Roster construction

kyjeff1

Heisman
Sep 8, 2012
50,522
70,720
113
So, your saying that Michigan hired a more qualified coach that UK did?
No, but at least Dusty knows the proper use of the word "your".
But I also bet Dusty knows he signed his deal with Michigan on March 24th, John Calipari didn’t sign his deal with Arkansas until April. Do you need me to explain why those dates are significant?
 
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Ridinwithpope

Senior
Feb 16, 2026
231
526
83
So, your saying that Michigan hired a more qualified coach that UK did?
I am saying that I am going to back up pope because he is our current coach. That is on Mitch for not getting may, pearl, or Hurley. Did I want pope at first no.. but I am going to root for him because he is a cat. I am going to look at what he does at uk objectively and hope he does a good job. I agree that may had more credentials than pope did but this fanbase was torn apart by cal. Mitch wanted to bring the fanbase together by hiring one of our own. Unfortunately some of our fans love to still be divided.
 

kyjeff1

Heisman
Sep 8, 2012
50,522
70,720
113
I’d rather have Kam on the wing for more size. Bigger lineups tend to be better defensively.

If Jelavic is the guy, great! We don’t just need a good player though. We need a great to elite player. If Jelavic next year is like Mirkovic on Illinois next season, we will be cooking.
By putting Kam at the 4, guess what happens when we're on offense and Kam is standing on the 3 point line in the corner.
 

kyjeff1

Heisman
Sep 8, 2012
50,522
70,720
113
I know he is going to fail. I never wanted him to get the damn job because it wasn't deserved or based off anything other than him playing here 20 years ago.

I want to get this train wreck over and get a real coach.
You don't give a damn about UK.
 
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Reggie Noble

Sophomore
Jul 5, 2025
134
175
43
No, but at least Dusty knows the proper use of the word "your".
But I also bet Dusty knows he signed his deal with Michigan on March 24th, John Calipari didn’t sign his deal with Arkansas until Arpril. Do you need me to explain why those dates are significant?
So, you're saying that Michigan didn't hire a more qualified coach than UK? Because the post that I was responding to contradicts that. and I know how to spell April.
 

Ridinwithpope

Senior
Feb 16, 2026
231
526
83
I know he is going to fail. I never wanted him to get the damn job because it wasn't deserved or based off anything other than him playing here 20 years ago.

I want to get this train wreck over and get a real coach.
Let me ask you this.. if pope were to win a title would you be happy or mad? If he weee to make a final four within the next two years would that bring you joy?
 

Anony Moose

Senior
Dec 2, 2025
668
834
93
Let me ask you this.. if pope were to win a title would you be happy or mad? If he weee to make a final four within the next two years would that bring you joy?
I'd be ecstatic!

If aliens were to come down and introduce us to new worlds and knowledge, I would be ecstatic too. And oddly enough the odds of either happening are about the same.
 
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Dead Cat Bounce

All-Conference
Jan 8, 2003
2,748
4,845
113
He’s going to have to get a couple of stars and fillers, but what holes are you specifically seeing? I see holes at the pg spot, backup C, the 3 and we need more star power.
You’ve nailed it: ball handlers, slashers, and bigs. I few good about Chandler and Johnson, great about Moreno, great about the bench.

PS: if Kam comes back healthy, that helps too.
 

Ridinwithpope

Senior
Feb 16, 2026
231
526
83
I'd be ecstatic!

If aliens were to come down and introduce us to new worlds and knowledge, I would be ecstatic too. And oddly enough the odds of either happening are about the same.
I have my serious doubts you would be happy at all. You would have to eat a ton of crow.
 
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kyjeff1

Heisman
Sep 8, 2012
50,522
70,720
113
So, you're saying that Michigan didn't hire a more qualified coach than UK? Because the post that I was responding to contradicts that. and I know how to spell April.
LOL, you still didn't get it. I never asked you to spell April and for the record, there is a difference between "your" and "you're".

However, the real issue is, you tried to bust the person you were responding to, but what you failed to do, is notice that Michigan hired Dusty May on March 24, 2024. Well, Calipari didn’t sign his deal with Arkansas, until April 7th. So, what that means is, UK didn’t have the option to hire Dusty May.

Also, we should he careful here. In January, people were laughing and saying BYU got rid of Pope and got better. Where are those people now?

BYU, with a fully healthy roster and a top 3 transcendent forward, was already on a bad slide and now, they just lost Saunders, so that slide, could get a lot worse.

May might look better now, but you don't know what tomorrow brings.
 

Reggie Noble

Sophomore
Jul 5, 2025
134
175
43
LOL, you still didn't get it. I never asked you to spell April and for the record, there is a difference between "your" and "you're".

