I definitely want to get too HS talent but we won’t know for a year or two until the staff has some time. Good thing the 25’ guys we were on have said they are still interested and our staff is very good so it will come in time.
Ansley Almonor to visit
- Thread starter University-6
- Start date
He hasn’t even been here a month. He’s built an entire team off of what was available to him, and by all accounts has done a tremendous job.
I feel confident he will mix in some young, top tier talent as well, but you have to give him time.
“It’s getting old already” makes you look pretty damn stupid. Quit crying and enjoy the ride, or go root for Cal and Arkansas.
Agree, the draft is the much bigger threat now as it looks like he is leaning towards staying in the draft
Almonor averaged 16.4 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game for Farleigh Dickinson during the 2023-24 season. When Wehye sees him play, there’s one clear strength that stands out more than anything else.
“The kid is a juggernaut of a shooter,” Wehye said. “He has a high IQ and is a very intelligent kid. Whatever plays you put together, he can follow them to a tee.”
“The kid is a juggernaut of a shooter,” Wehye said. “He has a high IQ and is a very intelligent kid. Whatever plays you put together, he can follow them to a tee.”
Good rec
Good recruit for what Pope wants to do. Sometimes how you fit the system and your teammates is more important than how you rate as an individual player. A lot of the posts on this thread overlook that.
Maybe we can play some zone or something to try and hide him, but we do have a lot of really solid defensive guys that can help him too. Maybe some weight room and practice can make him better on that end.
That's exactly the skill set you need at the 4 in Pope's system.
Not sure really. Shorter poor man’s KAT outside the 3 point line but very average inside the 3 point line.
He did do a good job guarding Edey during the upset 2 years ago. He doesn’t appear to as well guarding quick players, but really stood his ground against a slower lumbering Edey while giving up a ton of weight and height.
It's getting very old and quite bizarre when every time we miss out on a top recruit half the board is like, "It's alright! What did Cal do with all the talent he had?" That is the dumbest argument I've heard.
Height is irrelevant.
Once again it’s more about wingspan, how quick of a release etc.
Seems to be a player that compliments a system in need - and man to go from FDU to UK has to feel good
Once again it’s more about wingspan, how quick of a release etc.
Seems to be a player that compliments a system in need - and man to go from FDU to UK has to feel good
Some of you focus too much on offense. For a backup especially, can he defend his position and rebound?
What top recruits has Pope missed out on? I LOVE his roster construction so far. Explain to me how it isn’t a job well done considering the circumstance. Did you prefer Cal and his 5 straight years of shit? I truly don’t understand what point you’re trying to prove. I fear you may be mildly retarded.
Like every kid he wants to but he is a low 2nd round at best to not picked would be better off to come back
You sound like a 14 year old kid, therefore I'm not going to go back-and-forth with you.
But hey, keep showing your intelligence level by name-calling people who's opinion may differ from your own.
You seem to be disappointed in the roster Pope has put together. I’m curious about what you think he should have done. When constructing a roster, I would think the first priority is having players that have the most impact on UK winning CBB games next season; and secondly bringing in players to build a base that you expect to develop for the following season. I think Pope has done this about as well as could be expected from any coach.
Pope had to start building a roster basically from scratch after high school recruits had already committed. But that wasn’t really much of an issue. Freshmen would have been the least important part of his roster building for next season anyway. What made Pope’s job most difficult is he had no returning players that were versed in and used to playing the way he coaches and plays.
Personally, I like the roster. I would have liked seeing Thiero, Wagner and Big Z stay and play for Pope, but that was never going to happen. Plus, they too would have had a learning curve as much as the transfers. I don’t consider one-and-done freshmen of much value in regard to winning, but on the other hand I don’t know which prior committed recruit would have been back for a second year. But Pope still ended up with 3 good freshmen backcourt players to develop anyway. You Add Garrison and Oweh returning the following year and things start looking pretty good as far as a base. All-in-all, I think Pope has done an incredible job despite the constraints he had to work with.
