Coach at final 4 says Stokes to Kansas

Monday Nitro

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Jul 3, 2025
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a man in a suit and tie has his mouth open
 

20MRoster

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I would expect a recruiting lead on a FF team to be tapped in to what's going on. Wouldn't be surprised if recruiting aces "know". However, it seems odd to randomly talk about Stokes and divulge this info so nonchalantly.
 

TFCat11

Heisman
Mar 25, 2019
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Thanks for the info, but anyone who knows recruiting in this new era knew Stokes to Kansas was being slow played, because his agent was working Pope to get more money out of Kansas!

Then, the $$$ number got to the point from UK, that Self played the “retirement” card to get Kansas to commit to the new amount, rumored to be close to $6 million, because from KU’s perspective it was cheaper to cave to Self’s/ Stokes’ demands, than to call his bluff, and potentially be in a coaching search at the same time as UNC.

Basically, KU donors didn’t like the way the Peterson situation went, and was hesitant to have Stokes $$$ demands met, thus the “play” by Self.
 

ala_kat2

Heisman
Jan 4, 2003
11,179
10,543
103
Thanks for the info, but anyone who knows recruiting in this new era knew Stokes to Kansas was being slow played, because his agent was working Pope to get more money out of Kansas!

Then, the $$$ number got to the point from UK, that Self played the “retirement” card to get Kansas to commit to the new amount, rumored to be close to $6 million, because from KU’s perspective it was cheaper to cave to Self’s/ Stokes’ demands, than to call his bluff, and potentially be in a coaching search at the same time as UNC.

Basically, KU donors didn’t like the way the Peterson situation went, and was hesitant to have Stokes $$$ demands met, thus the “play” by Self.
That sounds as plausible as anything else.
 

katwest

Heisman
Feb 16, 2003
39,863
13,729
113
Why is he waiting, he needs to go do it!
 
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Hitman206

Senior
Jul 11, 2009
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UK made another offer to him today, but he still may stay with Kansas and the $6 million they matched UK's offer of $4 million and $2 million from Nike.
 

TigerMoving

Heisman
Jul 13, 2014
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Getting Stokes would give Pope a longer leash without winning actual games. Stokes is a big name and a draft pick but Im not convinced he is gonna lead us to the Final Four or anything. Pope needs to put a team together of upperclassmen that play his style and then he needs to go out and win big, or go back to Utah.
 

JohnRambo82

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Mar 25, 2026
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If he comes here that’s great, if not let’s take the offer they threw at him to the top player in the portal. I’d rather do that anyway personally. If Kentucky is going to get back to being the top dog in our conference we have to get a lot better players than we’ve had this year and last year. That’s one of the goals and where we need to get back to being at the top of the SEC.
 

MegaBlue05

Heisman
Mar 8, 2014
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Fan on couch for Final Four says Stokes ends up at Kansas

Source: Me, that fan
 

bbnkat02

Heisman
Nov 14, 2017
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Jeff Borzello interviewed a coach at the final 4,who said ,because of his relationship,with the Kansas Staff,he'll end up there
And I will make a prediction that Easter is on Sunday. *checks calendar* WOW! I'm PSYCHIC!
 

HenryMuto

Heisman
Mar 31, 2012
20,603
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I have been saying it for 2 years now this is the one reason I hated Cal leaving our recruiting has gone to piss without him.

No more stud freshman again let alone a gaggle of them at a time like in 2010, 2012, 2014, 2015
 
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Johnnie Africa

All-Conference
Feb 27, 2003
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I have been saying it for 2 years now this is the one reason I hated Cal leaving our recruiting has gone to piss without him.

No more stud freshman again let alone a gaggle of them at a time like in 2010, 2012, 2014, 2015

The last 5 years under Cal our starting PGs were Ashton Hagans, Devin Askew, Savhir Wheeler, and DJ Wagner. It was time for Cal to go dude, let it go. Dude got his *** handed to him in the sweet sixteen with his best recruit in years. As a matter of fact the last two top 15 teams they played they lost by a combined 56 points. He’s washed up and was paid double what Pope is and his buyout is 5x Popes, it was time to leave.
 
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Tprinceuk

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Jun 13, 2024
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The last 5 years under Cal our starting PGs were Ashton Hagans, Devin Askew, Savhir Wheeler, and DJ Wagner. It was time for Cal to go dude, let it go. Dude got his *** handed to him in the sweet sixteen with his best recruit in years. As a matter of fact the last two top 15 teams they played they lost by a combined 56 points. He’s washed up and was paid double what Pope is and his buyout is 5x Popes, it was time to leave.
Yup everybody remembers the glory days of Cal and block out the bad years.
 
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