Rank Pope's 3rd Year Recruting Class

[Farsight Clone]

Since we got Milan I think we are done with our recruiting class for his 3rd year. I'd be surprised if anyone else comes.

Consider the whole roster, including incoming and returnees.

Did the Milan commit increase his grade? Or kept the same for you? Let me know.

 

[Farsight Clone]

For me, It was a D recruiting class. Getting Milan is a huge get. I think he's a player who is perfect for Pope's system. Now I believe he's at a C for getting him.

 

[BMR1987]

Of the options listed I voted B, but I really think it's more in the C+ to B- range. Voting C with Milan didn't feel right to me, though. I have to give him some credit for getting his biggest recruiting win thus far at UK. For me how we ultimately judge this class comes down to how well Wilkins game translates to this level.

 

[PastorofMuppets82]

C seems fair. F for high school recruiting, A for portal for a C average.

 

[Im The Village Idiot]

I voted "A". That doesn't mean I think it's perfect. Freeman over McBride and Wright over Diallo would make it A+.

I believe we got the best player in the portal, who is a perfect system fit in Milan. I believe we got the highest ceiling combo guard in Wilkins. We finally got a jumbo point guard with elite facilitating in Diallo. We got a perfect system fit in McBride who will kill teams off the bounce but is also a 40% three point shooter. We also added high upside players like N'Diaye, Morton and Mason Williams as depth pieces. You added Kepnang who has about as much interior upside as you can ask for in a backup five.

You also returned Moreno, who'd be a sure-fire top 5 portal guy. You brought back Williams as your sixth man and have Potter/Noah as luxury depth pieces.

 

[TFCat11]

I’ve been justifiably critical of Pope for the past year, but I think he deserves a B for this most recent addition alone, but he’s one more top tier player away from getting a solid A/ A+.

However, if he can get these guys to play together better than the team from last season, it shouldn’t matter regardless.

 

[Johnnie Africa]

It actually wrapped up pretty decent, I gave it a B. Much better for players than last year at least. A lot will depend on if N’Dyiae pans out and if Williams and Moreno and Hawthorne make a leap. If the foreign guy is disappointing and Moreno or Williams don’t improve a lot we will be an average team.

 

[UKWildcats1987]

I gave it a B.

That said, dont see a final four contender. Hope Pope surprises us.

 

[Farsight Clone]

I voted "A". That doesn't mean I think it's perfect. Freeman over McBride and Wright over Diallo would make it A+.

I believe we got the best player in the portal, who is a perfect system fit in Milan. I believe we got the highest ceiling combo guard in Wilkins. We finally got a jumbo point guard with elite facilitating in Diallo. We got a perfect system fit in McBride who will kill teams off the bounce but is also a 40% three point shooter. We also added high upside players like N'Diaye, Morton and Mason Williams as depth pieces. You added Kepnang who has about as much interior upside as you can ask for in a backup five.

You also returned Moreno, who'd be a sure-fire top 5 portal guy. You brought back Williams as your sixth man and have Potter/Noah as luxury depth pieces.

 

[FitchandMurray29]

For me, I feel like you have to go at least A-:
-bottom of tier 1 portal PG(above all freshman PGs this year imo)
-tier 2 second guard
-elite tier hybrid forward
-solid depth 4(McBride)
-upside filled unknown in N’Diaye
-top backup C
-deep depth developmental PG in Williams

Bumpy ride to get there. In an ideal world the 4 position recruiting would’ve went better but he still landed the plane imo

 

[Farsight Clone]

So far what I am seeing here is that moist people on here were at around an C grade or so and bumped it up to a B because of Milan.

 

[TheResistance]

 

[The Ganner]

At the very start of this I think I guessed B+ and was among the more optimistic in that poll. I'll go B here, and probably stay flat B even if +/- is an option. I'd have wanted a more sure stud at at least one of PG or PF to rate it an A. I'm also not enamored with our reserve guard options in terms of right-now ability.

 

[KyLegacyBBN]

B. Mom and two solid guards is big. Stokes deal was a mess and some other whiffs but in the end the roster is solid.

 

[BlueBomb]

So far what I am seeing here is that moist people on here were at around an C grade or so and bumped it up to a B because of Milan.

I gave him a C grade, and I'm not the least bit damp. Besides, my wife doesn't like when I use the M word.

 

[chroix]

Imma wait until after we’re a couple games deep to judge this class. I started last year hyped after that Purdue win. Fool me twice trumps the many men meme when it comes to judgement. Looks decent on paper. Worried about the guards but that’s basically every year.

 

[Son_Of_Saul]

B

 

[The Nightman2]

So far what I am seeing here is that moist people on here were at around an C grade or so and bumped it up to a B because of Milan.

