BB: Kentucky Basketball Pro Day

[ScWildcat3]

Lateral move?
That is just dumb.

Arizona is just as big a job as Kentucky is. They might not have the deep history but to act like Arizona isn’t a huge job is just a blue tinted view. Also it’s the premier job on the west coast.

 

[Cleatortoises]

Arizona is just as big a job as Kentucky is. They might not have the deep history but to act like Arizona isn’t a huge job is just a blue tinted view. Also it’s the premier job on the west coast.

False.
I said the take was dumb.
If you believe the AZ job is equal, then you sir, are dumb.
You'd have trouble getting Az fans to agree.

 

[ScWildcat3]

False.
I said the take was dumb.
If you believe the AZ job is equal, then you sir, are dumb.
You'd have trouble getting Az fans to agree.

So Arizona isn’t a top tier job? Please explain. And don’t say we have 8 titles and most wins. That has no bearing on how good a job is.

 

[Cleatortoises]

So Arizona isn’t a top tier job? Please explain. And don’t say we have 8 titles and most wins. That has no bearing on how good a job is.

No one said not top tier.
Re-read above if necessary.
YOU said just as big.
Not true.
Carry on.

 

[mash_24]

My biggest concern is whether Zoom is going to be a ball dominant PG. Popes offense only works with great ball movement and the ball not sticking. I’m just not sure Zooms the right guy for that.

 

[Johnny_Jeepers]

My biggest concern is whether Zoom is going to be a ball dominant PG. Popes offense only works with great ball movement and the ball not sticking. I’m just not sure Zooms the right guy for that.

Spoiler alert: he's not.

Pope is so GD in over his head.

 

[ScWildcat3]

No one said not top tier.
Re-read above if necessary.
YOU said just as big.
Not true.
Carry on.

It is a lateral move job like I said. You aren’t moving UP going from zona to Kentucky.

 

[ScWildcat3]

My biggest concern is whether Zoom is going to be a ball dominant PG. Popes offense only works with great ball movement and the ball not sticking. I’m just not sure Zooms the right guy for that.

You aren’t moving right popes offense along with almost all the new modern offenses work best with ball movement. It also requires guys who can get into the paint and break the defense down which zoom is great at.

 

[Cleatortoises]

It is a lateral move job like I said. You aren’t moving UP going from zona to Kentucky.

False.
You are kidding yourself.

 

[ScWildcat3]

False.
You are kidding yourself.

Please explain because you have yet to do so?

 

[Cleatortoises]

Please explain because you have yet to do so?

Are you feigning ignorance?
One is a top program, and it ain't AZ.
That hasn't changed because you dont like pope.
You make yourself look foolish by saying they are equal.
You make me feel foolish engaging in this drivel.

 

[ScWildcat3]

Are you feigning ignorance?
One is a top program, and it ain't AZ.
That hasn't changed because you dont like pope.
You make yourself look foolish by saying they are equal.
You make me feel foolish engaging in this drivel.

So again zero argument on why. I personally don’t care who our coach is I just want to win. I hope pope turns it around and retires here just being a former player. I’ve liked him since day 1 and still do.

 

[Cleatortoises]

So again zero argument on why. I personally don’t care who our coach is I just want to win. I hope pope turns it around and retires here just being a former player. I’ve liked him since day 1 and still do.

The top program argument was made quite concisely.
Is this a reading comprehension issue?

 

[ScWildcat3]

The top program argument was made quite concisely.
Is this a reading comprehension issue?

All you said was Kentucky is a top program. Well so is Arizona if you put programs in tiers. They get top players. Pay top money. Have top fan support. Play in a top conference. Only thing they have better is nil and Lloyd seems to recruit fine as is. Idk what else a program could have. But like most your arguments it’s just because you said so with zero facts.

 

[Cleatortoises]

All you said was Kentucky is a top program. Well so is Arizona if you put programs in tiers. They get top players. Pay top money. Have top fan support. Play in a top conference. Only thing they have better is nil and Lloyd seems to recruit fine as is. Idk what else a program could have. But like most your arguments it’s just because you said so with zero facts.