However, the real issue is, you tried to bust the person you were responding to, but what you failed to do, is notice that Michigan hired Dusty May on March 24, 2024. Well, Calipari didn’t sign his deal with Arkansas, until April 7th. So, what that means is, UK didn’t have the option to hire Dusty May.

Also, we should he careful here. In January, people were laughing and saying BYU got rid of Pope and got better. Where are those people now?

BYU, with a fully healthy roster and a top 3 transcendent forward, was already on a bad slide and now, they just lost Saunders, so that slide, could get a lot worse.

May might look better now, but you don't know what tomorrow brings.
I'm aware of the difference between "your" and "you're", simple mistake not worth correcting. The April thing is reference to you correcting me and then misspelling April in the same post. you spelled it "Arpril" . I know that's a simple typo and I know what you meant but since we're pointing out grammar.
I wasn't specifically saying hire Dusty May, just an example. What I was saying is hire someone more qualified. Pitino and Cal had proof of concept, BCG and Mark Pope don't, it's a lot riskier. It's a moot point though because Pope it is but he has to get the Jimmy's and Joe's.
 

AJG-15

All-Conference
Apr 8, 2024
1,907
3,283
78
for the next year we are losing our 2 best players : Oweh and Aberdeen .

the 2 with great potential KW and JQ are both injured . JQ is going to NBA. hopefully KW recovers okay.

Moreno the next player with great potential should return but who knows.

all other players remaining from this year are role players, some with good potential to be developed : Chandler , JJ, Jela and Hawthorne …

Pope to have a successful 3rd year will need to bring:

PG : a starter + capable backup
SG : a starter
SF : a starter.
PF : s starter
Center : back up or a starter if Moreno returns.

so we don’t have any HS signed players.

Are we saying that we are bringing at least 6 players from the transfer portal, 4 of them that can start and 2 good back ups? What’s the price tag on that ? Cause pretty much we need a whole team.

I would not touch Lowe and Garrison but I am pretty sure Pope will bring them back.

I would bring Mo back only as a back up and without paying him a premium. I doubt he would accept that.
 
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Ridinwithpope

Senior
Feb 16, 2026
231
526
83
It's going to be hard to get highly rated guys to be backups.
I only think you need three highly rated guys. Point guard, shooting guard, and center. Point guard being the most important. Lowe can be a backup if he doesn’t want to do that.. he can walk. Koby Brea/jaxon shooter to back up Chandler, and quality center.
 
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Reggie Noble

Sophomore
Jul 5, 2025
134
175
43
I only think you need three highly rated guys. Point guard, shooting guard, and center. Point guard being the most important. Lowe can be a backup if he doesn’t want to do that.. he can walk. Koby Brea/jaxon shooter to back up Chandler, and quality center.
I can agree with that, but I think you only need two studs and then role players, preferably transfer guys who were really good role players at their previous school and bring them here to do exactly what they have been doing for years. The idea of taking a player who has been in school for two or more years and turning them into something they haven't been is a risk that UK shouldn't have to take, smaller schools yes but not UK.
 
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AJG-15

All-Conference
Apr 8, 2024
1,907
3,283
78
Also , if in the first year Pope did a great job in 2 weeks from Portal, in second year with more resources and time, he did a poor job.

HS recruiting , first year was this year and second year will be next year team. So far first year was decent. second year, so far is all recruits are great but invisbile.

without great help from a well connected GM, I am afraid that Pope might not be able to close the deal on recruiting impactful HS and portal players.

I truly hope that Pope comes to realization that he needs help and hires a GM.
 
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Ridinwithpope

Senior
Feb 16, 2026
231
526
83
I can agree with that, but I think you only need two studs and then role players, preferably transfer guys who were really good role players at their previous school and bring them here to do exactly what they have been doing for years. The idea of taking a player who has been in school for two or more years and turning them into something they haven't been a risk that UK shouldn't have to take, smaller schools yes but not UK.
I agree and I think if the studs are your new point guard, Chandler, and Moreno then that is a heck of a core
 
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kyjeff1

Heisman
Sep 8, 2012
50,522
70,720
113
I'm aware of the difference between "your" and "you're", simple mistake not worth correcting. The April thing is reference to you correcting me and then misspelling April in the same post. you spelled it "Arpril" . I know that's a simple typo and I know what you meant but since we're pointing out grammar.
I wasn't specifically saying hire Dusty May, just an example. What I was saying is hire someone more qualified. Pitino and Cal had proof of concept, BCG and Mark Pope don't, it's a lot riskier. It's a moot point though because Pope it is but he has to get the Jimmy's and Joe's.
So, what's the point in making him admit to you that Michigan hired a better coach, when May was off the board when UK was looking for a new coach?
We keep saying UK should have hired a better coach, but when you look at the options, there are no sure fire hires out there.
We do know that Mitch tried to hire Hurley, gave him an offer he slept on, but he said no.
I know there were better options than Pope, but nobody knows for sure if they would do any better than Pope has.
Heck, we don't even know how this year ends yet. A sweet 16 in year one, after starting late with zero players, is a heck of a start. What will we say if Pope goes further than May and Hurley?
Also, I don't care what anybody says, losing players to injury, will always derail a season. It definitely derailed us last year and it really derailed us this season. That matters.
I hope Pope gets a fair shot to prove himself next year. If he keeps a healthy roster all season, he is a good enough in game coach to have a UK worthy season in my opinion.
 
