PG next year

[JonathanW]

So it looks like no Dent. No Agbim.

Who do you think we get, who do you want?
Thomas (UNLV)
Smith (Purdue but not in portal yet)
Someone else in portal now?
Someone else not yet in portal?

 

[chasingwildcat]

So it looks like no Dent. No Agbim.

Who do you think we get, who do you want?
Thomas (UNLV)
Smith (Purdue but not in portal yet)
Someone else in portal now?
Someone else not yet in portal?

Thomas is most likely at this point

I am fine with Thomas, he will have better performance than last season

Remember no one noticed Bulter last year, now bulter is the most important player on this team

 

[JimBR]

Pope did a great job with getting Butler. I trust he will make a good choice.

 

[chasingwildcat]

Pope did a great job with getting Butler. I trust he will make a good choice.

Do not need to get "biggest name", just need to get "best fit"

No one thought Florida's three guards would be this great, they were not highly ranked in portal rankings.

We can also get this type of guard in portal, I believe in Pope, he found Butler last year..

 

[JPFisher]

So it looks like no Dent. No Agbim.

Who do you think we get, who do you want?
Thomas (UNLV)
Smith (Purdue but not in portal yet)
Someone else in portal now?
Someone else not yet in portal?

Assuming Perry doesn't bolt, we at least have a freshman PG, a freshman CG, and a sophomore PG who'd probably do a lot better as a CG or SG. Obviously, we'd prefer to have a dedicated, experienced PG.

Not the worst position to be in, but we need at least a seasoned PG and maybe a veteran who's willing to come off the bench.

Thomas may be our best bet at this point. There are worse options. The UGA guard doesn't seem like a world beater, but maybe it'll be like Butler where the system elevates everyone's play.

If Smith hits the portal, though, you throw a bag at him and force him to say no. That's a fact.

 

[CatPatrick13]

Lamar Wilkerson. Don’t forget.

 

[chasingwildcat]

Lamar Wilkerson. Don’t forget.

He is sg

 

[ukpence]

I actually see a world where we don't get either. Smith will most likely not enter the portal and Thomas seems like a Florida lean.

 

[ArtLaibsGhost]

We have to have somebody. Starting season with Perry at the point would be disastrous

 

[Aike]

We have to have somebody. Starting season with Perry at the point would be disastrous

Worst case is Acaden, which I wouldn’t expect to be disastrous.

 

[K_TIME]

Worst case is Acaden, which I wouldn’t expect to be disastrous.

If we start Perry or Lewis at Pg…Uk ain’t serious about winning it all in 2026…. Pope has to get a solid portal PG

 

[ArtLaibsGhost]

Worst case is Acaden, which I wouldn’t expect to be disastrous.

I don't doubt he is a n upgrade but we haven't had great success with freshman point guards of late

 

[Aike]

I don't doubt he is a n upgrade but we haven't had great success with freshman point guards of late

I fully expect to add an older, starter level pg. But I also expect AL to be a special player. Surrounded with the right pieces, I don’t think any of us will mind watching him run the team.

ETA: I think it wouldn’t be ideal to have both AL and JJ as starters, at least not early in the year.

 

[FitchandMurray29]

This is by far the biggest domino to next years team. I’m much more confident currently in the PF market and our ability to get who we want there.

 

[UKFAN4L]

There will be a big name PG enter the portal on a team that is still active (or eliminated over the last two days).
Money talks and literally every kid listens.

 

[Digger-Cat]

If we start Perry or Lewis at Pg…Uk ain’t serious about winning it all in 2026…. Pope has to get a solid portal PG

If those are our point guards, forget winning it all, that's not even on the table, we would have to just be happy to make the tournament.

 

[kywildcat41035]

After what we went through this year we need more than just Lewis! We have already struck out on Dent and Obi and those are really bad misses for Pope. He needs to get those Superstars that he said he’s going to get in order to be able to compete at the higher level!

 

[Aike]

If those are our point guards, forget winning it all, that's not even on the table, we would have to just be happy to make the tournament.

We’ve gone deep into the tournament lots of times with a freshman at pg. AL is special.

We won a title with a freshman Teague. I’m sure we’ll get a veteran pg, but I’m more concerned with the other spots.

 

[TucsonCat]

I'm not going to turn down the very best point guards available. But players get better. A solid starter this year can be all conference next year.

 

[TriCountyCat]

If Smith enters the portal and he would come to UK, you take him in a heartbeat. His handles are elite and best passing PG in college basketball.

 

[G-PIP]

Is Bruce Thornton projected in the 2nd round of the Draft? Otherwise, he would surely explore the portal, right?

 

[Fox2monk]

Worst case is Acaden, which I wouldn’t expect to be disastrous.

We need one stud PG, whoever that may be at this time. Let’s say it’s Thomas right now. Thomas, Lewis, and Johnson will be a very talented and deep PG position. Then we need a CG that replaces what Brea brought. Lamar Wilkerson would be a good fit, there are a lot of CG in the portal as well. (Dix,Worley,Conwell, Silas Demary, Bethea, Eaglestaff) to mention a few. We got a wing in Williams. I’d love to see a dynamic Forward and A great rebounding big man. Then we have a slot for the best player available if needed.

 

[runt#69]

It just blows me away to think this year's team might be the least talented Pope will ever have here ....

