Collins chooses

[Cats192]

I question if we were ever really being considered. And that's not a defense of Pope. If anything, it may be worse.

But, all the talk a while back was that he wasn't leaving the west coast and he likely wouldn't leave California. Then all of a sudden Kentucky led. Then we "couldn't come to terms."

All of the "this school leads" talk has to be coming from someone connected to him. And in the era of NIL, people obviously have incentive to control the narrative.

So, I've always had it in the back of my head--was he just squeezing more $$ out of USC?

 

[KyLegacyBBN]

Just checking in from the replies, our fans are as out of touch as our head coach and staff.

Cool story.

 

[WiseSerpent]

Not to worry. We’re gonna be loaded for next season.

 

[Catlogic1552]

I’m not sure Mark Pope can recruit one of his daughters to play for UK

I disagree. Apparently he can give a recruiting pitch only a girl could love.

 

[will1976]

What are the chances realistically that we get our first choice for most positions in the portal. Low. We needed to sprinkle in a few pro potential freshman. But like we have heard, our coaches still recruit for AAU ball when we need insiders to bargain with agents now. Almost every aspect of following Kentucky basketball has had the joy removed since covid.

 

[Bruce9]

If our staff really thinks we're getting Stokes, I would have expected this.

I believe we are,all the
eggs are in that basket,Stokes and Pate

 

[Anon1759768907]

UK 'eats first'. We are not eating at all.

starving

 

[AllBall]

Who can name 2 players that played at USC?

OJ Mayo and Mobley

 

[ToniTonyToneDelkDelkDelk]

He is the worst recruiter ever at UK.
Even BCG got some players. Mark’s wheelhouse is exclusively 24 yr olds with checkered medical reports and kids from Kentucky.
wtf is?

 

[bbnkat02]

I question if we were ever really being considered. And that's not a defense of Pope. If anything, it may be worse.

But, all the talk a while back was that he wasn't leaving the west coast and he likely wouldn't leave California. Then all of a sudden Kentucky led. Then we "couldn't come to terms."

All of the "this school leads" talk has to be coming from someone connected to him. And in the era of NIL, people obviously have incentive to control the narrative.

So, I've always had it in the back of my head--was he just squeezing more $$ out of USC?

Yeah I’m very critical of Pope but this reeks of a Cali dude wanting to squeeze more money out of a Cali school. And stay on the west coast.

Some of those west coast dudes are just different. They don’t want to leave their bubble.
That happened to Calipari some too.

Miss on Stokes and it’s gonna be miserable.

 

[Dr.LutherSan]

Musselman's pitch:
-It's California
-Closer to home
-I have coached in the NBA
-I have players in the NBA
-Look at my coaching accomplishments
-Presents NIL package

Pope's pitch (bringing the entire Pope family):
-look at this championship trophy I won 30 years ago as a player
-We have great fans
-Presents NIL package (with stipulations)

 

[Anon1679859502]

Old news

 

[Anon1679859502]

Musselman's pitch:
-It's California
-Closer to home
-I have coached in the NBA
-I have players in the NBA
-Look at my coaching accomplishments
-Presents NIL package

Pope's pitch (bringing the entire Pope family):
-look at this championship trophy I won 30 years ago as a player
-We have great fans
-Presents NIL package (with stipulations)

I know you are half joking but you are not wrong about taking family out recruiting…like other than Pope, what other coach does that?

 

[Dr.LutherSan]

I know you are half joking but you are not wrong about taking family out recruiting…like other than Pope, what other coach does that?

I'm assuming it's common for recruiting in the Mormon corridor.

 

[Bill_the_cat]

Say whatever you want about Musselman, but the guy can recruit. If he can sell Fayetteville to elite players, you know he can sell Los Angeles.

Has the Ratliff twins coming in next year as well. Putting together a good young team.

 

[Titpwhahi2014]

Who can name 2 players that played at USC?

Sadly I can name three: Sam Clancy, David Bluthenthal and Jeff Trepagnier.

 

[sk73]

Not a USC fan but, they now have 3 of the top 25 recruits from the 2026 class.

 

[kfwa]

what can Pope do if JMI is tripping him up? honest question

 

[peterpiper09]

Name 2 players that Pope has committed for next year

What’s up, Doc?

 

[UKCowboys]

Bottom line, if Stokes signs here, no one will give a squirt of duck pee about missing on Collins. If Pope misses on him, he better start shopping at the very top(tip top 4-5) in the portal and Euro, or the seat under his ***is gonna leave more than a sunburn

 

[TFCat11]

I’ve lost count… What’s the strike out/ whiff number up to now? Low/ mid 30’s?!?

