Not Ranked At All

[jrpross]

Polls this early do nothing but keep people interested during the off-season. Zero legitimacy to them.

I’ll say this though; it’s kinda hard to rank this team because one like this has never really been seen before. Pope is building an entire team from scratch using ONLY the transfer portal and a couple freshmen. There’s zero chemistry yet and no idea how these guys will work together. There’s no elite freshman talent but it’s possible the starting lineup could be 5 fifth year seniors.

And I’ll as this too. A team full of 22 and 23 year-olds who collectively shot 42% from 3 last year with several lockdown defenders is exactly the kind of team that was Cal’s Achilles heel.

 

[Smashcat]

Sorta meaningless now. We don't have a full roster and nobody knows how this team will come together anyway. I will add that BYU was picked 13th preseason in the Big 12 and finished 5th.

 

[ib4ky]

EARLY POLL/ PRESEASON RANKINGS are about as worthy as high school player/ team recruiting rankings. It gives fans something to think and talk about during the offseason, but that's about the ONLY interest!!!

EXAMPLES:
UK in Coaches Poll (6-years) PreSeason Rankings versus Final Rankings
2023/24: Pre #16, Final #19 (-3)
2022/23: Pre #14, Final #28 (-14)
2021/22: Pre #11, Final #16 (-5)
2020/21: Pre #9, Final #NR/ No Votes/ 43-teams received votes (-35+)
2019/20: Pre #2, Final #7 (-5)
2018/19: Pre #2, Final #7 (-5)

UK PRESEASON Average Ranking: 7.3 (6-years)
UK FINAL Average Ranking: 15.4 (5-years rated in Final Rankings)

EVERY YEAR over the LAST 6-years, UK has finished LOWER than their (overly optimistic) PreSeason Rankings, at beginning of year!!!

IMO, the UK name influences their rankings both pro and con.

Coaches Poll Final #1 team versus their PreSeason Ranking
2023/ 24 UCONN #1 versus #5
2022/23 UCONN #1 versus #29
2021/22 Kansas #1 versus #3
2020/21 Baylor #1 versus #1
2019/20 Kansas #1 versus #3
2018/19 Virginia #1 versus #5

 

[ukfan1622]

Kentucky will be unranked or between 21-25 when the season starts and in the top 10 when SEC play starts.
Somebody please take a screenshot of this so it can be thrown back at me if I'm wrong. But I won't be...

 

[FitchandMurray29]

I am very bullish on these Cats and think they’re significantly under appreciated nationally.

But no one knows how most of these teams will actually turn out once they play together. The roster turnover is massive and it’s so hard to project players on different teams, in different roles, and against different levels of competition.

College basketball, due to the portal and NIL, is turning into an arms race each spring. Teams are signing/paying players that project to have no real role on the team(KU/Bama/etc).

If we go with the notion that most of the best players in the nation were in the portal(or left school), add another 150 or so from top freshmen and top guys that stayed at their school you’d find 7 of our guys probably in the top 300 or so players in college basketball. With Chandler from a talent and potential perspective sneaking near that as well.

7/8 of the better players in America with tons of experience and maturity. I’d need a lot of convincing to be talked out of them being a top 25 team.

 

[The_Answer1313]

EARLY POLL/ PRESEASON RANKINGS are about as worthy as high school player/ team recruiting rankings. It gives fans something to think and talk about during the offseason, but that's about the ONLY interest!!!

EXAMPLES:
UK in Coaches Poll (6-years) PreSeason Rankings versus Final Rankings
2023/24: Pre #16, Final #19 (-3)
2022/23: Pre #14, Final #28 (-14)
2021/22: Pre #11, Final #16 (-5)
2020/21: Pre #9, Final #NR/ No Votes/ 43-teams received votes (-35+)
2019/20: Pre #2, Final #7 (-5)
2018/19: Pre #2, Final #7 (-5)

UK PRESEASON Average Ranking: 7.3 (6-years)
UK FINAL Average Ranking: 15.4 (5-years rated in Final Rankings)

EVERY YEAR over the LAST 6-years, UK has finished LOWER than their (overly optimistic) PreSeason Rankings, at beginning of year!!!

IMO, the UK name influences their rankings both pro and con.

