Wasn't knocking on your comment just piggy backing it to address others saying that all players are mercs. Just pointing out that wanting to make as much as possible isn't the same as being a sellout. LOL.
Jones update on roster construction
- Thread starter BassProCat
- Start date
Yep... You can go to the nba and win in March and enjoy playing at the school you attend. They aren't mutually exclusive. LOL.
Yea I think lots of people are taking this out of context and out of our expectations. Nobody held a grudge that Mercer went pro early or Wall or Cousins. The problem was people who clearly weren't ready that went just because they could. A few got a second contract but several of those dudes played 2 or 3 years max and then were off to obscurity. Having true NBA talent is the goal but it just needs to have some skill behind the potential.
One thing I know. If he learned anything from Pitino it was getting teams to get in shape and that was part of the game plan, run teams to death. Wear them down and you can win by just sure effort
These NBA types need to understand for everyone who makes it, there are 50 that don’t. All the hype from agents, coaches, friends and hanger ons won’t get you in the league.
I agree with the gist of your comment, the math not so much...
And then we fans say "he wasn't that good anyway". He's a bum. LOL
I think Pope fully understands the situation, but I think his plan (hope) is to not blow the team up every year and start over. You won't be able to stop a kid that has an unexpected great year, thinks he can earn more somewhere else and puts his name out, but if you have a decent NIL budget you should be able to retain the key players you are building with. The front of the jersey kid is a kid that isn't going to be on any NBA mock draft board the day he arrives on campus but is able to contribute and develop on a multi-year plan.
Under Cal those kids never got a look, and if they did, they'd bolt after the first year because they realized Cal was never going to give them any serious play. Calipari was all too happy to do it because he was all about the instant gratification of players arriving and moving them to a bigger stage.
There is always going to be inequity, you'll always be competing with what the market will bear, but there can be a mix of kids who are being paid well with NIL AND want to be playing at a major D1 college. Pope is challenged to avoid filling up a team with kids that would just as soon play at Virginia Tech as UK as long as the money was the same, and focus on kids that like the idea of playing for a blueblood that can offer competitive NIL money.
So yea, UK fans should get used to the idea that 5 stars are going to be much less attracted to UK than before, but in exchange we'll get some guys that get better, older, stronger and will compete with 5 star freshmen who come in raw, weak and want to get the hell out of college as fast as they can.
Cal was about to lock up the Dybantsa, Wilson, Acuff, Thomas, Johnson class. All five of those guys will play in the NBA someday. They'd also have been joined by a second-year Quaintance, in all likelihood.
But here's the thing, I had lost hope that Cal could win, even with a class like that, which will be a historically good class and probably feature two to three top 20 picks.
He just lost his edge somewhere along the way and couldn't be trusted to win the way he always had won.
But here's the thing, I had lost hope that Cal could win, even with a class like that, which will be a historically good class and probably feature two to three top 20 picks.
He just lost his edge somewhere along the way and couldn't be trusted to win the way he always had won.
Well, Cal most likely had two top ten picks on this team (and both were guards) and he lost in the first round. Unless Cal ever got a player like Booker, Towns, Shai , Malik, Fox or Bam, maybe we could win another title (oh wait) 😂.
So I have to wonder if the assistant coach that Matt was talking about that everyone would know and that might bring a couple of guys with him could be Jai Lucas and it is Roach and maybe another player.
Because UK has messaging it wants to get out.
"decent 3FG%" NO he does not. He has mad a grand total of EIGHT 3FG's made in 4 years. Career 30%, averages taking .02 per game, making less than .01 per game. That is NOT a decent 3 point shooter. He attempted 3 all year, making ONE last year. Quit making stats up to prop up your stance. He is NOT a 3 point shooting threat. He is a career 52% 2FG shooter (not great for a big man) and career 62% free throw shooter. He is solid in the rebounding , blocks, and a good passing big man, but he is a back to the basket, traditional big who rebounds and blocks shots. He also averaged 2.4 turnovers per game, which is very high for a big man.
Big Z will b top 10 next season imo. Dought cal does anything with him, but really sad to see him go
Classy… yet somehow subtle.
I think that’s great…. hopefully you can buy us a couple of players!
Thanks for your support.
Believe me, my family has donated enough to buy several players. And my " donations " also include having a wife and 5 kids graduate there
I got my stats mixed up with another big man in the portal. I couldn't even remember their name with all the names transferring everywhere. Had to look back at the other bigs I'd talked about on the board. I was thinking of Andrew Carr when I typed out decent 3pt shooting.
13.5 points per game. Shot 37.1% from three last year at 36-97 shooting. 78% FT, ~7 rebounds a game, 1.5 assists and 1.5 blocks.
I'm not propping up any stance. I'm an excited fan with the memory of a goldfish. Get over it and yourself, and quit being a turd. 👍
I looked at BYU's stats for last season. Significant minutes down to the 8th and 9th guys. The top guys played near 30. It looks like they played as hard as they could and then they sat. Had Pope coached here this past season, Hart and Burks would have played 6-7 minutes per game. With .Calipari, the platitude "next guy up" was only invoked due to illness or injury. It looks like Pope employed it as a matter of design.
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