Oweh commits

[Aike]

Of course. But surely you agree his focus is on shooting which he emphasized in his PC. These three do not fit that mold.

He can still make it work but I see no way around the fact these guys weren't his top targets.

I’ve got to see the whole thing laid out. Hard for me to get too hung up on the order of commitments.

Chandler and Perry are both shooters. Oweh shoots a good percentage at low volume. Maybe Pope expects him to keep up that clip at higher volume?

Butler is fair from deep. Shoots pretty well on spot up. Shoots better on nights he puts up more shots.

I’d expect that we’ll see more shooting added, but I’m guessing like everyone else.

 

[BassProCat]

Of course. But surely you agree his focus is on shooting which he emphasized in his PC. These three do not fit that mold.

He can still make it work but I see no way around the fact these guys weren't his top targets.

We was in all 3 from the beginning of them entering the portal. Prolly the 3 best defenders in the portal.

Sounds like top targets to me.

There are such things as top targets in the defense world too.

 

[BluestBlood]

Pope getting big and physical linebackers, only way to win long term in the big boy sec league and yes we are talking basketball!!!

 

[BassProCat]

 

[lazycat75]

Thinking the Cats will be first to 71 more often than not

I'll take take and say we score 75 a game while give up 70

 

[AzubuikeandFitch]

Great get! Now get Jaxson!

And Jaylen Wells. And a knock down shooter. And a truly elite PG.

 

[Seth_C]

I'm objective which is lost on many posters. I said in other threads these guys are good players but don't fit what we were told he wants to do. The only takeaway is they're getting the best they can and will try to address the skillset with scheme.

I know ecstatic sunshine pumpers say he's suddenly a defensive coach but he never was before. So that doesn't add up.

I’m not entirely sure that’s true. I think it’s far more likely they are signing “building block” type players and then will pursue the “stars” with proof that a.) they have a solid roster to support them and b.) they won’t be recruited over immediately.

 

[kywildcatsfannumber1]

Welcome Otega! Glad to have him and starting to see some pieces come together to fill out the roster. Can't wait to see who is next to come on down!

 

[UKBloke]

I must say, this has taken me by surprise.

After hearing about how much his system emphasized three point shooting, I was totally not expecting his first commits to instead be a group of defensive badasses. But I like it.

Now it’s time for the shooters…

He is a 38% 3 point shooter going by last season. Yea, and top 3 defensive guy in the portal. This team has 9 spots left for scoring and already has Chandler and Perry. Not seeing any issues offensively or defensively with the roster build here. Pretty much what I thought it would look like.

Pope said he’s here to win banners. That’s exactly what this type of build looks like. We’re lucky he was available. Only because he got into coaching so late. If not pope would be at the program he built by now and it would have been harder to get him.

 

[storm1507]

Screw Arkansas...I want to steamroll Duke.

Me too! But the Arkansas Piglets was more a shot at Cal's One & Done "Boys" of the past/present.

 

[BassProCat]

 

[Bkocats]

I'm objective which is lost on many posters. I said in other threads these guys are good players but don't fit what we were told he wants to do. The only takeaway is they're getting the best they can and will try to address the skillset with scheme.

I know ecstatic sunshine pumpers say he's suddenly a defensive coach but he never was before. So that doesn't add up.

Mark may not be a defensive coach. Or he might be. He’s had to work with what he could get at BYU. Their skillset there trended more to developing a killer offense, so he did.
Mark played for one of the best defensive coaches ever and he has staff who can develop that now.
Sounds to me more like he’s adapting rather than committing to playing one way
Which is what he said he would do

 

[juneswoon]

https://giphy.com/explore/i-like-it-a-lot

 

[UKBloke]

I want to add that this isn’t a young Calipari (38%)3 point guy who’s young and won’t make the big shots in the tournament usually. This is a man who will make those shots and our guys won’t be questioned there. You can depend on them to make the shots you can’t depend on freshman to make in the tournament in domes. This is widely overlooked. It used to kill me to see people say so and so is a 35% three-point shooter and that’s good enough. My issue was always. You don’t know that because they are so young. They are probably too young to hit the shots when they matter these guys that we’re getting are proven, who will make those shots. I’m sorry, but if you have any issues with the roster so far, you might be basketball illiterate.

Might also be smart to realize pope is a genius and highly, highly intelligent. He’s probably already seeing certain aspects of the portal that most coaches aren’t seeing and building around it. His IQ is off the charts. Columbia medical school remember? I’ve said this before, we might have a Brad Stevens situation on our hands.