 

[runt#69]

We need one stud PG, whoever that may be at this time. Let’s say it’s Thomas right now. Thomas, Lewis will be a very talented and deep PG position. Then we need a CG that replaces what Brea brought. Lamar Wilkerson would be a good fit, there are a lot of CG in the portal as well. (Dix,Worley,Conwell, Silas Demary, Bethea, Eaglestaff) to mention a few. We got a wing in Williams. I’d love to see a dynamic Forward and A great rebounding big man. Then we have a slot for the best player available if needed.

see, there ya go. There are a lot of combinations and possibilities and I think CMP will get the right fit. I trust the man.

 

[AJG-15]

Next year , our team will have less flexibility than it had this year.

Last year, Pope as he declared , was scary that he had zero players to start with but also gave him tons of flexibility to build team exactly how he wanted to.

This year , he starts with 3 sophomore none of them that can start, possible 3 experienced players ( Oweh starter , Garrison sub, Kriisa- sub), and 3 freshman that normally should come of the bench.

Besides Oweh we have no returning starters and from the bench we lost the best contributor Breah. All the other returning players and freshman are working in progress and will give Pope less flexibility to build his team.

As he missed on acquiring top players from HS for next year, he will need to score big in portal. My opinion he needs to go 15 deep.

 

[cornbreadnmilk]

I just can't see Smith leaving Purdue.

 

[yoshukai]

If we start Perry or Lewis at Pg…Uk ain’t serious about winning it all in 2026…. Pope has to get a solid portal PG

I’ll say the same about Garrison at the 5 .

 

[AJG-15]

So next year he starts the team build process with one starter , Oweh, but 7 other spots (or 8 if Kriisa returns ) occupied by unproven, nonstarter, projects type of players…..

That means everyone that he gets needs to be a starter or very productive bench player. He will need to go 15 deep unless he sends off some players…

 

[yoshukai]

Is Bruce Thornton projected in the 2nd round of the Draft? Otherwise, he would surely explore the portal, right?

Can not believe he hasn’t entered. Maybe OSU spent their entire nil on him , lol.

 

[AJG-15]

I hope he he doesn’t sound desperate on recruiting from Portal.

It was kind weird on press conference last night , to see Carr and company were trying to recruit portal players for Pope.

 

[tf4fun]

Thomas is most likely at this point

I am fine with Thomas, he will have better performance than last season

Remember no one noticed Bulter last year, now bulter is the most important player on this team

We need someone who can penetrate, get to the rim and finish. Last night Auburn's 2 guards took over the game in the second half!

Oweh isn't quick enough ! He is more of a power driver, and for the life of me couldn't figure out why Pope didn't spread the floor and get him going down hill more yesterday. He tried him a few times, but didn't give him the right spacing/movement!

Loved butler, but he wasn't a elite creator!
That is a must for next year!

 

[AzubuikeandFitch]

Lamar Wilkerson. Don’t forget.

Not a true PG.

 

[jace2012]

I agree, it almost felt forced hearing the players say that about players in the portal. It sucks we only had the seniors for one season though

 

[bookerfan66]

Thomas seems the most likely. Solid but not the stud guard I was hoping for.

 

[Aike]

Next year , our team will have less flexibility than it had this year.

Last year, Pope as he declared , was scary that he had zero players to start with but also gave him tons of flexibility to build team exactly how he wanted to.

This year , he starts with 3 sophomore none of them that can start, possible 3 experienced players ( Oweh starter , Garrison sub, Kriisa- sub), and 3 freshman that normally should come of the bench.

Besides Oweh we have no returning starters and from the bench we lost the best contributor Breah. All the other returning players and freshman are working in progress and will give Pope less flexibility to build his team.

As he missed on acquiring top players from HS for next year, he will need to score big in portal. My opinion he needs to go 15 deep.

Chandler should be good enough to start. Possibly BG too, if he sticks around. Both rotation guys on a top 12 team, with an entire offseason to improve.

 

[Cat_Man_Blue]

Assuming Perry doesn't bolt, we at least have a freshman PG, a freshman CG, and a sophomore PG who'd probably do a lot better as a CG or SG. Obviously, we'd prefer to have a dedicated, experienced PG.

Not the worst position to be in, but we need at least a seasoned PG and maybe a veteran who's willing to come off the bench.

Thomas may be our best bet at this point. There are worse options. The UGA guard doesn't seem like a world beater, but maybe it'll be like Butler where the system elevates everyone's play.

If Smith hits the portal, though, you throw a bag at him and force him to say no. That's a fact.

I don't know what the final tally was, but near the end of the game Smith had 14 assists last night.

 

[TriCountyCat]

I’ve not watched a ton but is there reason to believe that Jasper Johnson will play 25 plus minutes?

 

[chasingwildcat]

I’ve not watched a ton but is there reason to believe that Jasper Johnson will play 25 plus minutes?

he will

 

[westerncat]

I trust Pope and the staff to get the players that will fit at UK. I think he will get a good PG that is out there. The freshmen that played this year is only going to get better next season. Just trust Pope to get the right players and build a great team.

 

[yoshukai]

I hope he he doesn’t sound desperate on recruiting from Portal.

It was kind weird on press conference last night , to see Carr and company were trying to recruit portal players for Pope.

lol. I think they were just being honest.