Kyle Wiltjer on N'Diaye
- Thread starter TheResistance
- Start date
It might surprise Kyle to learn that he’ll be playing against men over here too. Today’s CBB world Is packed full of 23 and 24 year olds all across the country.
It’s a far cry different from the teen-driven one and done era that Kyle played in.
Ousmane isn’t some raw project we’re hoping pans out. He’s been battling pros who wake up sore, tape their ankles before breakfast, and treat every possession like a paycheck.
You drop a kid like that into college ball and suddenly he looks faster, stronger, smoother…because he’s already been living in the deep end!
You drop a kid like that into college ball and suddenly he looks faster, stronger, smoother…because he’s already been living in the deep end!
If you're trolling great work. If not you dopes are setting yourselves up for disappointment....like you always do. What would you expect Wiltjer to say when asked?
If they win something that matters I'll give praise. Im n the show me statsle of mind with pope.
I do think this guy has the potential to be good.
I do think this guy has the potential to be good.
We'll see. We had threads like this last year about how Kam Williams was going to be a future 1st round pick. Then he turned out to be what he is, a Tulane transfer capable of about 6 to 8 points per game.
I know Pope was told no by all of his top targets.
I‘m not expecting much from this team or players.
I‘m not expecting much from this team or players.
Ousmane N’Diaye
How is this pronounced?
I’m saying Oss Main In Jie
How is this pronounced?
I’m saying Oss Main In Jie
I think the first name sounds like Oose monn. Last name is correct as far as I know.
When you are 0-40ish on all top prospects you’ve gone after, then don’t talk to me about a guy that is your back up back up option. All of his pickups better be undercover diamonds.
Coming up the guys that just continued to make excuses for this will look back and wonder what the hell they were thinking excusing a recruiter this bad at the head spot at Kentucky. I hate to tell them this, but Mark Pope isn’t good enough to be the top assistant here. Literally, as in factually, no hyperbole, could not be the top assistant here. Western would NOT hire Mark Pope. It’s unbelievable to excuse the Barnhart coach at Kentucky.
Coming up the guys that just continued to make excuses for this will look back and wonder what the hell they were thinking excusing a recruiter this bad at the head spot at Kentucky. I hate to tell them this, but Mark Pope isn’t good enough to be the top assistant here. Literally, as in factually, no hyperbole, could not be the top assistant here. Western would NOT hire Mark Pope. It’s unbelievable to excuse the Barnhart coach at Kentucky.
I'm just going to call him OD. Its just easier when I'm yelling at the TV like an idiot.
I can manage disappointment without leaning into a crashout in order to avoid it.
Life is about how one handles adversity not who skirts it. You don't quit because a battle looks to be uphill, you dig in and redouble your efforts. You hope until the last opportunity is spent.
You cannot really be an overdog and a front runner at the same time, all that act is meaningless puffery.
Nobody with their head screwed on correctly needs hope when the sun is shining, that is for the deepest and darkest night.
I take my disappointment after it is delivered and not a moment before and expect that you will be the one disappointed and moving goalposts but if not, I have my big boy britches at the ready and will be ready to dig in again in short order.
Well, there was the eight three-pointer so there's that not to mention it he got hurt
I would take 10 and 6 from N’Diaye next year and be extremely pleased
His struggles in recruiting here are shocking to me. I wasn’t expecting him to pick up where Calipari left off, but, holy hell. These last two cycles for both HS recruits AND portal players have been a nightmare. He’s not only missing on literally every top target, but, he’s also taking several guys who are poor fits for his system. I mention that a lot, but, it’s a big deal. It wouldn’t be that big of a problem if he wasn’t a system coach. But, he is.
There is no excuse for any coach to struggle this badly recruiting guys to UK, ESPECIALLY with the budget we have. Can’t even buy them, or overpay them. We’ve seen players take substantial pay cuts to go elsewhere. Then, factor in the cluelessness of him putting all of his eggs in one basket & confidently waiting on guys who have no intention of playing here, while attainable players drop off the board one after another.
I don’t expect to get every player we want. But, I don’t expect to miss on all of them, either. It’s crazy to me that he’d risk going that route (waiting on players) considering the current climate. But, he’s probably oblivious to that, too. Now, he’s backed himself into a corner & in a desperate position where he pretty much HAS to land Momcilovic or someone on that level to save his job in a make or break season. And, that’s assuming Momcilovic withdraws. If Moreno stays in the draft & if Pope misses on Momcilovic, next year will be ugly af.
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Just ignore Freshmen Anon’s with 39 messages. Can’t take the bait from the troll accounts!
Mark wasn’t a good recruiter at any stop he’s been at. When he first got to BYU, they weren’t expecting what they do now. I don’t think Mark has ever signed a top 20 player. Not sure he’s signed a top 25 player. Best recruits he’s ever pulled were given due to being in state kids. And one of them exploded on him and rolled out west. He took JQ simply because he wanted to try and gain momentum with a future pro, and only landed him because JQ’s options were thin. And that blew up on him too.
Mark is an atrocious recruiter, and he’s got more problems than that. This is a case of a guy being hired that might have been the worst on any list we could have had. I don’t think he’s got a very mature mindset nor emotions. He’s got a lot of signs of some things that will probably come out when it’s over.
