Radical changes needed for UK's Basketball Program

[sefus12]

2 seasons going 46-26 hasnt been much fun. losing isnt fun. getting down double digits all the time isnt fun. missing out on elite talent isnt fun. having a coach that makes an *** out of himself every time he speaks isnt fun. not being hyped to start a season because the roster construction looks mid isnt fun.

i suppose if you try really hard and reduce uk basketball into the tiniest thing and completely ignore all other context.....you can fabricate a scenario that might be fun. but as a uk basketball fan....i shouldnt have to do all that

So if you’re so sure about how bad this season will be, why don’t you go make a ton of money betting against the cats? Feels like some of you are just hoping it will be bad so your negativity can be justified.

What I’m saying is that this is damn near an entirely new roster and we have no idea how the season will go. I’ll take a wait-and-see approach as opposed to bumping my BP up and already bitching about how big a failure it is.

 

[Wildcat_in_DC]

So if you’re so sure about how bad this season will be, why don’t you go make a ton of money betting against the cats? Feels like some of you are just hoping it will be bad so your negativity can be justified.

What I’m saying is that this is damn near an entirely new roster and we have no idea how the season will go. I’ll take a wait-and-see approach as opposed to bumping my BP up and already bitching about how big a failure it is.

and what i'm saying is that everything to date has been a failure to live up the programs standards. so i dont think its all that shocking that a lot of folks are indifferent on the year.

 

[RedwoodHigh]

It does not look like his "best yet", not even close.

Wrong

 

[moses1uk]

Pope has played like 70 games at this point.

And he went father in the tourney than Cal could his last many years

 

[Wildcat_in_DC]

And he went father in the tourney than Cal could his last many years

unfortunately for pope.....comparing his performance to cal's final years is fundamentally irrelevant since that is not how we measure any kind of success at this program.

 

[Catastic5]

No basketball team overcomes 3 injured starters. Not the 1996 UK team. They are starters for a reason. Even Florida this year. Pope has had that for his first 2 seasons.

No matter how much you try to push it, Quaintqnce was added to the roster already injured. Pope doesn’t get to complain about an injury for a player he knew was compromised.

 

[Catastic5]

And he went father in the tourney than Cal could his last many years

Wow, a Sweet 16 16. And what happened during that Sweet 16 game? Do tell.

 

[BlueVelvetFog]

Basketball gets what it needs and then we go from there. Maybe a better basketball coach won't need quite as much money and we can spread it around better, but who knows. Basketball eats first.

LOL. Ok

 

[JustBlue]

missing out on elite talent isnt fun.

You should never ever, ever consistently struggle to land elite talent at UK. You might not be the very best every year (everyone has a "not as strong as usual" year here and there) but you must get your share A+ guys and be turning away more than not. The whole "Pope may surprise some people with the roster he has put together" spin is complete garbage. You are Kentucky and should be near the top almost all the time.

"This is the best team on paper" and they are projected middle of the pack? I hope they win every game but no one can convince me that's what UK is about.

JB

 

[Cats4321]

These polls are basically what I've been saying. Our roster is pretty good and we can be a much improved team over last year. Unfortunately, we could end up in basically the same position because there are so many really good rosters this year. We might be good relative to previous years, but that doesn't mean we won't be mediocre relative to the teams we have to play thiis season. I am hopeful this team can exceed expectations. I'm not really negative about this team...taking a wait and see approach. But one thing I know is that a mediocre season won't cut it. The Kentucky basketball program has WAY too many financial resources to settle for "at least we are a little better this year".

 

[Catastic5]

You should never ever, ever consistently struggle to land elite talent at UK. You might not be the very best every year (everyone has a "not as strong as usual" year here and there) but you must get your share A+ guys and be turning away more than not. The whole "Pope may surprise some people with the roster he has put together" spin is complete garbage. You are Kentucky and should be near the top almost all the time.

"This is the best team on paper" and they are projected middle of the pack? I hope they win every game but no one can convince me that's what UK is about.

