Does anyone else think Pope will do this?

[Ukwazoo3]

This is not what I want to happen or what should happen. This is what I feel like will happen.

I think Pope will try to keep absolutely everyone that can come back. He doesn't recruit well and he has no one coming in. You know he probably wants continuity, just based on his personality and comments.

Aberdeen, Oweh, & JQ are gone, obviously.

I think the rest of the players...it will legitimately be up to them if they want to come back or not. I don't think Pope has it in him to be a hard *** and tell certain people to move along.

The top players that could say no thanks:
-Mo
-Jasper
-Jelly
-Chandler (back to Utah/BYU possibly)

 

[JwUKFan11]

I think he’ll want to keep Moreno, Chandler, Kam, Mo, and Lowe. Now whether we should want them all idk. But I think he’s smart enough to know everyone can’t stay and the talent needs to drastically improve. We will see if he is capable of doing this.

 

[bbnkat02]

I think he’ll want to keep Moreno, Chandler, Kam, Mo, and Lowe. Now whether we should want them all idk. But I think he’s smart enough to know everyone can’t stay and the talent needs to drastically improve. We will see if he is capable of doing this.

Part of me wants to keep JJ. There's talent there, he's just so immature in basketball IQ. But he does have some skills

 

[FitchandMurray29]

I wonder how much influence Keegan Brown will have. Going off the analytics and no ties to these guys, wonder what his recommendations will be.

I do think Pope is too nice and believes in his development too much which makes this so unpredictable.

Should be a mass exodus and that’s what I expect will happen, whether it’s Pope’s choice or the players.

 

[Cats_2010]

If pope is back next year it wouldn’t bother me in the slightest if he had to fill the roster out by holding campus tryouts. He has no business being our coach. He was afforded the opportunity and he failed miserably. Next season has the potential to be one of the worst in our programs history and it will be deserved for those that sat on their asses and let it happen. BBN should carry pitchforks at every opportunity next year and boo the **** out of the program at every turn. It’s just unacceptable for the powers that be to let the program get in the shape it currently is.

 

[Zuma75]

This is not what I want to happen or what should happen. This is what I feel like will happen.

I think Pope will try to keep absolutely everyone that can come back. He doesn't recruit well and he has no one coming in. You know he probably wants continuity, just based on his personality and comments.

Aberdeen, Oweh, & JQ are gone, obviously.

I think the rest of the players...it will legitimately be up to them if they want to come back or not. I don't think Pope has it in him to be a hard *** and tell certain people to move along.

The top players that could say no thanks:
-Mo
-Jasper
-Jelly
-Chandler (back to Utah/BYU possibly)

No idea what he'll do ... but he has pretty much implied or directly said several times that he prefers to have guys who are familiar with his system. So yeah, he might lean more towards wanting to retain guys than wanting to clean house and start over. But he knows he has to add 2 or 3 difference makers.

 

[ZMCats]

If pope is back next year it wouldn’t bother me in the slightest if he had to fill the roster out by holding campus tryouts. He has no business being our coach. He was afforded the opportunity and he failed miserably. Next season has the potential to be one of the worst in our programs history and it will be deserved for those that sat on their asses and let it happen. BBN should carry pitchforks at every opportunity next year and boo the **** out of the program at every turn. It’s just unacceptable for the powers that be to let the program get in the shape it currently is.

It’s definitely in bad shape and has been for several years now and nobody can say and fully believe next year will be better. Pope is who he is.

 

[NociHTTP]

If pope is back next year it wouldn’t bother me in the slightest if he had to fill the roster out by holding campus tryouts. He has no business being our coach. He was afforded the opportunity and he failed miserably. Next season has the potential to be one of the worst in our programs history and it will be deserved for those that sat on their asses and let it happen. BBN should carry pitchforks at every opportunity next year and boo the **** out of the program at every turn. It’s just unacceptable for the powers that be to let the program get in the shape it currently is.

