Who would you pick as the next HC?

Who would be your choice?

  • Pearl

  • Oats

  • Hoiberg

  • May

  • Lloyd

  • Golden

  • Otzelberger

  • McCasland

  • Byington

  • Donovan


Results are only viewable after voting.

jedwar

Heisman
Moderator
Dec 30, 2002
19,583
32,793
113
Short term Pearl. He should have been hired when Pope was. I'm convinced he would have killed it here.

Long term May but I don't think he is realistic now. Oztelberger if you could pry him away. Golden I like as a coach but idk about him as a peson. I'm off the Oats train I was riding for a while.
 

TTTblue24

All-Conference
Feb 1, 2004
3,833
2,654
113
I think the guy from iowa st is really good but doubt we could pry him away, pearl would really embrace this place and knows what is expected here. Pope was probably a job away before taking this one cause you can’t learn on the job here, no reason we can’t be on par with duke & uconn and Houston’s of the world.
 

Ukwazoo3

All-Conference
Jul 6, 2025
620
1,329
93
I would swing for the fences with the coaches listed there. (Except Oats, he gives me the willies). And not Donovan - waste of time. If they say no, which I can't imagine they all would, go for an up and comer.

As for the up and comers, I like:


Schertz (St. Louis)
Skinn (George Mason)
Calhoun (Utah St)
Siddle (UNCW)
Hodgson (USF)
Steele (Miami of Ohio)
 

TX Wildcat

All-Conference
Apr 12, 2024
860
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I would swing for the fences with the coaches listed there. (Except Oats, he gives me the willies). And not Donovan - waste of time. If they say no, which I can't imagine they all would, go for an up and comer.

As for the up and comers, I like:


Schertz (St. Louis)
Skinn (George Mason)
Calhoun (Utah St)
Siddle (UNCW)
Hodgson (USF)
Steele (Miami of Ohio)
I know Billy Donovan would never happen but it would be interesting to watch him take a Kentucky team into Gainesville to play on Billy Donovan Court.
 

TX Wildcat

All-Conference
Apr 12, 2024
860
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My wish is T.J. Otzelberger, but my reality is Mark Pope (Word Salad, Yummy Yummy) for '26-'27.

 
Last edited:

LineSkiCat14

Heisman
Aug 5, 2015
38,815
60,838
113
I think the guy from iowa st is really good but doubt we could pry him away, pearl would really embrace this place and knows what is expected here. Pope was probably a job away before taking this one cause you can’t learn on the job here, no reason we can’t be on par with duke & uconn and Houston’s of the world.

He might be realistic because I dont think ISU is any sort of big player, at least not like Michigan. Id like to think Kentucky could pay its way to grabbing ISU's coach without much issue.
 
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mdluk1

All-Conference
Oct 28, 2007
886
4,095
93
Pearl woyuld be the choice if he was younger. And you’d have to worry he’d push for his son to replace him.
 
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LineSkiCat14

Heisman
Aug 5, 2015
38,815
60,838
113
If we want to make Bruce Pearl work, we have to go get him THIS off season. He's gonna be turning 67 by next years NCAA tournament. At some point with his age (and his health), he's not really gonna make sense as a hire. It would be like going to hire Kelvin Sampson right now. He's a great coach, but the retirement and drop off is imminent.
 

CutNets

Sophomore
Jan 13, 2026
67
157
33
Is that you TMP?

Don't know who TMP is, but the attempt at a joke saying Gillespie is just so cringe and cheesy its actually mind-boggling. It would be like someone getting on the football board (back when we had it) a few months ago and literally thinking it would be funny or clever to say "hOw bOuT' wE hIrE Joker Phillips!!!" It's like the people who still get on here and say "rick Barnes has removed his name from consideration" as if there is any semblance of humor left in that all. And theyre not saying it to be stupid, theyre saying it because they literally believe it's funny.
 