JB

Scary isn’t it? This is Pope’s best foot forward. What the heck are we doing if this is the peak of what Mark Pope is capable of?

 

[Bluesbrother]

The Latest Headline:

SEC preseason picks: Florida holds off Texas, Arkansas​

https://www.cbssports.com/college-b...eseason-predictions-2026-27-florida-texas-uk/
Over the last 5 years or more, the program has hit mediocrity. We are in a danger zone. A complete evaluation of the program is needed.

Start with changing coaches. Get the right coach ... the right coach was exactly what changed the football program that was viewed nationally as a joke. The BB program is waiting for the right coach.

 

[Goingfor9]

Pope will be the Ky coach for at least 5 more years. 2 more Sweet 16’s gives him 7 more years.
Will Stein will be offered several big time jobs over the next few years including Penn State & several NFL JOBS.

Stein isnt leaving unless it’s for an nfl gig. Idk why he would ever think about leaving if he builds this program. Stein makes peanuts right now that’s how much he wanted the job. The likes of Penn st, Oregon, Ohio st if those are his goal I don’t think he would have ended up taking the UK job.

 

[Cleatortoises]

2 seasons going 46-26 hasnt been much fun. losing isnt fun. getting down double digits all the time isnt fun. missing out on elite talent isnt fun. having a coach that makes an *** out of himself every time he speaks isnt fun. not being hyped to start a season because the roster construction looks mid isnt fun.

i suppose if you try really hard and reduce uk basketball into the tiniest thing and completely ignore all other context.....you can fabricate a scenario that might be fun. but as a uk basketball fan....i shouldnt have to do all that

Thinking you deserve something is odd.

 

[Damage_inc]

Basketball is killing the football high we’re experiencing right now. But Stein’s success is really bothering me that the basketball is struggling despite the amount of resources it has compared to the football team.

We legit spent more NIL on the basketball team. 14 man roster vs a full football roster. You'd expect the ROI to be better. Keep in mind that football is funded with rev share so all the private money is going to BB. But still.

the difference in stein and pope is so stark. It's insane that both hires were made by the same guy.

 

[Drcatfan]

I will say Pope had a substantial NIL budget and built this roster. Barring major injuries, this season should be good test of his coaching ability.

IMO, if we are a top 15 team and make it to the sweet sixteen or better then he earns another year. If we are outside the top 20 and exit the first weekend of the tourney then he definitely needs to go.

 

[seccats04]

We legit spent more NIL on the basketball team. 14 man roster vs a full football roster. You'd expect the ROI to be better. Keep in mind that football is funded with rev share so all the private money is going to BB. But still.

the difference in stein and pope is so stark. It's insane that both hires were made by the same guy.

Hint: they weren’t hired by the same guy. If you think Stein was a Mitch hire, that lasted about two days, I don’t know what to tell you. He didn’t want to fire Stoops. He let Sumrall go to Florida while watching us get shut out by UL and seeing if he could extend Stoops for going to the Sav A Lot bowl if we had won that game. Mitch didn’t have a clue or a backup plan. That’s how we ended up with Pope.

 

[Haggin_Hall_1983]

No matter how much you try to push it, Quaintqnce was added to the roster already injured. Pope doesn’t get to complain about an injury for a player he knew was compromised.

You still failed to address my point- that Pope did well given what he had to work with. I want someone who can deliver as a coach when we have the right players- I still think we have that guy. So you are in the camp "we do not take chances on injured players".
So when this seasons Freshman stud that is on everyones top 5 list gets injured and goes into the portal, its hands off for you. Got it.

 

[BarHasDropped]

I will say Pope had a substantial NIL budget and built this roster. Barring major injuries, this season should be good test of his coaching ability.

IMO, if we are a top 15 team and make it to the sweet sixteen or better then he earns another year. If we are outside the top 20 and exit the first weekend of the tourney then he definitely needs to go.

Dang a sweet sixteen and top fifteen team keeps his job? The standard really doesn't exist anymore. Top 15 team with top five resources if not better. Crazy work BBN.

Football is a top 15 team with bottom feeder resources. Pope needs nothing less than a final four.