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Ridinwithpope

Senior
Feb 16, 2026
231
526
83
Also , if in the first year Pope did a great job in 2 weeks from Portal, in second year with more resources and time, he did a poor job.

HS recruiting , first year was this year and second year will be next year team. So far first year was decent. second year, so far is all recruits are great but invisbile.

without great help from a well connected GM, I am afraid that Pope might not be able to close the deal on recruiting impactful HS and portal players.

I truly hope that Pope comes to realization that he needs and hires a GM.
100 percent agree. He needs a GM. He has shown he can get elite talent to the closing table. He just needs that GM to finish the job.
 
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carolinacat

All-Conference
Nov 7, 2007
4,954
4,827
113
If we run with that team and whatever clunkers Pope pulls from the portal, we are going to get absolutely humiliated....again!
I would ask you to try and say something intelligent, but that ain't happening. Instead, I'll just mock you incessantly. These "facts" you state are not in evidence.
1. We're not getting "humiliated" this year ...
2. We didn't get "humiliated" last year (sweet 16)
3. You don't "know" our players we get from the portal will be "clunkers."

I would take Chandler, Moreno, Johnson, Jelavic, Kam...and some solid new guys and take our chances. All those guys will get better next year. The UaVel board is that way partner.
 

davtay

All-Conference
Dec 31, 2002
1,263
1,211
113
I would ask you to try and say something intelligent, but that ain't happening. Instead, I'll just mock you incessantly. These "facts" you state are not in evidence.
1. We're not getting "humiliated" this year ...
2. We didn't get "humiliated" last year (sweet 16)
3. You don't "know" our players we get from the portal will be "clunkers."

I would take Chandler, Moreno, Johnson, Jelavic, Kam...and some solid new guys and take our chances. All those guys will get better next year. The UaVel board is that way partner.
Guys, Moose is just trolling for your response. You cannot take him as a serious poster. He doesn't even believe the crap he posts.
 
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Anony Moose

Senior
Dec 2, 2025
668
834
93
I would ask you to try and say something intelligent, but that ain't happening. Instead, I'll just mock you incessantly. These "facts" you state are not in evidence.
1. We're not getting "humiliated" this year ...
2. We didn't get "humiliated" last year (sweet 16)
3. You don't "know" our players we get from the portal will be "clunkers."

I would take Chandler, Moreno, Johnson, Jelavic, Kam...and some solid new guys and take our chances. All those guys will get better next year. The UaVel board is that way partner.
We've been humiliated multiple times already this year.

We got humiliated multiple times last year. Sw16 game included.

They are already clunkers. Next year's will be too.

Lol, why would anyone be a UL fan. Lulz.
 

Cats_2010

Heisman
Jan 8, 2010
11,708
19,859
103
Okay, so what's the issue? I gave my opinion.

I mean, I literally said the phrase "but to me… ." that literally means "in my opinion".

This is a weird place.
Hey if you think that lineup is championship caliber more power to you. It’s not, but if you think so that’s all that matters.
 

kyjeff1

Heisman
Sep 8, 2012
50,522
70,720
113
Hey if you think that lineup is championship caliber more power to you. It’s not, but if you think so that’s all that matters.
First, all I did was list the players that are set to come back and in my opinion, you get rid of Garrison and Noah. You bring back JJ, MM, AJ, KW, Mo D, Chandler and Lowe. Then, you get a another good center, another good pg, a star shooter and maybe another sf.

Moreno is a first team all SEC guy next year and Johnson will eventually be a star, but you have to get at least 1 other really big fish out of the portal, like a Yaxel, or a Haggerty.

Player retention is a huge deal, so yes, I fully believe that is a championship roster and I really don't care if you agree.

I believe Pope has good developmental skills and he’s a really good in game coach. That roster has shooters, ball handlers, a top notch center and at least 2 star players, so yeah, it's a damn good roster.
 
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Monday Nitro

All-American
Jul 3, 2025
4,066
6,934
112
He's getting 3 years. Anyone halfway sane sees it and sees absolutely ZERO reason to do anything but watch it play out since they can't do anything about it. The clutter some have to have in their brains is crazy, lol.