So I wanted you all to think about how different things are going to be around here....this year Pope had to fully rebuild the roster in a month with pretty much all transfers....It shows Pope values experience and knows he won't have that this year....so he had to create it in the portal.
But look at the possible guys we'll have back next season....guys we'll have developing. Guys who will be experienced....
2025-2026 Possible Returning guys...
-Otega Oweh: Senior Wing/Guard
A top 100 recruit out of HS. Will be a senior with 3 years of starting experience in power conference basketball.
-Brandon Garrison: Junior Center
A top 50 recruit out of HS. Will be a junior with already a year of starting experience...and will be a major rotation piece this year.
-Collin Chandler: Sophomore (age of senior) Wing/Guard
A top 35 recruit out of HS. Will be 22 next season. A legit NBA prospect who will be much older and could make a bigger leap than most will realize.
-Travis Perry: Sophomore Guard
A Top 75 recruit. Kentucky's All-Time Leading Scorer.
-Trent Noah: Sophomore Wing/Guard
A top 100ish recruit. Legit D1 player that came from SC.
That's 5 guys who are top 100 recruit talents....2 will be upperclassmen.
So some will claim TALENT TALENT TALENT but forget top 50-100 guys are talented...but you have to build them up over 3-4 years. Go back to Cal's best team at Memphis with Derrick Rose....he started all seniors and juniors around star freshman Derrick Rose. Our 2011 Final Four team? Jorts, Miller, and Liggins were all upperclassmen. Cal just went for ALL FRESHMAN and didn't want to try and build a roster....
So look at that....you could have 5 back. 5 top 100 talents all back and experienced. And now you can build....
-You can add the top transfer PF to go along with Garrison. Maybe AJ Dybantsa?
-Baylor was in on Darryn Peterson, Koa Peat, and Jasper Johnson
-Malachi Moreno is right there and you can add him into the big man rotation
-Probably add an experienced PG to run the show.
We're adding Alvin Brooks who is an elite recruiter to our staff who was already in on top recruits, so he ain't new to this and already has the contacts and has a national title on his resume. Hart was a G-League Ignite Coach...so he knows the top recruits and has pro connections. Oh....and add the Kentucky brand and NIL to both of these guys. We're going to get top recruits.
So add 3 top 30 level recruits, 2-3 top transfers, then 2-3 transfers/freshman for development/depth. And we have a full year to figure it out too. And going in next year with Garrison/Chandler/Oweh as a core 3 surrounded by a few more top recruits/transfers and you're thinking preseason title favorites.
Not to mention...we'll be in much better shape with NIL. We also know with losing 6 guys already....plus 1-2 open spots....we won't have to worry about guys being scared either. It really feels like he's going to build his roster the way Bill Self builds his teams at KU.
But look at the possible guys we'll have back next season....guys we'll have developing. Guys who will be experienced....
2025-2026 Possible Returning guys...
-Otega Oweh: Senior Wing/Guard
A top 100 recruit out of HS. Will be a senior with 3 years of starting experience in power conference basketball.
-Brandon Garrison: Junior Center
A top 50 recruit out of HS. Will be a junior with already a year of starting experience...and will be a major rotation piece this year.
-Collin Chandler: Sophomore (age of senior) Wing/Guard
A top 35 recruit out of HS. Will be 22 next season. A legit NBA prospect who will be much older and could make a bigger leap than most will realize.
-Travis Perry: Sophomore Guard
A Top 75 recruit. Kentucky's All-Time Leading Scorer.
-Trent Noah: Sophomore Wing/Guard
A top 100ish recruit. Legit D1 player that came from SC.
That's 5 guys who are top 100 recruit talents....2 will be upperclassmen.
So some will claim TALENT TALENT TALENT but forget top 50-100 guys are talented...but you have to build them up over 3-4 years. Go back to Cal's best team at Memphis with Derrick Rose....he started all seniors and juniors around star freshman Derrick Rose. Our 2011 Final Four team? Jorts, Miller, and Liggins were all upperclassmen. Cal just went for ALL FRESHMAN and didn't want to try and build a roster....
So look at that....you could have 5 back. 5 top 100 talents all back and experienced. And now you can build....
-You can add the top transfer PF to go along with Garrison. Maybe AJ Dybantsa?
-Baylor was in on Darryn Peterson, Koa Peat, and Jasper Johnson
-Malachi Moreno is right there and you can add him into the big man rotation
-Probably add an experienced PG to run the show.
We're adding Alvin Brooks who is an elite recruiter to our staff who was already in on top recruits, so he ain't new to this and already has the contacts and has a national title on his resume. Hart was a G-League Ignite Coach...so he knows the top recruits and has pro connections. Oh....and add the Kentucky brand and NIL to both of these guys. We're going to get top recruits.
So add 3 top 30 level recruits, 2-3 top transfers, then 2-3 transfers/freshman for development/depth. And we have a full year to figure it out too. And going in next year with Garrison/Chandler/Oweh as a core 3 surrounded by a few more top recruits/transfers and you're thinking preseason title favorites.
Not to mention...we'll be in much better shape with NIL. We also know with losing 6 guys already....plus 1-2 open spots....we won't have to worry about guys being scared either. It really feels like he's going to build his roster the way Bill Self builds his teams at KU.