Yeah I cant stand all the moist people on here

 

[Beatle Bum]

Voting before they hit the floor just forces me to speculate but is a good poll for offseason discussion. I voted B. On paper it looks like a B that could on the floor be an A or a C (last year fooled me so I am a little jaded).

 

[YankeeCpt_rivals378522]

B+ for Portal
F for HS.
not trying to sound dramatic, but I think this Milan pick-up may have saved a season.
Dude is an A+ 3pt shooter on a Big 12 team that finished 3rd.
THIS WAS MONSTEROUS!

 

[BBNinSCar]

and yet (IMO), the season depends primarily on Diallo and Wilkins. If these 2 are better together than their individual skills, Kentucky will have a really good squad

 

[Beatle Bum]

For me, It was a D recruiting class. Getting Milan is a huge get. I think he's a player who is perfect for Pope's system. Now I believe he's at a C for getting him.

So, you believe all of the recruits (today you have to recruit your own players as well but I won’t include them here) were utter failures and you moved off an F to a D for a consensus top 3 portal get? Dude, there is moisture on your brain if you assess Diallo (recruited hard by Zona), Wilkins (recruited hard by Bama and others), NDiaye (followed by NBA scouts out of a league some think harder than the SEC), McBride (15 pts per game last season) are failures.

 

[Prince is STILL KING!]

For me, It was a D recruiting class. Getting Milan is a huge get. I think he's a player who is perfect for Pope's system. Now I believe he's at a C for getting him.

C is craaazy.

 

[UKCowboys]

Easily an A. You have to include Moreno. Half the board said if he left it would be because he didn't like playing for Pope, you cant have it both ways.

 

[LineSkiCat14]

It looks good. Probably a B. Problem is I thought last year looked even better. Maybe that was my/our mistake. But I remember thinking "were two deep at every position and we have some highly rated recruits now, too!"

 

[kywildcat1021979]

I went with B but its more like a B-.

 

[Wayne Dougan]

It all depends what our budget was. If our budget was the highest in college basketball it's a D. If it was in the 15-20 range it's an A.

 

[theBlues]

A

 

[CELTICAT]

Good to Great portal class. Lowest rated incoming freshman class in modern history. So I guess a C?

 

[Major_Tom]

B including retaining Moreno and getting Wilkins as a core long term piece with immediate impact potential.

 

[TheApostleSaulSmith]

B-

 

[Beatle Bum]

Good to Great portal class. Lowest rated incoming freshman class in modern history. So I guess a C?

I was looking at Arky’s team today remembering what each year felt like with Cal. I would have been thrilled and shocked that Richardson returned (NIL should help Cal that way) but I see little interior power and a lot of very young players with high ceilings. I think his backcourt will be a strength but I think it a drop from last year. I think Richardson is a strength but doubt he is a star that carries a team (I also think he may prove to be that). I believe his defense may be improved over last year, but if I am a fan, I don’t know if our young talent is ready and I am not sure Cal has a lottery pick in the bunch for 2027. Would I want the young talented team or the mix UK has? I think I prefer UK but admit that top 25 lists do not agree.

Edit: forgot about Jordan Smith. Maybe his backcourt is as good as last year.

 

[GoBIG BLUE]

It actually wrapped up pretty decent, I gave it a B. Much better for players than last year at least. A lot will depend on if N’Dyiae pans out and if Williams and Moreno and Hawthorne make a leap. If the foreign guy is disappointing and Moreno or Williams don’t improve a lot we will be an average team.

I see Williams being our backup to our backup pg. Only seeing mop up minutes; which makes me wonder why you feel this team changes at all with him taking a leap or not.

 

[TheApostleSaulSmith]

It all depends what our budget was. If our budget was the highest in college basketball it's a D. If it was in the 15-20 range it's an A.

a D?!?! bro

 

[Blue till I die]

For me, It was a D recruiting class. Getting Milan is a huge get. I think he's a player who is perfect for Pope's system. Now I believe he's at a C for getting him.

I don't want to be mean, but this is so stupid.

I think it's an A, I can understand an argument for a B

Anything less than a B is insanity

 

[Blue till I die]

It's the #2 class, how can it be anything less than an A

 

[TheApostleSaulSmith]

It's the #2 class, how can it be anything less than an A

#2 class of what? be more specific

 

[TheKentuckyKid]

It's the #2 class, how can it be anything less than an A

A lot of those teams also got some high school recruits. It's a great class and our length is insane.

 

[entropy13]

I gave him a C grade, and I'm not the least bit damp. Besides, my wife doesn't like when I use the M word.

 

[PastorofMuppets82]

I see Williams being our backup to our backup pg. Only seeing mop up minutes; which makes me wonder why you feel this team changes at all with him taking a leap or not.

Pretty sure he meant Kam Williams, not Mason Williams