Great players are not going to play for him. He had everything he could have had, Kentucky, money, full support from everyone including the largest fanbase, the conference, the works. For Mark, that is as good as it could ever get and then some. And he’s the worst recruiter I’ve ever seen not just at Kentucky but a lot of places. He cannot coach here, there’s nothing he can do to coach here, and how anyone misses that I have no idea. It’s 2+2.
Amen brother. Better take cover tho because I'm sure paulcalhoun is in the bushes with a sniper about to try and take you out.
How dare you speak common sense.
I was just replying to what UKgrad said. I wasn't saying anything about JQ.
Just agreeing that Pope isn't cut out for UK and has never done anything ever to lead anyone to believe he is.
In his defense, he was starting to show his potential finally when he got hurt. He wasn’t Cooper Flagg talent but he has skills. I do still think he has a ticket to the league if he stays focused and injury free.
I think K. Williams could be one of the best spot up shooters in CBB next season. But I also think B. Hawthorne could displace him in the starting lineup at some point due to having greater versatility on both ends of the floor. Williams has more upside in the tank too, so I wouldn't write him off at all. But Hawthorne seems to have a whole lot of the proverbial "potential" with his skills and physical tools as a 3/4.
I could see McBride with those stats. N’Diaye,I think 5 and 4 is reasonable.
Yeah, I know his history & it’s still shocking, lol. UK is really the first job he’s had where he’s even in a position to consistently go after elite guys. I mean, nobody is bringing studs to Utah Valley & I assumed it would be pretty tough at BYU, too, til Young proved otherwise. Pope got some good players there but his average FR class rank was 97th, with the highest being 67th. So, I knew what we were getting.
I didn’t like the hire & had to talk myself into giving him a chance. But, I thought being at UK would elevate him. And, I didn’t think he necessarily HAD to have an elite roster to win big here. I thought he could at least land 1-2 elite players per year & have classes ranked inside the top 25. And, I thought his system could be dangerous with better athletes & players, in general. Put a Batman & a Robin on the floor & surround them with high end role players who are super skilled, smart & buy into the system & he might have something.
But, this last season’s roster was square peg/round hole personified. On paper, next year’s looks the same to me, at the moment. It reeks of taking whomever you can get. My buddy is CEO of a NIL company & had a cpl players on the team this year & he told me last year how Pope has no business being in certain families’ living rooms. He just can’t connect or relate. It’s hard to argue with that. And, I’m not against Pope. I WANT him to be a good coach/recruiter, lol. Who wouldn’t want a great coach who actually wants to be here a while, with no worry that he’s always looking for something better?
Whine and play victim like I'm picking on you only to bring me up in a thread I wasn't even involved him. It seems you are trying to get some backup before you get owned again. You're pretty pathetic but you're not going to bait me in to helping you pass the night. You are on your own tonight. I'll wait and deal with it when it is not aiding you.
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Never been owned brotha man. Never needed backup. Just wondering why you don't Attack the whole 85 % percent of the board that has mainly the same opinions as me.Whine and play victim like I'm picking on you only to bring me up in a thread I wasn't even involved him. It seems you are trying to get some backup before you get owned again. You're pretty pathetic but you're not going to bait me in to helping you pass the night. You are on your own tonight. I'll wait and deal with it when it is not aiding you.
Nevermind I know
Mark Pope inherited the WORST roster situation in modern UK history…ZERO returners, ZERO continuity, ZERO culture…and still built a top‑15 offense. Some of y’all act like Pope inherited a Final Four roster. As fans we begged for older players, shooters, system basketball, and continuity. We asked for a GM…he delivered a GM BATTALION! This fanbase would complain about the sun being too bright after asking for daylight.
Give him Year 3 and Year 4 continuity and this thing takes off! Some of y’all just want microwave success in a crockpot sport! He is one of us and deserves our support & PATIENCE!
Pope isn’t the problem.
Your microwave‑mentality expectations are!
I’m not sure your life enriching tips are necessary to make a point on this forum.
I’m not counting N’Diaye as a zero yet by any means, and I hope he lives up to at least some of his potential here. That being said, the “already playing against grown men” thing is pretty overstated for several reasons.
1. The current era of college basketball is trending older and 22-25 year olds aren’t uncommon on college rosters right now.
2. Between the narrower lane and the officiating philosophy, the NCAA generally allows for teams to muck up the game to a greater degree than FIBA competition. That style of play can often be an adjustment.
3. It’s not like he’s dominating where he’s at. He had to move down the ladder a bit and leave the generally stronger ABL just to get playing time, and even then isn’t necessarily putting up eye popping numbers.
Again, I think he has some intriguing tools and hope he plays well for us, but I’m not really buying it that NCAA competition will be a breeze for him.
1. The current era of college basketball is trending older and 22-25 year olds aren’t uncommon on college rosters right now.
2. Between the narrower lane and the officiating philosophy, the NCAA generally allows for teams to muck up the game to a greater degree than FIBA competition. That style of play can often be an adjustment.
3. It’s not like he’s dominating where he’s at. He had to move down the ladder a bit and leave the generally stronger ABL just to get playing time, and even then isn’t necessarily putting up eye popping numbers.
Again, I think he has some intriguing tools and hope he plays well for us, but I’m not really buying it that NCAA competition will be a breeze for him.