Fland and Quaintance playing against the World
- Thread starter CatEye2010
- Start date
I just watched the first quarter. it shows why we would be better off getting players through the transfer portal if they are in the top tier. Yes, Q has talent, can't hit free throws but will be dominated by any decent experienced big man. Same with most although Harper looked very good. Again, none look like they are just that awesome.
Boogie Fland would be awesome to keep. I know we won’t but of the 6 I think he’s the one that will impact college winning the most next year.
I don’t know why these guys still buy into Cal being the only one that can get them NBA ready
You can't argue with Cal's success getting players drafted. On that, he is the best there is or maybe ever been. At least since Wooden.
That's what was so disturbing.
I said he’s a must get and now I don’t know where we will stand with him 😔
I think he's going to end up at UConn personally and think Meleek Thomas will too. Cal has more ins with Thomas but Arkansas isn't UK and UConn is a better program.
To think he's only 17 too. He should be in class of '25 age wise. He's THAT guy as a PG. One issue I do have with Pope and his system-de-emphasis on the point guard position. I saw that garbage at GTown with JT3 and Zoom Action how he utilizes it is a fast paced Princeton principle offensive system. You need elite guards in CBB period. They control the game and come in various sizes. UConn has had Andre Jackson/Tristen Newton--but they also landed Ahmad Nowell from HS this past year so they aren't hung up on a "type" in terms of frame/size, more about toughness/mindset/skill.
Boogie Fland is the type who wins championships and gets you to the Final Four. I expect him to go to Arkansas with Cal because of the relationship with Antigua and fact his favorite player growing up was Derrick Rose, so this one is going to sting because I've been beating the drum for how great this guy is going to be since seeing him on that Team USA team with DJ Wagner, Knox, Jackson, Flagg, etc....and my take 2 Summers ago was give me Boogie and Ian Jackson over DJ Wagner.
Oh well-hope Pope can do something in the Portal.
Cal's absence at UK will help UNC, Kansas, and UConn-who obviously will get a boost from their success as well and of course Arkansas.
Pope's going to have to show what he can do and if he wants to jump in recruiting game-he's got to hire some hitters who can get him in living rooms and make noise ASAP.
Don’t care. They won’t be here.
Yeah I really wanted him here. Now we won’t have a shot I’m sure.
Great that’s all we need a talent that like with Hurley.
Who do you think he should hire for his staff?
If he doesn't recruit 5 stars ever-he won't last 3 years here. It's fine to not build your entire team around them but you better recruit them and land some.
I’m not really sure “Cal’s success getting them drafted” is accurate. Calipari did not “get them drafted”. Calipari recruited them, en masse, to come play for Kentucky. He just recruited exclusively freshman for his teams every year.
It’s not like had 10 of them gone to Arizona, or Miami or USC or UCLA or Kansas or Villanova or Auburn or UT or any number of other schools they’d not have been drafted.
I have no clue about who he will. I suggested a guy who made need a job (not sure if he does) that was G-League Team Ignite HC and West Coast guy (worked at USC) former Syracuse PG Jason Hart. He played a yr or so with Pope in NBA. Some have mentioned Saddi Washington who was at Michigan and recruited well for Juwan Howard.
Mark is going to have $ to pay a staff, so I'm sure he's working hard to get this checked off his list as they have to get going on building the roster.
White kid from the Northeast. UCONN/Duke all over him. And that was his top 2 choices lmao.
I’m very interested to see who he gets for sure.
Exactly and there are some 5 stars that can shoot.
Hmm. I’m a bit intrigued by your comments on Fland. Did you expect a Final Four or a championship next year? I certainly didn’t. It seemed like most of us realized UK was going to be pretty lackluster next season had Calipari stayed.
Do you think Calipari will win a championship or get to the Final Four next season if he goes to Arkansas?
Hurley earned his status and way he's operated, he'll be selective. But I loved Stephon Castle and he was a McDonald's AA who fit the culture they are building there. He almost stole Cooper Flagg from Duke which made Duke have to work 10X harder than they expected to land him. Clingan should've been a 5 star McDonald's guy too.
I'm a big fan of Isaiah Abraham from Paul VI and they took former Justin Edwards HS teammate and Team Final guard Ahmad Nowell in the Fall. Only 2 HS recruits this year but they are deep with Liam McNeely and as of now he's the only HS kid they are still recruiting.
AJ Dybantsa is going to be recruited hard by them. He fits their culture. But to understand what they are about-they offered 2 guys Cal signed--Boogie Fland and Billy Richmond. Cal offered 1 guy they have been on in last couple of year--Nowell.
I mean the MFer played with Ron Mercer and I'd say he's a 5 star you'd want on your team. LOL
I sure would, don’t remember what Derrick Anderson was ranked but he played like a five star! Still my favorite Cat ever of the more modern time.
He was also a transfer. The greatest UK transfer ever? Maybe so.