Using a lot of words to justify a stupid take doesnt make it any less so.
I cry uncle.
This is dumb.
Moving along.
Lateral move...hahahahahahahaha

 

[ScWildcat3]

Using a lot of words to justify a stupid take doesnt make it any less so.
I cry uncle.
This is dumb.
Moving along.
Lateral move...hahahahahahahaha

Exactly the response I expected.

 

[kyjeff1]

Because he has no history of winning, player development, and is a relative nobody to modern day recruits? Thus he tries to pitch the sacred cloth and some high NIL offers.

So we're supposed to hate him because he has a religious belief and he’s too nice?

This is a really tough fanbase to please.

What would you say if he goes 24-8 and gets to a FF? Would you overlook his religion and nice-guyness?

 

[kyjeff1]

“Hurley stopped recruiting Brea, when Aidan Mahaney committed before he did. I guess we're already doing revisionist history.”

He stopped reccuiting him when he knew he wasn't getting him.

Are you trying to say Hurley thought Mahaney was the better choice?

 

[RunninRichie]

So we're supposed to hate him because he has a religious belief and he’s too nice?

This is a really tough fanbase to please.

What would you say if he goes 24-8 and gets to a FF? Would you overlook his religion and nice-guyness?

What are you talking about? When did I bring up his religion or him being too nice? He's not a proven winner, has no record producing NBA players, and is a relative nobody to players. Where does that translate to his religious beliefs and him being too nice? Also, why do you keep saying "hate"? Nobody hates Mark Pope, they hate losing. You're basically a Calipari fan circa 2023. Some guys just get bought by personalities.

 

[SenseMaker_Cats]

He stopped recfuiting him when he knew he wasn't getting him.

Are you trying to say Hurley thought Mahaney was the better choice?

I’m laughing at the fact that anyone thinks Hurley didn’t want Brea. They all did.

 

[RunninRichie]

“Hurley stopped recruiting Brea, when Aidan Mahaney committed before he did. I guess we're already doing revisionist history.”

Reported by Matt Norlander.


"Some notable portal news here connected to multiple blue bloods: After landing SMC transfer Aidan Mahaney," Norlander reported Monday. "I'm told UConn's no longer recruiting top-tier Dayton transfer Koby Brea. All indications are Dan Hurley has finalized his backcourt/wing group and isn't adding anyone else."

https://247sports.com/college/kentucky/article/koby-brea-kentucky-wildcats-basketball-231188898/

 

[ScWildcat3]

I’m laughing at the fact that anyone thinks Hurley didn’t want Brea. They all did.

Some think pope only gets bad players and players nobody really wanted. He gets zero credit for a recruit and all the blame as well.

 

[ScWildcat3]

Reported by 24/7 sports. "Some notable portal news here connected to multiple blue bloods: After landing SMC transfer Aidan Mahaney," Norlander reported Monday. "I'm told UConn's no longer recruiting top-tier Dayton transfer Koby Brea. All indications are Dan Hurley has finalized his backcourt/wing group and isn't adding anyone else."

https://247sports.com/college/kentucky/article/koby-brea-kentucky-wildcats-basketball-231188898/

Dumb to recruit a guy who told you no.

 

[kyjeff1]

Rupp Rafters:
"Pope didn’t win anything before getting the UK job, we should never offer this job to coaches that haven't won anything."

Also Rupp Rafters:
"Jai Lucas and Tommy Lloyd would be my choices for our next coach"

Also also Rupp Rafters after Jai Lucas crashes and burns here:
"Another dumb hire, stop hiring idiots that haven't won anything. Yeah, back in October of 2026 I said Jai looked the part, but I'm not the AD and I was drunk"

 

[kyjeff1]

My biggest concern is whether Zoom is going to be a ball dominant PG. Popes offense only works with great ball movement and the ball not sticking. I’m just not sure Zooms the right guy for that.

We had the same exact concerns about Lamont Butler, same exact concerns and I bet every one of us would agree we would take Butler every year if we could.

