The one incoming freshman I want to retain the most, Billy Richmond.

[Son_Of_Saul]

Naw, he can’t shoot… Keep Travis Perry, Reed, and big Z.. get 3 BYU guys and another 3-4 in portal..

Some of our best modern teams have had a DeAndre Liggins type elite wing defensive player.

1993 with Dale Brown
1997 and 1998 with Allen Edwards
1998 with Heshimu Evans
1996 with Derek Anderson
2011 with Liggins
2012 Michael Kidd Gilchrist

You need guys who can muck it up.

 

[Hopmix]

Agree, and I’ll add this is the kind of player Pope can and should recruit at UK and I think he will.

Pope played on the greatest UK team in the modern era and arguably the greatest college team of all-time. He understands what kind of players fit his system and he understands what kind of players win national championships. Players with natural talent that get seasoning and experience and get developed by a coach that is passionate about the program.

Wagner has a NIL deal here in Lexington worth a half million a season.. That’s the ONLY reason he’s not in the portal already. Because cal hasn’t been able to find the match yet.

 

[Catfanlou]

Probably true, but maybe UK can flash $150,000 in NIL in his face.

Sounds like we have a salary cap that will approach $5 to $8 million when it's all said and done.

Reed gets $2.5 million or so if he comes back. That leaves $2.5 to $5.5 million to fill out the rest of the roster. Bottom rotation guys (maybe 3 to 4 guys) combine for around $150,000.

Premium portal transfers go for about $400,000 to $750,000 each.

Medium grade portal guys go for $100,000 to $250,000 each.

Richmond is in that tier.

I’m wondering if Reed can get his own nil deals . Number one player in the nation turning down thirty million and coming back to college would look great on everything from a wheaties box to car to shoe commercials. My guess is he could get more than ten million in such deals

 

[kybloo92]

It would have been Quaintance for me for the simple fact of watching a talented player like him have to stay in school 2 years. I prefer experienced guards from the portal and some of Pope's from BYU to facilitate the offense as he implements his system while building a roster.

 

[SkyPrince1]

If I'm Richmond, I use this opportunity to go somewhere other than where Knox ends up.

 

[Son_Of_Saul]

It would have been Quaintance for me for the simple fact of watching a talented player like him have to stay in school 2 years. I prefer experienced guards from the portal and some of Pope's from BYU to facilitate the offense as he implements his system while building a roster.

There's two downsides to losing Cal when we did. #1, he probably had a shot at getting Z, Reed, and Wagner back and adding them to Quaintance, Fland, Richmond, and Knox.

Second, Dybantsa is now going to go to Arkansas, UConn, or USC. My guess is Cal lands a bunch of the guys in his class - Maleek Thomas, Acuff, Wilson, etc. When they get to college they will team up with Quaintance.

That's a ton of talent. Would Cal have done anything with them? Who knows, but a roster that includes Dybantsa, Quaintance, Acuff, Johnson, and Thomas is one that would have been fun to watch.

 

[JonathanW]

I’m wondering if Reed can get his own nil deals . Number one player in the nation turning down thirty million and coming back to college would look great on everything from a wheaties box to car to shoe commercials. My guess is he could get more than ten million in such deals

Stop with the exaggerations. Reed would not be turning down 30M. One depending on where picked (1 to 15) he could make his first 4 years as much as 40M or as little as 8-16M. But more importantly he wouldn’t be turning that down, he would be delaying it by 1 year. So the truth is he would be turning down just 4-10M. But also by doing that he may also be increasing his chances of being physically ready and thus maximizing the value of his 2nd contract.

 

[ruppsrunt66]

With all that is said and claimed about recruits, portals and followers--

A cardboard cutout of Dick Fick is still better than another year of begok at UK

rr

 

[AzubuikeandFitch]

Naw, he can’t shoot… Keep Travis Perry, Reed, and big Z.. get 3 BYU guys and another 3-4 in portal..

Z is gonzo. Still butt hurt over UK admissions. He thinks Cal put up the billboard and got him cleared to play.

 

[RondosRevengeTour]

Teammate of D. J. Wagner at Camden High. Can't see him not following Cal and D. J. to Arkansas.

Yes because Cal sure got the most out of DJ. No way to maximize your potential like playing under coward cal.