 

[EliteBlue]

What pope has added so far kinda of reminds me of Iowa stats team last year. A bunch of tough physical guys defensively, and a good wing scorer with a shooter. Kentucky needs to get the wing scorers and shooter

Yeah. The days of boys vs grown men is over here. We are getting current physical specimens not “potential”

 

[CincinnatiWildcat]

He is a 38% 3 point shooter going by last season. Yea, and top 3 defensive guy in the portal. This team has 9 spots left for scoring and already has Chandler and Perry. Not seeing any issues offensively or defensively with the roster build here. Pretty much what I thought it would look like.

Pope said he’s here to win banners. That’s exactly what this type of build looks like. We’re lucky he was available. Only because he got into coaching so late. If not pope would be at the program he built by now and it would have been harder to get him.

People also improve or perform better in different systems. Jaxson Robinson for example 3 point percentages:

Freshman year at A&M 28.6% on 2 attempts a game
Sophomore year at Arkansas 32.6% on 2.7 attempts per game
Then he transfers to BYU and shoots 34.3% on 5.4 and 35.4% on 6.9 attempts in his two years there.

 

[ORCAT10]

View embedded media

I trust Coach Pope.

 

[susan2361]

Another thing I’m noticing is oweh looks built like a damn linebacker

Yes, I really like that. Some of our former players had "bird legs". They might have had muscles but you couldn't see them.🤣

 

[UKBloke]

Yes, I really like that. Some of our former players had "bird legs". They might have had muscles but you couldn't see them.🤣

I always called Cal recruits pogo stick players. Bounce high and that’s all it’s for.

Brooks legs literally looked like they were going to snap in person.

 

[hmt5000]

Don’t think you’ll see Pope’s teams avg in the 50’s and 60’s. But, he also knows you can’t just outshoot teams every night.

We’ll put up points, but winning 3 in a row in Nashville and 6 in a row in NCAA always requires winning a game when you’re not shooting well. I like our nucleus!

i think he turns up the defense from what he had before. I saw one guy mention that he had said he just didn't have the athletes to run the defense he'd like to so I'm not sure we know what the D will look like.

 

[bluesundown]

Good pickup. That’s a grown man. Builds like that are required in the SEC.

Yes

 

[Chief Paducah]

I think a lot of people must have hyper-focused on Pope’s 3 pointers comment in his presser and nothing else. This guys offense depends on great passers and cutters too. They play from the high post and do a lot of back cuts, back picks, and pick and roll (expect to hear a lot of violent cuts from Dykes). Yes we need shooters to spread the floor to make that happen. Will we get them this year with the short turnaround that Pope had, we don’t know yet. But this isn’t Alabama’s offense of just run and shoot at all cost.

 

[ukfan1622]

I’ve got to see the whole thing laid out. Hard for me to get too hung up on the order of commitments.

Chandler and Perry are both shooters. Oweh shoots a good percentage at low volume. Maybe Pope expects him to keep up that clip at higher volume?

Butler is fair from deep. Shoots pretty well on spot up. Shoots better on nights he puts up more shots.

I’d expect that we’ll see more shooting added, but I’m guessing like everyone else.

I think I'd have Butler take 100 threes a day from straight out top and take most of his game threes
from there and his 3 point shooting percentage would likely rise significantly. He doesn't need to be
a 3 point threat from all over the court, one or two spots will suffice. It's starting to look like Pope is
assembling a defensive beast; maybe he has enough confidence in his offense to think he doesn't need
a whole team of deadly shooters. Just a couple rambling thoughts.

 

[BassProCat]

View embedded media

 

[UKBloke]

View embedded media

Pope is so far ahead of everybody it’s hilarious. Even their shooting numbers benefit his style. It’s funny watching so many Miss it. But a happy “you rascals let pope cook” type of funny.

 

[Fox2monk]

View embedded media

All right! Now we can actually start to @Dontworryboutit23! As your name suggests! Loving some momentum finally.

 

[susan2361]

I always called Cal recruits pogo stick players. Bounce high and that’s all it’s for.

Brooks legs literally looked like they were going to snap in persought.

🤣🤣🤣🤣 I love that term "pogo stick players"!!!! They did look like they could snap at any moment!!!

