Current Roster Outlook and Expectations
- Thread starter Anon668007
- Start date
Who cares? There is no combination of 5 that makes this team remotely decent next season.
Once our team is set, then positive vibes until the season starts. Hopefully they can gel quickly and be a great team since they will all have to fight and step up nightly.
Zoom
Wilkins
Hawthorne
Ousmane
Moreno
Wilkins
Hawthorne
Ousmane
Moreno
Noledynasty2490
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Like Rowland put it, this is an emotional overreaction. We didn't get the studs we need to be a contender for an SEC title or FF. But this year's roster isn't going to be worse than the one we played with last year (meaning, without considering what they might have been with Lowe and JQ). It can de disappointing, not good enough to meet expectations (and not good enough for Pope to save his job) without being terrible.
Hawthorne may show he deserves to start but Kam will be the starter on day 1.
Diallo
Wilkins
TBD
N’Diaye
Moreno
Pouring one out for the old Rupp Rafter poster, his avatar was a TB Buccaneer, who used to post a new depth chart after every player signing.
Wilkins
TBD
N’Diaye
Moreno
Pouring one out for the old Rupp Rafter poster, his avatar was a TB Buccaneer, who used to post a new depth chart after every player signing.
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This is my guess as well. 1,2 and 5 are locked in assuming Moreno pulls out of the draft. I assume Kam gets the nod over Hawthorne at the 3 and will guess N’diaye at the 4.
Then please go the ****away until next season ends. Your endless crybaby whining is getting old and we are still six months from the start of the season
Pope needed a roster that was better than last year by orders of magnitude just to save his job. This is not that, and there is no chance in hell that it could be that. Next season is just a countdown to inevitability.
I'll bet $100 Kentucky adds a wing player who will either be the obvious starter, or certainly be a leading candidate to start. Then Cat fans can assess the roster properly.
Hard to imagine this team doing much more than finishing around .500 and that’s staying fully healthy which I don’t think we have since the 90’s.
It actually could be a pretty good starting five depending on how good Wilkins and N’diaye actually are and if Kam makes the forward move he looked like he was on track for before the injury.
This is what we do. It was fair game, IMO, to complain about all the Whiffs, but we basically have our team now. WE probably add another Center/PF , and maybe a star/backup guard.. But this is our team, and I will try to be optimistic at least until the season starts.
Hoping you’re right, would love to get joksimovic
I think if you added Momcilovic and a solid backup center then we would have a shot. Kam, McBride, a decent 5, Morton and Hawthorne would make a solid bench
His job is on the line and this is the best he could do. Pathetic and embarrassing. Not even close to UK caliber. Fire this bum yesterday.
Roll out the ball and let's see what we can do. Another C and G/F player and we look to be done.
Mason Williams is going to play guys. Wilkins is the best backup point if there is injury, but Williams will come off the bench and play 10 minutes a game.
The starting 5, can be competitive with most teams (a pair of guards better than most teams have, and I think a better C than most teams will have).
It's the 2nd 3-5 that's the biggest concern, probably in level of contribution led by Hawthorne, McBride, Morton, Noah, Potter, D.Williams.
I think it would be best to add a good #3 guard, and if possible a good F to move either Kam or N'Daiye to the 1st F off the bench.
It's the 2nd 3-5 that's the biggest concern, probably in level of contribution led by Hawthorne, McBride, Morton, Noah, Potter, D.Williams.
I think it would be best to add a good #3 guard, and if possible a good F to move either Kam or N'Daiye to the 1st F off the bench.
We just got the guy from WSU. I feel like he might be back up to both PG/SG. I think Mason W gets some looks as well when needed. I do think we definitely need a back up 5.
Agreed at the 5 spot seeing as we have no one lol, I would just think with Popes misfortune at the PG position he would do everything in his power to have a true backup point rather than relying on a SG and a true freshman PG
So if the roster sucks, what is the alleged emotional reaction. Is an honest assessment considered emotionally overreacting?