 

[seccats04]

I couldn’t care less about UK basketball. Barnhart and Cal ruined it.

I’ll still watch because I’ll always love UK but I’m not expecting much. Mitch and Pope leading the program really killed my enthusiasm. Now football OTOH….

 

[VC99]

Wow, a Sweet 16 16. And what happened during that Sweet 16 game? Do tell.

I think if I had to sum up the problem these people are having is they are so worried about Pope's "success" that they lost sight of Kentucky's success.

It doesn't matter if Pope reaches a sweet 16 or elite 8, that's Pope success. Kentucky's success is winning titles and final fours.

They're so fixated on Pope having his best season or whatever that looks like that they can't clearly see the changes that need to happen for KENTUCKY.

The top of Pope's abilities are elite 8's. The top of Kentucky's abilities are Championships.

 

[BarHasDropped]

I think if I had to sum up the problem these people are having is they are so worried about Pope's "success" that they lost sight of Kentucky's success.

It doesn't matter if Pope reaches a sweet 16 or elite 8, that's Pope success. Kentucky's success is winning titles and final fours.

They're so fixated on Pope having his best season or whatever that looks like that they can't clearly see the changes that need to happen for KENTUCKY.

The top of Pope's abilities are elite 8's. The top of Kentucky's abilities are Championships.

Thanks. Glad to know some Kentucky fans care more about Kentucky than Pope. Id sure as hell hope he has his best season because so far his best season is a blowout to Tennessee in the sweet sixteen.

Also what if Oweh doesn't hit that half court shot in the first round......

 

[OGtruebluewildcat]

And yet it’s basically the same teams winning every year…

There’s a lot more FB programs winning more and beating bigger more traditional powers.

Kentucky, UCLA, IU in top 15…has that ever happened?

Any given Saturday UK can beat LSU, SC can roll Florida…

In basketball you got Houston as a S16 or E8 lock. Florida and Michigan with nats…

KU and UNC have both struggled recently.

 

[BarHasDropped]

I’ll still watch because I’ll always love UK but I’m not expecting much. Mitch and Pope leading the program really killed my enthusiasm. Now football OTOH….

Takes 30 days for a real coach to change all of that. Football is the best example. Only difference is basketball has wayyyyyyy more to work with. Should be no excuses. Again excitement can return in 30 days with a real coach.

 

[RunninRichie]

I think if I had to sum up the problem these people are having is they are so worried about Pope's "success" that they lost sight of Kentucky's success.

It doesn't matter if Pope reaches a sweet 16 or elite 8, that's Pope success. Kentucky's success is winning titles and final fours.

They're so fixated on Pope having his best season or whatever that looks like that they can't clearly see the changes that need to happen for KENTUCKY.

The top of Pope's abilities are elite 8's. The top of Kentucky's abilities are Championships.

Because Pope is a former player and some of our fans get bought by personality. Calipari had a iron grip on some fans, because he raised a lot of money, was great for the state, swaggy Cal, etc and other off court stuff.

It's the same here. They're bought by nostalgia, former player, hiring other former players, bringing back cool uniforms, signing balls and cards for fans, "He just gets it", etc etc. I got called all kinds of names by Calipari fans, when I said he should go after 9-16, it's the same now for these Pope guys. When you put the program first, over the coach, these guys who are bought by the personality, take it personal. Why? Because they've shifted toward being a bigger coach (the personality) fan, than a fan of the program. That's why you see them say the word "hate", instead of "criticism". You just hate Pope/Cal!

You have to put the program over the coach. Or else you end up like Indiana, Nebraska football, UCLA to an extent.

Some of these guys would rather the program, drops to accepting sweet 16s, as amazing seasons, to protect a coach. It's already happening, Paul C said the SEC was so hard, that a 6th or 7th finish, was basically a 1st/2nd or 3rd finish in the past.

 

[BookofMormon]

I think if I had to sum up the problem these people are having is they are so worried about Pope's "success" that they lost sight of Kentucky's success.

