because so much money is involved. Teams have always bought players secretly but not like they do now with NIL. You can instantly build a good program and honestly as a fan I’m still having a hard time adjusting to this. I honestly hate how the NCAA has handled it. Anyways, Pope struggling with recruiting is a bad sign and I’ve seen enough that I don’t think he can make it here. He’s not a bad bench coach, but if he doesn’t start building rosters with more talent this just won’t work.
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Even if I were to concede your contention that the injuries were not a big factor (which I do not) you ignored the part about it being rated the second toughest schedule in school history.

Losing a PG that was 3rd team All ACC and playing with no actual PG was a big factor imo. JQ being available for the second half of the season was a reasonable expectation. Oweh's injury definitely impacted the OOC portion of the schedule. Kam was coming on strong before the broken foot. Noah and Mo also missed time and were limited by injury.
 
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Woodrow24

Heisman
Dec 21, 2015
6,533
15,787
78
paulcalhoun_rivals397471 said:
Even I were to concede your contention that the injuries were not a big factor (which I do not) you ignored the part about it being rated the second toughest schedule in school history.

Losing a PG that was 3rd team All ACC and playing with no actual PG was a big factor imo. JQ being available for the second half of the season was a reasonable expectation. Oweh's injury definitely impacted the OOC portion of the schedule. Kam was coming on strong before the broken foot. Noah and Mo also missed time and were limited by injury.
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Pope has had terrible luck, but as a whole last year’s team wasn’t very talented. I don’t think Lowe was very good and still don’t honestly. Those Pittsburgh teams he played on weren’t good at all.

The SEC is much better than when Cal was coaching here which is leading to the tough schedule that you were talking about. if we want to get back to being at the top of the conference, Pope has to bring in better players than what he is. X’s and O’s will only get you so far, gotta have the jimmy’s and Joe’s too. lol Calipari could get the players but wasn’t a strong bench coach.
 
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catsfan9234

Sophomore
Nov 30, 2016
114
140
41
TFCat11 said:
No one wants to hear this but, Stein will be gone the moment one of the premier jobs come calling, so let’s enjoy him while we can 👍🏼
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I doubt it looking like the days of poaching a James Franklin are over why deal with the pressure of Alabama or Penn st where one bad season gets you fired when you can win anywhere
 
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