Coaches Poll Final #1 team versus their PreSeason Ranking
2023/ 24 UCONN #1 versus #5
2022/23 UCONN #1 versus #29
2021/22 Kansas #1 versus #3
2020/21 Baylor #1 versus #1
2019/20 Kansas #1 versus #3
2018/19 Virginia #1 versus #5

That's great

And now look at the complete picture

https://kenpom.com/blog/the-preseason-ap-poll-is-great/

 

[Skyguyb27]

This team and staff are unknown. It’s a question of Pope’s performance as much as it is the players to the voters. This team is easily top 25 at the beginning of the season and it’ll get better from there. This is exactly the kinda team that others won’t wanna see in March. Defense, range, maturity, experience, etc.

I’ll tell you this, I feel better about this team and all the uncertainty than I do watching 5 star hype videos and preseason rankings that are ridiculous. This team has played college ball and demonstrated they can play at this level.

 

[ukjenning44]

We’re used to being the preseason kings 😂😂

 

[Bluegrassking]

Way too early polls are flotsam.

You have been click baited.

 

[ib4ky]

Not real sure what a Kenpom story about the how the AP (writers) rankings are generated has to do with my post about UK and the COACHES POLL, listed from ESPN website.

ESPN doen't list AP final rankings on their website except for 2023/24. So, that's why I took a sampling of last six years about Kentucky's PreSeason and Final rankings, per their Coaches poll.

So, UK's preseason expectations from "coaches," NONE of Cal's teams over the last 6-years (year-end) met or exceeded their supposed preseason expectations, whatsoever.............

Of the last six champions, five were within an average of three spots, preseason to final. The only exception being with UCONN preseason 2022/23 ranking of #29.

 

[Elliott Tim]

From the early polls I've seen we are not even in top 25. I kind of wonder if all the hype is just wishful thinking. Multiple rankings don't think much of our team. That is going to take some getting use to. I get it. It may even be worse to be ranked high in the pre-season just to lose your first game in the tournament. However, this is definitely different. Hopefully the roster isn't finished. It is weird to see teams like Alabama and Ohio State ranked higher than us. And Kansas keeps rolling. At least Arky ain't ranked.

There will always be some that wish they were back in Egypt.

 

[Elliott Tim]

I am very bullish on these Cats and think they’re significantly under appreciated nationally.

But no one knows how most of these teams will actually turn out once they play together. The roster turnover is massive and it’s so hard to project players on different teams, in different roles, and against different levels of competition.

College basketball, due to the portal and NIL, is turning into an arms race each spring. Teams are signing/paying players that project to have no real role on the team(KU/Bama/etc).

If we go with the notion that most of the best players in the nation were in the portal(or left school), add another 150 or so from top freshmen and top guys that stayed at their school you’d find 7 of our guys probably in the top 300 or so players in college basketball. With Chandler from a talent and potential perspective sneaking near that as well.

7/8 of the better players in America with tons of experience and maturity. I’d need a lot of convincing to be talked out of them being a top 25 team.

 

[Creed Bratton]

Pre season polls are about as useful as books in a UNC players dorm.

 

[crawfords corner]

These guys are just a hodgepodge of players right now. They haven't even been together as a team yet. Of course they won't likely be ranked. They'll have to prove it. Likely after the first game against a ranked team after we kick their ass.

I don't give a fudge what they look like on paper. That's irrelevant.

 

[Nix112]

I'm not expecting a final four but what's exciting for me is the possibility they are entertaining and a great first step for Pope in a long successful run here. Who knows what ultimately happens but the thought of seeing a fresh take on UK basketball has me ready for basketball in May. I would have been dreading basketball if I knew what awaited was long athletic 18 year olds bricking shot after shot while better players watched from the bench and the message was "wait until I tweak it in March!"

 

[HagginHall1999]

I don't understand why folks think we don't have a top 25 college basketball roster. JMHO but I think everyone that says that is wrong.

We don't have top 25 talent, but the sum of the whole is a really good group. We will see what they add but what we have now would still be a really solid team.

Seven guys who avg 76ppg combined.

Maybe I'm guilty of being a homer but I think some may be guilty of looking for names and not style/impact of players signed so far.

 

[stonethecrow]

#3 to be precise. Pollsters are dumb.

Knew we were up there, but not that far. One thing I remember vividly from that year was watching Archie try to drive the wing into two defenders...repeatedly and without remorse. We were all off a fresh Natty and didn't think much of it. Some, myself included, thought it was kind of cool that the NIT game got scheduled at Robert Morris. Shows you how easy it is to drink the Kool-Aid and wait for the comet to come take you home.

 

[Kyhoward]

From the early polls I've seen we are not even in top 25. I kind of wonder if all the hype is just wishful thinking. Multiple rankings don't think much of our team. That is going to take some getting use to. I get it. It may even be worse to be ranked high in the pre-season just to lose your first game in the tournament. However, this is definitely different. Hopefully the roster isn't finished. It is weird to see teams like Alabama and Ohio State ranked higher than us. And Kansas keeps rolling. At least Arky ain't ranked.