Katscratch

Freshman
Oct 9, 2022
68
78
18
Bruce Pearl Mark Few Brad Stevens Billy Donovan Jay Wright Dusty May Nate Oats Todd Golden Tommy Lloyd.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAAA

*none of those guys are ever going to be the coach at UK no matter what the financial offer might be. And Otz and Hoiberg are also serious longshots to have interest, because their current situations are so so good for them and their families.
 

UKGrad24

All-American
Apr 2, 2024
2,808
6,779
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Id go throw the bank at May. But I think luring him away from Michigan wont be easy.
Like I say Kentucky will always be a popular destination for coaches. No different than any top organization in sports. People read to much into things that are meaningless. Fame is fame, top programs and organizations are what they are. So I’m not going to get too far into those weeds because it’s not worth arguing something so simplistic. Yes there will always be guys who have to reject due to family reasons, wanting to go pro, or a small minority who don’t want expectations. But it’s a minority group.

May happens to be the one I think would be unreachable. I’m sure he’d love to have the chance at taming Kentucky all in all, but Michigan happened to be the program he really wanted (not sure why the reason), and they have a top NIL, and he just got there. They are one of the best non blue blood programs and nationally recognized. They could turn blue blood any moment. I think he’s a Michigan lifer other than the NBA, but he could take it tomorrow who knows. Make the call.

Golden wants to go to the NBA, as much as I’d like to make a run, I think even if he took it we’d be worried about him leaving year after year.

Pearl from several accounts was setting himself up to be available and Mitch killed it. I wouldn’t mind Pearl making his title fun for 7 years at this point.

Basically, you just go after the best possible and reach out until you get the yes. You probably won’t get too far down the list before one of the usual suspects say yes.
 

UKGrad24

All-American
Apr 2, 2024
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Don't know who TMP is, but the attempt at a joke saying Gillespie is just so cringe and cheesy its actually mind-boggling. It would be like someone getting on the football board (back when we had it) a few months ago and literally thinking it would be funny or clever to say "hOw bOuT' wE hIrE Joker Phillips!!!" It's like the people who still get on here and say "rick Barnes has removed his name from consideration" as if there is any semblance of humor left in that all. And theyre not saying it to be stupid, theyre saying it because they literally believe it's funny.
Well Cut, Pope and his daughters would have found it funny?
 

HogCoyote

All-Conference
Jan 20, 2013
1,038
1,359
113
I'll take whoever forces Mitch to unbutton his top button and get rid of his cardigan and hire us a dadang GM, and be willing to play the game the way its done now, and not the way Mitch wishes it was still done from 1965.
 
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LineSkiCat14

Heisman
Aug 5, 2015
38,815
60,838
113
There’s two on that list I am totally against, Pearl and Oats.

I might be off the Oats train now. Letting Brandon Miller play is one thing, but now trying to get Charles Bediako eligible shows he's kind of a sleazy coach IMO. Now, I don't mind the "win at all costs" mentality.. but part of the problem is: would the NCAA and college basketball landscape allow Oats to push the boundaries at Kentucky? The answer is no, they would not.

In a similar way to how the NCAA thumbed their nose at Cal because he wasn't liked or kissed the ring.. I think the same would eventually happen to Oats here. He'd be hamstrung his entire time here.
 

UKGrad24

All-American
Apr 2, 2024
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Bruce Pearl Mark Few Brad Stevens Billy Donovan Jay Wright Dusty May Nate Oats Todd Golden Tommy Lloyd.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAAA

*none of those guys are ever going to be the coach at UK no matter what the financial offer might be. And Otz and Hoiberg are also serious longshots to have interest, because their current situations are so so good for them and their families.
Every cycle “they’d never come they have it easy!!!”

Completely being ignorant as hell to how these coaches operate. They’re largely unknown at those places lol. Of course many take the spotlight. Few coaches run from being in the fame and glory. Did your boss turn down his CEO spot too? Had it too easy as a mid level supervisor? These guys are largely fierce competitors. Quit acting like they’re your mom.