Finally, a rational fan who doesn't name-call other fans who may have a different views on how things are panning out. I commend you sir, as it seems like you haven't chugged the kool-aid.
I like Pope, even though I was a bit skeptical of the hire. I also like some of the pieces he has added, but we can't just ignore all of the misses we have endured from the top portal transfers. With Kentucky being Kentucky, along with the massive amount of NIL money at our disposal, we should be getting a lot more of the kids we are interested in. We still have 0 playmakers on the team as the transfer portal is drying up.
While it is correct when some on here scream that talent doesn't guarantee wins or championships, amd immediately point to Cal's last 4 seasons. However, it's a guarantee that you won't win championships without that talent.
I do not miss Cal, and I do not wish Cal was still here, as it was certainly time that he moved on. He got complacent and too arrogant the last several years here. I am thankful for the first decade and what he accomplished here. But his coaching and his inability to adapt finally set himself up for failure.
With that being said, it seems like a lot of the hate for Cal has turned into love for Pope, and for good rreason. However, we are still Kentucky, and the standards here should always be at the top. I just don't want to see some of our fanbase be complacent with being mediocre, or not winning every year, just because we now have a coach that puts Kentucky first and says all of the right things. Winning should always take priority and be number one.
Give me Dybantsa, Thomas, and Johnson, and surround them with portal players.
Dream scenario:
C - Garrison, 6'11" Jr.
F - Dybantsa, 6'8" Fr.
G - Oweh, 6'6'" Sr.
G - Chandler, 6'6" So.
G - Johnson, 6'4" Fr.
With Maleek Thomas, Perry, Noah, and two portal bigs off the bench.
All the misses?? Every team in college sports have misses every recruiting cycle specially a coach that took over a team that had zero players 😂 Come on man wake up and be realistic …. Pope has done a damn good job of putting a roster together in a month time….some fans have zero patience and it’s showing.
You started the name calling. I’m not going to cry about it, though. I made my point and showed yours has zero merit, and the consensus clearly agrees. Good luck to your Razorbacks this year.
Also: whose**
It's getting a little cultish around here. Especially when you can't criticize or be skeptical. I just hope you keep this same energy if UK doesn't live up to UK's standards. But hey, at least we will have an alumni-coach.
only missed out on osobar- wanted 2 million. the dude arkansas from florida gulf coast or whatever wanted too much as well. our guys weren't coming back they were cal players. what we have added is impressive to have been done so fast. The high school seniors were most all committed. the negative posters on here just like complaining or are so used to one and done mcdonalds all americans.
when we do good well during the season guys like wildcat22 won't be posting anymore. same with moses and a couple others haha. they love to be miserable.
Some people miss the old coach, some are fired up about the new coach, and some are realists in wait and see mode.
No reason to be angry though regardless of your stance. It’s the off-season.
No reason to be angry though regardless of your stance. It’s the off-season.
I'm a Cats fan first and foremost, so I'll be glad to eat crow. But if this experiment isn't all unicorns and rainbows like some believe it will be no matter what, we'll see if y'all are still this giddy.
well wildcat22 are you coach pope. do you know what players he has in his system? do you think he should recruit like cal and get the best players, regardless if they fit his system? this isn't the run and go offense and the only man to man defense team anymore....
It amazes me to see the anger because I'm not that fired-up about the current roster and situation.
No, I am certainly not Coach Pope, and I really hope he is right! However, to not be able to question some things with a coach and to be worried is mind-blowing.
well yeah everyone is curious to see how it'll work out. certain players might not appeal to some and might appeal to others. whats the saying one mans trash is another mans treasure. if he gets a player that is good for this system i don't see the harm. he could relish or yeah he could just be another man. i know they shoot a lot of 3s in their system and we have picked up some defense players as well. well be experienced that is for sure. That is what we we been lacking in the last couple years imo. We were still doing the freshmen thing while everyone else had seniors and ton of them. if you get enough experienced players and some talented freshmen that'll probably be the best way. I'm optimistic about any player until I'm not or have a reason to not be. Most the kids we have picked up seem to add something to the roster.
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