Keegan Brown clarifies his role

ftp000

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Mar 26, 2009
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I wish I could suck at my job this bad, and keep my job and make wealth off of it. Keegan your role is to lick mark popes butthole when he wants to kill himself.
I'm sure they won't take away your paper hat either way. You're good at finding the correct picture of food on the register.
 
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CameronCat22

Sophomore
Apr 12, 2026
130
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A computer analytics nerd shouldn’t be talking to players’ agents. Two completely different skill sets.
This is how brainwashed they are to hate everything UK. Rachel Baker, the Duke GM did marketing at Nike and is a hero. Keegan Brown who has worked in basketball his whole career and was involved with coaching operations and player personnel with a G League team. In addition to leading video and workflow infrastructure, he supported G League Draft preparation, player pool scouting, roster evaluation processes, trade-related analysis and G League scouting efforts for the Milwaukee Bucks. He also contributed to the Milwaukee Bucks’ pre-draft processes, assisting with draft intel preparation and supporting pre-draft workouts. This is according to his bio and he’s called just a computer analyst nerd. I swear they’re so miserable that they want to burn this program to the ground.
 

lookinfor8

All-Conference
Dec 30, 2002
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This is how brainwashed they are to hate everything UK. Rachel Baker, the Duke GM did marketing at Nike and is a hero. Keegan Brown who has worked in basketball his whole career and was involved with coaching operations and player personnel with a G League team. In addition to leading video and workflow infrastructure, he supported G League Draft preparation, player pool scouting, roster evaluation processes, trade-related analysis and G League scouting efforts for the Milwaukee Bucks. He also contributed to the Milwaukee Bucks’ pre-draft processes, assisting with draft intel preparation and supporting pre-draft workouts. This is according to his bio and he’s called just a computer analyst nerd. I swear they’re so miserable that they want to burn this program to the ground.
It's already burnt down.
Whatever is good or bad posts on here makes no difference
 

Smeegs

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Nov 19, 2025
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Why the hell is he so reluctant to just call him a “GM”?

It sounds like Keegan Brown’s duties are essentially the same thing as the GMs at other schools, but Pope just doesn’t want that title to be officially used.

It’s like he just wants to be able to boast about not needing a GM …even though he really does basically have one. Wink. Wink. He’s kinda an odd dude.
 

Cats_2010

Heisman
Jan 8, 2010
11,843
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Does it really matter what his official title is or isn’t. Whatever this joke of a coaching staff has put together has set UK basketball back faster than I thought possible. I think a group of 4-5 of us on here could have at worst duplicated the results we have seen this offseason. This is as big of a cluster**** as I have ever seen. They are doing so bad at their jobs they are having interviews letting everyone know they are still working and clarifying their “responsibilities”. I hate using the term laughing stock as it is rather cliche but that is what Mitch has turned us into with popes help.
 
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BigBluefoot

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Jul 4, 2025
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I'm sure they won't take away your paper hat either way. You're good at finding the correct picture of food on the register.
Actually, your average fast food worker do a better job getting you those fries, than this staff seems to be doing their respective jobs. Not quite the sophist burn you think it is.
 

Anon1751592624

Sophomore
Jul 3, 2025
84
157
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Matt Jones complaining about there isn't one "GM" is stupid, IMO. He needs to get over it.

I thought Pope's and Keegan's answers are great. It is a new era and they are figuring it out. Michigan's GM is an assistant coach. UConn's "GM" was an assistant last year and moved into that role.

Arizona and Illinois have NOBODY with that title.
 

Kantucke_rivals

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Mar 9, 2015
802
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This is how brainwashed they are to hate everything UK. Rachel Baker, the Duke GM did marketing at Nike and is a hero. Keegan Brown who has worked in basketball his whole career and was involved with coaching operations and player personnel with a G League team. In addition to leading video and workflow infrastructure, he supported G League Draft preparation, player pool scouting, roster evaluation processes, trade-related analysis and G League scouting efforts for the Milwaukee Bucks. He also contributed to the Milwaukee Bucks’ pre-draft processes, assisting with draft intel preparation and supporting pre-draft workouts. This is according to his bio and he’s called just a computer analyst nerd. I swear they’re so miserable that they want to burn this program to the ground.
You're really comparing this to former Nike executive? 👇

Brown comes to the Bluegrass after spending two years with the
Wisconsin Herd
, the NBA G League affiliate of the Milwaukee Bucks as the video coordinator
. Prior to his time with the Herd, Brown spent five seasons with Pope at BYU where he advanced from video coordinator to director of player personnel
 
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Catphright23

All-Conference
Dec 6, 2023
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agents today ask for playing time and even the amount of shots a player takes, I mean I can see why someone wouldn't want to promise them one or the other.
 

