is he the worst recruiter in college basketball history? I've never once seen a coach get this much scrutiny for recruiting, especially from the national media and other fan bases.
If Pope doesn't get Milan
- Thread starter 0r1c
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He sucks at recruiting no need to beat a dead horse
It really shouldn't be this hard when Kentucky is repeatedly making the top NIL offers to these guys. I believe those reports are true considering UK is one of, if not the biggest, brands in college basketball. No idea why he struggles so bad.
I’d argue even if he does get Milan he’s still up there as a top 10 worst recruiter ever. Even BCG was able to snag Patrick Patterson, Daniel Orton, Deandre Liggins. This was pre-nil. Pope has all the resources in the world and at a top 3 basketball school (I’d say #1 but I’m biased)
True but now I'm genuinely curious about the conversation if he's the worst or one of the worst recruiters in history. Not just a bad recruiter.
If he blows this one, he needs to be fired immediately.
This should have been easier. Have the highest offer, the most playing time, and are desperate.
And, it’s basically June. Most rosters are full & most budgets have been spent. The competition is as light as it’ll ever be for a top target.
Desperation repels people, I think it’s a big part of Pope’s problem recruiting this off season
Guys this is much more difficult than you think these days. He just decided to come back to college a few days ago. Now There are agents, JMI, contacts and all kinds of details to work out. This is nothing like Stokes. Stokes was months of convoluted info. This is days of pretty consistent info saying it's probably UK but it's not done yet. It's not unreasonable if this were to even take a couple weeks.
I would have to think they’ve been talking to his agent as soon as he entered the portal. A month at least.
But isJMI absolved in all this if we don’t get him?
Would anyone know?
If all the boxes check and we don’t get him, then Pope has been exposed, once and for all.
Would anyone know?
If all the boxes check and we don’t get him, then Pope has been exposed, once and for all.
If he gets Milan that means very little. He missed on everyone and got lucky that the young man was not going to be drafted high enough. Most teams have spent their money and have their roster. BUT we don’’t. It’s poor recruiting plain and simple. If he gets the guy it means his buyout will just be that much higher.
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Exactly, if he can’t pull this off he will never land his first choices ever here. I already think that is true, but this will prove it beyond a shadow of a doubt to most I’d hope.
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If UK is offering the most money, and probably the best system for MM to showcase his talents, and MM chooses another school, not sure anybody can argue that top players do not want to play for Pope. UK should never, ever, ever have a coach like that.
It’s not the best system for his talent ,Louisville shoots way more 3’s then Kentucky and the actually run sets for shooters
-He's never been an assistant where he is under an elite coach that has real recruiting experience of top players.
-Outside of Mikhail McLean, his current coaching staff is made up of guys that have also never been under an elite coach with real recruiting experience of top players.
-He has no significant successes to point to that would want an elite player to play for him.
-He doesn't understand it's 2026 and not the 1990's. Regardless of what a recruit says about the program, they're not coming to UK because of the tradition.
This would most likely be the final nail in the coffin for Pope. It is already fairly obvious he will not be what we expected and cannot recruit at a UK level.
If he doesn’t land this guy, I fear it’s going to be a season we’ve never seen in uk history regarding fans and the boos he’s going to hear from the get go. The new AD is going to have a huge elephant in the room if things are like last year then he starts that strange and odd behavior. I was at the Gonzaga game and I’ve never heard that reaction from fans before and won’t be shocked to hear that very tune at rupp this upcoming season.
Billy Donovan is sitting there for the taking. This is such bull crap!
Putting Twilight Zone on and nodding off. Exhausted from this whole thing
It happened at Rupp last year a couple times already right?
Well my gut was saying we had this guy, but now it certainly seems like we don't. I just don't understand this 50/50 stuff and now rolling into Monday on a decision.
I had poked at Rainmaker Friday, but that dude was WAY off and deserves more than a poking. There was never a 1:30 "done deal".
I had poked at Rainmaker Friday, but that dude was WAY off and deserves more than a poking. There was never a 1:30 "done deal".
If Pope comes up short on this, just stick a fork in him and bide our time until next season/coach
If we don’t land him pope is done because he can’t recruit, if we do land him pope is done because he can’t coach. No matter what pope is done!!!
If Milan were coming to the UK, he would have already committed.
You’re an idiot. No one is recruited they are bought. the media is more foolish than anyone and are click whores
That’s why I hate the done deal stuff. Seems like everyone that has any sources must get info from our staff and it’s wrong. For example. We supposedly had a verbal agreement with Freeman for 2M dollars. It was announced we lead and had him. He didn’t sign and left. Pope moved on, his agent let St. John’s get in and they offered 3M. Pope thought we had him and didn’t even try to counter offer so he signed right away. Instead of guaranteeing our players with a signature he accepts whatever “agreement” they come to and expects it to never change. That’s the issue. He has no clue how to play the game at this level for elite prospects.
At this point in the off season most schools have already stacked their rosters. Pope is now trying to win in the special Olympics of recruiting moreless. If he looses this he should go ahead and hang it up because this season isn’t gonna end well.
IMO this is why you don't just string along a coach and a fanbase for a 3rd year "just because." It can always become uglier and sometimes too ugly... Should just move on when it's clear that he's not going to work.
If he does, there needs to be a massive campaign to have Pope fired. Sorry, but you can't be the worst recruiter on the planet and be the UK coach.
Like so many others you consider what is actually just your opinion to be fact. We do not know for a fact that we can not have a successful season without him. We do not if our recruiting issues are mostly Mark Pope, JMI, or if the money so many posters assume we have available is no where near as much as they think. There are plenty of things that could be going on behind the scenes that we are unaware of that may be working against us. We also have no clue if hiring Billy Donovan is a realistic possibility. People are running with a lot of things that are really just assumptions that are not supported by established facts.
Whatever the outcome I expect another ten + loss season in a very tough league with incredibly tough road games. We have possibly one player who might be an NBA player someday. Not a recipe for success.
It’s almost like you need a competent GM to deal with this
Rainmaker says we have 3 first rounders and 2 second rounders
Even if he manages to sign it was a clustertruck.
If he DOESN'T sign, however, Pope should be tarred and feathered.
If he DOESN'T sign, however, Pope should be tarred and feathered.