Tyran Stokes - Top Priority, IMO

NociHTTP

Heisman
Mar 8, 2023
12,205
19,149
113
Stokes will be a stud, but is he worth the reported $7M price tag (presumably ~30-35% of budget) when our team has so many holes to fill? If he guarantees a Final Four, yes. If not (as in the case of many of the teams who rely on a freshman star), likely not.

Drama or not, if he wants to be on your team you have to take/pay him. I just don't think he wants to be a Cat unless he sees us sign a few studs (especially a PG).
Lol, he does want to be on our team. How do you not see it?
 

NociHTTP

Heisman
Mar 8, 2023
12,205
19,149
113
If you can get Stokes, you take him. He's the point forward that we didn't have last season and could showcase his game. As it stands now, Stokes would get as many minutes as he could handle. He'd be tough to guard in 4-1 pistol with Moreno creating some room. Folks talk about his attitude, but would you all turn away DeMarcus Cousins? What about Magloire? We need some players with an edge to them.
We don't need players coming here to "showcase their game". We saw what that got us this season.
 

rivercatinfl

All-Conference
Nov 21, 2012
1,992
1,896
97
The dude is more drama than he's worth and I don't trust Pope to be able to handle him. In my opinion, UK is continuing to go after him based on the sunk cost fallacy, and it's ridiculous. The kid doesn't want to be here and he's a drama queen. Let Self have a stroke trying to rein him in and be done with this whole ridiculous ******* saga.
I'd take the kid from ND instead of Stokes if we can get him. Stokes is really good but all the hype around him going to Kansas if it's true, is just wasting our time and potential good players.
 

Blue till I die

All-Conference
Dec 20, 2004
1,555
2,960
113
Stokes DOES NOT want to be at UK and it's pretty obvious. The longer his recruitment drags on the more embarrassing it is for UK. We need to cut ties with him and focus our attention on the portal. Looking desperate is never a good look...


What school does he want to be at? Every D1 School would give him a pretty good sum of money to go there and so far he hasn't picked any of them.

I would be happy to get Stokes, but man there are many in the portal I would prefer over him.

Championships are won with upperclassmen, not 5 star freshmen
 

peterpiper09

All-Conference
Mar 19, 2006
1,079
2,139
112
Which ever school, and I assume it’s Kansas, knows that they are getting stokes. They can interfere with other big schools recruiting and continually cause other schools to pour resources into trying to recruit him. Happens all the time. Please get rid of this distraction so we can move forward and build our team.
 

Eastkybball

All-Conference
May 7, 2019
1,549
2,828
98
We should offer wright 6 million a year!
Aim for 4 studs and 2 solid players.
Don’t use up money on the duds or settle with what you can get. Throw the money at em.
Make Kentucky the place that pays big money and if you don’t produce then cya!
 

peterpiper09

All-Conference
Mar 19, 2006
1,079
2,139
112
I think if we can have a good year next year and stay healthy the recruiting could get easier because they will see that it’s a fun system to play in and there’s nothing like Rupp rocking.
 

Supercat67

Senior
Feb 16, 2017
801
645
93
He’s damn near a guaranteed 15&7 at minimum player, though likely more. He‘s 230lbs and can play an extremely physical game, cutting and getting to the rim. He’s a lottery pick and it would be Pope’s first ever which would change the narrative that he can’t get highly ranked players and move them to the next level. If I’m Pope, I have at least two other high level SFs in the hopper and if TS doesn’t commit by the day after the Nike Summit, I’d cut my losses immediately and move forward without him. Unfortunately, I believe the odds are 80% KU 20% UK, give or take 5-10%, I can see this kid wasting the staff’s time on getting other players and if they have a top SF in the portal ready to commit prior, they should take the bird in the hand, IMO.
Pope will probably swing and miss. Unfortunately.
 

Ky_Bred_Cat

All-Conference
Dec 28, 2014
2,148
3,995
113
5 star lottery picks aren't leading teams to national championships in today's game. Or ever, really. They may participate in title runs but they aren't leading teams in them.
 