He didn't "fail miserably". It's his second year, taking over a program that was already decimated thanks to Cal. You know this, but that doesn't fit your narrative. Next year he'll have to step up his game.

 

[NociHTTP]

It’s definitely in bad shape and has been for several years now and nobody can say and fully believe next year will be better. Pope is who he is.

The program has been in bad for years due to Cal.

 

[ZMCats]

The program has been in bad for years due to Cal.

And now Pope

 

[TFCat11]

The second I hear that Pope is going to roll with Lowe next season, I’m purchasing a season supply of the best popcorn, so I can sit back and toss the kernels in my mouth after I say, “I told you so!”, every time he jeopardizes the team, or goes out with another stupid “non contact” injury

 

[King1959]

This is not what I want to happen or what should happen. This is what I feel like will happen.

I think Pope will try to keep absolutely everyone that can come back. He doesn't recruit well and he has no one coming in. You know he probably wants continuity, just based on his personality and comments.

Aberdeen, Oweh, & JQ are gone, obviously.

I think the rest of the players...it will legitimately be up to them if they want to come back or not. I don't think Pope has it in him to be a hard *** and tell certain people to move along.

The top players that could say no thanks:
-Mo
-Jasper
-Jelly
-Chandler (back to Utah/BYU possibly)

I’ve kind of been saying the same thing. I do have a feeling Mo comes back and I also think Chandler and his wife will stay at UK.

 

[Farsight Clone]

Part of me wants to keep JJ. There's talent there, he's just so immature in basketball IQ. But he does have some skills

Imagine him under an elite coach. I think Jasper would be a good 2nd or 3rd man scorer

 

[UKCowboys]

This is not what I want to happen or what should happen. This is what I feel like will happen.

I think Pope will try to keep absolutely everyone that can come back. He doesn't recruit well and he has no one coming in. You know he probably wants continuity, just based on his personality and comments.

Aberdeen, Oweh, & JQ are gone, obviously.

I think the rest of the players...it will legitimately be up to them if they want to come back or not. I don't think Pope has it in him to be a hard *** and tell certain people to move along.

The top players that could say no thanks:
-Mo
-Jasper
-Jelly
-Chandler (back to Utah/BYU possibly)

I think he will bring nearly everyone back, sign Stokes and a couple of portal studs and be top 10 all season next year

 

[Cats_2010]

He didn't "fail miserably". It's his second year, taking over a program that was already decimated thanks to Cal. You know this, but that doesn't fit your narrative. Next year he'll have to step up his game.

His record is worse than BCG. This is an era that a program can turn around instantly. Cal took us from BCG to national title contenders in his first year and beyond. Pope put together a poorly constructed roster this year and currently has zero players committed for next year. That is failing miserably IMO. My agenda is success for KY basketball and pope is not delivering.

 

[JwUKFan11]

Part of me wants to keep JJ. There's talent there, he's just so immature in basketball IQ. But he does have some skills

I agree but I am 90% sure that ship has sailed. There were rumblings early in the year from his dad, recently from his Uncle and it took a last minute NIL bump to even get the commitment.

 

[Cats_2010]

I think he will bring nearly everyone back, sign Stokes and a couple of portal studs and be top 10 all season next year

Hasn’t stokes stated he really doesn’t want to play here? If that is the case I don’t want his *** here nor should you.

 

[UKCowboys]

Hasn’t stokes stated he really doesn’t want to play here? If that is the case I don’t want his *** here nor should you.

I haven't heard him say it, until I do I can assume it might have been a Kansas fan that leaked it. Or a UK fan that wants to fire Pope

 

[Ky_Bred_Cat]

The team needs upgrading across the board.

Guard - need big upgrades, especially defensively at point and more depth even if Lowe returns

SG that can...shoot, and create. Chandler can only shoot. And JJ may or may not grow up by next year.

SF - need to replace Oweh, needs to be a shooter as well as a slasher

PF - need size (height and strength) that can shoot. Mo D alone isn't enough, neither is Williams

Center - Moreno is a nice finesse piece but also must have a bruiser

Not too much to ask for...