CameronCat22

Sophomore
Apr 12, 2026
130
113
43
You're really comparing this to former Nike executive? 👇

Brown comes to the Bluegrass after spending two years with the
Wisconsin Herd
, the NBA G League affiliate of the Milwaukee Bucks as the video coordinator
. Prior to his time with the Herd, Brown spent five seasons with Pope at BYU where he advanced from video coordinator to director of player personnel
Im really saying he’s more than a video analytics nerd as the poster I was replying to claimed. I’m also saying if he had her resume the same people would call him an employee for a shoe company.
 

Wildcat_in_DC

All-Conference
Nov 25, 2025
861
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Matt Jones complaining about there isn't one "GM" is stupid, IMO. He needs to get over it.

I thought Pope's and Keegan's answers are great. It is a new era and they are figuring it out. Michigan's GM is an assistant coach. UConn's "GM" was an assistant last year and moved into that role.

Arizona and Illinois have NOBODY with that title.
he gets on his crusade for things. like 'modern basketball' for a few years under cal. he thinks he has the answer to certain things. its stuff that resonates with fans but just makes the job of the staffs that much harder.
 

BBNSZN914

Heisman
Apr 9, 2024
4,720
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Why the hell is he so reluctant to just call him a “GM”?

It sounds like Keegan Brown’s duties are essentially the same thing as the GMs at other schools, but Pope just doesn’t want that title to be officially used.

It’s like he just wants to be able to boast about not needing a GM …even though he really does basically have one. Wink. Wink. He’s kinda an odd dude.
Matt Jones speculation stated this past week was bc JMI is the "GM" and there is a rub there. Personally, while there is some wins w JMI I think we (Mitch and Eli) wanted a quick fix and we got it. JMI stands for JKiss My IAss if you ask me.
 
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CameronCat22

Sophomore
Apr 12, 2026
130
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Matt Jones speculation stated this past week was bc JMI is the "GM" and there is a rub there. Personally, while there is some wins w JMI I think we (Mitch and Eli) wanted a quick fix and we got it. JMI stands for JKiss My IAss if you ask me.
Dear leader said JMI is the GM but is begging for a GM? JMI is a company and a GM? A company that everyday talks to agents, builds player projection models, runs cap models with Nick, and manages contracts start to finish? I can’t believe Keegan Brown lied and claimed to do all the stuff that JMI does. Someone contact UK because this is an integrity issue. What kind of lowlife just goes around making up lies?

Hmm… This must be what multiple SEC coaches were writing Dear Leader about and telling him he should be a little worried with JMI as he claimed. I bet it was Nate Oats, Lamont Paris,and Todd Golden that wrote him.
 
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CatManFromCa

Sophomore
Jan 8, 2026
82
145
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Keegan Brown has done more real basketball work before lunch than half these message‑board philosophers have done in their entire lives. The man helped run a G‑League operation, supported draft prep for the Milwaukee Bucks, evaluated rosters, scouted talent, built workflows, and handled trade analysis — but sure, let’s pretend he’s just some IT guy who wandered into Rupp Arena by accident.
 

BlueSince92

All-Conference
Jul 2, 2025
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Building the systems that power our front office.

What is our front office and why does it need to be powered?
 

BlueSince92

All-Conference
Jul 2, 2025
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And what happened to that insanely hot grad student who was following Pope around everywhere the beginning of last season who Pope said was making everything work behind the scenes? Friction with the wifey?
 

AllBall

All-American
May 5, 2015
4,880
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This is how brainwashed they are to hate everything UK. Rachel Baker, the Duke GM did marketing at Nike and is a hero. Keegan Brown who has worked in basketball his whole career and was involved with coaching operations and player personnel with a G League team. In addition to leading video and workflow infrastructure, he supported G League Draft preparation, player pool scouting, roster evaluation processes, trade-related analysis and G League scouting efforts for the Milwaukee Bucks. He also contributed to the Milwaukee Bucks’ pre-draft processes, assisting with draft intel preparation and supporting pre-draft workouts. This is according to his bio and he’s called just a computer analyst nerd. I swear they’re so miserable that they want to burn this program to the ground.
Just realized both UK and Duke have a Rachel Baker. Duke's operates as mens basketball GM and UK's is the executive associate AD.
One is facilitating the acquisition of big time players while other is helping funnel money through JMI with her husband.
 
