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Might be some truth to the rumour

I'm really not that impressed with him.
Well, let's see ... Owen Freeman just finished his Sophomore season playing in the Big Ten at the University of Illinois.
He's 6' 10", 245. He averaged 16.7 points and 6.7 rebounds per game for 19 games, before a season-ending injury.
Now, what is it, exactly, that you find unimpressive about him ?
 
If uk has enough money. I am not convinced uk can compete in that area. I think pope will have to monitor his spending like the average fan does. We may want a Cadillac, but have to settle for a Mercury. Pope may want the number 1 high school or portal player, but have to settle for number 10.
In the right hands, a #1 is no different from a #10.
 
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If uk has enough money. I am not convinced uk can compete in that area. I think pope will have to monitor his spending like the average fan does. We may want a Cadillac, but have to settle for a Mercury. Pope may want the number 1 high school or portal player, but have to settle for number 10.
If this is the case! This administration needs to either get with it or be fired! Now I'm not saying you get stupid and play 3-4 mil for a freshman, unless you know he is absolutely elite! But if Pope wants a certain guy and feels like this "one" will put him at the top, they better have the money available for him!

Also he might want 2-3 players in the 10-20 range, the money needs to be there.
 
I live in Iowa 20 minutes from Iowa City. I don't want any part of Freemen being at KY, This is the guy that called it quits on his team after a finger injury. Here is a link to the Iowa Basketball forums about him https://iowa.forums.rivals.com/threads/freeman-in-the-portal.466000/
From what I have read, he and his family were unhappy with the situation at Iowa. Iowa found out he was going g to transfer, and the injury story was used as a cover. True or not, just what I read.......may have been on this board
 
He'd probably be better serviced as a five to be honest. His assist rate is garbage though. In Pope's offense, you need a big who can pass. The shooting is optional, but the passing isn't. It's why I keep saying the fit doesn't work. Is he better than Garrison though? Wouldn't doubt it! BG has been a disappointment in my eyes, especially his basketball IQ.
To be honest, he has to me as well. Was expecting a much better rebounder and shot blocker
 
If this is the case! This administration needs to either get with it or be fired! Now I'm not saying you get stupid and play 3-4 mil for a freshman, unless you know he is absolutely elite! But if Pope wants a certain guy and feels like this "one" will put him at the top, they better have the money available for him!

Also he might want 2-3 players in the 10-20 range, the money needs to be there.
NIL isn’t the administration. It’s us, the fans. At least until the day revenue sharing is allowed. Did you think you had open runway for the “Farrrrr Mitch” angle with that one, only to find out it applies to you and me instead lol?
 
Dumb question but why is everyone in this thread talking about him as a 4? He’s listed at 6’11 245. Even if he’s slightly smaller than that, I’d probably roll with him at C.

Trading Garrison for Freeman would be a massive upgrade.
Regardless, I’m very concerned with Garrison. His inability to control himself and make good decisions drives me crazy. Can’t go into next year with him as our starter
 
Pope used traore at center and he didn't have the skill game. He allowed him to play to his strength and was effective. I believe he scored more then the starting center! But either way he used him completely differently. There is room and a need for a big physical inside scorer in this offense.
Having said that, Freeman looks to me he has the ability to be a solid 3 point threat once Pope works on his shot! I'm ok with 1 like this, but after this you have to become more athletic or you will pay for it in the league play!
A dependable scoring threat inside would help open up the 3 point shots. Big, strong should help rebounding as well
 
In the right hands, a #1 is no different from a
NIL isn’t the administration. It’s us, the fans. At least until the day revenue sharing is allowed. Did you think you had open runway for the “Farrrrr Mitch” angle with that one, only to find out it applies to you and me instead lol?
If that is the case, and I have no idea how nil works, then uk can not compete. Kentucky is one of the poorer states and there are no major corporations to contribute.
 
NIL isn’t the administration. It’s us, the fans. At least until the day revenue sharing is allowed. Did you think you had open runway for the “Farrrrr Mitch” angle with that one, only to find out it applies to you and me instead lol?
I disagree. I'm not advocating to fire Mitch without cause. But he wasn't NIL friendly, and isn't proactive with the current state of college sports! Other programs embraced it and you can tell they jumped ahead of us. By the time we got Nil rolling, other programs jumped to another level!
I was done with Cal, but his NIL issues, along with Stoops complaining is alarming. And that is on the administration!
 
I disagree. I'm not advocating to fire Mitch without cause. But he wasn't NIL friendly, and isn't proactive with the current state of college sports! Other programs embraced it and you can tell they jumped ahead of us. By the time we got Nil rolling, other programs jumped to another level!
I was done with Cal, but his NIL issues, along with Stoops complaining is alarming. And that is on the administration!
Stoops wasn’t complaining at the administration, bud. He was complaining at us. He was telling the fans to pony up. Regardless of whether Mitch was on with NIL before or not doesn’t matter now. He’s with the program but it doesn’t change what NIL is. UK is not allowed to pay the players directly. That’s why fans and corporations are having to do it. If you want to hate Mitch feel free but NIL isn’t on Mitch at this point. It’s on us.
 
