Pope recruiting

[yabbadabbadoo]

We really need to stop being concerned with getting a top recruiting class. Those days left with Calipari and are never coming back and I'm okay with that. I don't judge a year by how good of a recruiting class we get or how many go to the NBA afterwards. I judge the program based on how well the team plays in March. That is the only metric that has significant value to me and I am cautiously optimistic that Pope will be able to deliver.

I agree with this cat.
No more stressing about recruiting rankings, NBA draft stock, and all that business.
Pope gets it.
I can feel good about having a guy that cares about our beloved program and understands what it’s about now rather than worry if we can out-talent other opponents because we all know the previous regime couldn’t coach their way of a paper bag, whether or not they tried.
Too many promises and agendas for the past decade +

 

[AzubuikeandFitch]

I think the last 2 commitments are more a product of Pope and his staff’s hard work than geography. Our coach has been putting in the work since he arrived in Lexington.

Absolutely. He made inroads traveling abroad to keep up with several guys including Jasper Johnson. If we can land Mullins, and Cenac or Yessoufou then we'll be shaping up nicely.

 

[chevyman 50]

What Pope has did so far at recruiting at Ky is amazing.

 

[zoid1]

I know A LOT of people didn't think Pope could recruit to UK standards. I read it in a bunch of threads when he got hired. I'm just saying this was a big get for us no matter how you spin it. Pope just beat out Oats and UNC for a recruit another Blueblood and one of the hottest teams Bama and coaches Oats in college basketball who had been on JJ much longer.

I'm just proud our coach was only here 6 months and landed a full team and then 2 five stars already fo next year and is in the mix for multiple high skilled players in HS and portal. I think he's going to crush it here with the brand and resources he will get at UK opposed to a BYU. Anyway I was never worried about Pope getting talent here and he just proved he can beat a Blueblood and hot team and coach for a national recruit.

 

[smallmouthhog]

They werent. Pope did not beat out Cal for this recruit.
If Pope gets Wilson you can say that. But not here.

 

[Elliott Tim]

We've only had one coach at UK who could not recruit.
Billy G was too drunk or lazy or whatever.

Cal had too much success. Cost him/us in the end.

I believe Coach P can and will use his passion, UK's rep, the NIL + Portal to take us where we ain't been lately.

Tubby was not exactly a stellar recruiter.

 

[BarefootBeach]

They werent. Pope did not beat out Cal for this recruit.
If Pope gets Wilson you can say that. But not here.

So Cal did not want jasper or Moreno? You are joking right?

 

[chroix]

 

[dl51344]

How many freshmen will be starters in that season?

 

[bucsrule8872]

How many freshmen will be starters in that season?

Next season?

I figure Johnson will start.

Probably at least one more Freshman.

I really hope we have some returnees and then use the portal to reconstruct the lineup.

I really hope we don’t have 3+ Freshmen in the starting five.

 

[Ron Mehico]

How many freshmen will be starters in that season?

After the last 10 years I want as few as possible lol

 

[smallmouthhog]

So Cal did not want jasper or Moreno? You are joking right?

He wasnt recruiting them to Arkansas. He is after others. He will mostly like take three maybe 4 freshmen.
Pope beats out Cal for Wilson, Thomas or Cenac you will be correct. But not Moreno or Johnson.

 

[zoid1]

He wasnt recruiting them to Arkansas. He is after others. He will mostly like take three maybe 4 freshmen.
Pope beats out Cal for Wilson, Thomas or Cenac you will be correct. But not Moreno or Johnson.

So Cal didn't want the #11 overall recruit and top center recruit in the nation? I'm pretty sure had they picked Arky he would not have said no thanks Moreno I'm liking the 4 th best center and no Jasper I like the 29 th ranked guard better...???

 

[UKWildcats1987]

And I'm not even saying I need those recruits, or anything more right now, from Pope. I'm really not worried. It was more just to pump the brakes a BIT on Pope being a masterful recruiter just yet. I think he'll get there, so again, not really concerned.

I look at it this way.. say Kansas gets a new coach in 3 years, and he lands two top30 Kansas kids.. We'd all say the same thing, right?

No, no one would say that about Kansas.