 

[Beatle Bum]

Oats says clearly in that interview he doesn’t want the UK job.
Let’s forget that sour faced whiner as a potential coach.
Hate watching him yell and whine to the refs all game long. Tells me he feels he has to get help from the officials.

Also who in the hell would want a low character guy like Gillespie in charge of a top class program like UK. Ask Patrick Patterson’s mom who told Mitch he had to go. In fact she and the other parents were a deciding factor in his exit.

Billy just didn’t have a close support system and the job overwhelmed him.

UK fans have pined for coaches who repeatedly say no for years. Is Lute Olson dead?

 

[RunninRichie]

Rupp Rafters:
"Pope didn’t win anything before getting the UK job, we should never offer this job to coaches that haven't won anything."

Also Rupp Rafters:
"Jai Lucas and Tommy Lloyd would be my choices for our next coach"

Also also Rupp Rafters after Jai Lucas crashes and burns here:
"Another dumb hire, stop hiring idiots that haven't won anything. Yeah, back in October of 2026 I said Jai looked the part, but I'm not the AD and I was drunk"

Mark Pope before coaching at UK

0 conference championships
0 NCAAT wins
Coached under Mark Fox and Dave Rose
Awful recruiter

Tommy Lloyd
Coached under Mark Few and recruited many great players there, went to the NCAAT in 2017 as an assistant
Final four and multiple conference titles at Arizona
AP coach of the year
Great recruiter

Jai Lucas
Coached under John Calipari at UK and John Scheyer at Duke
Won 26 games his first season, after Miami went 7-24 the year before, reached the 2nd round. Something Mark Pope has done only twice, as a head coach for 10 years.
Great recruiter

Is this a serious take?

 

[Catastic5]

So we're supposed to hate him because he has a religious belief and he’s too nice?

This is a really tough fanbase to please.

What would you say if he goes 24-8 and gets to a FF? Would you overlook his religion and nice-guyness?

If his religion is getting in the way of performing, it’s absolutely a problem. But even among Mormons, Pope is considered an oddball according to BYU fans. But I do wonder if being a Mormon can be an issue for someone not working at BYU. You’re kind of between having to compete with BYU for Mormon players and non-Mormons thinking you’re weird (not even to bring up the issue African-Americans may have with Mormons which is a whole entire issue in of itself). But I imagine it’s mostly how “Mormon” do you act. Whittingham at Michigan is a Mormon and doesn’t appear to have a problem recruiting players. But he did spend most of his career at a non-religious school.

But it honestly wouldn’t shock me if being religious beyond reason (assuming that is an issue, which I am not really sure) is why Mitch hired him. Dude really tried running the athletic department like he was at a religious institution.

 

[kyjeff1]

What are you talking about? When did I bring up his religion or him being too nice? He's not a proven winner, has no record producing NBA players, and is a relative nobody to players. Where does that translate to his religious beliefs and him being too nice? Also, why do you keep saying "hate"? Nobody hates Mark Pope, they hate losing. You're basically a Calipari fan circa 2023. Some guys just get bought by personalities.

Go back and read the post I quoted.

Also, Pope does have a record of producing NBA players. Didn't Brea and Amari Williams go pro? Isn't Moreno on track to go pro?

But you want Jai Lucas right? How many NBA players did he produce?

Heck, Cal only produced a few, the rest were NBA talents when they came here, but we think he's the NBA talent producing Messiah.

 

[SenseMaker_Cats]

Reported by Matt Norlander.


"Some notable portal news here connected to multiple blue bloods: After landing SMC transfer Aidan Mahaney," Norlander reported Monday. "I'm told UConn's no longer recruiting top-tier Dayton transfer Koby Brea. All indications are Dan Hurley has finalized his backcourt/wing group and isn't adding anyone else."

https://247sports.com/college/kentucky/article/koby-brea-kentucky-wildcats-basketball-231188898/

Kobe Brea could have chosen to go to a multitude of bluebloods. He chose UK. Hurley knew he wasn’t getting him and took Mahaney. Anyone that thinks and doesn’t just come on here to beetch and moan all day understands this.

