Trending in the right direction with Stokes

The Nightman2

All-Conference
Nov 30, 2019
993
1,124
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It implemented a cap of 20.5 million that can come from the school, that includes collective money which is just a pool of money the school was distributing. Third party NIL deals do not count against this cap.
We don’t have 22mil or even a budget of whatever the school can get in donations this year. This is going to be the first season where NIL deals are now being paid by the rev share and actual company deals for the players.
Man I quoted the original argument. There isn't anything changing next year as you said. This is already what we've been doing since July. The settlement didn't change anything other than allowing schools to pay out 20m for athletes, and the NILgo.
 

MichaelGray

All-Conference
Jan 13, 2026
709
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I disagree. I feel like he’s only using KY because it’s widely known that we have money to spend. He’s leveraging KY to get as much as possible at KU, with no intention of really coming here. That’s how I view this anyway.
You're probably 100% right.
 

Skyguyb27

All-American
Feb 12, 2008
4,654
7,735
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I think Pope's desire to play everybody on his bench, no matter how much of a drop off they are from the starters, is a negative towards recruiting the big star players but it's not the reason NONE of the top 50 recruits are willing to go to Kentucky. Kentucky is the only school in the country to have the type of deal we have with JMI; the other schools affiliated with JMI mainly just have multimedia deals.

Our problem is Mitch and his JMI deal. Even if Pope were fired this situation would now cause any other coach we pursued and didn't vastly overpay to turn us down.
JMI deal was debunked when Stein started raking in higher level recruits with ease I think.
 
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Jun 30, 2025
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I disagree. I feel like he’s only using KY because it’s widely known that we have money to spend. He’s leveraging KY to get as much as possible at KU, with no intention of really coming here. That’s how I view this anyway.
Would he take a million or 2 less to go to KU, you think?

All his leverage is lost if people around him are leaking information that he doesn’t want to go anywhere else.
 
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OldFuk

All-Conference
Nov 18, 2011
21,069
2,289
113
He managed to create a bad reputation for himself within 2 years. That’s impressive. Now we’re recruiting 3-star high school Sophomores and Juniors.
LOL That's not true. We're gonna get a GM
 

Broker

All-Conference
Aug 29, 2012
1,634
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I’m heavily suspecting Kansas is going to end up paying him less than what we’re offering with the way articles and insiders are wording the situation. Which would be extremely sad for our program.
How does anyone on this board have any idea of what we or any other school is offering Stokes? Seriously, how do you make the statement that Stokes may sign with Kansas for less money than what we are offering? Let us know what Kansas is offering and what we are offering. If the kid signs with us, GREAT. If he signs with Kansas or who ever, no one will have a clue what Stokes is being paid. Money is important but development, winning, and a coach or school that makes the kids comfortable is actually what makes the kid's final decision. It is still called RECRUITING. We need a recruiter in Lexington.
 
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Stenchymouse

All-American
Jul 31, 2005
12,730
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I don't want him...

I just get a bad vibe from him with the issues he's had in H.S.

If we're going to pay CRAZY money for a high school player, he needs to check two boxes.

He needs to be "can't miss" good, and he needs to be an unbelievably good kid.

He may be a good kid, but I'm not sure, and he's good, but he ain't Cooper Flagg...
 

Loucatfan30

Senior
Apr 11, 2024
796
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LOL That's not true. We're gonna get a GM
All the GM does is advanced scouting and contracts. The kids have to want to come here and play for our coach before anything else happens. We can't get most of the elite talent to come here to play for Pope, Second tier talent coming but only after we pay them more money than they can get other places. You can overpay almost anyone in any profession to get them to come work for you if you offer enough. That is what we did last year is overpay. I don't think the GM position will make much difference.
 

peterpiper09

All-Conference
Mar 19, 2006
1,023
2,054
112
Is he a great player? Yes, obviously
Can a great player kill chemistry on a team?
Yes, obviously
Be careful what you wish for
 

KYWC36

All-Conference
Jul 11, 2013
1,312
1,933
113
I love all of these posters acting as if Stokes is the second coming and the key to our success and the reality is none of you have any idea how good he is, most have probably never even seen a highlight and many are still living in the one and done Calipari era or else, it is what it is.
 

Jtf2217

Senior
Apr 20, 2024
468
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At this point this is a call me when something concrete is put down. I wouldnt get my hopes up. This screams him and his camp wanting Kansas to jack the price up.
 
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jedwar

Heisman
Moderator
Dec 30, 2002
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I love all of these posters acting as if Stokes is the second coming and the key to our success and the reality is none of you have any idea how good he is, most have probably never even seen a highlight and many are still living in the one and done Calipari era or else, it is what it is.
Getting him would be a big PR/Perception boost.
 
