Boogie Fland and UK

[FtWorthCat]

I’d be shocked if it were any better than this.

This pretty much nailed.

Good news is they’ll still be as good or better than one of cals charmin soft frosh classes

Yes, and my hope is that it is no longer a whole new new every year after this. I hope this is year one of building a team that develops over 2-3 years with some of the same guys. Maybe we take more guys like Travis Perry who are likely to be at UK all four years and develop.

 

[BlueMist24]

Trying to better under this NIL situation. Do we have 4-5 million sitting in a pot to use at our disposal on recruits? Are we still going to do the fan experiences to give back to the players? Also, there are company NIL deals that happen throughout the season ex. Paul Miller, Law offices, I know Reed was signed with an orthodontic company. This also probably does not account for the sports card business that had a 7 figure offer to a certain player. So much money being thrown around in college athletics it’s crazy

 

[bigblueinsanity]

Agree that recruiting is important but as a coach, I would be more concerned with fit (which I believe Pope will) rather than how many stars are by their name (main concern of Ellen’s roommate). He has experience recruiting with 9 years of being a head coach.

True, none of his classes are even ranked near the top 20 in the country. This tells me 2 things:

1. Of all the schools to choose from, how many players want to go to BYU?
2. Pope must be a good coach to take low star recruits and yet build teams that rank in the top 25 each year.

The pool of players he will be able to recruit at UK versus BYU will increase exponentially. I don’t know and have not read anything about him not attending AAU events. If you can, please list these sources. With the portal and NIL, high school recruiting is not nearly as important as it was just a few years ago. It used to be the case that most of the players that transferred were disgruntled at their school as they had to sit out an entire year (wish it were still that way). Today, most players jump in the portal although they may be happy at their current school for the $$$. I am sure Pope will have 1 or more “recruiting” coaches on his staff.

BYU recruits itself. He's ok in the portal so we should see at least decent results there. The lack of major recruiting infrastructure is a major concern no matter how you slice it.

 

[JonathanW]

Not enough to win a tourney game this year. Pro pope people seem to downplay his shortcomings. Hope he does well but UK should have been prepared when they knew Cal was looking in Feb to get better.

And anti-Pope people seem to forget about the transfer portal

 

[4UK4Life]

You realize IU has 6 million+ and Ark has 6 million and Duke and Kansas have about that.

4 million isn’t enough.

It’s more than 4. That was from 2 people not named Craft

 

[mebeblue2]

He’s never had a recruiting class in the top 50. That’s speaks volumes about his ability to coach. But he’s never been able to get players.

TO BE FAIR HE HAS NEVER BEEN AT A SCHOLL THAT TOP PLAYERS WOULD CONSIDER

 

[tf4fun]

His complete lack of recruiting experience. Thats incredibly important. Reports were he never went to any even moderately high level aau events. Makes total sense for BYU but not for UK. Yes we want to divorce depending on one and done but not be completely devoid of incoming talent.

He needs a top flight recruiter. That's an absolute must.

Well spoken. There are a number of people here you try and completely trash the one n done recruits. While cal was more concerned about draft status then winning for BBN, we need someone connected that can still get top elite talent! If not in 2-3 years we will be in worse shape then now!

I hope he throws a wad of cash at boogie fland and keeps him, then I hope he comes in a blows up next year and gets drafted too 10! That would help send the proper message to the elite talent!

 

[BigBlueManSouthCentralKY]

Go out and get Mark Mitchell and Seth Trimble from the portal!

Read that Mitchell killed Duke because he could not shoot a lick and teams quit guarding him. Think they wanted him gone.

 

[bleedBLUE42]

I think we have a legitimate shot at retaining Reed and I think JQ is a toss up. I think Boogie is gone and I find it interesting we still haven’t heard anything on DJ! If we can retain Reed, pair him with Perry who I think will stick with UK, keep JQ and bring in Khalifa with Robinson, I really like that as a start. Add some solid transfers and I think we’re very competitive with the style that Pope has.

 

[DraftCat]

I think we have a legitimate shot at retaining Reed and I think JQ is a toss up. I think Boogie is gone and I find it interesting we still haven’t heard anything on DJ! If we can retain Reed, pair him with Perry who I think will stick with UK, keep JQ and bring in Khalifa with Robinson, I really like that as a start. Add some solid transfers and I think we’re very competitive with the style that Pope has.

We know Coach Cal likes to plan his recruits announcements.... I feel like if he's getting any of his players from UK it will be horrible timing for us.

 

[FrankUnderwoodX]

NIL changes the game. He’ll have more than 4 million to hit it hard. Find the right guys and those shortcomings disappear for the most part.

Even better that it sounds like Mark Pope is gonna have around $6-$8 MILLION in NIL money per year to play around with.

Compare that to the $58 thousand package we did have with Calipari…

 

[Deli owl]

And anti-Pope people seem to forget about the transfer portal

I’m not anti Pope. Just a wait and see guy but not afraid of looking at the negative side as well.

 

[ilovesportsyes]

Next years roster will include Perry, 4-6 BYU transfers.

We are in for a rude awakening if we are filling our roster with MWC players.
(I know BYU played it's first season in the B12 this year, but those were MWC recruits and players)

 

[MrHotDice]

Still don’t get it. Those guys are Cals recruits. The came to play for Cal. Not for Kentucky…..They want the 1 and done brand. We are toast wit these types of players.

That’s good, those type players don’t win NCAA titles

 

[Tampa_cat54]

Is it not weird that a lot of these kids haven't decommitted yet?