 

[Johnny_Jeepers]

We had the same exact concerns about Lamont Butler, same exact concerns and I bet every one of us would agree we would take Butler every year if we could.

What are you talking about? No one was concerned that Butler was "ball dominant" they were mainly concerned if he was good enough offensively and was enough of a playmaker. He was seen as a defense savant, clutch, experienced, and a winning player.

Basically the exact opposite of Diallo.

Just because a banana and a frozen cup of piss are both yellow doesn't mean they're both yummy.

 

[RunninRichie]

Kobe Brea could have chosen to go to a multitude of bluebloods. He chose UK. Hurley knew he wasn’t getting him and took Mahaney. Anyone that thinks and doesn’t just come on here to beetch and moan all day understands this.

"Trust me bro"

 

[Johnny_Jeepers]

I’m laughing at the fact that anyone thinks Hurley didn’t want Brea. They all did.

 

[kyjeff1]

I’m laughing at the fact that anyone thinks Hurley didn’t want Brea. They all did.

The mental gymnastics that I see on this board daily to justify the Pope hate, is crazy.

Somehow, we only beat duke, because a guy cramped up and Flagg got tired.

We only won our big games, because other teams had injuries and our injuries don't count.

BCG is better, because he went to a sweet 16 once at aTm.

It’s unreal.

 

[RunninRichie]

Go back and read the post I quoted.

Also, Pope does have a record of producing NBA players. Didn't Brea and Amari Williams go pro? Isn't Moreno on track to go pro?

But you want Jai Lucas right? How many NBA players did he produce?

Heck, Cal only produced a few, the rest were NBA talents when they came here, but we think he's the NBA talent producing Messiah.

Nobody cares if Calipari "produced" them. Recruits know him as the "NBA guy". That's the point. Pope can't point to any of that. Amari Williams (2nd rounder) and Koby Brea (2nd rounder), both on two-way contracts, aren't moving the needle for elite high school talent. Jai Lucas recruited a lot of NBA players, which he can point to. Pope can point to..?

 

[kyjeff1]

Reported by Matt Norlander.


"Some notable portal news here connected to multiple blue bloods: After landing SMC transfer Aidan Mahaney," Norlander reported Monday. "I'm told UConn's no longer recruiting top-tier Dayton transfer Koby Brea. All indications are Dan Hurley has finalized his backcourt/wing group and isn't adding anyone else."

https://247sports.com/college/kentucky/article/koby-brea-kentucky-wildcats-basketball-231188898/

And you think this proves Hurley didn’t already know he wasn't getting Brea?

 

[Beatle Bum]

Runnie says he hopes UK does not make the Final Four because he hates Mark Pope and people still take him seriously here. LOL

 

[SenseMaker_Cats]

View attachment 1477420

Are you pathetic enough you want a banner put up for that? I sure don’t. I was just responding to an idiotic statement that said Hurley didn’t want Brea.

 

[Catastic5]

Go back and read the post I quoted.

Also, Pope does have a record of producing NBA players. Didn't Brea and Amari Williams go pro? Isn't Moreno on track to go pro?

But you want Jai Lucas right? How many NBA players did he produce?

Heck, Cal only produced a few, the rest were NBA talents when they came here, but we think he's the NBA talent producing Messiah.

Jai Lucas is mostly for the fact that we aren’t “sure” we can even get an established coach. We looked at UNC who ran a legitimate coaching search and ended up with a washed-up NBA coach nobody in the NBA wanted. Admittedly if you ask UNC fans, they think their AD is pretty incompetent, and considering he hired a washed up Belichick nobody in the NFL wanted (kind of a pattern), I can see where they’re coming from.

Do I hope we can hire an established coach like we did when we hired Calipari? It’d be nice. But is it realistic? If it’s not realistic, Shertz and Lucas are probably our best case scenarios.

 

[RunninRichie]

And you think this ptoves Hurley didn’t already know he wasn't getting Brea?

JFC