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C Wilson

Why "and another center"? We likely will have 2 in Garrison and Moreno.
But if we lose out on both Ament and Wilson, then it looks like we will be bringing in 2 PFs from the portal (unless find some overseas guy)
Yeah, I was only thinking about Moreno. He's not going to be a major factor at C next year IMO. If, as a couple people have suggested we move Garrison to PF we'd need a center.

Probably not likely but it maybe an issue.
 
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Yeah, I was only thinking about Moreno. He's not going to be a major factor at C next year IMO. If, as a couple people have suggested we move Garrison to PF we'd need a center.

Probably not likely but it maybe an issue.
If you put Garrison at PF, you may gain some defensive upside but your offense bogs down. Unless he dramatically improves his shot, you’d be inviting opposing fours to start helping on drives and doubling the post. Garrison projects to be a capable shooter but not enough to keep defenses stretched there.
 
Yeah, I was only thinking about Moreno. He's not going to be a major factor at C next year IMO. If, as a couple people have suggested we move Garrison to PF we'd need a center.

Probably not likely but it maybe an issue.
Anyone that thinks Garrison is a power forward is mentally challenged. It would make me feel a lot better if we could bring in another inside guy , mainly because Garrison seems to be a little foul prone .
 
If it's a money thing, then I'd rather he go to UNC. I can only speak for myself, but I want players who enjoy being here and want the experience that being at Kentucky brings.
While I agree we don’t want a headache, I also don’t believe Pope it’s desperate enough to accept a cancer type player. Absolutely no one here would tell their child don’t Wiley smith that million dollars go to the other school. I wouldn’t want my child to leave money on the table. There been nothing to suggest he is anything more than a normal recruited kid.
 
I’m oddly unconcerned. It’s funny, landing five star prospects just no longer seems that important with the transfer portal and NIL money to work with.

Who needs an 18-year-old when nearly every single veteran stud in CBB is a potential transfer to be had for the right price?
 
I was looking at these at the same time as you it looks like.
I found the pickens slim. I had only gotten down to guys scoring 16 ppg.
I was using the following criteria: listed as a F or C; a JR or younger (so not assuming 5yrs is allowed); and makes > 33% of 3's

Bailey though, while I'd still consider, is NOT as appealing as you think. That 50% from 3, he is just 8-16 so has attempted only 1 more than Garrison. For his career, including that 8-16, he has made only 30% of his 3's.

Other guys I found so far:
Brandon Noel, 6'8-240, Wright St, 18.4, 7.5r, 35% 3pt (but 37% career)
Kaleb Banks, 6'8-210, Tulane, 17.9, 7.5r, 36% 3pt, 2.1 stocks (Stl+Blk), spent 1st 2 years on Indiana bench
Michael Rataj, 6'9-220, Oregon St, 17.3, 8.3r, 2.5a, 37% 3pt, 2.8 stocks


There are a lot more guards scoring 16+ than forwards.
But this research has made me realize, the PORTAL may be more dry (less available good players) this summer due to the end of the extra-covid year.
Agree, I did not see a lot to love out there at the true PF position. Bailey being 8/16 for 3 does not bother me as we do not have to have our PF hit a ton of them. We need a well rounded mature basketball player at that position (which Bailey appears to be). Heck, he might not even enter the portal though.

I've watched Rataj play a few late night (ET) games and like his game. Do not know much about Noel an Banks, but both look good on paper. We do not have to have our PF be all-conference, but I sure would like a guy to come in who can help the young guys mature in the college game. I trust Pope and the Big Blue Donors will find someone to fit the Pope system!

Not much news out there as to what is next for Amon Doerries, a 6' 11" PF from Germany who played at ALBA Berlin in the German BBL. I've seen him described as "ton of upside, projects as a floor spacer, rim runner, shot blocker and big who was the ability to bring the ball up". His tape looks nice. Would not hate grabbing a kid like that from the international pool to add depth in his first season state side. https://basketball.eurobasket.com/player/Amon-Doerries/640995
 
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If Wilson chooses another school, I think we'll go to the portal for a reserve PF to slot in where Wilson was going to be in the lineup (colored red).