In what world is this roster better than last years?
When you say competetive with most teams... Do you mean in the MAC conference?
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Fair enough, one could hope lol. Roster top to bottom presents better than it was last year (injuries considered), so just hope they can mesh like the first team did and stay healthy
I love how some of y’all have already given up before the first game because rankings are the be all end all to you because that’s how Cal trained you.
In this era, fit and cohesion are way more important than individual rankings. IU had the best portal class with all the “dudes” and “studs” 2 years ago and missed the tournament. Kansas State had the 4th ranked portal class in 2025 and fired the coach in February. Illinois had the 38th ranked portal class and played in the Final Four.
Do I think this is a Final Four team? Probably not.
Do I think “ThIs TeAm WiLl OnLy WiN 12 gAmEs!!” No.
I would project us a firmly mediocre as the floor with a chance to be very good but not elite as the ceiling.
It might not save Pope’s job, but I ain’t giving up in f’n April. My goodness.
In this era, fit and cohesion are way more important than individual rankings. IU had the best portal class with all the “dudes” and “studs” 2 years ago and missed the tournament. Kansas State had the 4th ranked portal class in 2025 and fired the coach in February. Illinois had the 38th ranked portal class and played in the Final Four.
Do I think this is a Final Four team? Probably not.
Do I think “ThIs TeAm WiLl OnLy WiN 12 gAmEs!!” No.
I would project us a firmly mediocre as the floor with a chance to be very good but not elite as the ceiling.
It might not save Pope’s job, but I ain’t giving up in f’n April. My goodness.
We're in trouble anyway you slice it, unless players really step up and exceed expectations.. I am most confident in Zoom and Wilkins playing well.
And what’s wrong with being pessimistic with the chance to only be pleasantly surprised. After the Gonzaga game last year I didn’t think we would even make the tournament so I was pleasantly surprised that we did. Won some games I expected to lose, again pleasantly surprised. Being pleasantly surprised is about the only way I personally can cope with pope.
We will not be ranked preseason, we will probably be picked around 8th in the SEC. These don't guarantee anything, but it shows that people on this board are not the only ones unimpressed with the roster. Yes, teams come from no expectations to be good, but Pope has shown nothing that would make me believe he can make them more than the sum of their parts.
You can daydream all you want, on paper this roster is not worthy of kentucky basketball.
Zoom is a solid starter. If he's all-conference defense (has the talent and build to be), we will excel.
Wilkins projects really well. Going to be brimming with confidence coming in too. Has a chance to be an all-conference guard and average 16 a game.
Kam is good, with a chance (not a big one) to be very good. Has a world class attitude, took less money to be here, buried big threes in big games last year. Why not.
PF position will be solid if not unspectacular. Although I do like McBride being Mo D with longer arms and a better jumper.
Moreno needs to get better, which all indications are he does that every year pretty naturally. My opinion, if this roster as currently constructed stands a chance he has to play like a lottery pick. That's not far fetched.
Bench - Hawthorne better live up to all the *** kissing his coach did for him this past year, LOVE what Morton brings as a 3rd or 4th guard, and at the very least we have back up point guards of varying ability. But they do exist.
Wilkins projects really well. Going to be brimming with confidence coming in too. Has a chance to be an all-conference guard and average 16 a game.
Kam is good, with a chance (not a big one) to be very good. Has a world class attitude, took less money to be here, buried big threes in big games last year. Why not.
PF position will be solid if not unspectacular. Although I do like McBride being Mo D with longer arms and a better jumper.
Moreno needs to get better, which all indications are he does that every year pretty naturally. My opinion, if this roster as currently constructed stands a chance he has to play like a lottery pick. That's not far fetched.
Bench - Hawthorne better live up to all the *** kissing his coach did for him this past year, LOVE what Morton brings as a 3rd or 4th guard, and at the very least we have back up point guards of varying ability. But they do exist.