It doesn't matter if Pope reaches a sweet 16 or elite 8, that's Pope success. Kentucky's success is winning titles and final fours.

They're so fixated on Pope having his best season or whatever that looks like that they can't clearly see the changes that need to happen for KENTUCKY.

The top of Pope's abilities are elite 8's. The top of Kentucky's abilities are Championships.

Beyond the wins, etc, I just don't think the guy is a "fit" culturally. He's a dopey Mormon from a heavy blue state in the middle of the heartland, land of bourbon and horses. Pitino - brash NY'er, loves his horses, steely presence. That works. I wrote once about Pope not giving off any leadership vibes. He just doesn't have them. Even when you hear him in an open mic practice, his instructions are, well, dopey. He feels like an assistant coach.

I sit back and ask myself if the fanbase would even like the guy if he made a deep run. I think they would call it a fluke and still want him out.

Because Pope is a former player and some of our fans get bought by personality. Calipari had a iron grip on some fans, because he raised a lot of money, was great for the state, swaggy Cal, etc and other off court stuff.

It's the same here. They're bought by nostalgia, former player, hiring other former players, bringing back cool uniforms, signing balls and cards for fans, "He just gets it", etc etc. I got called all kinds of names by Calipari fans, when I said he should go after 9-16, it's the same now for these Pope guys. When you put the program first, over the coach, these guys who are bought by the personality, take it personal. Why? Because they've shifted toward being a bigger coach (the personality) fan, than a fan of the program. That's why you see them say the word "hate", instead of "criticism". You just hate Pope/Cal!

You have to put the program over the coach. Or else you end up like Indiana, Nebraska football, UCLA to an extent.

Some of these guys would rather the program, drops to accepting sweet 16s, as amazing seasons, to protect a coach. It's already happening, Paul C said the SEC was so hard, that a 6th or 7th finish, was basically a 1st/2nd or 3rd finish in the past.

It's not personality, it's nostalgia. It's Pitino selling him as one of his pupils.

 

[Beatle Bum]

Beyond the wins, etc, I just don't think the guy is a "fit" culturally. He's a dopey Mormon from a heavy blue state in the middle of the heartland, land of bourbon and horses. Pitino - brash NY'er, loves his horses, steely presence. That works. I wrote once about Pope not giving off any leadership vibes. He just doesn't have them. Even when you hear him in an open mic practice, his instructions are, well, dopey. He feels like an assistant coach.

I sit back and ask myself if the fanbase would even like the guy if he made a deep run. I think they would call it a fluke and still want him out.

It's not personality, it's nostalgia. It's Pitino selling him as one of his pupils.

Pump the bigotry brakes. Talk about looking like a dumb edumacated hillbilly. Since when is there a test oath for religion being a UK coach or fan? If his being a Mormon is a problem for you, that is a problem with you.

 

[RunninRichie]

Prime example of a guy taking it personal.

 

[Beatle Bum]

Prime example of a guy taking it personal.

Yeah, the Nancies on here acting like preseason polls have meaning is a prime example of fans taking things personally. Agreed.

 

[CUJO_1970]

Half of our fan base is perfectly content with a #7 SEC projection. They are the same people who felt no shame after that Iowa State game. If Kentucky makes a S16 this year they will think Pope is the second coming of Adolph Rupp.

It's been nearly a full decade of lowered standards and lowered expectations, the foundations of which were laid brick by brick during COVID by John Calipari and Mitch Barnhart. Pope was a massive mistake. Recruiting shows it. Prognostications show it. Results show it. The future will prove it.

It's the same cult of personality that defended Stoops until the end and would still have him here coaching if they could. Think about that. We'd be 2-4 right now and they'd be saying how thankful they are that Stoops ended the Florida losing streak and we should be forever grateful. We wouldn't even know what we were missing. No Will Stein. But they would be there telling us how wrong we are not to support Stoops.

It's the same with basketball. The same soft fans loyal to a person rather than the program. We could be preparing to make a run for our 9th National Championship, a dominant and elite team - as we should be. Instead here we are picked 7th in the SEC, praying to win two games in the SECT and praying to make the second weekend of the NCAA tourney - and if we do, boy look out - they will be there to assure us that this is good enough.

