Khalifa

[kywildcatsfannumber1]

I would take him to be a nice system player familiar with Pope's system as he builds his roster here.

 

[CatsnRoses]

 

[UKWildcats1987]

Again, if he's a bench player it's fine. If he brings these byu guys in here and starts them with all this NIL money floating around its gonna remind me of another coach starting players he shouldn't.

 

[catsfan325]

Get someone who has his skill set who can do other things too. Sometimes these media guys act like you have to be some fat guy who passes well to be coveted. Why not see what "Chubbs" from Teen Wolf is up to-he's stocky and plays his role well. Always showed up with a big bucket/pass at the right time for Scott Howard or the Wolf.

Not going to be censored from sharing a take/opinion because everyone is high on the new coach factor. I like how Pope plays basketball. Think he can do a good job but the "system" crap is just that. You don't need guys to teach a system to the players--your coaches get access with the team from June-Season. They've all played basketball and you can recruit to your system too. The mass amount of options out there should be exciting to go get. I don't need Khalifa types-he can stay at BYU and go be All Big 12 or All Big 12 "Skill Team" and get orally washed by Fran Fraschilla each game. To me the honeymoon period is over. He got the job and everyone is on board. He gets Jaxson Robinson, Collin Chandler and possibly Hall but at least the initial 2--great start. I see them transferring to SEC smoothly. Khalifa is a spot player who everyone "loves" because Pope is being well received and then we start going Basketball "nerd" to defend him. Just look deeper than what you see--

As a Laker fan, I loved the makeup of the frontcourt around AD when he first got there--JaVale McGee and Dwight Howard. They allowed AD to rest up at PF during year a lot and in bigger games, he could rest and play PF while coming to 4th Quarter to play 5 spot with fresh legs. They were athletic/physical and it worked to get a #1 seed/NBA World Championship. So what do they do for an encore? Get the fat/skilled big who can't rim protect and was washed up and old--Marc Gasol. Every fan who was critical "didn't see it"--and "You have to see it-the skill" and Lakers have been dog**** at the 5 spot since and Davis wore down/got injured and in Play In games after the "Great Skill" couldn't defend/protect the rim or score at the rim. It was awful.

Blending Analytics with basketball mindset is great. Using just one is putting yourself in danger and living and dying by analytics that lean towards sloths who can't defend is a death sentence.

Agreed on all your points. Robinson is a dude. Hall I'm kind of mild on. Could be talked into him being a rotational piece rather than a primary creator. Chandler I've never seen - only know the ranking. Khalifa however would get eaten alive by Hurley and UConn. That should be the bar for Pope when he's evaluating. Is this guy skilled, athletic, tough enough to go up against UConn? If it's a no for 2 of those, pass.

I think Pope is a smart coach whose best days are ahead. Now that he's at a brand school with 0 recruiting handcuffs, he should recognize that and just worry about bringing in dudes.

Also for all the system talk - Pope's teams didn't play like this a few years ago. He evolved into what we saw last year. This ain't UVA where every recruit has to fit into a system. Get dudes who can play and Pope can adapt around them. Don't worry about guys knowing the sets already.

 

[Warf2012]

The dude is garbage and looked like he had no business on the floor in the tournament game.

This is literally Gillespie all over again. The same type idiots that have talked themselves into this Pope hire and taking a player like Khalifa also talked themselves into how good Vinny Zollo, Dakota Euton, KC Ross Miller, GJ Vilarino and others were going to be too. We will absolutely be fight Vanderbilt for the right to win last place in the SEC if these are the players on the roster. I expect Pope to offer an 8th grader anyday now.

 

[gojvc]

Saw him in tourney...big and slow...will be eaten alive in conference...JMHO

Then how in the world is he #10 out of about 1000 players in the portal right now?

 

[catsfan325]

Then how in the world is he #10 out of about 1000 players in the portal right now?

Others may disagree but portal rankings mean little to me

 

[king of cali]

The dude is garbage and looked like he had no business on the floor in the tournament game.

This is literally Gillespie all over again. The same type idiots that have talked themselves into this Pope hire and taking a player like Khalifa also talked themselves into how good Vinny Zollo, Dakota Euton, KC Ross Miller, GJ Vilarino and others were going to be too. We will absolutely be fight Vanderbilt for the right to win last place in the SEC if these are the players on the roster. I expect Pope to offer an 8th grader anyday now.

