Demarcus Henry

[BookofMormon]

Looks like he's coming into Lex on a visit, a top kid. Most rumors have him going to Cal. Hurley made a play, but as soon as he sniffed out his NFL agent, he said take it or leave it and cut him loose and picked up the 10th rated kid. Duke just got crystalled for Asa Montgomery, another top wing, so likely out on him.

This looks like a complete NIL market squeeze. The question is, does it make sense for Pope to even entertain these kids when it's clear there is no intent? At some point, I'd give these types of kids a rest, maintain your rep and go get some high 4 stars and see what you can do with them. Leave these kids to the Cal's, Duke's.

 

[DonAndy]

Since when does duke already having another player put them out of contention for another one to come sit the bench

 

[RunninRichie]

Everytime someone on this board defends Pope. Just reply with this photo.

 

[DonAndy]

Everytime someone on this board defends Pope. Just reply with this photo.

It's literally a national thing that's happening right now. That's what players think of UK currently. And people really have the nerve to say otherwise. How much proof do they need? Even if this isn't real which I think it is.

We had a team full of overpaid scrubs last year and even they looked miserable. Pope isn't fun or cool. Hell Aberdeen goes back to Florida. It's obvious.

 

[DonAndy]

Pope as coach reminds me of the person that gets a A on the group project because the rest of the people did everything. Like any good hes done is because of UK.

The head coach at Kentucky has to have a personality. Supposed to be one of the biggest figures in the state. But maybe those days are long gone. The magic is getting suck3d out of everything these days.

 

[BookofMormon]

Since when does duke already having another player put them out of contention for another one to come sit the bench

From what I've heard, Williams and Rippey are both pissed they're not starting. It sounds like Scheyer blew some BS with this class, so not sure how repeatable this is. I think he's getting desperate and now lying to get as many insurance policies on the roster as he can.

 

[DonAndy]

From what I've heard, Williams and Rippey are both pissed they're not starting. It sounds like Scheyer blew some BS with this class, so not sure how repeatable this is. I think he's getting desperate and now lying to get as many insurance policies on the roster as he can.

Hopefully they are. Should have came to UK and been superstars. Thats what I don't get about these top players. Their talent will show no matter what. They don't have to love the coach. But I get it.

 

[BookofMormon]

It's literally a national thing that's happening right now. That's what players think of UK currently. And people really have the nerve to say otherwise. How much proof do they need? Even if this isn't real which I think it is.

We had a team full of overpaid scrubs last year and even they looked miserable. Pope isn't fun or cool. Hell Aberdeen goes back to Florida. It's obvious.

The guy needs to realize where his market is and stop chasing kids that he knows have no interest in coming and are only using him to market set. You do this enough, it becomes who you are. No one takes you seriously, you just become the price setter.

Go find kids that want you, want UK, find it an honor to be part of the program. Fanbase can get behind that.

I respect how Hurley did it, gave it a swing and once he sniffed out a kid like Henry was shopping, he said screw off.

 

[DonAndy]

From what I've heard, Williams and Rippey are both pissed they're not starting. It sounds like Scheyer blew some BS with this class, so not sure how repeatable this is. I think he's getting desperate and now lying to get as many insurance policies on the roster as he can.

Come off the bench at Duke or come the THE MAN at UK. If im that talented im gonna bet on myself. Id go play for UK even with Pope being coach. Not to mention we pay well also.

 

[DonAndy]

The guy needs to realize where his market is and stop chasing kids that he knows have no interest in coming and are only using him to market set. You do this enough, it becomes who you are. No one takes you seriously, you just become the price setter.

Go find kids that want you, want UK, find it an honor to be part of the program. Fanbase can get behind that.

I respect how Hurley did it, gave it a swing and once he sniffed out a kid like Henry was shopping, he said screw off.

Hurley has a standard and respect. Pope is so worried about the sacred cloth he should go load up on three and four stars like you said that would care about the sacred cloth.

I assumed that's what he would do in the beginning. I thought going after the elite was over and we were going to build a program with three and four year players.

Fire Cal and replace him with Pope and still go after almost every top talent. Cal missed on some players but he also didn't have 55 scholarships out . Ik that's a exaggeration but still.

 

[BookofMormon]

Hopefully they are. Should have came to UK and been superstars. Thats what I don't get about these top players. Their talent will show no matter what. They don't have to love the coach. But I get it.

These top kids are all wanting to go to the place that they can feel most marketed.

I saw a little bit of Duke's Midnight to Crazy or whatever they call it. There is a lot of pageantry, they do it well. They rope off the path in the courtyard on the way into Cameron, have the students line it. They've designed the program as an experience with Duke students.

There is a reason kids want to be part of that Duke experience more than just NIL.

