Least Talented Team since 2008

[lakercat]

This is the least talented team Kentucky has had since Billy G's first year. Arkansas has athletes that we knew could give Kentucky some problems. Throw in 13 made threes on 57% shooting, and you have a problem. This team is fortunate to be where they are. There's a reason that these guys played for mid-majors; they do not have the talent/athleticism to be at the top level. This team has to be completely healthy to function. Not worried about Pope; I did not think we WOULD lose, but I knew that we COULD.

 

[Basscat1987]

You are stupid. 2020-2021 won 9 games and had trash players.

 

[Rockfly78]

Let it out

 

[kywildcatsfannumber1]

Thank CCC for that. Regardless of when he was going to leave. It would be followed by a mass exodus leaving the cupboard bare for the next coach. Exactly how CCC built all of his one and done teams all over every year. Not like Pope had the pick of the litter with the recruiting class in 2024 and the transfer portal was already open before he ever got hired. It will take more than a year of grad transfers and recruits to get experience to get through freshman growing pains.

 

[UKWildcats1987]

2021 was less talented. 2013 wasn't good even with Noel.

The new transfer portal is to blame way more than cal IMO. We would have had some guys back if it was a few years ago.

 

[kywildcatsfannumber1]

2021 was less talented. 2013 wasn't good even with Noel.

The new transfer portal is to blame way more than cal IMO. We would have had some guys back if it was a few years ago.

Players still left here for the NBA, transferred out or failed in G-League/overseas. The players weren't staying here before the transfer portal. People quickly forget what it was like before the transfer portal era. Maybe one or two stayed if we were lucky from year to year outside of the lockout in 2011.

 

[UKWildcats1987]

Players still left here for the NBA, transferred out or failed in G-League/overseas. The players weren't staying here before the transfer portal. People quickly forget what it was like before the transfer portal era. Maybe one or two stayed if we were lucky from year to year outside of the lockout in 2011.

Because players come for the coach. Obviously.

 

[kywildcatsfannumber1]

Because players come for the coach. Obviously.

No shit. Did I say otherwise? Building their brand is the only priority for those players.

 

[kybloo92]

This is the least talented team Kentucky has had since Billy G's first year. Arkansas has athletes that we knew could give Kentucky some problems. Throw in 13 made threes on 57% shooting, and you have a problem. This team is fortunate to be where they are. There's a reason that these guys played for mid-majors; they do not have the talent/athleticism to be at the top level. This team has to be completely healthy to function. Not worried about Pope; I did not think we WOULD lose, but I knew that we COULD.

Not all mid-major players lack the athleticism and talent to play in SEC. Otega, Carr, Garrison weren't at mid-major schools. Robinson with BYU in the Big 12 last year. Kriisa being out hurts this team and he has experience in the Big 12/Pac-12. Butler with one of the biggest shots in Final 4 history and has significant NCAA Tournament experience. Brea was not good last night, but led the charge Tuesday night with 18 points at Tennessee. Same with 23 points vs Florida. The mid-major Amari Williams had 22 points, 11 rebounds and people have been climbing his ass. He was a strength last night. Almonor has been on another level since SEC play started compared to the OOC schedule. Last year's SEC Player of the Year Dalton Knecht started in Junior College and was a Mid-Major talent prior to Tennessee. Antonio Reeves was at a mid-major before UK. Did UK beat Duke, Gonzaga, Louisville, Tennessee, Florida, Mississippi State & Texas A&M only because they got fortunate? Teams might get "fortunate" to win one or two games vs top teams like Arkansas last night, but quality teams beat all of those ranked ones that Kentucky has. Hard to win games without your starting PG and backup PG, yet this team has won some big games in their absence. I agree with this much, this team has to get healthy. Hard to judge Pope's first season if players don't come back healthy in time and they struggle with all of the adversity right now.

 

[kybloo92]

Because players come for the coach. Obviously.

No shit. Did I say otherwise? Building their brand is the only priority for those players.

The top recruits only come because of the NBA. It is all they want to hear and the only pitch Cal uses. Back then and still to this day with Arkansas. Now it's more than just about the coach and the schools with the deepest NIL pool. Loyalty to a coach/school be damned. Even if Calipari couldn't get them to the league, that did not stop ones who had no business from declaring prior to the portal. Player retention was always a downfall for Calipari his entire UK career outside of 2012 and the anomaly 2015 team. The fail and bail culture was a result of all of those who should have stayed and didn't. For those who did not turn pro, UK got the growing pains while players transferred out, played for another coach and that school benefited such as Johnny Juzang, Charles Matthews, Kyle Wiltjer, Bryce Hopkins who CCC forgot was even on his bench. 2015 was the only team that had 3 or more players that played meaningful minutes the season before and were not in-state products who returned to school before the portal era. This is thankfully not how Pope will prioritize building the roster once he has time to get his players in. Even if it is filling out a roster with some of the top mid-major talents as other coaches across the league are doing too.

 

[MegaBlue05]

You are stupid. 2020-2021 won 9 games and had trash players.

That team, while terrible, had two first round picks and a third who died before the draft. The 2008 team had one in Patterson and this one will have zero.

I think that’s the point OP is trying to make.

 

[Rideordiewildcat]

Good God people its one game. Old pa pas team played as well as they could and won. Even Mack and Louisville beat us before. Pope pur this entire team together in the Spring and we were missing both PGs. Stop whining it's embarrassing.

This year already we have beaten

#2 Dook
#21 Louisville
Zags first time in the series
#8 @TN
#14 @ MISS ST
#13 TEXAS AM
#5 FL

Lost some we should have won and going down the checklist this was the first miss. Come back beat #23 @Ole Miss and we're fine. Lose that and sure I'll be panicking some too.

Tough schedule this year playing 15 ranked opponents and some other tough and emotional matchups after big wins. Come March we'll be battle tested while a Dook has played 1 ranked teams the last 2 months.

 

[will1976]

This is the least talented team Kentucky has had since Billy G's first year. Arkansas has athletes that we knew could give Kentucky some problems. Throw in 13 made threes on 57% shooting, and you have a problem. This team is fortunate to be where they are. There's a reason that these guys played for mid-majors; they do not have the talent/athleticism to be at the top level. This team has to be completely healthy to function. Not worried about Pope; I did not think we WOULD lose, but I knew that we COULD.

Surprised to hear you say this as a long time member. There are much much worse man...

 

[JonathanW]

13 and 21 says not true

 

[jeffky]

This is the least talented team Kentucky has had since Billy G's first year. Arkansas has athletes that we knew could give Kentucky some problems. Throw in 13 made threes on 57% shooting, and you have a problem. This team is fortunate to be where they are. There's a reason that these guys played for mid-majors; they do not have the talent/athleticism to be at the top level. This team has to be completely healthy to function. Not worried about Pope; I did not think we WOULD lose, but I knew that we COULD.

 

[lakercat]

That team, while terrible, had two first round picks and a third who died before the draft. The 2008 team had one in Patterson and this one will have zero.

I think that’s the point OP is trying to make.

Thank you. 2013 had Nerlens Noel, who would be the best player on this team. 2021 had multiple draft picks; this team will not have any. Rutgers has two players that will be First Rounders, and a likely top three pick, but their record is not great. But understanding my post might require a little bit of critical thinking, yet, I'm the stupid one?

This is not a dig at Pope at all (I stated that in the OP). People need to think about what I said, and not just follow/give likes to someone who uses insults.

 

[ukwazoo]

That (to me), coupled with a general lack of athleticism, screams zone.