Kepnang Waiver granted - OFFICIAL
- Thread starter TheResistance
- Start date
His PER 40 numbers are pretty good, especially his blocks. A concern is that he appears to be foul-prone, probably owing to his aggressiveness.
Yep- clearly seems to be a backup C - not a contingency plan.
Shocked at how fast that was approved. We really need Moreno back. Considering Kepnang's history I will be surprised if he is able play a full season.
YES ... he definitely appears to be a back-up ... no question ... but I think can be a good one for us.
Absolutely- upgrade over Garrison potentially. We need the muscle and rim protection and we got 15 mpg of it w Kap.
It's a gift to Kentucky fans because wedon't have to sit here and wait for months to find out.
Now we have a SIX Years of experience in the Big 10 Center with a powerful frame. You got to have one of these in the SEC or u are screwed.
He's probably better than Garrison except for Garrison had that three ball. This guy has none of that but better overall as a backup center mentally and physically .
Coach Cal would have kicked the tires on this one.
Now we have a SIX Years of experience in the Big 10 Center with a powerful frame. You got to have one of these in the SEC or u are screwed.
He's probably better than Garrison except for Garrison had that three ball. This guy has none of that but better overall as a backup center mentally and physically .
Coach Cal would have kicked the tires on this one.
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He is a Somto Cyril type of player, I think. I think it's very nice to have him with us ... !!
Being a backup now should help with less fouls overall I would think.
My guess is that UK was in talks with him early on. Probably from around the time we started courting Diallo. And it was a wait and see if his waiver gets approved, and in the short term, search out a Euro big/reclass freshmen big in case Kepnang's waiver isn't approved. I'm going to go out on a limb and give the staff a bit of credit and say that Kepnang was probably their first choice as Moreno's back-up. This could also be why the staff backed off Santos, getting word that his waiver approval was coming. I just don't think UK (especially Pope) was in a position to offer this guy, sign him, and wait hoping his waiver got approved. I feel like his offer had to be in the works and ironed out (and his waiver getting approved known recently) that is why you saw the quick turnaround.
In fantasy land, maybe Mark Pope played Will Wade and LSU and got them to overpay for Santos... lol I'm only half joking. No clue what is going on down in the Bayou, but it doesn't look promising.
In fantasy land, maybe Mark Pope played Will Wade and LSU and got them to overpay for Santos... lol I'm only half joking. No clue what is going on down in the Bayou, but it doesn't look promising.
I don't think so. He has a great shot to move into the lottery next season while making as much money here
I don't think so. When Kepnang and N'Daye are in the game, good luck to any guard driving the lane to not have the ball volleyball blocked off their dome. If Moreno comes back we will be a good team, if Momcilovic joins him we will be top 10-15
I agree. No need to go now. In years past when you couldn't get paid in college, sure, it would make sense. Now he can get a few mil guaranteed from UK, bet on himself and get into better position next draft.
I appreciate your optimism and hope you are right !!
Man, if we get those two we are really going to be good IMO.
We have a solid true PG. A two that can score. If we get Momcilovic, we have the best shooter in college basketball and great size in the backcourt. McBride is a solid PF and Moreno will be one of the 3-4 best centers in CBB. We will have a couple of role players backing up 1-2, a kid in Kam who is starter worthy off the bench, and Kepnang will be the most athletic, shot blocking backup front court in the game. You can win with less
Milan would be the mega get of the Pope era IF he can show Milan how valuable he really would be in the system. It's a glove fit for his hands, literally. He would be lighting Rupp Arena up. I watched enough of him at Iowa State to say, I personally, would absolutely love to se him suit up in Kentucky Blue and play for our Cats.
He would be a fan favorite for a now suddenly dangerous squad that people would have to face up to next year, with our coach in a make or break campaign for him on the quest for #9.... cornered cats are known to be vicious...
I say, let's go get Milan and finish up the rest of the roster, and we are set.
More reasons to be optimistic than pessimistic, if you ask me.
Go Big Blue !
According to the NCAA, he has missed two years. Also, his first year didn't count due to covid.
It really is. Theoretically you could know you are never good enough for a pro career, play 10-11 games every year and never run out of eligibility.
Except that he actually did play 18 games those years. He never missed a full season:
Franck Kepnang College Stats | College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com
Franck Kepnang - Stats, Game Logs, Splits, and much more
www.sports-reference.com
I’m no longer sure what the NCAA waiver criteria is. Nowadays, it almost seems like they’re just arbitrarily making it up as they go along. But I think it’s a slippery slope if they start letting players erase any season in which they DID play, but for only part. I’m on board with letting players wipe out ONE of those type seasons, but how many times should they get to play that card?
But I’m damn happy one of these rulings worked in our favor this time.