I think Fland is the type of PG/Guard this program has lacked since Fox/SGA. I said leading up to Cal leaving that my concern next year is that DJ Wagner would come back and get in the way and Cal would play him at PG and Fland would be blocked from running the team. My ideal duo was Fland and Reed and I've have told DJ to look elsewhere but we KNOW that wasn't happening.
Fland is a winner though. If he gets the ball, he'll cover a lot of coaching warts. So hoping for DJ Wagner 2.0 at Arkansas and know Cal will let him rock with the ball because DJ can only impact the game if he's got the ball-he doesn't scare anyone off the ball.
Hope Pope goes to Fland and offers him like 2 million to stay. Would be so awesome for Cal to get his prized PG stolen. Won't happen but I can dream.
Seeing a lot of sad faces about recruiting stuff. I mean you all did realize this was coming and was the lone negative in losing Cal right? Mark Pope can still win big and all but I don't see him having any shot with those type of guys coming to Kentucky. The relationships were all built with Cal's Staff and Pope has a better chance with Jasper Johnson and Malachi Moreno then Darryn Peterson, AJ Dybantsa, etc....and Tyran Stokes too. I think Stokes won't end up at UK either as of now.
If Pope gets some big time recruiters on the staff, then we can return to this conversation but as of now--get ready to ignore those type of guys and move onto a different tier-which is fine because '25 is loaded. I'm actually glad Cal's gone for another reason after seeing the pissy attitude and how badly teammates didn't care for Darius Acuff in the '25 class at IMG. Biancardi going on air with talk of his Coach having to talk/show him film of how selfish he was---him staying behind plays when teammates would ignore him and not outlet the ball to him..it was ugly. He's talented but shows little leadership at PG spot.
If Pope gets some big time recruiters on the staff, then we can return to this conversation but as of now--get ready to ignore those type of guys and move onto a different tier-which is fine because '25 is loaded. I'm actually glad Cal's gone for another reason after seeing the pissy attitude and how badly teammates didn't care for Darius Acuff in the '25 class at IMG. Biancardi going on air with talk of his Coach having to talk/show him film of how selfish he was---him staying behind plays when teammates would ignore him and not outlet the ball to him..it was ugly. He's talented but shows little leadership at PG spot.
I’d imagine/hope he understands this since he played at UK with some stud recruits! Staff is so key and I’m sure he’s working on that. Just don’t wanna see a whole staff of ex cats.
He’s
Great assument. I fully expect them both to follow Calipari but that’s okay. We will see.
But just to clarify did you think we were going to go to the Final Four or win a Title next year because of Fland? Or do you think Calipari and Arkansas will go the the Final Four or win a title because of Fland? I sure as hell hope not!
Great assument. I fully expect them both to follow Calipari but that’s okay. We will see.
But just to clarify did you think we were going to go to the Final Four or win a Title next year because of Fland? Or do you think Calipari and Arkansas will go the the Final Four or win a title because of Fland? I sure as hell hope not!
No kidding. Watching Dookies and Ark players does nothing for me.
So you're saying pg U is over? If so that sucks. Please tell me as a big Pope will land the top bigs at least.
I don't think so because I think DJ Wagner would be in the way if Cal was at UK. But if he gets the ball, I think he's going to win Cal a lot of games by being a talented PG/leader/winner. There's a reason Hurley/Oats both wanted him badly and both offered Billy Richmond as well. Oats also offered Travis Perry and wanted him. Guy has the "it" factor and everyone who has seen him play for the first time the last 2 weeks gets it.
Don't think Kentucky was going to go to Final Four with roster makeup alone-too young but think that a guy like Fland would've gotten them to a 2nd weekend and he'd also be type who would be staying for Soph season too. I'm a fan of the Stepinac program too. RJ Davis of UNC is from there as was AJ Griffin of Duke and those guys play winning basketball and are tough competitors. Boogie was best guard to come out of there.
That's what I was thinking. Better go vet an Unforgetables 2.0 next year to have success. These guys are going to have to bleed blue for Pooe to have quick success and Cal left us in a crater.
We'll see how he adapts or recruits to his system. Then we'll see who he gets to recruit. But coaches who promote positionless basketball often de-emphasize the PG spot.So you're saying pg U is over? If so that sucks. Please tell me as a big Pope will land the top bigs at least.
But good coaches adapt to what is needed and Pope's changed things up so I have faith he'll do it, but recruiting is going to slide back a bit--we need to see who he hires but so many thinking Kentucky was going to be in on guys like Dybantsa with Cal gone are not going to like the outcome. Oats would've had a strong chance to land him because he hired a former AAU Coach in Preston Murphy. Oats will be involved here too. But Hurley and crew offered in early March and a lot of buzz is growing with AJ and UConn over that time. Remember he's from New England area and moved to Prolific Prep in CA just this past year.