But yeah, at some point, if I am good enough to start and be a OAD in 99% of programs, why am I going to Duke to ride the bench? Scheyer brought in #4 Cam Williams and then goes ahead and recruits JBB over him, who is now getting all the hype. How would you feel if you're that kid? I'm sorry, but Scheyer has 12 starter level guys, he's not "developing" them, he's throwing them into a battle royal and sees who comes out.

I doubt he pulls off more of this, at some point these kids are going to call BS. He's recruiting Beckham Black this year - Scheyer has friggin 3 PGs on the roster already.

 

[BookofMormon]

Hurley has a standard and respect. Pope is so worried about the sacred cloth he should go load up on three and four stars like you said that would care about the sacred cloth.

I assumed that's what he would do in the beginning. I thought going after the elite was over and we were going to build a program with three and four year players.

Fire Cal and replace him with Pope and still go after almost every top talent. Cal missed on some players but he also didn't have 55 scholarships out . Ik that's a exaggeration but still.

Go get kids that want to be in the program. It's ok to recruit like Iowa St, who grabs 3-4 kids in that 30-80 range. Find the good ones, develop them. The important part is getting kids that really want to be there.

When Hurley got to UConn that's what he did, and then he won a title with them in their junior year. Then once he kept winning and putting guys in the NBA, those top ten kids want to come to him and he doesn't have to deal with the BS. That's the model.

 

[AllBall]

From what I've heard, Williams and Rippey are both pissed they're not starting. It sounds like Scheyer blew some BS with this class, so not sure how repeatable this is. I think he's getting desperate and now lying to get as many insurance policies on the roster as he can.

Ultimately, those kids decided to go to Duke based on $$$ and now that basketball is being played they're getting pissy.

Maybe recruits will think twice when there's a logjam of talent. Can't showcase your skills on the bench. There's plenty of schools willing to pay a fair amount where you can log good minutes.

 

[Catastic5]

Everytime someone on this board defends Pope. Just reply with this photo.

Every time he wastes time with players like this he digs his grave just a little bit deeper. If we’re going into April after doing poorly in conference, an early exit in the tournament and just Hampton as your only recruit, how exactly does Pope plan on arguing for his job? What future is he even fighting for? “Well, I’ll do better in the transfer portal this year!” (After whiffing on nearly every major target and settling for your 2nd and 3rd options the last 3 portals.)

 

[RunninRichie]

Every time he wastes time with players like this he digs his grave just a little bit deeper. If we’re going into April after doing poorly in conference, an early exit in the tournament and just Hampton as your only recruit, how exactly does Pope plan on arguing for his job? What future is he even fighting for? “Well, I’ll do better in the transfer portal this year!” (After whiffing on nearly every major target and settling for your 2nd and 3rd options the last 3 portals.)

I don't think Hampton even comes here, if we go out in the 2nd round.

 

[DonAndy]

I don't think Hampton even comes here, if we go out in the 2nd round.

He won't. He will decomitt when Pope is fired and we will get two or three players better than him. Hes really not that great. But when you miss on everyone you have to hype everyone up. Heard Trent Noah's been burning the nets up again in practice and also been the best defensive player all summer.

 

[seccats04]

Pope is like 1-25 recruiting 5 stars. I don't expect this recruitment to be any different. Mark Dork still won't even hire a real GM.

 

[TheBestThereEverWas]

Looks like he's coming into Lex on a visit, a top kid. Most rumors have him going to Cal. Hurley made a play, but as soon as he sniffed out his NFL agent, he said take it or leave it and cut him loose and picked up the 10th rated kid. Duke just got crystalled for Asa Montgomery, another top wing, so likely out on him.

This looks like a complete NIL market squeeze. The question is, does it make sense for Pope to even entertain these kids when it's clear there is no intent? At some point, I'd give these types of kids a rest, maintain your rep and go get some high 4 stars and see what you can do with them. Leave these kids to the Cal's, Duke's.

So we are going to believe CardsFanatic for a Kentucky recruiting update? Quit putting anonymous tweets in threads and acting like they are facts.

 

[bigblueinsanity (the real)]

Everytime someone on this board defends Pope. Just reply with this photo.

Plus you can bet we're actually paying him a sum of money just to get an official. Basketball nil is way out of control but it's even worse when you are UK and no one much wants to be here with Pope.

 

[BarefootBeach]

Everytime someone on this board defends Pope. Just reply with this photo.

Riiggght, this must be true, it is on the internet

 

[BookofMormon]

So we are going to believe CardsFanatic for a Kentucky recruiting update? Quit putting anonymous tweets in threads and acting like they are facts.

Pulled it from behind a paywall site, it's not his update.

 

[BookofMormon]

 

[TFCat11]

Pope is like 1-25 recruiting 5 stars. I don't expect this recruitment to be any different. Mark Dork still won't even hire a real GM.

Going back to when? Last year? He’s easily in the high 30’s, lower 40’s on 5 stars, going back to when he was first hired.