PG - Portal starter / Lewis / Perry

SG - Oweh / Johnson

SF - Portal starter / Chandler / Noah

PF - Portal starter / [portal reserve]

C - Garrison / Moreno / portal reserve

The bulk of post minutes would go to Garrison, and the two players from the portal slotted to fill the PF position. We'd need one of the PFs to be capable of sliding over to the Center position.

I think Moreno will need time to acclimate and whoever we can grab as a reserve center won't be playing a ton.

The 8-man rotation would be like this below to start the season.

Portal PG / Lewis
Oweh / Johnson
Portal SF /
Portal PF
/ Rotation Portal PF
Garrison

Let Perry, Chandler, Noah, Moreno and the portal reserve center fight for the next two spots.
 
Yeah, I was only thinking about Moreno. He's not going to be a major factor at C next year IMO. If, as a couple people have suggested we move Garrison to PF we'd need a center.

Probably not likely but it maybe an issue.
Garrison is not quick enough to guard most PFs. Unfortunately, he is also not a good rebounder for a C (would just be mediocre at rebounding for a PF).
I don't think anyone is expecting Moreno to be Towns or even WCS as a FR. But he can give us Nick Richards FR (10-15) minutes.
 
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again

I just think wilson was unc lock back in October and he is just using UK to get attention

I do not think he goes to UNC mostly because of the money

He goes to UNC just because he can be no.1 guy on the court and does whatever he wants to do without much limit. He wants to play like nba superstar and not a team player.

He is the "look at me" guy and does not fit the UK culture.

We may keep away from Klutch kids in the future, seems most are drama kings or money pursuers
 
Agree, I did not see a lot to love out there at the true PF position. Bailey being 8/16 for 3 does not bother me as we do not have to have our PF hit a ton of them. We need a well rounded mature basketball player at that position (which Bailey appears to be). Heck, he might not even enter the portal though.

I've watched Rataj play a few late night (ET) games and like his game. Do not know much about Noel an Banks, but both look good on paper. We do not have to have our PF be all-conference, but I sure would like a guy to come in who can help the young guys mature in the college game. I trust Pope and the Big Blue Donors will find someone to fit the Pope system!

Not much news out there as to what is next for Amon Doerries, a 6' 11" PF from Germany who played at ALBA Berlin in the German BBL. I've seen him described as "ton of upside, projects as a floor spacer, rim runner, shot blocker and big who was the ability to bring the ball up". His tape looks nice. Would not hate grabbing a kid like that from the international pool to add depth in his first season state side. https://basketball.eurobasket.com/player/Amon-Doerries/640995
I'm not saying the PF has to hit a lot of 3's. But in Pope's offense, he needs to be a viable threat from 3, good enough that they guard him out there, opening up the paint for himself or others to drive. The 8-16 problem isn't the volume, but rather the lack of reliability that small # gives his 50%. He made I think 21% the year before (on more attempts), he has made slightly below 30% in 3 years on about 100 attempts. So I would consider him a low 30% 3pt shooter.
 
Do not blame pope, wilson may told pope wrong information and made pope thought we had good chance. Pope may be trolled as well. I think he offered multiple frontcourt players, and suddenly only got all in with Wilson. If wilson did not "commit" something to pope, I do not believe pope would quit the chance on other frontcourt players and only hosted wilson for OV. Pope was also screwed by Wilson
 
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Didn’t read any of the posts, just came here to say it’s so refreshing to know that we now have a coach who will work the portal and find not just highly rated players, but also ones who fit his modern system.

I have full confidence that if wilson goes elsewhere, we will be just fine. May end up better thru the portal. The copper flags and Anthony Davis’s of the world are few and far between and less important now than they have ever been. I am happy to get them if they come here but we will be fine without them as well.
 
What no one here is talking about in all this, more and more basketball commentators are speculating about this rule change that would allow Almonor to come back next year. I’d still like to land Wilson. But if he’s really off the table Friday then the possibility of having a portal guy plus Almonor is a VERY big safety net.
 
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What no one here is talking about in all this, more and more basketball commentators are speculating about this rule change that would allow Almonor to come back next year. I’d still like to land Wilson. But if he’s really off the table Friday then the possibility of having a portal guy plus Almonor is a VERY big safety net.
I think the fifth year eligibility will not come so soon, at least in next season.