 

[theBlues]

I think he’ll want to keep Moreno, Chandler, Kam, Mo, and Lowe. Now whether we should want them all idk. But I think he’s smart enough to know everyone can’t stay and the talent needs to drastically improve. We will see if he is capable of doing this.

That's mine except for MoD; I like Mo as a bench piece but we paid him like a star starter and I doubt he'd just accept less money without trying the portal. We can probably get somebody who fits better with MM for less money.

 

[MegaBlue05]

Part of me wants to keep JJ. There's talent there, he's just so immature in basketball IQ. But he does have some skills

JJ also needs to work on his body.

I don’t say this to be ugly, but he looked like a high school girl out there with grown men in the SEC. He needs to live in the weight room this summer no matter if it’s here or at another school.

 

[bbnkat02]

JJ also needs to work on his body.

I don’t say this to be ugly, but he looked like a high school girl out there with grown men in the SEC. He needs to live in the weight room this summer no matter if it’s here or at another school.

I don't mind a skinny guard if they are willing to take hits. He does need to gain some muscle mass, but he really needs to work on his passing and facilitating. And maybe not take every open shot just yet.

 

[Crestcat]

The program has been in bad for years due to Cal.

Only the names have changed

 

[Ky_Bred_Cat]

I don't mind a skinny guard if they are willing to take hits. He does need to gain some muscle mass, but he really needs to work on his passing and facilitating. And maybe not take every open shot just yet.

JJ's main problem is his mental maturity. He needs to grow up and fast. Yes, he needs to get stronger as well but to me his biggest limitation is immaturity.

 

[Crestcat]

I agree but I am 90% sure that ship has sailed. There were rumblings early in the year from his dad, recently from his Uncle and it took a last minute NIL bump to even get the commitment.

His dad was a professional athlete, if he can't comprehend the situation we will be better off without JJ

 

[JwUKFan11]

That's mine except for MoD; I like Mo as a bench piece but we paid him like a star starter and I doubt he'd just accept less money without trying the portal. We can probably get somebody who fits better with MM for less money.

Those weren’t the ones I want back just how I see Pope seeing it. For me it’s CC, Moreno, Kam and Jelavic (if he wants a similar role). I don’t hate the idea of Lowe but again none of the returners matter IMO if we aren’t getting drastically better players coming in from portal/HS.

 

[NociHTTP]

His record is worse than BCG. This is an era that a program can turn around instantly. Cal took us from BCG to national title contenders in his first year and beyond. Pope put together a poorly constructed roster this year and currently has zero players committed for next year. That is failing miserably IMO. My agenda is success for KY basketball and pope is not delivering.

Two things: ignore them as usual

1. Cal did not inherit an empty cupboard
2. Pope is not Cal the recruiter and neither is anyone else in basketball
3. Pope has three players that are dealing with injuries. That will derail just about any team. It severely hampered his ability to keep certain guys off the floor
4. he 'currently' has zero players commited, so it's not applicable. He may very well pull a portal class gem out of his *** like he did in year 1.
So, four things

 

[Crestcat]

JJ also needs to work on his body.

I don’t say this to be ugly, but he looked like a high school girl out there with grown men in the SEC. He needs to live in the weight room this summer no matter if it’s here or at another school.

Everybody returning needs to live in the weight room, one common fault, they're all soft.

 

[Ky_Bred_Cat]

Strength is important but there is no replacement for talent and skill. Our overall talent level is the problem. Look at Ament from TN. He's slender but highly skilled and will flourish at the next level. That's what we need more of. Not a bunch of hulks with mediocre talent.

 

[Kyhoward1]

JJ also needs to work on his body.

I don’t say this to be ugly, but he looked like a high school girl out there with grown men in the SEC. He needs to live in the weight room this summer no matter if it’s here or at another school.

Agree, but don’t think he will be back.

