Even if Pp[e is almost surely set to lose the recruitment, his philosophy doesn't change. That ideal is costing him: according to CBB insider Travis Branham, had Pope not been solely focused on Stokes, he could have had a more well-rounded freshman class. One mistake Pope has repeatedly made in recruiting is impossible to overlook: @TravisBranham_ noted this week that if Pope hadn’t gone all-in on Stokes, he’d likely have gotten Holt (and others). https://t.co/M5EGTbCCvD. Also: — Kyle Tucker (@KyleTuckerCBB) April 22, 2026. The fact that Pope could have landed Caleb Holt and others--but waited on Stokes instead--that's a bitter pill to swallow. Kentucky has been reportedly trailing in the race for Stokes for months now. Pope needed some dudes, and the five-star Holt (now with Arizona) certainly would've fit that bill.
Pope Reportedly Prioritized Stokes Over Other Willing Recruits...
- Thread starter WildcatWally-77
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He’s the only one that the boosters are gonna dish out for
Recruiting is all about momentum and everything went to crap for Pope when we couldn’t sign Collins. That was the ultimate proverbial now in the coffin so to speak.
I would have too, especially in his position. No one was gonna be very happy with more "progress."
It's amazing how these guys change their tune to fit thier narrative. 2 weeks ago they were screaming " he's trash, he can't get Stokes" Now with it looking that he legitimately might it changes to " yeah he might get him but it cost to much" These people are not constitutionally capable of doing anything but b!@#%
Hope he proves all you doubters wrong and I hope someone is taking names. You aren’t real fans and should be called out.
JMI, Mitch Barnhart, Jason Hart, Alvin Brooks, Tyran Stokes are the reasons for failed recruiting, not mark pope?
injuries (even though JQ had a torn ACL when he recruited him) toughest schedule in the country, the MFers who cheated us, players having an out of character pre game incident, players sleeping with other players gfs, and fatigue from playing 2 games in 1 week is the reasons for the losses, not mark pope? Nothing is popes fault. This is just the worse luck a coach has ever received in the history of basketball
injuries (even though JQ had a torn ACL when he recruited him) toughest schedule in the country, the MFers who cheated us, players having an out of character pre game incident, players sleeping with other players gfs, and fatigue from playing 2 games in 1 week is the reasons for the losses, not mark pope? Nothing is popes fault. This is just the worse luck a coach has ever received in the history of basketball
This is of course mere speculation. It is not like any of these players have come out and said they would have come here if not for Pope recruiting Stokes.
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If they wanted to come here they would have.
With Pope’s track record for elite players I don’t believe any of them would have committed had he prioritized them the same way.
Assuming that is true then it stands to reason that Pope recruiting is not as bad as some are claiming. If he targeted a player and intentionally didn't focus on other players who would have come that means that he made a big mistake this year only. That contradicts the narrative that nobody wants to play for Pope and shifts it to another issue.
At this point, I kind doubt that focusing on Stokes cost us those other players but I am just a fan with an opinion.
Lol, where does it look like we might get Stokes?
Obviously being a Rhodes Scholar (Candidate), which to be fair, means JS, case and point here, that’s a failure to execute appropriate decision making going all in on TS at the detriment of all other prospects, demonstrates he’s not the answer. Pitino would tell Stokes after his visit “nothing personal, though if you’re not decided by 48hrs after visiting, I need to move on” this again comes back to Pope being too nice to be competitive at a program like UK.
Maybe Stokes would have signed if we had anyone else onboard. He has had no idea who else is on the team this whole time. We should have signed a few guys early. Too late now.
You take Holt if he genuinely wanted to be here. Very coachable player. Fits Pope's system. Would have been a fan favorite. Are you telling me we couldn't have landed him for $2 to $3 million?
Looks like it's Stokes or bust though at this point.
Looks like it's Stokes or bust though at this point.
I think thats the main issue that Branham is pointing out. It's been Stokes or bust since potentially this time last year, we just didn't know it yet.
Why don’t you do your own work and take names? You can start with mine. Please define what a real fan looks like?
Sounds like Pope put all his eggs in one basket… better not drop the basket.
I never took Pope as a gambling man. If this is true, he's has to take Stokes. If he fails and misses out on more well arounded talent, that is his own fault. It's a big risk. A big high risk vs reward decision there. I watched Holt, and boy we missed out on a good one. That guy can play ball.
Either way, if Pope gets Stokes that is good. That doesn't answer the full question. The full question requires if Pope can coach him and handle his personality.
I know most of you will be like "omg Pope got Stokes we are so back." Yes in perception, but not fully yet because we have yet to play a game to see if Pope can actually coach the kid.
Either way, Pope keeps on proving over and over, he's not the guy for the job.
Either way, if Pope gets Stokes that is good. That doesn't answer the full question. The full question requires if Pope can coach him and handle his personality.
I know most of you will be like "omg Pope got Stokes we are so back." Yes in perception, but not fully yet because we have yet to play a game to see if Pope can actually coach the kid.
Either way, Pope keeps on proving over and over, he's not the guy for the job.
Pope just needs more time. Be patient.
In 20 years no one will remember how many games we lost or how many great players we lost out on. They won’t care about where we stand in some silly all-time wins record.
They will remember that above all else that we were patient. Patience and empathy - that’s what builds real champions - champions of the game of life.
In 20 years no one will remember how many games we lost or how many great players we lost out on. They won’t care about where we stand in some silly all-time wins record.
They will remember that above all else that we were patient. Patience and empathy - that’s what builds real champions - champions of the game of life.
Lines up pretty well with what I’ve heard for months. Got to ask yourself why the staff scattered. Maybe there was disagreement over decision-making process?
Of course. How many players were we "leading" for and they didn’t sign. These guys are wrong all the time.
Kentucky basketball drama dwarfs every other school. Want clicks? Write negative or controversial articles about the Cats and watch the clicks multiply. There's very little journalism today. It's typically opinion pieces geared to get clicks. Who cares if they are right or not. They just need the clicks.
Of course. How many players were we "leading" for and they didn’t sign. These guys are wrong all the time.
Kentucky basketball drama dwarfs every other school. Want clicks? Write negative or controversial articles about the Cats and watch the clicks multiply. There's very little journalism today. It's typically opinion pieces geared to get clicks. Who cares if they are right or not. They just need the clicks.
They use words like could, might, possible, we think, etc and people immediately panick and say it DID or it DID NOT happen on these boards. Posters feed into the drama.
You're a great poster, but this is wrong. Recruiting doesn't work that way. Maybe with portal guys, but not top end HS recruits. It takes months, to years of relationship building, especially with top 10 kids. You tell Stokes to make his decision in 48 hours, you just lost that recruit.
Pitino is a hard nosed guy, but he isn't John Gotti.
People need to remember, Stokes is doing this to Bill Self too. In fact, he might be screwing Self over worse than us. He's been stringing them along a lot longer and they had him in the bag until very recently.
Our two competitors are in worse shape then we are.
We do have other people on board LMAO. If Stokes signs, we will have a heck of a starting 5. You people have to quit judging recruiting classes vs the classes Cal had. No one has ever recruited at UK like Cal. If Stokes signs, Stokes, Diallo, Wilkins, and whoever else we get would constitute one of the 7-8 best non Cal classes ever at UK
I want the OP to post like a human because that looks AI written.
48 messages says it all. Pope damned if he does damned if he don’t. Idiot attention whores
And since Kyle Tucker finally found a job, UK is an easy mark to achieve engagements to earn his supper. Expect more.
I wonder if other incoming freshman didn’t want to potentially play with stokes, may be another reason none of the 5* guys didn’t come here. Just speculation of course.