Without him I think we are 25-30 in the nation. He is not only one of the best players in the portal but the absolute perfect fit in Popes offense
Well, I think that’s the other issue right. When a guy has a ton of upside, he’s picked a little later in the draft. I mean, you may give up that money so that you get with the title contender right away and can show your and demonstrate your skills while winning. And I think if the next tell him that they’re gonna pick him at 24 if he’s still on the board.. I believe he’s gonna stay in the draft because he would be going to a championship level team. Versus waiting till next year hoping to have a great year and let’s say he has a great year and becomes a lotto pick and ends up on the bucks. This is where UK fans are very shortsighted. They think everything’s about money and yeah, a lot of it is but most of it’s about the fit. And if a guy his choice is come back to college and give a hometown discount earn $4 million for that one season no chance of a championship. Versus being picked at number 24 and while Kentucky struggles, our boy can be playing for the Knicks for title. Yeah maybe he gets 2 million less be still gonna get endorsements the NIL stuff you still get it the NBA.. I mean I would imagine if he’s picked up by the neck. He’s gonna end up making more than four or $5 million in year one his salary plus endorsements.. especially in largest or second largest media market in the country
Think you’re wrong man I think it’s 50-50. I don’t know what you’re saying. Why would it be near certainty not staying in the draft? I mean the money is there he’s gonna end up making as much his rookie year at a New York Knicks even in LA some of these ladder first round pics the teams were when you’re chosen you’re gonna be playing for titles year one. You can’t discount that and just dismiss it. Because here’s the other option that you play yourself into a lottery pick and you end up on Toronto or the Bucks. Or Memphis or the pelicans. You know those perennial lottery pick
Also- that low ball offer he accepted is probably going to need to be parred back up beyond where the intel is pointing him in the draft.
Pope needs to go 2/2 on M and M.
So basically they are saying 2020-21 never happened. So that doesn't count.
And then they are wiping out 22-23 and 23-24 I guess due to the ACL tear in 22-23.
They really need to go with Trump's rule that you get 5 years to play 5 starting when you graduate from high school or turn 19, although I'd prefer they just say you can play until you turn 23 and that's that.
The best case is Knicks told him footwork and hand strength wasnt close.
Worst case is they told him he wasnt falling past 24.
Worst case we gotta make a new offer and correct the low-ball Tom Brady offer.
I mean maybe, but it just seems silly to me that Moreno would choose to sit on the pine next year instead of playing a major role at his supposed dream school. He reminds me of Nick Richards and is likely on a similar trajectory. Which is fine, I just don’t see why any NBA team would be interested in bringing him in at this point. At absolute best he’ll be a “stash.” He’s going to be a millionaire either way, I just think it’s an easy decision for him. Unless he absolutely hates school.
The two things I love about watching Kepnang play is his enthusiasm and work ethic. The guy is really intense and he gets into the game. That sort of thing can become contagious with teammates. He also seems to give 110% effort and doesn't take plays off. I saw one example during his highlight reel where he all-out sprints the entire length of the court in a fast-break situation just to block what would have been a gimme bucket. And he started well behind the break. Most guys in that situation simply wouldn't make that kind of effort. But he did, and it paid off.
I think this take makes the most sense, looking on everything in hindsight now.
Suddenly we hear about Kepnang as a target, suddenly he is signed even though he's awaiting clearance on his waiver ... and a couple days after announcing interst in him and signing him even ... he gets cleared soooooo quickly...
I have to agree, it looks like they laid low on Kepnang then once they were confident he had the waiver, BOOM. They went and got him post haste as our backup for malachi.
It turns out to be a good mave, and provides much needed rim protection that the last few years we haven't had. So this is definitely good news, and brings the roster one more step closer to a finished product.
If we somehow got Mom and Graves ... our roster would look pretty stout at that point. With only one of them, we're in better shpe, but not getting either would be yet another disappointment, and leaves us with some concerning doubts.
It's all up to Coach Pope to coach his *** off and get everyone to play as well as they possibly can for this upcoming season.
For Pope and the team, everything is on the line.
We can do this.
Go Big Blue !
I think we can (can not will) get Milan or Graves, but not both. It will take a significant chunk of NIL money AND some trust from either of those guys in Pope and this roster. I don't think either Milan or Graves are 1A Alpha options. I believe they both benefit from having a dog beside them instead of being the focal point. So Pope and UK's checkbook will be asking them to take the reigns as our go to stud. They may not want that pressure, they may invite that kind of pressure, depends on their make up. I believe Michigan probably gets one and we get the other if someone twisted my arm today and made me pick where they end up.
I think it is much more likely we end up with a piece that makes us scratch our heads (like Constanza for instance). And at the very last minute pull in Milan or Graves (I really don't think we could get Tounde, even if he pulled out of the draft). I do feel like this roster is much closer to the "feel" of Pope's first UK team, with a little more positional size, a little more athletic potential, and less experience. It's missing that Jaxon Robinson type. We get it, and I'll step away from the ledge a bit more. lol
I think it is much more likely we end up with a piece that makes us scratch our heads (like Constanza for instance). And at the very last minute pull in Milan or Graves (I really don't think we could get Tounde, even if he pulled out of the draft). I do feel like this roster is much closer to the "feel" of Pope's first UK team, with a little more positional size, a little more athletic potential, and less experience. It's missing that Jaxon Robinson type. We get it, and I'll step away from the ledge a bit more. lol