Pope has to go. It was clear after the Alabama game last year. He's not good enough to coach here.

 

[BookofMormon]

Pump the bigotry brakes. Talk about looking like a dumb edumacated hillbilly. Since when is there a test oath for religion being a UK coach or fan? If his being a Mormon is a problem for you, that is a problem with you.

I don't have a problem with it, I'm talking via the masses. Not sure if you've noticed, this fanbase doesn't like Pope. He's got two seasons under his belt, by all accounts season 1 was a success and he went deeper than his predecessor went in the last 5 years, in his inaugural year.

Yes, he had a rough year last year, his big ticket portal grab stayed injured. It was a bad risk - it happens. Make no mistake, Quaintnance was the jewel of the class and the one elite player that could have made a difference, especially if playing alongside Moreno. He was a top 10 pick healthy. His other 5* HS recruit was a bust.

If this guy was someone the fanbase liked and believed in, they'd still be behind him. They don't like him, most here want him fired. It's not just because he had a bad year, it's because he evokes nothing that anyone connects with, has no leadership traits.

I am in executive search. Culture fit is a remarkably big part of how companies operate.

 

[Anon1751335390]

Some of these guys would rather the program, drops to accepting sweet 16s, as amazing seasons, to protect a coach. It's already happening, Paul C said the SEC was so hard, that a 6th or 7th finish, was basically a 1st/2nd or 3rd finish in the past.

When you go 5 seasons without a tournament win, the Sweet 16 seems awesome.

 

[Eagles_Ball_69]

The expectation should be that we are one of the handful of teams that can win it all at seasons end. If we aren’t that, Pope has to go. Till then I’m just gonna watch and hope and see what shakes out. That’s really all any of us can do.

Completely reasonable take. Not sure that belongs on this board, but you do you. Lol

 

[meteordealer]

I don’t even know what to say at this point. I thought we’d at least be 5th. No one respects us anymore. We really are becoming Kentucky football of old.

So it was better with Cal? When we were preseason #1 in everything. Then finished with 12 losses and first round choke jobs in the tourny every year?

 

[Damage_inc]

Hint: they weren’t hired by the same guy. If you think Stein was a Mitch hire, that lasted about two days, I don’t know what to tell you. He didn’t want to fire Stoops. He let Sumrall go to Florida while watching us get shut out by UL and seeing if he could extend Stoops for going to the Sav A Lot bowl if we had won that game. Mitch didn’t have a clue or a backup plan. That’s how we ended up with Pope.

If the AD didn't hire stein then who did? Do tell.

 

[RunninRichie]

When you go 5 seasons without a tournament win, the Sweet 16 seems awesome.

And that is the danger we find ourselves in. We gotta right the ship, quick.

 

[Beatle Bum]

If the AD didn't hire stein then who did? Do tell.

For the people that just push crap as fact and then evidence the crap with “it’s just obvious,” they need to tell Mitch he was not involved. LOL

 

[KYFOSSIL]

Is anyone actually excited about this season?

Yes, I am very excited about this season as I am every season for one reason alone. The games are determined on the court, not preseason based on rankings or whatever happened the year before. It is a new season of new possibilities.. We have an exciting back Court with a solid backup for the first time in several years. We have the absolute best shooter in the nation from three points. Kam will be back and a more mature and stronger Moreno will be one of the best centers in the league. Combine with an incredible length and now shooting, and I'm extremely excited about this year

 

[meteordealer]

Yes very much better. How many times did he lose in the first round?

Even the teams that choked could have very well won a championship. There was a chance. We were a threat.

We are no threat at all with Pope. None.

His last 5 seasons at UK, Cal averaged 12 losses, and had a total of 1 NCAA tournament win.

 

[RunninRichie]

His last 5 seasons at UK, Cal averaged 12 losses, and had a total of 1 NCAA tournament win.

So we fired Calipari, to hire Calipari?