I am not a fan of Bill Self but what he had done after the season was over was outstanding for Kansas. Coach Self has Four 4* recruits, currently 3 players left from last year and possibly 4th with McCullars, and walk-ons. Then Self doesn't stop and gets Timberlake that averaged 18ppg. and has shot 42% from 3 last 2 years, then Dickinson, and former 5* Arterio Morris from Texas, and now probably gets Mackenzie Mgbako decommit from Duke. Head Coach Self will be at 11 or 12 players depending on if McCullar returns with Harris, Adams, and Udeh. Self has also let 2 players transfer in order to pull this team together for 2023-24.
Then we look at Kentucky currently sitting at 7 players and possibly 9 if Oscar and Reeves returns to UK. We now have learned that both Oscar and Reeves is headed to the NBA Combine and Oscar has 4 or 5 NBA team Workouts. It still doesn't look good on Livingston's return to UK next season. Coach Cal has always been a Head Coach to tell recruits No one is guaranteed a starting position, Minutes per game, shots, and now Money(NIL). I just don't understand why we have sat around except for Dickinson and now Johnson on showing No Activity in the talent that the Transfer Portal could provide UK next season. We have 6'11 Grant Nelson avg. 18 and 10 last year, 6'9 Ron Holland decommit from Texas, then Guards Tyrin Lawrence, Jordan Dingle, Andrew Taylor, and other guards/shooters from the Portal. These 3 guards avg. approx. 20ppg. and shot 36%-38% from 3. There are other talented PF and guards/shooters in the Transfer Portal that UK should be looking at for next season. If we do get Oscar and Reeves back and would be at 9 players still a good PF and a guard/shooter and anyone else would put UK at 11 or 12 players next season. With our luck on the Injury Bug last 2-3 seasons and having multiple injuries during mid-SEC play heading down the stretch to March Madness you would think Cal would be going all out for a 6'11 Grant Nelson and a guard shooter like Dingle, Lawrence, or anyone else in the portal. Kentucky can't continue like last 2-3 seasons with the injuries and then having NO Bench Depth when heading to March Madness. I am not a fan of Self but applaud what he has done for Kansas for the 2023-24 season!