LineSkiCat14

Heisman
Aug 5, 2015
38,883
60,965
113
Idk hes starting to seem like a Diva. He should have committed to Kansas by now. So it sure feels like hes just trying to get the most money for 1 year, regardless of trying to win or compete. Honestly kind of feels like another Darryn Peterson.. guys who are just here for a paycheck and to wait for the NBA.

And Pope is seemingly the kind of coach who would get 100% played by the player. Dont see this working out for us.
 
Jul 30, 2024
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I think Pope is in a situation where he's gonna take the best players available. This kid will be one of 'em.
Tried that last year and failed miserably.
Don’t want to reroll the dice with the year 2 philosophy and I’m not going to lie — everything I’m seeing us do this portal offseason has me worried we are making the same mistakes. Going after athletic do it all guys that can’t shoot, squint to figure out how they fit in the system-type guys. I hope he isn’t trying to placate people that will walk him out the door the fastest.
 
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philstat

All-American
Jan 3, 2004
10,305
7,897
56
To me at least, the top priority I'd get the best point guard in the portal. As this year bore out a freshman will not make or break us.
It won’t matter who that is if we don’t have some legit pieces for him, right now, the only person would be Moreno, CC or KW have shown no consistency to become that, yet.
 
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Mike-D

Heisman
Jul 14, 2001
50,017
74,128
113
Tried that last year and failed miserably.
Don’t want to reroll the dice with the year 2 philosophy and I’m not going to lie — everything I’m seeing us do this portal offseason has me worried we are making the same mistakes. Going after athletic do it all guys that can’t shoot, squint to figure out how they fit in the system-type guys. I hope he isn’t trying to placate people that will walk him out the door the fastest.

I think he's targeting 2, hopefully 3 studs. Fill the rest in with role players that suit the offense.

Last year we seemed to fill the entire roster full of role players, and the *supposed* studs didn't seem to pan out or were injured/both.

Stokes will probably be a 15/7/3 type of player, IMO. Vital long term, if Pope wants something to sell for future stud Freshman. Gotta start somewhere.
 
Jul 30, 2024
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I think he's targeting 2, hopefully 3 studs. Fill the rest in with role players that suit the offense.

Last year we seemed to fill the entire roster full of role players, and the *supposed* studs didn't seem to pan out or were injured/both.

Stokes will probably be a 15/7/3 type of player, IMO. Vital long term, if Pope wants something to sell for future stud Freshman. Gotta start somewhere.
Hope it works out the way you’re hoping, Mike. This fanbase needs something to legitimately be happy about for awhile. 👍
 

Ash Williams

Heisman
Aug 3, 2022
8,108
26,153
113
I am going to assume you are being sarcastic....good lord!
UK has so much disposable cash they could afford to pay off Stoops. They probably light their cigars in those smoke filled rooms with $100 bills.

Pope should offer $50M total to the top 5 guys in the portal and run with those 6 including Stokes and win the title.

Then the NCAA will HAVE to do something.

To hell with the money, take it out of Barney's and Eli's secret stash.
 

Broker

All-Conference
Aug 29, 2012
1,646
1,638
113
5 star lottery picks aren't leading teams to national championships in today's game. Or ever, really. They may participate in title runs but they aren't leading teams in them.
I think we need to worry about being competitive in the SEC before we continue to talk about national championships. We are miles away from having a team like any of this year's final four teams. Talking about national championship for our basketball program is about on the same level as talking about us winning the national championship football. Will Stein has as good of a chance of winning a national championship next season as we do with Pope heading our basketball program. We are just creating disappointment if we talk about Mark Pope winning it al in 2027. It is going to take a complete administration change for us to compete for a final four in the near future or if ever.
 

philstat

All-American
Jan 3, 2004
10,305
7,897
56
If he does not land Stokes his time here is done. We are just waiting until the ship sinks.
I do believe thats a very high probability, we are returning one starter, I’m still not sold on KW being a consistent impact player, he needs some serious talent, he can do that with TS, though the margin of error is miniscule.
 