In one preseason poll I looked at for the 2022-23 year, San Diego State was ranked 19th, FAU, Miami,and UConn not ranked. This past season NC State was probably not in the Top 50 before their ACC tournament run.

These polls are conjured up by national writers who know very little about the 351 Div 1 teams. They are fed info by staffers who also know very little. Put NC, Duke, Kansas, and UK in the Top 10 because they always get the top freshmen players. BBN knows the reliability of freshmen players leading a team to the Promised Land.

I think future polls may become a little more accurate as most team’s rosters will have a few freshmen/returnees with the majority being transfers that have played at Div 1 schools so you have some idea of their skill level.
Need to reign in the NIL mess and go back to sitting out a year if you want to transfer.

 

[hmt5000]

We've got 3 guys that could make an nba roster next year. We've got another 2 that could make an nba roster in 2 or 3 years. I think some people are wayyyy overselling how little talent we have. We don't have lottery picks but we've got some dudes that could play for a bit in the pros.

 

[celtikat33]

You take a well known coach with this roster and I think we would get more respect. I have a feeling we're go to earn that respect soon enough. Go CATS!

 

[TucsonCat]

Still early. If we can get a star player, I'll feel better.

But a lot of these responses remind me of the "I don't care about recruiting rankings. I trust Joker more than I trust Rivals” posts in that final year. People who think hoping something will make it true

 

[Snarks0]

We still have to finish the roster, but lets talk about what we have now. The truth is, and it's uncomfortable, but this doesn't appear to be a top 25 roster. Now, that does not mean this team can't win a lot of games and make the tournament. Honestly we don't know how good any of these guys or coaches will be and nothing is guaranteed. All you can do is take things at face value and try not to be swayed by emotions and hope.

I see this roster as being comparable to what South carolina had last year. They managed to make some noise in the SEC but ultimately didn't have the horses in March. There is just so much unknown about what we can do this season and Afterall, we still don't have a complete roster. I'm gonna need to see some dynamic playmakers at least.

Totally agree!

This was the biggest issue hiring Pope, he’s never recruited at this level and can he do it? We’ll find out next year when he has a full cycle. If we’d hired Scott Drew we’d be preseason top 10 because he would have brought a lot of players with him.

I’m slowly coming to the realization that just making the tournament might be a tough task next year if we don’t get any elite players soon.

 

[Stan the caddy]

People say that pre season rankings don't matter but they do. They are more indicative of tournament success than the finalized human polls. Polls tend to overvalue specific wins and losses.

But not right now tho. What we are on 5/7 when the roster isn't even finalized, it doesn't make any sense to put any stock into that.

Preseason ranking is historically the most accurate predictor of post season success.

 

[WildcatforLife1965]

Do you take the cake out of the oven and cut a slice after it’s been in there for only 5 minutes? Let the goddamn cake bake. Who cares who’s ranked on May 7, 2024.

 

[know1]

The polls in May don't matter too much. If we're still not ranked by July, though, I'm panicking.

 

[The_Answer1313]

Also the weird thing is we are talking in terms of ranked/unranked.

That might be ok for year 1. Might even be ok for year 2. But once this ball starts rolling, ranked won't be the barometer here lol.

 

[CoachsmithCats]

Not even wasting my time reading this thread. I’d rank us way out of the top 20 personally. I’ll respond why if need be but it’s not for negative reasons

 

[WildcatSir]

Beat duke's ass day 1 and the nation will think otherwise.

 

[W1LDCAT22]

Two really good players from being top 15-20. Plenty of guys left who fit that mold but we need to get a couple of them. Top 25 doesn't matter at this time since there are still 1,000 plus kids in the portal.

Most teams are two really good players away from being top 15-20. Now when/if we ever get them two really good players is different. Hopefully we aren't finished!

 

[d2atTech]

As UK fans we’ve seen that preseason rankings don’t mean jack. There’s still a lot of movement with the portal, I wouldn’t put much stock into any of them at this point.

I think with the past few years, even post-seasons seeding means little. I personally think we have a good shot of being a top 15 program, but better for us to start under the radar.

 

[Bkocats]

While I’m with most here and think preseason rankings mean very little…
The perception right now is what’s important
I kinda feel that CMP will have a chip in his shoulder and be ready to fight
Just hope his attitude and work ethic influences our team

 

[TNCatfanforever]

How many times have you seen UK ranked in the top 5 the last 15 years only to flop.

