5 Star Obinna Ekezie, Jr. announcing at 4:30 ET today

ZaytovenCat

All-American
Apr 25, 2013
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Not really. Was it weird when Cal recruited 5 stars at the same position year after year? Kelsey is clearly a far better and convincing recruiter
Cal had the reputation of getting guys drafted regardless of who was on the team. Kelsey doesn’t. Has he even had a draft pick?
 

TeamAmerica

All-Conference
Jul 3, 2025
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Cal had the reputation of getting guys drafted regardless of who was on the team. Kelsey doesn’t. Has he even had a draft pick?
Brown will be a lottery pick this year. Conley will get drafted this year and Hepburn got drafted last year, but I don't think he has ever put a big man in the league.
 
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AllBall

All-American
May 5, 2015
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Alani energy $$$ is funding UL's basketball spending spree. Hard to compete with those resources right now.
 
Jun 11, 2012
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I can't wait to see the estimated NIL spend this year - has to be Duke & Louisville 1 & 2.

Teams getting creative to land their bigs, now reclassing 2027. Louisville with a haul this year. Kelsey, if nothing else, can sell the program.

Kelsey will have unbelievable pressure to get to the FF or NC. They have mortgaged the future for this season.
 

FilsonCat

All-Conference
Apr 5, 2007
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Absolutely zero chance id ever accept a deferred payment plan for NIL. Too many of these schools have already promised money and then failed to pay, including Louisville.
Adidas kids want to stay in the pipeline. The offers may be worth the risk if there's a shoe company backstopping it.
 

Broker

All-Conference
Aug 29, 2012
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Not always about money. UK offered as much to Stokes as Kansas did and had the advantage of being a Nike school and he still didn't come here.
How much did we offer Stokes? How much did Kansas pay Stokes? Where is this publication or what is the source that confirmed the actual dollar amounts. Knowing Pope's track record recruiting, I am not sure Pope ever got deep enough in the recruiting process with Stokes too even make an offer.
 
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TeamAmerica

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How much did we offer Stokes? How much did Kansas pay Stokes? Where is this publication or what is the source that confirmed the actual dollar amounts. Knowing Pope's track record recruiting, I am not sure Pope ever got deep enough in the recruiting process with Stokes too even make an offer.
Kentucky reportedly offered top 2026 recruit Tyran Stokes an NIL package around $6 million ($4M from the school + $2M via Nike) before he ultimately committed to Kansas. While some rumors suggested offers as high as $7-10 million, the prevailing reports focused on a $6M+ package in a tight battle between UK and Kansas.
 
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CoffeeCat

Senior
Jul 6, 2025
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It’s not Pope. It’s JMI.
Jennifer Lawrence Ok GIF
 
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Rainman3067

Freshman
May 3, 2026
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I mean… it’s not pc to say (don’t care) but it makes sense given who they’re getting. Same as when Duke basically had all dorky (mainly white) kids for 40 years.
Well you're not really trying to hide it are you? Given who they're getting? Tell us exactly what you mean by that. I very much believe that the reputation of a not insignificant portion of this fan base has an effect on recruiting. So again, why does it "make sense"? Are you assuming the players they are ".getting" are from the "hood"? And why would you assume that? Your comment is not only "not pc" but unsurprisingly racist af. *And because you're probably too lazy and too stupid to look it up, it looks like the kids father had an 8 yr NBA/overseas career then founded a successful online travel agency so I'm guessing this particular kid they "got" is not from the 'hood.
 
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CardfanZou

Redshirt
Mar 24, 2026
26
18
3
Bingo. It’s really this simple. Louisville is just paying any amount they need to get commitments.
Pretty sad state of affairs for CBB
It’s like Bobby Knight said Cal was paying players when nobody else was..And everyone knows this
 

UKBB4Ever

All-Conference
Jul 3, 2025
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Alani energy $$$ is funding UL's basketball spending spree. Hard to compete with those resources right now.
They don’t come close to the money available in Lexington. Even with bourbon money down a bit at the moment even that is dwarfed by the horse industry money.

Plus Ky’s only billionaire lives in Lexington and is in the horse industry among other interests and is a UK booster.

Even she doesn’t have the say that one man wields.

UK has not been out bid by anyone for a basketball player. Nor will they be. Pope has shown to not spend money wisely. But it’s still there for him to spend. There is no cap.

But he has been put on notice that he can’t spend like there’s no tomorrow and put the same product on the floor.
 
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TyCatPrice14

Sophomore
Jul 4, 2007
79
128
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Puts Pope on the fast track out of the coaches seat. I believe the boosters cut off funding for Popes NIL and started putting it all towards football. They know they made a mistake hiring him .
Who said the boosters hired him?
 

TyCatPrice14

Sophomore
Jul 4, 2007
79
128
33
Listening to Field of 68, they are talking about this guy coming off the bench to back up Bidunga…

For whatever reason I thought Bidunga would try playing the 4, but anyway, what an IMPRESSIVE get for Kelsey to get a 5 star to come off the bench, while Pope can’t even get a bum playing in Israel that’s 35 years old to back up Moreno!

Where. Is. This. Stokes. Money!!!🥱
nike GIF
 

Broker

All-Conference
Aug 29, 2012
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Is that not our fan base wants? I read daily, "throw a big bag at ( 5 * kids) and bring them to Lexington. Actually that is what every school is doing after a recruiting pitch on development and how the kid will be used. Typical recruitment plus the "bag." What we are missing is the recruitment part of getting the players we want and need. I think we would have the bag if Pope could actually connect with todays players.
 
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