 

[bigblueinsanity]

Mark may not be a defensive coach. Or he might be. He’s had to work with what he could get at BYU. Their skillset there trended more to developing a killer offense, so he did.
Mark played for one of the best defensive coaches ever and he has staff who can develop that now.
Sounds to me more like he’s adapting rather than committing to playing one way
Which is what he said he would do

I agree. But adapting is inherently a fall back position which means you agree he didn't get his top targets. That was my initial point all along.

Pretty crazy how much sunshine is pumped that people can barely admit this very obvious fact.

All these things can be and are true: 1) he had no experience in high level recruiting/portal chase 2) he missed his top guys 3) he can adapt 4) we can still be good.

 

[Dontworryboutit23]

All right! Now we can actually start to @Dontworryboutit23! As your name suggests! Loving some momentum finally.

Get Mahaney Carr and Robinson and I’m really excited

 

[Dontworryboutit23]

 

[Aike]

I agree. But adapting is inherently a fall back position which means you agree he didn't get his top targets. That was my initial point all along.

Pretty crazy how much sunshine is pumped that people can barely admit this very obvious fact.

All these things can be and are true: 1) he had no experience in high level recruiting/portal chase 2) he missed his top guys 3) he can adapt 4) we can still be good.

Since I’m not riding around in his shirt pocket, I have no idea exactly who he’s targeting, how much he wants each player, etc.

Not sure why you are dead set on spinning a failure narrative right out of the gate.

For all I know, he’s getting exactly who he wants. But let’s be honest, no one gets EVERYONE they want. It’s a competitive business.

 

[AJG-15]

Another thing I’m noticing is oweh looks built like a damn linebacker

That’s because he is the younger brother of Odafe Oweh from Baltimore Ravens. At 6.’5 215lbs he is built like a tank. Add that he plays defense, high energy and shoots 37.7% from the 3. The best guard at Kentucky so far. Now he can become elite next year. He only played 2 years of college .

 

[The_Answer1313]

I hear what you are saying, but for me, Arkansas is the one team that Pope can't afford to lose to. His team has got to lay the lumber to Cal's cream puffs.

As much as I'd love to get that game, I think the more important thing is we advance further in the tiournament than they do. That's what is going to be ultimately judged here.

 

[bigblueinsanity]

Since I’m not riding around in his shirt pocket, I have no idea exactly who he’s targeting, how much he wants each player, etc.

Not sure why you are dead set on spinning a failure narrative right out of the gate.

For all I know, he’s getting exactly who he wants. But let’s be honest, no one gets EVERYONE they want. It’s a competitive business.

I didn't say it was a failure. Not getting your top people does not equate to failure. Means he has to pivot and pivot he will.

We did get the top front court target and seems we'll get another. We had 5 mil and wide open pt and still didn't get the top back court targets.

It isn't the end of the world but it is noteworthy.

 

[UKBloke]

Since I’m not riding around in his shirt pocket, I have no idea exactly who he’s targeting, how much he wants each player, etc.

Not sure why you are dead set on spinning a failure narrative right out of the gate.

For all I know, he’s getting exactly who he wants. But let’s be honest, no one gets EVERYONE they want. It’s a competitive business.

You have to realize when you get the top 3 defensive players in the portal who also fit exactly the offensive schemes pope runs that has to mean he’s missed all of the players he wants

 

[The_Answer1313]

One of the things that has hurt UK over the past few years has been on the defensive side of things so it excites me to see that a large bulk of these guys we are getting seem to be very good on the defensive side of things. I think you combine that with Pope being a pretty good offensive coach and it's exciting to see what this team can be.

 

[blue cincy]

Oweh looks like Tarzan, hope he plays like Trazan. Reference. lol

 

[Aike]

Oweh looks like Tarzan, hope he plays like Trazan. Reference. lol

KA had an underrated career here. Played well on some pretty good teams.

 

[FilsonCat]

The purse swinging by some folks here is ridiculous. It is clear to me that Pope is being extremely purposeful in the team he's assembling. The focus on defensive capability and physicality is evident. This isn't a roster filled with finesse shooters who shy away from contact. This team will be initiators of contact on defense and won't back down from other SEC squads.

 

[davekersey]

I watched two n b a Analysts Debate Oweh's game. One said he could go second round the other said no, not without scoring more.. Both would like to see him be more assertive offensively. And both agreed on Defense he is. NBA ready. They said the size of the leap he made from year one to year 2. If he takes another leap like that, he'll Get drafted..