Find it a bit odd.

 

[WildcatNC]

Is it not weird that a lot of these kids haven't decommitted yet?

Find it a bit odd.

I do agree it's strange.

Maybe waiting to at least meet and talk to the new coach. It's what I'd do. Then make an announcement next week.

 

[ukfan041]

Cal will start staggering the de-commitments to make UK look bad! He’s very calculated with that stuff. Remember his shirt video from a couple years ago, right before the Champions Classic (that we lost because his coaching)…

 

[kyfanrob]

I bet Ellen's roommate orchestrated a plan with the players as to screw with the new coach.

 

[kywildcatsfannumber1]

Fland may be better off staying at Kentucky. If DJ Wagner returns to school, his family is loyal to Calipari so I see him going to Arkansas in the end. Stay here and be the featured PG instead of playing in Wagner's shadow like Dillingham and Sheppard off the bench.

 

[Kentucky2022]

Is it not weird that a lot of these kids haven't decommitted yet?

Find it a bit odd.

Maybe Reed has talked to them and is coming back with z wishful thinking probably but who knows…Reed does bleed blue though..

 

[JwUKFan11]

His BYU team was projected top 15-20 next year as well while UK wasn't anywhere on the list.

Why lie? And why do so many believe this. We have been awesome in the preseason projections under Cal. The problems have come once the ball starts bouncing. But if games were played on paper at the beginning of the season we were normally like top 10 if not 5. Nobody wants to start top 5 and end before the 2nd weekend of March.

 

[Fox2monk]

Is it not weird that a lot of these kids haven't decommitted yet?

Find it a bit odd.

Weird but I’m guessing they are talking to schools and or Cal is having them wait.

 

[westerncat]

He’s never had a recruiting class in the top 50. That’s speaks volumes about his ability to coach. But he’s never been able to get players.

He was at BYU !

 

[villefan76]

Read that Mitchell killed Duke because he could not shoot a lick and teams quit guarding him. Think they wanted him gone.

Good possibility, I never watched them much tbh. But from what I did see, he looked pretty good.

 

[kywildcatsfannumber1]

Trying to better under this NIL situation. Do we have 4-5 million sitting in a pot to use at our disposal on recruits? Are we still going to do the fan experiences to give back to the players? Also, there are company NIL deals that happen throughout the season ex. Paul Miller, Law offices, I know Reed was signed with an orthodontic company. This also probably does not account for the sports card business that had a 7 figure offer to a certain player. So much money being thrown around in college athletics it’s crazy

That is my understanding. If they can't retain Boogie Fland in this recruiting class, I hope they go all in and land Johnell Davis from Florida Atlantic. That is the guy I wanted to land overall anyway before he entered the portal.

 

[Kyhoward]

Hypothetical situation

Have read some posts saying UK recruits come to play for COW and not UK and I think that is largely the case. Also, posts that Pope was a poor recruiter at BYU and that is basically true if you go by recruiting rankings.

Now, put COW at BYU and Pope at UK.

If CCC were at BYU the past few years, does he bring in the #1 and #2 recruiting classes, given they are a Mormon dominated university and require students to agree to abide by a strict moral conduct code? My opinion is COW would be lucky to sign a single 4/5 star player. So if COW would not be able to attract top players at BYU, why do some on this board bemoan the fact that Pope did not sign any of the “top players?”

Now that Pope is our coach, do you not think the UK brand is still attractive to future recruits or does it die with COW’s departure? I believe UK will continue to be a desired destination for high school and transfer players. The emphasis will not be on the # of stars beside a player’s name but how that player’s skills fits with existing players and the style of play. Team centered not NBA centered, Will this recruit help us win games? Are they “team” or wanting the spotlight?

 

[BBBLazing]

Hypothetical situation

Have read some posts saying UK recruits come to play for COW and not UK and I think that is largely the case. Also, posts that Pope was a poor recruiter at BYU and that is basically true if you go by recruiting rankings.

Now, put COW at BYU and Pope at UK.

If CCC were at BYU the past few years, does he bring in the #1 and #2 recruiting classes, given they are a Mormon dominated university and require students to agree to abide by a strict moral conduct code? My opinion is COW would be lucky to sign a single 4/5 star player. So if COW would not be able to attract top players at BYU, why do some on this board bemoan the fact that Pope did not sign any of the “top players?”

Now that Pope is our coach, do you not think the UK brand is still attractive to future recruits or does it die with COW’s departure? I believe UK will continue to be a desired destination for high school and transfer players. The emphasis will not be on the # of stars beside a player’s name but how that player’s skills fits with existing players and the style of play. Team centered not NBA centered, Will this recruit help us win games? Are they “team” or wanting the spotlight?

It is true that UK has a much bigger brand and it is easier to recruit. If you want the 5 stars, you have to put people in the NBA. That is why the came here with Cal, because of his history putting kids in the league.

 

[kybloo92]

Fland may be better off staying at Kentucky. If DJ Wagner returns to school, his family is loyal to Calipari so I see him going to Arkansas in the end. Stay here and be the featured PG instead of playing in Wagner's shadow like Dillingham and Sheppard off the bench.

That alone should be enough to scare Fland away. Go somewhere to shine as the lead guard and not just with DJ getting featured in the offense which CCC will promise. Fully expect DJ with the Wagner's loyalty to follow him to Fayetteville if not taking his chances on the 2nd round pick to bounce around from Fort Wayne to Sioux Falls next year.