Not sure why anyone would say he is close to a masterful recruiter though. Long way to go and a lot to prove on the court.

We don't need a masterful recruiter to win though. If you aren't a drunk you are gonna win a title at UK and we have 50 years of coaching evidence post Rupp to verify that.

 

[LineSkiCat14]

No, no one would say that about Kansas.

Not sure why anyone would say he is close to a masterful recruiter though. Long way to go and a lot to prove on the court.

We don't need a masterful recruiter to win though. If you aren't a drunk you are gonna win a title at UK and we have 50 years of coaching evidence post Rupp to verify that.

Ha, I would. If a brand new coach at Kansas or Tennessee got two top30 in-state recruits, in states that don't really produce a lot of basketball talent.. I'm gonna make a safe assumption that geography helped the recruitment at least some. That those coaches got a bit of a .. how would I say it.. a "layup"?

And honestly I can't say anyone here wouldn't call that out if some of our Kansas lurkers came here bragging about that. There's no way we wouldn't say "well, hold on here..". And we wouldn't really be wrong.

 

[DDMatUK=NBA]

So everyone wishing he fails...wrong.

#11 composite Johnson
#27 composite Moreno
#35 in 22 Chandler
Top 2 KY kids last year Perry and Noah
- Butler, Kriisa, Brea, Robinson, Almoror, Garrison, Oweh, Carr and Williams.

I'm pretty sure he can get the talent here he did that it what less then 6 months...

I think it is likely to get even better because I believe his system will help recruiting. If UK wins a lot with his system, it will be different and better for recruiting than the same system at BYU. We are UK and the wins and the exposure are a different level than most any place. Not to mention the NIL and facilities etc. I hope Pope continues to make believers from the naysayers.

 

[Son_Of_Saul]

Tubby Smith had ten recruiting cycles.

In that time, he landed only 7 McDonald's All-Americans (Prince, Bogans, Stone, Carruth, Rondo, Crawford, Morris).

Pope might almost double that amount in his first official recruiting cycle. I bet you he passes Tubby's Mickey D totals by his fourth full recruiting cycle.

 

[MrHotDice]

I know A LOT of people didn't think Pope could recruit to UK standards. I read it in a bunch of threads when he got hired. I'm just saying this was a big get for us no matter how you spin it. Pope just beat out Oats and UNC for a recruit another Blueblood and one of the hottest teams Bama and coaches Oats in college basketball who had been on JJ much longer.

I'm just proud our coach was only here 6 months and landed a full team and then 2 five stars already fo next year and is in the mix for multiple high skilled players in HS and portal. I think he's going to crush it here with the brand and resources he will get at UK opposed to a BYU. Anyway I was never worried about Pope getting talent here and he just proved he can beat a Blueblood and hot team and coach for a national recruit.

Bama and Oats was never on JJ longer than Kentucky. Kid was a Wildcat at birth.

 

[true blue1]

Thus far the naysayers (including myself) had doubts but damn he’s working his butt off! Props to Coach Pope!!!!!

 

[electricat2]

anybody that has coached at uk, and made an effort, has recruited well.
bcg was either drunk or incompetent.
tubby could recruit. i just feel like he did not like it and therefore didnt play the games that coaches have to play to get the elite recruits.
the rest recruited great.
and pope will as well

 

[DreadLox]

That’s true, let’s see if we pull a Caleb Wilson or Ament type recruit next. That will really put people at ease.

A #11 recruit is that kind of recruit. There are zillions of schools. 2 top 40 recruits. There are only 40 of them and Pope has already recruited 5% of them. There are only 38 more for the entire range of Div 1 schools.

 

[Son_Of_Saul]

They werent. Pope did not beat out Cal for this recruit.
If Pope gets Wilson you can say that. But not here.

We're laughing at your ignorance.

Cal's been recruiting Johnson for over two years. He kept recruiting him when he went to Arkansas. Try reading an article instead of smoking your piggy pipe. https://247sports.com/article/jaspe...-in-top-5-john-calipari-recruiting-234124731/

Cal knew he was a very distant third. You Hog fans are delusional. Go back and play in the pig pen if you're not going to bring strong arguments here.

Time to go home, pig.

 

[YankeeCpt]

who in the eff is rooting against him here?