Stoops wasn’t complaining at the administration, bud. He was complaining at us. He was telling the fans to pony up. Regardless of whether Mitch was on with NIL before or not doesn’t matter now. He’s with the program but it doesn’t change what NIL is. UK is not allowed to pay the players directly. That’s why fans and corporations are having to do it. If you want to hate Mitch feel free but NIL isn’t on Mitch at this point. It’s on us.
So are you saying the coaches need to start/organize NIL funds, and do all the media work to make fans aware of what is needed, along with handle and hire all the people to work on that front? Coaches pay out of pocket?? There is a whole lot I could say on this front, but with respect to your opinion, we would be in a different place if we would have done what happened the past year at uk 2 years ago like other SEC programs did!
 
So are you saying the coaches need to start/organize NIL funds, and do all the media work to make fans aware of what is needed, along with handle and hire all the people to work on that front? Coaches pay out of pocket?? There is a whole lot I could say on this front, but with respect to your opinion, we would be in a different place if we would have done what happened the past year at uk 2 years ago like other SEC programs did!
No I’m not saying any of that. At this point, our fans KNOW what NIL is, how important it is, where to contribute etc. we can argue all day every day but it won’t change a thing. If you aren’t happy with NIL, just like Stoops said, pony up. People got mad, but it’s the truth. If you want to win, pony up. The days of being mad at the administration over lack of talent are behind us. We are in the put or shut up era of sports. I hate that it’s this way but it is.
 
I live in Iowa 20 minutes from Iowa City. I don't want any part of Freemen being at KY, This is the guy that called it quits on his team after a finger injury. Here is a link to the Iowa Basketball forums about him https://iowa.forums.rivals.com/threads/freeman-in-the-portal.466000

If this is the case! This administration needs to either get with it or be fired! Now I'm not saying you get stupid and play 3-4 mil for a freshman, unless you know he is absolutely elite! But if Pope wants a certain guy and feels like this "one" will put him at the top, they better have the money available for him!

Also he might want 2-3 players in the 10-20 range, the money needs to be there.
I'll bet Pope's hire has brought money that quit on Cal.
 
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Well, let's see ... Owen Freeman just finished his Sophomore season playing in the Big Ten at the University of Illinois.
He's 6' 10", 245. He averaged 16.7 points and 6.7 rebounds per game for 19 games, before a season-ending injury.
Now, what is it, exactly, that you find unimpressive about him ?
Slow,no defense or outside shooting to stretch the floor and no shot blocking.
 
Creighton or Gonzaga is a better fit for him imo. He's a good player, but not a starting forward on a title contender.
 
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with our style of play and Popes personality I think we’re going to be really attractive to top portal players, which in this day and age are probably the most important players you can recruit.
Well, the *most* important in this day and age is MONEY in the NIL, but otherwise I agree with your other things that we have that are attractive to top portal players. :)
 
Creighton or Gonzaga is a better fit for him imo. He's a good player, but not a starting forward on a title contender.
Maybe he just needs to be in a better system. He wasn’t happy at Iowa, I’m sure that reflected in his play even though he lead Iowa in blocked shots and scoring before he went down. Scored in double figures every game he played this year and much of that was against big 10 competition. Was named a top 5 sophomore by somebody, can’t recall who. I think he would be just fine here.
 
Yep. I think there's better fits for Kentucky out there than Freeman. I truly believe Pope and Kentucky will be of great interest for Portal players as a destination school moving forward.
If you believe the internet rumours today Kentucky is getting Braden smith
 
Not for our team.. how did our transfers do? Butler wasn't tough enough to even make it to SEC play. Williams probably the only SEC ready player we got and he's raw.
what a take.

Oweh, Butler, Carr, and Williams as well as Jaxson were all SEC ready. Brea as well. Garrison had a lot to learn coming from the OK st. and the rest, it can be fairly said were not "SEC ready" (whatever that really means, and I've been watching for 50 years, so whatever) but the young men Coach Pope brought in here were absolutely ready for SEC play.

did they have a lot to learn ? sure.

But I absolutely BRISTLE the hell up when I read a statement like "Butler wasn't tough .... insert stupid line here" comments.

Butler and the entire team was more than tough enough and still are. We were picked #23 and to finish 8th in the SEC. Nobody saw the SEC as THIS historically great and dominant, and we ended up with a 6 seed. Will get a 3 seed. Some people have no real understanding of perspective on life to truly understand what has happened here this year, nor to understand how well we have fared in the face of said adversity.

Sometimes life brings so much adversity, at some point, it becomes too much to overcome. I should know about that personally very well. Spend 7 years in a *&^&*^$%#@@$% wheelchair struggling to get out, and then you'll understand what I mean when I say what I say. But when it gets THAT BAD, you still have to rise up and move forward.

It's how you face said adversity that makes all the difference.

All in all, Pope has done a tremendously underappreciated job by many here in BBN. He kept us afloat, and still is, and the guys are still out there giving all their blood, sweat and tears. Of course, this is the Rafters, we got to have uptight panty waste comments and commenters coming here, ready to run them down and throw them under the bus.

I'm glad these posters are showing their ass and ignorance. Maybe a lot of it is them just not being old enough to know what supporting Kentucky under adverse conditions really is like. I do. Many of us do. We've done well enough considering everything in the overall scheme of things.

Just keep the faith, when the going gets tough .....

Go Big Blue !
 
Overall, drivers do not challenge Williams but do Garrison. Perimeter defender and interior defender seem to be two very important needed additions with the way this league is.
 
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