Absolutely right. This is just like everyone getting excited because BCG was hitting the recruiting trail hard. Too bad he wasn’t getting good players after Patterson and Liggins.

 

[ralphdaltonfan]

Then how in the world is he #10 out of about 1000 players in the portal right now?

You've been around long enough to see legit top recruits UK has gotten ranked high and some stiffs ranked high. Aaron Bradshaw, DJ Wagner, and Justin Edwards all shared time at #1 in their class in HS. Rob Dillingham and Reed Sheppard didn't. Which guys were better players at UK?

 

[gojvc]

You've been around long enough to see legit top recruits UK has gotten ranked high and some stiffs ranked high. Aaron Bradshaw, DJ Wagner, and Justin Edwards all shared time at #1 in their class in HS. Rob Dillingham and Reed Sheppard didn't. Which guys were better players at UK?

Do we know yet if Pope is bringing this guy to UK? I work second shift so I might have missed something.

 

[ralphdaltonfan]

Do we know yet if Pope is bringing this guy to UK? I work second shift so I might have missed something.

He's in the Portal with a "Do Not Contact" designation which in every case means the players knows where he's going and in most coaching changes--they usually go with the former coach. See what's going on with Dusty May's FAU guys-when they have done this-they are heading to Michigan.

Ask the girls basketball followers if it's same for the new Women's Coach-he may have had same happen but I don't follow that sport enough to know if they deal with similar stuff.

 

[meow_cat]

I don't disagree, for sure. I'm sure I didn't watch all his footage, just the good parts. I watched BYU the first game of the tourney and thought the same thing. But... like some others said, he could be good as a role player, off the bench, or at the very least someone ON the bench who can help with the system.

This guy was awful when I watched and really struggled at/around the rim. The SEC isn't a great fit for him to be anything other than a spot player. I understand wanting to bring some guys with you but this is one thing I'll disagree with the new HC and hope to be wrong about.

 

[ralphdaltonfan]

I don't disagree, for sure. I'm sure I didn't watch all his footage, just the good parts. I watched BYU the first game of the tourney and thought the same thing. But... like some others said, he could be good as a role player, off the bench, or at the very least someone ON the bench who can help with the system.

Again, the "System" talk just sounds like some cool **** to say to fans. Anyone who coaches successful and Pope is a very good coach/basketball mind adapts to talent they have or in case of College or Pro-will recruit to fit the system. Now where you work can limit your options to fit to your system of play. That's where I disagree with just accepting this as "Cool-he'll teach the guys" because Zoom Action is simple basketball and any player can pick it up quickly as long as they are skilled. Being at Kentucky, Pope has access to players he didn't at BYU and his success will be dependent on realizing that and recruiting with that understanding.

 

[The_Catfather]

 

[JPFisher]

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Best of luck to the kid. Hope he finds success.

 

[HagginHall1999]

He’s super slow… like… pulling a train slow, but he can really pass and seemed to anchor the BYU offense.

He definitely looks like he needs to hit the weight room.

 

[Coach Marrow]

Absolutely right. This is just like everyone getting excited because BCG was hitting the recruiting trail hard. Too bad he wasn’t getting good players after Patterson and Liggins.

Definitely some truth to this. Don’t want to end up looking under rocks for recruits like BCG.

 

[bucsrule8872]

We are going to need bodies. As long as he is a just a role player, I’m okay with him coming here.

 

[wccat2969]

I just watched the BYU upset of Baylor. Khalifa got abused on defense. Made a huge difference on offense, but kept getting pummeled towards the net, couldn't get set, and Baylor just kept going over top of him. If we get him, we might be able to hide him some with zone and help, but that's not ideal.

Yes. All we hear about is offense but this is the SEC and defense matters. You would think we would remember that after last year. Guys who can't stop anyone on the defensive side should not be coming to UK.

 

[Short-Dawg-69]

The stats don't wow you, but his passing fits the system. Could be pretty cool with Z and his passing.

Z entered the portal as he should.
This way he can officially be re-recruited.

I do think Pope will see him as a possible HUGE piece in his system and PUSH for Z to return to Kentucky.