Ament is a perfect fit for Pope’s offense. His defense isn’t elite. I’d take him in a heartbeat
Nate Ament
- Thread starter WildcatUKx
- Start date
I'm pretty comfortable with Oweh and Noah at the SF spot next season. But I'm never opposed to bringing in another guy at any position who might be better. And Chandler is another option there (definitely not giving up on him).
That never happened. UK never made an offer to Hurley.
But just suppose for a second it did, that’s not NIL money.
Nor does NIL work at all like it’s discussed here.
UK didn’t offer any player in excess of $2 mil or even $1 mil.
Nor did any other school. That’s not how NIL works either.
There are some “promises” made. But that’s not legally binding. Yet anyway. The Leonard Hamilton lawsuit might change that?
And only a small percentage of NIL is school controlled.
I was present when Mitch told a large donor he would like to have $2 mil for the NIL fund.
The guy asked how much say he would have on where the money was spent. The answer was little to none.
So the guy passed. He said he would still participate in NIL and probably even the $2 mil.
But it was going to be where he wanted it spent.
There are no “offers” for NIL. Certainly no guarantees.
There are promises and a portfolio of how their name, image and likeness will be used.
It works nothing like what’s stated on this board.
You have a lot of people here who think otherwise, that we may have offered Caleb top dollar but he went elsewhere.
Here's what I know: You can't expect to be a top5 program if you're only handing out sub50 in salary. If Kentucky is getting beat out by nearly DOUBLE (in the example that we didnt even offer $1mil to Caleb and UNC and BYU are offering $2mil).. then prepare for more teams with the current makeup: A bunch of lesser P5 program players and some mid major standouts. That doesn't do it for me. Places like Google and Facebook didn't get top software developers by paying the medium in salary. You want top talent, you have to pay for it.
We have to figure out how to offer these kids the same thing that UNC or BYU are offering. I don't know what exactly that means, maybe you do? But im 100% certain that these other schools are offering higher pay days, somehow.
Lewis and JJ are top 25 players, Moreno a top 30 player. Oweh was a high 4 star player, top 35 out of high school. Garrison too. I dont know why you are acting like good players dont transfer also.
Do you still believe Duke's recruiting will fall off once K is no longer the Duke coach?
they are promising them being the man of the team. and I think we have learned this lesson many times , especially with Reed and Rob not getting their fair due because of promises to top 10 players, so lets keep getting the top 25 players like Lewis... I'd say JJ and Moreno too but too many people think we only got them because they are from KY even though all up until the week prior everyone was saying JJ was going to Bama so that had to take some good recruiting still.
It is really sad that any schools have to pay millions for kids to play for any school. I said that when this NIL came out that "they opening a can worms".
agree with Oweh, and as much as I would like to Noah turn into a star, just don't see it. Shooting and hustle is fine, but just to slow on defense, like Perry. UK has got to get some help in that area
you seem like you know how this screwed up mess works, me, I have no clue, other than what I read or hear. If what you say is true, how are some of these kids getting millions & millions of $ at Miami, Texas and other schools. Ohio State just bought a national championship & Indiana a chance at the national championship. Somebody is passing out a lot of $ and UK does not have that kind of $ to throw around.
This has to stop to be honest. Supposedly when Pope came aboard NIL wasn't an issue we had a surplus (I just can't remember what it was). If we are trying to penny pinch well penny pinching isn't going to win you crap in today's world!
Pay Ament the $ he wants there is your top 5 guy, you have a few guys in the 20's, mix in some good portal players, and then bring back some players like we heard already want to come back next season ( Oweh and Kerr as of right now) Then Pope will be ready to go next year and have a great mix of players!
Yeah and I don't like those practices on the surface.. but at some point, we have to remember that we're trying to fill out a talented roster that can compete every year for a title. When it comes to offering NIL pay days, maybe saying the things a recruit wants to hear.. I DO think you have to start playing that game a little bit.
Maybe we don't need the top10 freshman.. I'd make the argument that maybe we're better off just scrapping that entire notion.. BUT, we still need to pay portal transfers.
Kentucky needs to prove, or continue proving, that it's going to pay top dollar to get the talent it needs. And I'm a little suspect on whether or not we are actually doing that.
maybe I am in the minority, but I just don't get the infatuation with Almanor. Yes, he has had a couple of nice shooting games, but he gives that back due to his defense and lack of rebounding. I love shooters, but I just can not stand watching guys that show no effort in rebounding.
I didn’t say good players don’t transfer, I just don’t believe you should pass on a talent like ament if you can get him. Offer him and build around him with the portal.
yes, this team could really use Kerr, but so can next year's
he brings an "attitude" that has been missing since "Cuz" was playing.
Most of the current guys are just to "nice". Thye don't have a mean streak, or killer attitude.
When you get up on a team, and have a chance to bury them, don't just step on their neck, stomp on it, leave no doubt.
This is kind of off subject and I know I am going to sound like the get off my lawn guy, but as a dad who has already put 2 kids through college and have 1 more to go, I have a real problem that guys are now making millions of dollars but the university is still giving them their education free. They can afford tuition with those big NIL deals so take that load and expense from the schools and let them be like any other student and pay for their education. Okay I will get off my soapbox.
I had originally thought that about Noah, but I have to say the kid was moving around pretty good in the Tennessee game. I think Pope regrets giving him no run against Arkansas.
Respect the opinion certainly, but it's apparent that you and I see Noah's potential much differently. At this point it's admittedly still a bit of projection on my part, which may well turn out to be wrong, but the strength, shooting and rebounding I think Noah can provide from the SF spot makes for a really good college SF. If the basketball IQ and drive to hone his skills are there, I think UK has got their starting SF for his Jr. & Sr. year - and we'll be glad that he is.
I agree with everything you stated, except that last sentence. I haven't picked up any indications that make me think UK isn't willing to be more than competitive WHEN IT'S A GOOD VALUE PROPOSITION.
Yeah I just don't see that from Kerr when he's on the court.
He can't take over offensively and is definitely not a stopper.
I'd take the freshman point from Vandy everyday of the week over Kerr.
He has the ability to disrupt the opponent and change the flow of the game.
As far as all around player, I think we're a better team if Kerr's scholly was used for a player like Mayshack from UT or Obaseki from aTm.
We don't need Kerr, Perry, Chandler and Noah all on the roster at the same time.
We need to replace Butler with at least an equal level athlete.
I’d save most of my NIL for The portal just go after proven men over unproven kids
It hasn't i just said that genius. However I'm real glad they do nothing with all that talent.
And you could be right. I guess my problem is that it just isn't clear. And it does seem like we're about to miss out on two guys for kind of suspect reasons: Caleb is choosing sinking ship UNC and Ament is going to Duke who already has 2 PFs in his way. So I can't help but think we maybe didn't make promises, didnt offer as high of NIL or what, didnt push hard for them, etc.. because if you ask me, Kentucky has the better situation for either of these guys .. and unless you see some real character concerns, I think you take either. These are top10 recruits, they've kind of earned the right (in my mind) to ask about touches, if the offense will be run through them, what their role is.
Portal is just as a big gamble as the unproven high school kids in my opinion. We have portal players now that we all thought would be better.
Ament weighs 185 pounds at the most. He is a tall and long 3 man. He will not play PF in college, he is not being recruited to play PF in college, I'm not sure why anyone thinks that is the case.
Boozer has the PF position locked up but there would still be room for Ament to start, although most would rather have a SO Isaiah Evans back rather than a top 5 freshman, but we will see, think they could get Ament and Evans back and let practice decide who starts.