MidseasonTweak

Heisman
Mar 1, 2020
9,248
14,365
113
Probably using UK to get more money out of Kansas, this is why he is delaying his commitment
If that's the case, then I am good with it. KU players are jumping ship, perhaps because Stokes is pulling away funds.

Stokes and a handful of ball boys would make for a hilarious season
 

Son_Of_Saul

Heisman
Dec 7, 2007
45,156
98,092
113
Tried that last year and failed miserably.
Don’t want to reroll the dice with the year 2 philosophy and I’m not going to lie — everything I’m seeing us do this portal offseason has me worried we are making the same mistakes. Going after athletic do it all guys that can’t shoot, squint to figure out how they fit in the system-type guys. I hope he isn’t trying to placate people that will walk him out the door the fastest.
I know you're a huge fan of player retention. With Chandler now joining Mo, Aberdeen, Johnson, Garrison, Lowe, and Jelly, how's that working out for Pope?

Sure looks like a ton of guys who A. Can't stand playing for Pope or B. Were not scouted correctly for his system.

Either way, it all points back to Pope being the massive incompotent that he is.
 
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JASUN74

All-Conference
May 22, 2008
3,197
4,575
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Which ever school, and I assume it’s Kansas, knows that they are getting stokes. They can interfere with other big schools recruiting and continually cause other schools to pour resources into trying to recruit him. Happens all the time. Please get rid of this distraction so we can move forward and build our team.
Who’s he distracting? Pope, the other coaches? Fan have no affect one way or the other and we’re just taking. I’m sure the staff isn’t staying up all night worrying about him and not doing their jobs. He’s going to be one of the best, if not the best player in College basketball next season! I’d at minimum make a dammmn good effort on him but they’re smart enough not to waste much time on it. Talking and wishing he’d be a cat has nothing to do with nothing.
 

JASUN74

All-Conference
May 22, 2008
3,197
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5 star lottery picks aren't leading teams to national championships in today's game. Or ever, really. They may participate in title runs but they aren't leading teams in them.
Anthony Davis did a pretty good job of it. Carmelo Anthony did ok. Stokes is in that situation where you put a few real talented guys around him and it’s going to hard to beat them.
 
Jul 30, 2024
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You know what
I know you're a huge fan of player retention. With Chandler now joining Mo, Aberdeen, Johnson, Garrison, Lowe, and Jelly, how's that working out for Pope?

Sure looks like a ton of guys who A. Can't stand playing for Pope or B. Were not scouted correctly for his system.

Either way, it all points back to Pope being the massive incompotent that he is.
man, it really sucks that you can’t just ask a basic question to get my opinion without loading all that extra stuff in.

I’m upset about it. I wanted more roster retention…obviously.

As far as Pope’s incompetence….ill leave that up to you coz neither of us will change the other’s mind and I don’t want to argue about it. For me, I love Chandler, but you can’t pay him $3M. If he paid CC 3 million, some would argue that is incompetence. I really don’t care about petty squabbles about whether or not you or anyone else thinks it is incompetent. No matter how you slice it, we all end up back at the same place:

Pope is in a prove-it third year. Period. No matter our opinions along the way.
 
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JASUN74

All-Conference
May 22, 2008
3,197
4,575
73
Probably using UK to get more money out of Kansas, this is why he is delaying his commitment
Or, using Kansas to get money from Kentucky. No matter, we need to go out swinging and know that we did all we could. He’s not just a talent, he’s the talent. The kids works like a pro and will do whatever his team needs to help them win. He’s a winner and I wouldn’t give up until the last second if it were me.
 

Beatle Bum

Heisman
Sep 1, 2002
41,536
63,392
113
Is there a Zoom/Stokes team up working here for each other? At some point, Pope probably just needs to land a team and give Stokes an ultimatum, assuming UK is still in the mix. If Stokes wants a good team around him, he should decide today.