 

[ZMCats]

Imagine him under an elite coach. I think Jasper would be a good 2nd or 3rd man scorer

I believe that as well. Jasper wouldn’t be this years version of Jasper if he had a really good coach. Look at Pope’s own comments about guys taking that big leap from year 1 to 2.

 

[wildcatmac9999]

I think he will bring nearly everyone back, sign Stokes and a couple of portal studs and be top 10 all season next year

I keep hearing portal studs. Everyone must have a different opinion than me on basketball studs. But i thought the studs went onto the NBA.

 

[UKCowboys]

I keep hearing portal studs. Everyone must have a different opinion than me on basketball studs. But i thought the studs went onto the NBA.

Hysterical that you say that while I am watching AJ Storr who was a portal pickup for Mississippi looking like the definition of a stud

 

[Zuma75]

I believe that as well. Jasper wouldn’t be this years version of Jasper if he had a really good coach. Look at Pope’s own comments about guys taking that big leap from year 1 to 2.

I remember him saying that too - but it didn’t happen this year as far as I can see.

 

[wildcatmac9999]

Hysterical that you say that while I am watching AJ Storr who was a portal pickup for Mississippi looking like the definition of a stud

I know the game has changed in the last 20 years. Doesn't mean that I like any of the changes what so ever. Then with NIL everything changed agains. Again i do not like it. That is why i rarely watch sports now days. Everything is always about money. The game for the most part is watered down today. It has "studs" that would never see the court on a top program from 20 years ago. But in todays watered down sports. I guess they are studs.

 

[theGspot_rivals175609]

He didn't "fail miserably". It's his second year, taking over a program that was already decimated thanks to Cal. You know this, but that doesn't fit your narrative. Next year he'll have to step up his game.

The program has been in bad for years due to Cal.

Two things: ignore them as usual

1. Cal did not inherit an empty cupboard
2. Pope is not Cal the recruiter and neither is anyone else in basketball
3. Pope has three players that are dealing with injuries. That will derail just about any team. It severely hampered his ability to keep certain guys off the floor
4. he 'currently' has zero players commited, so it's not applicable. He may very well pull a portal class gem out of his *** like he did in year 1.
So, four things

Failed miserably is an understatement. Pope has flat out sucked. Even harder than you've been sucking him.

Cal had us as a 2 seed in his last year and routinely bringing in top classes. And I don't recall playing in the SEC tournament on a Wednesday under Cal. Hell, normally we never played until Friday.

Cal had an empty cupboard when he took over at Arky. He smartly bought his players with him and recruited well. Pope could but either didn't or his players didn't want to follow. Pope also had the same transfer portal available to him as every other coach. Considering we flipped a player committed to USC, he had the option of doing that with others as well.

Pope sucks because of Pope, not because of Cal or anyone else. After all, Cal went to the same Sw16 as pope last year and is headed to the SEC tournament finals this year as the 3 seed.

 

[UKortho]

Part of me wants to keep JJ. There's talent there, he's just so immature in basketball IQ. But he does have some skills

He has dancing skills-dancing and shuffling before he takes a 3 (sometimes lasts 10-15 seconds).

 

[Woodrow24]

He didn't "fail miserably". It's his second year, taking over a program that was already decimated thanks to Cal. You know this, but that doesn't fit your narrative. Next year he'll have to step up his game.

For Kentucky standards this has been a bad season. I know you like pope but come on, 9th place in our conference is pitiful.

 

[Hunting9]

I think he will bring nearly everyone back, sign Stokes and a couple of portal studs and be top 10 all season next year

I would almost say top 5 and undefeated in the SEC. He’ll have UK back at the top of the mountain. It’s only been two years and look where we are. True genius.

 

[cornbreadnmilk]

For Kentucky standards this has been a bad season. I know you like pope but come on, 9th place in our conference is pitiful.

I'm convinced some people like Pope only because he's not Cal. The later Cal years sucked arse and so does Pope. It's doesn't have to be one or the other.