If Hurley was coaching this UK roster, where would the media rank them?

[Son_Of_Saul]

I've seen most preseason polls with UConn in the top 5, and quite a few even have them in the top 3. Looking at their roster, I see one potential lottery pick (McNeeley) and one other first-round pick in Karaban.

UK, meanwhile, is deeper and has at least four players who project as future NBA players (Robinson, Chandler, Garrison, Oweh).

Does Hurley get a bump just because they're coming off of back-to-back titles? Is he respected that much that a team with good but not great talent is a preseason top 3 team?

Additionally, where would they have ranked this current UK roster if Hurley was coaching? I'd say they'd probably put UK in the top 7 or so.

 

[RunninRichie]

#18 or #17

 

[IbnSaran]

Considering what Hurley has done the last 2 years I can't say I blame them.

 

[HamuelLJackson]

Once again, what good does that get you? Pre-season champions every year.

I've seen most preseason polls with UConn in the top 5, and quite a few even have them in the top 3. Looking at their roster, I see one potential lottery pick (McNeeley) and one other first-round pick in Karaban.

UK, meanwhile, is deeper and has at least four players who project as future NBA players (Robinson, Chandler, Garrison, Oweh).

Does Hurley get a bump just because they're coming off of back-to-back titles? Is he respected that much that a team with good but not great talent is a preseason top 3 team?

Additionally, where would they have ranked this current UK roster if Hurley was coaching? I'd say they'd probably put UK in the top 7 or so.

Who cares about Pre-season Champs

 

[L.O.D.]

10 to 15.

 

[true blue1]

10-15

 

[BBNinSC]

Put UK in that minor league conference that UConn is in and we win 30 games

 

[MidseasonTweak]

Top 10

 

[bluedom44]

I've seen most preseason polls with UConn in the top 5, and quite a few even have them in the top 3. Looking at their roster, I see one potential lottery pick (McNeeley) and one other first-round pick in Karaban.

UK, meanwhile, is deeper and has at least four players who project as future NBA players (Robinson, Chandler, Garrison, Oweh).

Does Hurley get a bump just because they're coming off of back-to-back titles? Is he respected that much that a team with good but not great talent is a preseason top 3 team?

Additionally, where would they have ranked this current UK roster if Hurley was coaching? I'd say they'd probably put UK in the top 7 or so.

You're talking about 2 first rounders (1 lottery pick) like they're chopped liver. We don't have any player projected in the first round. What do you expect? Do we even have a player expected to be drafted at all right now?

It doesn't mean it won't change by the end of the season, but this is where we stand today.

 

[bthaunert]

Put UK in that minor league conference that UConn is in and we win 30 games

You think the Big East is minor league in basketball?

 

[ORCAT]

Put UK in that minor league conference that UConn is in and we win 30 games

Playing in that minor league conference (which it surely isn't) hasn't hurt them winning two titles in a row. Don't understand your logic on this one. That's a very good conference they're in.

 

[BBNinSC]

Playing in that minor league conference (which it surely isn't) hasn't hurt them winning two titles in a row. Don't understand your logic on this one. That's a very good conference they're in.

11 schools in that conference
2 are very good
4 are mediocre
5 are terrible.

 

[AustinTXCat]

With Luke Murray as his assistant: Top-5

Without: Possibly 15-20.

 

[LineSkiCat14]

Honestly.. probably top5. It's not like his last two teams had THAT much more talent. A few top25 guys I think.. but largely 4 stars and under.

 

[Mike-D]

Playing in that minor league conference (which it surely isn't) hasn't hurt them winning two titles in a row. Don't understand your logic on this one. That's a very good conference they're in.

No, it's not a very good conference. They do have some good teams, though. They also have quite a few bad teams. And being in a bad conference does not mean you can't win a title. Literally nobody said that.

 

[saxonburgcat]

I've seen most preseason polls with UConn in the top 5, and quite a few even have them in the top 3. Looking at their roster, I see one potential lottery pick (McNeeley) and one other first-round pick in Karaban.

UK, meanwhile, is deeper and has at least four players who project as future NBA players (Robinson, Chandler, Garrison, Oweh).

Does Hurley get a bump just because they're coming off of back-to-back titles? Is he respected that much that a team with good but not great talent is a preseason top 3 team?

Additionally, where would they have ranked this current UK roster if Hurley was coaching? I'd say they'd probably put UK in the top 7 or so.

The polls are based on who is hot and who is not. UConn is hot right now. UK isn't. Hopefully Pope can turn that around.

 

[zoid1]

Hurley is the biggest and hottest name is the coaching profession right now. Back to back, turned down Kentucky then the LA Lakers. So ya the ranking is about right for the talking heads.

Hurley at UK with this roster just switch our ranking with UConn.

Hopefully Pope ends the UK not the cool school one and done factory anymore when he shows he can coach this year.

 

[SemperFiCat]

I'd say 7 or 8ish spots higher. Our roster is pretty good, and he looks to have the midas touch right now. Maybe a few spots higher than that even because of the gigantic hype train following a marriage of Kentucky and Hurley. All that said, I think Hurley is an unhinged jerk, and couldn't be happier to have Pope. Let the doubters doubt.

 

[JrandoUK]

I've seen most preseason polls with UConn in the top 5, and quite a few even have them in the top 3. Looking at their roster, I see one potential lottery pick (McNeeley) and one other first-round pick in Karaban.

UK, meanwhile, is deeper and has at least four players who project as future NBA players (Robinson, Chandler, Garrison, Oweh).

Does Hurley get a bump just because they're coming off of back-to-back titles? Is he respected that much that a team with good but not great talent is a preseason top 3 team?

Additionally, where would they have ranked this current UK roster if Hurley was coaching? I'd say they'd probably put UK in the top 7 or so.

Just like when Cal was our coach! Most years the last 5-6 anyway we were ranked to high IMO..

 

[Fox2monk]

I've seen most preseason polls with UConn in the top 5, and quite a few even have them in the top 3. Looking at their roster, I see one potential lottery pick (McNeeley) and one other first-round pick in Karaban.

UK, meanwhile, is deeper and has at least four players who project as future NBA players (Robinson, Chandler, Garrison, Oweh).

Does Hurley get a bump just because they're coming off of back-to-back titles? Is he respected that much that a team with good but not great talent is a preseason top 3 team?

Additionally, where would they have ranked this current UK roster if Hurley was coaching? I'd say they'd probably put UK in the top 7 or so.

We may have future NBA players but we aren’t sure how anyone will play together, Hurley also has many guys who have been in his system and they have a culture built. He deserves the bump honestly.

 

[UKWildcats1987]

Never understand these hypotheticals.

If Hurley was coach we wouldn't have this roster. He would have different players.

Of course people would buy into a Hurley team more preseason than a Pope one. Hurley has as many national titles as Pope has ncaa tournament appearances.

 

[Skyguyb27]

Hurley gets the benefit of the doubt, much like Cal did. He has proven himself by winning back to back championships. Coaching can go a long way in a fundamentally sound team, which can beat raw talent. That every UK fan should know by now.

 

[TucsonCat]

May be underestimating UCONN talent. Or overestimating ours. If those 4 players you listed for UK are future pros, then UCONN probably has at least another two as well. They bring in leading scorer, 2 year starter for 5 seed St Marys, Mahaney.