 

[bbnkat02]

what can Pope do if JMI is tripping him up? honest question

I'm inclined to agree a bit. We landed Lamont without JMI right?

 

[Mossip]

what can Pope do if JMI is tripping him up? honest question

He could start by standing up for the program instead of being a bootlickng, good boy for Mitch. But we all know he doesn’t have the stones for that.

 

[The Nightman2]

I'm inclined to agree a bit. We landed Lamont without JMI right?

The JMI deal didn't start til this last August

 

[bbnkat02]

The JMI deal didn't start til this last August

That's what I figured.....and recruiting went to ish soon after. Thanks again Mitch!

 

[Dr.LutherSan]

what can Pope do if JMI is tripping him up? honest question

If Barnhart got a statue, it should be him holding a napkin with the JMI contract written on it.

 

[Jimmy James]

I’ve lost count… What’s the strike out/ whiff number up to now? Low/ mid 30’s?!?

His whiff rate would make Adam Dunn look like a contact hitter.

 

[loublue22_rivals308424]

USC has 3 burger boys

 

[loublue22_rivals308424]

Losing recruits to the guy who got ran out of Arkansas, which gave Cal somewhere to run to.

 

[UKBB4Ever]

Stop using JMI as an excuse.

 

[JakeKx]

Actually he did have a connection to UK with one of the assistants. However, the family wasn't happy with JMI calling the shots. All this was in a posted article in another thread.

If recruits are actually saying that JMI is the problem then this university needs to cut ties immediately

 

[bbnkat02]

If recruits are actually saying that JMI is the problem then this university needs to cut ties immediately

We can't. We're in an awful contract. Good ol Wicked Mitch of the West.
We'll get sued for breech of contract.

 

[CatPride1964]

Bottom line, if Stokes signs here, no one will give a squirt of duck pee about missing on Collins. If Pope misses on him, he better start shopping at the very top(tip top 4-5) in the portal and Euro, or the seat under his ***is gonna leave more than a sunburn

We have ZERO (0) recruits next year. If we sign stokes it’s only because we blew half our NIL budget to get him. I’ll be happy we got a top guy but don’t act like whiffing on Collins and every other recruit will be made up if we sign stokes.

 

[JakeKx]

We can't. We're in an awful contract. Good ol Wicked Mitch of the West.
We'll get sued for breech of contract.

I wonder if there’s a way we could show some kind of collusion. It’s obvious that some people are getting kick backs. We literally employ the wife of one of them. I’d be looking for conflicts of interest or anything we can do to get out of this deal.

JMI and a coach that can’t recruit is going to put us behind by 20 years

 

[bbnkat02]

I wonder if there’s a way we could show some kind of collusion. It’s obvious that some people are getting kick backs. We literally employ the wife of one of them. I’d be looking for conflicts of interest or anything we can do to get out of this deal.

JMI and a coach that can’t recruit is going to put us behind by 20 years

Unless the Richie Riches give a ****, nothing will happen. Us Bennies don't matter.

 

[FatCatMan]

Unless the Richie Riches give a ****, nothing will happen. Us Bennies don't matter.

A lot of us are going to have to find hobbies that don’t involve college basketball if this JMI nonsense doesn’t get fixed.

 

[bbnkat02]

A lot of us are going to have to find hobbies that don’t involve college basketball if this JMI nonsense doesn’t get fixed.

There will be small riots in Lexington if Mitch lets this programs die completely.

 

[Anon1739778738]

How any fan at this point could possibly believe that all of a sudden the worst recruiter in the history of ky basketball is going to land a top talent like Stokes is baffling.

 

[ToniTonyToneDelkDelkDelk]

Musselman's pitch:
-It's California
-Closer to home
-I have coached in the NBA
-I have players in the NBA
-Look at my coaching accomplishments
-Presents NIL package

Pope's pitch (bringing the entire Pope family):
-look at this championship trophy I won 30 years ago as a player
-We have great fans
-Presents NIL package (with stipulations)

Basically… creeping kids out with a whole bunch unserious business.

 

[Crestcat]

Just blows me away when guys want to go to a non basketball school.
I have watched a lot of basketball from schools not named Kentucky but I can't remember the last time I have seen a USC basketball game.

Like you come here for the massive crowds, cult following, and in the end if you are decent enough you will never be forgotten by said massive crowds. I have zero USC guys in my brain, NOT 1. If you told me a good player was from USC I would be shocked lol.

Probably the last time they played UK, that's the last time I saw them.