BTW, Pope has never landed a player who was a 5 star when they arrived in Lexington… Not Jasper Johnson, not Moreno, and not Ryan Hampton… So Pope is technically 0-40 something signing a 5 star player!

A stat that will last longer than UK’s home winning streak record, and a stat that will make Mark Pope go down as the worst recruiter at a top 10 historical program, in the history of college sports!

 

[VC99]

The guy needs to realize where his market is and stop chasing kids that he knows have no interest in coming and are only using him to market set. You do this enough, it becomes who you are. No one takes you seriously, you just become the price setter.

Go find kids that want you, want UK, find it an honor to be part of the program. Fanbase can get behind that.

I respect how Hurley did it, gave it a swing and once he sniffed out a kid like Henry was shopping, he said screw off.

It doesn't matter what Pope's market is. Kentucky basketball's market is 5-star, NBA players. If the coach is a mismatch for the program than he shouldn't be here.

 

[BookofMormon]

It doesn't matter what Pope's market is. Kentucky basketball's market is 5-star, NBA players. If the coach is a mismatch for the program than he shouldn't be here.

Back to my earlier remarks - he's folding under the pressure, trying to be something he isn't versus coming up with a strategy that works.

 

[Johnnie Africa]

The weird thing about Popes recruiting is he’s probably one of if not the best actual basketball player that coaches at a major program, the tallest, and has arguably the hottest wife. You’d think that would actually matter or show he has a badass personality but he just doesn’t.

 

[VC99]

Back to my earlier remarks - he's folding under the pressure, trying to be something he isn't versus coming up with a strategy that works.

I don't want a coach that folds under pressure either.

 

[LineSkiCat14]

To the point of "Go find the kids that want you(Pope)"... I'd rather address the bigger issue and ask "Why are 5-star kids seemingly not at all interested in you as a coach, especially at a top program with top salary".

If you think of it like a job, and I know this isn't apples to apples... but if an elite company isn't able to attract talent, DESPITE the high salary.. that would be an absolute red-flag for not only potential employees, but the people within the company, the stakeholders, etc. It goes back to my point yesterday: there really has to be something foul for Pope to be *this* bad at recruiting. And sadly, if that doesn't get fixed, like asap, he can't be the coach here. Kentucky can't keep putting out sub top25 rosters, hoping better teams in the tournament get eliminated so we can squeak out an E8 by beating a 12-seed.

You compare it to Cal, almost every single recruit wanted to play for him, and even before his whole NBA pitch, he was getting talent at Umass and Memphis. There has to be just some glaringly bad weakness Pope has when he meets with these kids.

 

[BookofMormon]

To the point of "Go find the kids that want you(Pope)"... I'd rather address the bigger issue and ask "Why are 5-star kids seemingly not at all interested in you as a coach, especially at a top program with top salary".

If you think of it like a job, and I know this isn't apples to apples... but if an elite company isn't able to attract talent, DESPITE the high salary.. that would be an absolute red-flag for not only potential employees, but the people within the company, the stakeholders, etc. It goes back to my point yesterday: there really has to be something foul for Pope to be *this* bad at recruiting. And sadly, if that doesn't get fixed, like asap, he can't be the coach here. Kentucky can't keep putting out sub top25 rosters, hoping better teams in the tournament get eliminated so we can squeak out an E8 by beating a 12-seed.

You compare it to Cal, almost every single recruit wanted to play for him, and even before his whole NBA pitch, he was getting talent at Umass and Memphis. There has to be just some glaringly bad weakness Pope has when he meets with these kids.

Proof of concept. Those top 5 stars want a coach that knows what to do with them, will get them to the NBA ASAP. He didn't have them at BYU.

Cal started his entire 5* wagon started with guys like Marcus Camby and duffel bags of cash. There is a reason he's had two Final 4 runs vacated. But he learned the pitch, showed the track record of getting guys to the NBA, built a system around it, figured out the way to manage it.

Jasper Johnson becoming transferred goods after 1 year didn't help.

 

[WeWant9]

I've wondered if Pope gets way too in the weeds with analytic talk when dealing with recruits. They just want to know how will you use them, how will you prepare them for the next level, and how much will you pay. I do think he needs to go away from the Musselman approach of getting involved with just about every recruit, that seems like easy ammo for opposing schools to use against him.

 

[ScWildcat3]

Proof of concept. Those top 5 stars want a coach that knows what to do with them, will get them to the NBA ASAP. He didn't have them at BYU.

Cal started his entire 5* wagon started with guys like Marcus Camby and duffel bags of cash. There is a reason he's had two Final 4 runs vacated. But he learned the pitch, showed the track record of getting guys to the NBA, built a system around it, figured out the way to manage it.

Jasper Johnson becoming transferred goods after 1 year didn't help.