And did we learn nothing from Calipari? “He’s already recruiting at the top, Memphis is a black city, new NBA arena and has FEDEX, why would he come here!!!!!!!

Calipari - “I’d crawl over broken glass to get to UK. Some of you are doing this all over again. These coaches don’t think like you.
 

RunninRichie

Heisman
Sep 5, 2019
28,519
68,012
113
Bruce Pearl Mark Few Brad Stevens Billy Donovan Jay Wright Dusty May Nate Oats Todd Golden Tommy Lloyd.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAAA

*none of those guys are ever going to be the coach at UK no matter what the financial offer might be. And Otz and Hoiberg are also serious longshots to have interest, because their current situations are so so good for them and their families.
Glad you called and asked them first hand. We can now move onto more Mark Pope's. Glad we got past that.
 
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UKGrad24

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Apr 2, 2024
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I might be off the Oats train now. Letting Brandon Miller play is one thing, but now trying to get Charles Bediako eligible shows he's kind of a sleazy coach IMO. Now, I don't mind the "win at all costs" mentality.. but part of the problem is: would the NCAA and college basketball landscape allow Oats to push the boundaries at Kentucky? The answer is no, they would not.

In a similar way to how the NCAA thumbed their nose at Cal because he wasn't liked or kissed the ring.. I think the same would eventually happen to Oats here. He'd be hamstrung his entire time here.
I’m a win at all cost guy. This is the SEC, it’s the dirtiest league in all of sports and college basketball is the dirtiest sport in all of sports. While I don’t want my Alma mater and lifelong program to be tainted, losing taints more than anything Oats would do. Not saying he’s my first choice, but if it gets there you take him.

Also again, Calipari had major issues at Memphis. Many unknown. When I was in college there the mid 2,000’s team was full of absolute criminals. Players arrested for assault, inciting riots, soliciting prostitution, and many things from the clubs a downtown that were covered up.

Calipari came here and kept it fairly clean and turned that image around. Hell he’s known as a guy who “gives charity” lol.

Lots of coaches are having to do things at other program to keep up. When you get to the big table sometimes that doesn’t have to be done and most won’t risk what they have anymore. That’s stuff they do during the times they’re climbing. So I wouldn’t let it deter me.
 

CutNets

Sophomore
Jan 13, 2026
67
157
33
Like I say Kentucky will always be a popular destination for coaches. No different than any top organization in sports. People read to much into things that are meaningless. Fame is fame, top programs and organizations are what they are. So I’m not going to get too far into those weeds because it’s not worth arguing something so simplistic. Yes there will always be guys who have to reject due to family reasons, wanting to go pro, or a small minority who don’t want expectations. But it’s a minority group.

May happens to be the one I think would be unreachable. I’m sure he’d love to have the chance at taming Kentucky all in all, but Michigan happened to be the program he really wanted (not sure why the reason), and they have a top NIL, and he just got there. They are one of the best non blue blood programs and nationally recognized. They could turn blue blood any moment. I think he’s a Michigan lifer other than the NBA, but he could take it tomorrow who knows. Make the call.

Golden wants to go to the NBA, as much as I’d like to make a run, I think even if he took it we’d be worried about him leaving year after year.

Pearl from several accounts was setting himself up to be available and Mitch killed it. I wouldn’t mind Pearl making his title fun for 7 years at this point.

Basically, you just go after the best possible and reach out until you get the yes. You probably won’t get too far down the list before one of the usual suspects say yes.


Never been so concerned with UL basketball in my life than when it appeared they were about to hire Dusty May. Thank God that didn't work out.


I think you and I discussed Pearl years ago as the air apparent to Calipari. I think part of the hurt in seeing Pope and our beloved basketball program struggle is knowing that Pearl is out there just ripe for the picking.


Anyone who doesn't like Pearl, or doesn't believe in him, imagine a place like North Carolina hiring him next season and ask yourself if that would bother you. It would me, he would kill it there. So why not get him so he can kill it here?