Jul 6, 2025
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They should just give him a GM title since they feel the need to respond to Dear Leader and his army of clueless simpletons.



So now the line is he is a gm without the title.
Sorry but i felt better when it was gm by committee. At least then it sounded like we had a negotiations person and a legal person. Even if they aren't great at it, they will still be better at it than a number cruncher.

You just cannot have a data analytics guy negotiating contracts with agents who are doing that every day. Its stupid and way worse than gm by committee.
 
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Wildcat_in_DC

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Nov 25, 2025
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So now the line is he is a gm without the title.
Sorry but i felt better when it was gm by committee. At least then it sounded like we had a negotiations person and a legal person. Even if they aren't great at it, they will still be better at it than a number cruncher.

You just cannot have a data analytics guy negotiating contracts with agents who are doing that every day. Its stupid and way worse than gm by committee.
it makes me laugh when people on this board talk about negotiating like they are at a used car lot. lol
 

Im The Village Idiot

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Sep 7, 2025
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what leverage do you think schools have?
Plenty. I have the big bag, here it is. If you want to sign within 24 hours you get bag, otherwise you no get big bag.

If you don’t want our big bag, which is by far the largest offer on the table, we will go find someone else who does. We aren’t playing around — we want people who want to be here and we pay handsomely for it. You have 24 hours to return this contract with your signature on it or we move in another direction and you lose your biggest offer.
 
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Wildcat_in_DC

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Plenty. I have the big bag, here it is. If you want to sign within 24 hours you get bag, otherwise you no get big bag.
thats just comical. thats my point. there is no leverage. there is no negotiating. its just the largest offer. you dont need a GM for that. people have interprted this role as something that doesnt really apply to college basketball.
 

Im The Village Idiot

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thats just comical. thats my point. there is no leverage. there is no negotiating. its just the largest offer. you dont need a GM for that. people have interprted this role as something that doesnt really apply to college basketball.
I didnt say anything about a GM though. I don’t care who negotiates but someone , whoever is doing the negotiating, royally sucks. If you allow the person who wants what you have (THE BAG) to dictate the terms and timeline, you will get screwed on repeat. Need to create time pressure and be willing to lose on guys. Hanging around in these long drawn out negotiations is killing our brand, our reputation and keeps reminding everyone that we can’t close. I wouldn’t consider myself anything more than an intermediate level salesman and even I can see the issues here. I can absolutely assure you, this conversation has been had with many of my friends who are far better salesman than me and have far more experience than me — someone at UK absolutely sucks at negotiating.
 
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Wildcat_in_DC

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I didnt say anything about a GM though. I don’t care who negotiates but someone , whoever is doing the negotiating, royally sucks. If you allow the person who wants what you have (THE BAG) to dictate the terms and timeline, you will get screwed on repeat. Need to create time pressure and be willing to lose on guys. Hanging around in these long drawn out negotiations is killing our brand, our reputation and keeps reminding everyone that we can’t close. I wouldn’t consider myself anything more than an intermediate level salesman and even I can see the issues here. I can absolutely assure you, this conversation has been had with many of my friends who are far better salesman than me and have far more experience than me — someone at UK absolutely sucks at negotiating.
there is absolutely nothing to negotiate.

chander/chandler's agent: in order to stay we neeed X

UK: we can only offer Y

chandler/chandlers's agent: ok bye
 

Im The Village Idiot

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Sep 7, 2025
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there is absolutely nothing to negotiate.

chander/chandler's agent: in order to stay we neeed X

UK: we can only offer Y

chandler/chandlers's agent: ok bye
Yeah exactly. That is the point. Those types of negotiations (Collin Chandler situation) are fine. The terms don’t work for both parties and you move on…quickly.

However, the Lamar Wilkerson, Tyran Stokes, Donnie Freeman types of negotiations harm you because you allowed the other side to hold all of the leverage. “Oh please keep me around and pick me” while each of your offers are used to create even more leverage for side negotiations with other schools has killed us many times. I gave you my opinion about the solution and it doesn’t require a GM. It requires being willing to walk away immediately if you need to.