 

[Son_Of_Saul]

Two really good players from being top 15-20. Plenty of guys left who fit that mold but we need to get a couple of them. Top 25 doesn't matter at this time since there are still 1,000 plus kids in the portal.

Pope could experience in a few weeks what Calipari, BCG, and Tubby experienced when it comes to not completing a recruiting class with a critical piece.

If we fail to land two more studs, BBN is going to go into next season seeing it as a stop gap season to buy some time until he can get this thing really going.

At present, we're going to struggle to score if we don't add some pieces.

 

[Bluegrassking]

Not real sure what a Kenpom story about the how the AP (writers) rankings are generated has to do with my post about UK and the COACHES POLL, listed from ESPN website.

ESPN doen't list AP final rankings on their website except for 2023/24. So, that's why I took a sampling of last six years about Kentucky's PreSeason and Final rankings, per their Coaches poll.

So, UK's preseason expectations from "coaches," NONE of Cal's teams over the last 6-years (year-end) met or exceeded their supposed preseason expectations, whatsoever.............

Of the last six champions, five were within an average of three spots, preseason to final. The only exception being with UCONN preseason 2022/23 ranking of #29.

These aren't the preseason rankings, this is spitballing before rosters are even set.

 

[The_Answer1313]

How many times have you seen UK ranked in the top 5 the last 15 years only to flop.

I think with UK it’s always been tough to gauge given under Cal we basically had different teams each season.

Teams that return a bulk I think it’s much easier. Everyone knew Purdue would be good last season. South Carolina with all the transfers was all over the place. Too low most humans and computers then they go on a run to begin the year and people ended up doing opposite ranking them wayyyy higher than they ever should have been.

Under Pope you’d think going forward more and more guys would start returning so I think in the future it becomes maybe a bit more predictable

 

[uk78]

I must of drank the kool-aid. I see 2 of the top defensive players in the entire country, a big man 3 point baseline shooter, the top accurate 3 point shooter in the country last season. Two offensive minded freshman and a team that can play big, small, or quick. Top 15 as is.

 

[The_Answer1313]

Not real sure what a Kenpom story about the how the AP (writers) rankings are generated has to do with my post about UK and the COACHES POLL, listed from ESPN website.

ESPN doen't list AP final rankings on their website except for 2023/24. So, that's why I took a sampling of last six years about Kentucky's PreSeason and Final rankings, per their Coaches poll.

So, UK's preseason expectations from "coaches," NONE of Cal's teams over the last 6-years (year-end) met or exceeded their supposed preseason expectations, whatsoever.............

Of the last six champions, five were within an average of three spots, preseason to final. The only exception being with UCONN preseason 2022/23 ranking of #29.

The point being is that humans regardless of whether it’s the AP poll or coaches poll do better in the beginning of the year than at the end.

So this isn’t meaningless. Sure some will overperform. Some will underperform. But a high bulk of teams typically hover around what people think they will do.

If before a game is playing we are sitting in October and you have a coaches poll and an AP poll and a vast number of computer models say you aren’t a top 25 team, you probably aren’t one.

 

[The_Answer1313]

I must of drank the kool-aid. I see 2 of the top defensive players in the entire country, a big man 3 point baseline shooter, the top accurate 3 point shooter in the country last season. Two offensive minded freshman and a team that can play big, small, or quick. Top 15 as is.

I think on the surface we got some really really good individual pieces. Maybe they aren’t getting the credit they should be.

I think what ultimately matters is how they mesh together. And how long that takes.

Crazy amount of talent last season. But it didn’t mesh at all. We never got the offensive defensive balance settled and it affected things in a big way.

 

[The_Answer1313]

In theory the polls should be better as you go on. The more data one has on a team the more informed people should be about their skill level.

Thing is people move teams up and down just based on wins. They don’t properly account for things like home court, opponent or margin of victory. Thus as u go u get worse

 

[ArtLaibsGhost]

From the early polls I've seen we are not even in top 25. I kind of wonder if all the hype is just wishful thinking. Multiple rankings don't think much of our team. That is going to take some getting use to. I get it. It may even be worse to be ranked high in the pre-season just to lose your first game in the tournament. However, this is definitely different. Hopefully the roster isn't finished. It is weird to see teams like Alabama and Ohio State ranked higher than us. And Kansas keeps rolling. At least Arky ain't ranked.

Who gives a rats rectum about being ranked in May. We don't even have a full roster yet. Working about rankings FOR NEXT YEAR IN MAY is ridiculous