So we need to recruit two or three frontcourt guys from either portal or overseas. (I would rather have 2 portal studs and one overseas long term project)

I think we better have 5 frontcourt players. If one is hurted badly, we still have 4 pieces.
 
Coach Pope's work in navigating the transfer portal to assemble our current roster makes me very comfortable with the likelihood that he will have to - or want to - go to the portal for our PF needs for next season. But ... let's continue to hope for NUMBER NINE this season ! ! !
Go 'Cats ! ! !
Yeah all these players are so great and play great defense too.
 
A few mid major names to watch if they hit the portal:

Alvaro Folgueiras - 6' 9" 215 lb Sophomore Forward from Robert Morris. 2024 Stats:

GPMINFG%3P%FT%REBASTBLKSTLPFTOPTS
2029.450.632.179.210.12.91.11.52.42.112.9
Paulius Murauskas - 6' 8" 235 lb Sophomore Forward from Saint Marys. 2024 Stats:

GPMINFG%3P%FT%REBASTBLKSTLPFTOPTS
1928.144.132.876.28.71.80.40.92.31.612.2

Jamichael Stillwell - 6' 8" 225 lb Junior Forward from Milwaukee. 2024 Stats:

GPMINFG%3P%FT%REBASTBLKSTLPFTOPTS
1927.748.534.152.411.51.00.41.03.32.213.9

Reed Bailey - 6' 10" 230 lb Junior Forward from Davidson. 2024 Stats:

GPMINFG%3P%FT%REBASTBLKSTLPFTOPTS
1831.452.750.076.66.73.70.70.72.32.719.4

I'd make Reed Bailey say no!
50% from deep and nearly 4 assists per game sounds like just the type 4 man Pope could really showcase
 
I think the fifth year eligibility will not come so soon, at least in next season.

So we need to recruit two or three frontcourt guys from either portal or overseas. (I would rather have 2 portal studs and one overseas long term project)

I think we better have 5 frontcourt players. If one is hurted badly, we still have 4 pieces.
We will have to wait and see how it plays out. But it isn’t a bad sign that more and more sports personalities are saying, literally, not that the rule change will help Kentucky eventually but that it’s starting to look to them like the rule change will let Kentucky keep Kriisa and Almonor.
 
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If Wilson chooses another school, I think we'll go to the portal for a reserve PF to slot in where Wilson was going to be in the lineup (colored red).

PG - Portal starter / Lewis / Perry

SG - Oweh / Johnson

SF - Portal starter / Chandler / Noah

PF - Portal starter / [portal reserve]

C - Garrison / Moreno / portal reserve

The bulk of post minutes would go to Garrison, and the two players from the portal slotted to fill the PF position. We'd need one of the PFs to be capable of sliding over to the Center position.

I think Moreno will need time to acclimate and whoever we can grab as a reserve center won't be playing a ton.

The 8-man rotation would be like this below to start the season.

Portal PG / Lewis
Oweh / Johnson
Portal SF /
Portal PF
/ Rotation Portal PF
Garrison

Let Perry, Chandler, Noah, Moreno and the portal reserve center fight for the next two spots.

Will be interesting to see how the 3 frosh this year feel about not moving up n the rotation any next season if what you projects happens.
 
Will be interesting to see how the 3 frosh this year feel about not moving up n the rotation any next season if what you projects happens.

I think they can play themselves into the rotation because Pope likes to play lots of guys. They just won’t play in crunch time in key games. I think one of Chandler or Noah will earn minutes and either Moreno or a portal reserve center will earn some minutes. I have Lewis slotted as backup PG but I wouldn’t be shocked if Perry is more ready to contribute and he takes Lewis’s minutes.
 
What no one here is talking about in all this, more and more basketball commentators are speculating about this rule change that would allow Almonor to come back next year. I’d still like to land Wilson. But if he’s really off the table Friday then the possibility of having a portal guy plus Almonor is a VERY big safety net.
Almonor lacks defense and if he hasn’t been able to guard by now he won’t next year either
 
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