Some of it has to do with the system pope runs. It doesn’t highlight guys necessarily. I know that’s a big reason Caleb holt never committed. He loved pope and Kentucky but wasn’t fond of the style of play for his position. These high end guys want to be showcased or at least their agents/handlers want them to be. Im hoping add mo to the staff who comes from a more modern nba style he will loosen up the style to accommodate those guys.

 

[true-blue1]

Henry had No interest in visiting UK but his agent advised him to.

 

[ScWildcat3]

Henry had No interest in visiting UK but his agent advised him to.

Smart by his agent and by pope imo. Jack up the price for Arkansas and others. They only have so much nil so if they have to pay extra for someone that takes them out of it for others. It doesn’t hurt anything bringing him to campus.

 

[BookofMormon]

Some of it has to do with the system pope runs. It doesn’t highlight guys necessarily. I know that’s a big reason Caleb holt never committed. He loved pope and Kentucky but wasn’t fond of the style of play for his position. These high end guys want to be showcased or at least their agents/handlers want them to be. Im hoping add mo to the staff who comes from a more modern nba style he will loosen up the style to accommodate those guys.

Agree on this. And if you look at the guys getting them, it's system designed around it. Cal, Scheyer, even Lloyd, they all run really basic offensive schemes. The last two years, Scheyer ran nothing but going through his PF.

Why I tend to think Hurley would have a hard time getting these kind of kids. His system is so team oriented, more pass, less dribble and it takes kids a couple years to truly get it. Not sure how well positioned it is to grab a kid who wants to be showcased, unless he adapts and starts modifying it to be more hybrid.

 

[Artlaibesghost]

It's hopeless

 

[LineSkiCat14]

Proof of concept. Those top 5 stars want a coach that knows what to do with them, will get them to the NBA ASAP. He didn't have them at BYU.

Cal started his entire 5* wagon started with guys like Marcus Camby and duffel bags of cash. There is a reason he's had two Final 4 runs vacated. But he learned the pitch, showed the track record of getting guys to the NBA, built a system around it, figured out the way to manage it.

Jasper Johnson becoming transferred goods after 1 year didn't help.

Well, the 2nd vacated title had nothing to with cash, fwiw. I do think his system offered a different way to millions for these guys.. but it was still *his* designed system, and players really seemed to love him. It wasn't just that he was saying "im going to get you an NBA contract", it was also "I care about your future". That resonated with a lot of guys. We can say what we will about him and his tenure at the end with UK, but the guy is charismatic for sure. Players wanted to come play for him. Its not like John Walls only path to being 1AD was through Cal. He could have done the same thing with Coach K or Self.

Regardless, its really just an example of a coach who was able to draw in recruits. Pope has to find that.

 

[MonsterMash79]

I don't think Hampton even comes here, if we go out in the 2nd round.

It won’t be because of Mark. He’ll be gone after this year, baring a deep run.

 

[BookofMormon]

Well, the 2nd vacated title had nothing to with cash, fwiw. I do think his system offered a different way to millions for these guys.. but it was still *his* designed system, and players really seemed to love him. It wasn't just that he was saying "im going to get you an NBA contract", it was also "I care about your future". That resonated with a lot of guys. We can say what we will about him and his tenure at the end with UK, but the guy is charismatic for sure. Players wanted to come play for him. Its not like John Walls only path to being 1AD was through Cal. He could have done the same thing with Coach K or Self.

Regardless, its really just an example of a coach who was able to draw in recruits. Pope has to find that.

Charismatic, warm, the man has really great energy and comes off sincere. We also need to acknowledge the fact that the man designed a template that he sells that says individual first, program second. So to some extent, while a specific strategy that garners pulls these kids, it's not exactly a template anyone else is willing to publicly sell. A guy like Hurley for instance, is emphatic on the total opposite, have heard him say that it's teaching this gen not to be selfish @ssholes. This is what I mean, you have to figure out what works for you and do it really, really well. Pope doesn't have to chase top 5 HS recruits to win, he needs a plan/strategy that works for him. Right now he feels like he's all over the place, trying to appeal to BBN, or thinks he needs something which he can't get.

It won’t be because of Mark. He’ll be gone after this year, baring a deep run.

Check out the buy out numbers someone just shared.

 

[OliverSimmonsTwinBrother]

Heard Trent Noah's been burning the nets up again in practice and also been the best defensive player all summer.

That part is true though. He made tremendous strides over the off season and has even became a "player/coach" type, he's been mentoring Milan and helping him with his shot/form according to what I read on Facebook.

 

[Resignmarkpope]

That part is true though. He made tremendous strides over the off season and has even became a "player/coach" type, he's been mentoring Milan and helping him with his shot/form according to what I read on Facebook.

Noah play more than 10 mins Kentucky is in serious trouble. Like 20 losses