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SkyPrince

Senior
Jul 7, 2025
533
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I love all of these posters acting as if Stokes is the second coming and the key to our success and the reality is none of you have any idea how good he is, most have probably never even seen a highlight and many are still living in the one and done Calipari era or else, it is what it is.
How many unanimous #1 players have you seen flop?
It's actually pretty rare that one player is #1 by every single recruiting service
That's Lebron, KD, Flagg territory even though every class strength is different.
His attitude and coachability will determine his impact not his skills.
 

peterpiper09

All-Conference
Mar 19, 2006
1,023
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The Stokes commitment would more than anything be a mental soother to most of BBN. The actual effect it would have on the strength of our team would be a lot less. It might even be detrimental. You’re never gonna turn away a player of this magnitude, but it ISN’T the end all. At all.
 
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KYWC36

All-Conference
Jul 11, 2013
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How many unanimous #1 players have you seen flop?
It's actually pretty rare that one player is #1 by every single recruiting service
That's Lebron, KD, Flagg territory even though every class strength is different.
His attitude and coachability will determine his impact not his skills.
How many impactful players have you seen that has already shown his attitude concerns and been to as many HS's as he has, he might be great, I don't know, but at least I am not making assumptions about him
 

Loucatfan30

Senior
Apr 11, 2024
796
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He does not want Kentucky
We should all be concerned he does not want Ky even if Kansas pays him less. But we should also be curious why that is. In my business if a customer doesn't do business with me because to perfers to do business with one of my competitors and my deal is better I have to find out why to get better.
 
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OldFuk

All-Conference
Nov 18, 2011
21,069
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All the GM does is advanced scouting and contracts. The kids have to want to come here and play for our coach before anything else happens. We can't get most of the elite talent to come here to play for Pope, Second tier talent coming but only after we pay them more money than they can get other places. You can overpay almost anyone in any profession to get them to come work for you if you offer enough. That is what we did last year is overpay. I don't think the GM position will make much difference.
The GM will have a staff. Contracts most likely but player acquisitions / relationships will be another person. Proabably 1 or 2 more staff members the scrutinize the talent in the portal. Of course they will advise the GM.
 

OldFuk

All-Conference
Nov 18, 2011
21,069
2,289
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Is he a great player? Yes, obviously
Can a great player kill chemistry on a team?
Yes, obviously
Be careful what you wish for
I don't know that any HS player is worth 6 mil. And this one comes with baggage. If I did the payout would be structured with incentives but playing within the team's system and not just their individual stats. I would also add incentives for locker room performance. So if he wants 6 mil, then earn it. Miss games wihout cause, no pay for the ones missed. You want the money, then there are rules to obtain it.
 

@BigBlueFanGA

Sophomore
Jul 6, 2025
185
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For 4-5 million, let KU choke on that. It should do wonders for the locker room. The kid is a great athlete but not quite a great basketball player yet. He needs work from 3, pull-up shooting, decision making, ball handing and generally reducing t/o's.

Maybe by late season he'll become a very good college player but more likely, as we've seen here ever since Cal came along, these high school superstars dont normally start maturing into their games until they're in the NBA.

Paying a 1 and done what he is reportedly demanding is foolish for the overall program.
 

UKortho

All-American
Oct 13, 2015
4,994
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We should all be concerned he does not want Ky even if Kansas pays him less. But we should also be curious why that is. In my business if a customer doesn't do business with me because to perfers to do business with one of my competitors and my deal is better I have to find out why to get better.

Pope has no history of working with and developing NBA elite talent

Pope’s system (when everyone is healthy). Minute restrictions

Pope’s personality. He is a dork and a mental meltdown waiting to happen.

There’s more. But that’s the big 3
 

FatCatMan

All-Conference
Feb 19, 2026
1,355
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Correct, don’t let one recruit hold this program hostage. It would look much better to pull the offer publicly, and would serve us better for future recruits using us to leverage other offers. I would for sure pull the offer if the kid said he doesn’t want to go to KY.
Instead we have Mitch and Pope holding our program hostage from being anything more than a 6th place finish in the SEC.
 

Kyfan27

Senior
Jan 7, 2023
363
589
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He is a dork and a mental meltdown waiting to happen.
Is it just me or did Pope seem alot more mentally tough last year? I don't necessarily like the "only positivity" aspect, but I feel like he never broke like he has multiple times last year. I remember watching all the press conferences and even when they lost he didn't seem pouty or depressed. He answered almost every question perfectly last year. I remember him not making any excuses after the Texas loss when someone asked him how injuries were affecting the team and he wouldn't give that question the time of day. Said they should be able to win with the players they had. Just doesn't seem like the same guy. Maybe I just had blue shaded sunglasses last year I don't know.
 
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