Positive Wilson update

[UK67KU59]

I”m 0 percent worried about Pope’s ability to recruit the portal. He basically selected who he wanted this year for an entire roster. Now he will be selecting 3 to 4 and will be very specific ,picky and successful IMO.

Yeah Pope seems to have a great handle on which players will make good teammates while also having the skills, abilities, and intangibles we will need to succeed. He went all in on Butler and that has proven to have been an excellent choice. If we could have 15 Butlers of various sizes and skillsets next year we would do big things.

 

[podgejeff_]

Yeah Pope seems to have a great handle on which players will make good teammates while also having the skills, abilities, and intangibles we will need to succeed. He went all in on Butler and that has proven to have been an excellent choice. If we could have 15 Butlers of various sizes and skillsets next year we would do big things.

You give me 15 Lamont Butlers on a team and the other team just doesn't get to bring the ball up the court. Period.

 

[bnewt]

Think it all boils down to biggest pay day.
Nothing but college free agency

 

[Fox2monk]

Imo, almonor returning isn't much help. He has really struggled against better competition

He played well last game, I would love to have his shooting and size back.

 

[B.B.H.]

He played well last game, I would love to hs e his shooting and size back.

You can never have too many guys that are willing to play a specific role. AA is one of my favorite players because of it

 

[WildcatNC]

I'm assuming the UNC smoke is the usual drama being drummed up to make it look like it wasn't UK all along, when it really was.

 

[Bmber225]

I'm assuming the UNC smoke is the usual drama being drummed up to make it look like it wasn't UK all along, when it really was.

I agree with this👆🏻

 

[bigblue1971]

I'm not sure Ament wouldn't be a bigger need than Wilson. A 3/4 that can dribble, shoot, drive. Get a big body PF that is a good rebounder and serviceable shooter whether it be a portal transfer or European player. I'm likely completely wrong but Wilson gives me serious Damian Collins vibes.

 

[ukfan1622]

I'm not sure Ament wouldn't be a bigger need than Wilson. A 3/4 that can dribble, shoot, drive. Get a big body PF that is a good rebounder and serviceable shooter whether it be a portal transfer or European player. I'm likely completely wrong but Wilson gives me serious Damian Collins vibes.

We need at least one of each but preferably only one is a freshman.

 

[L.O.D.]

Assuming all return that can - That's Oweh, Garrison, Perry, Noah, Chandler - with Lewis, Jasper, and Moreno .

Portal we need a elite Big to start as I doubt Moreno is ready and I believe Garrison will move to PF . Need a back up pg to Lewis unless Kerr is out rest of year and returns. We also need either a stud recruit or a top portal guy . Don't need Wilson but need someone like him.

I think Pope will do that and more. Do t underestimate power of positivity and Pope has that in spades.

 

[chasingwildcat]

I'm not sure Ament wouldn't be a bigger need than Wilson. A 3/4 that can dribble, shoot, drive. Get a big body PF that is a good rebounder and serviceable shooter whether it be a portal transfer or European player. I'm likely completely wrong but Wilson gives me serious Damian Collins vibes.

I think we recruit Wilson over Ament hurt our chance on Ament.

I think Ament is Duke to lose now. But if we make Ament the first choice since June/July, things may be different

I think Wilson will be greatly but it hurts me a lot if we can not grab him (because if we do not land him, we are likely to get none of top 10 highschool guys)

 

[Princecal]

Grab a stud SG, and a stud big man who can play the 4/5. Go into the season with 2 studs at every position. I believe we only have 5 that can return though so we would need 4 portal options. I don’t think Kriisa/Almonor can return.

If Kerr doesn't play anymore I think he can medical redshirt but other than that no he can't

 

[bnewt]

I think we recruit Wilson over Ament hurt our chance on Ament.

I think Ament is Duke to lose now. But if we make Ament the first choice since June/July, things may be different

I think Wilson will be greatly but it hurts me a lot if we can not grab him (because if we do not land him, we are likely to get none of top 10 highschool guys)

I wondered why all of the Ament talk just suddenly stopped. Is this the case, that UK preferred Wilson over Ament?
Pictures of Wilson seem to show him as being more physically advanced, bigger, stronger than Ament. Personally, I prefer shooters, but you must also have defenders & rebounders to be successful. Ament is described as more advanced on the offensive side and smaller, thinner. Wilson also seemed to defer to the Boozer twins during the summer when they played together. Maybe, he had no choice as they were always the main attention getter.

 

[B.B.H.]

I wondered why all of the Ament talk just suddenly stopped. Is this the case, that UK preferred Wilson over Ament?
Pictures of Wilson seem to show him as being more physically advanced, bigger, stronger than Ament. Personally, I prefer shooters, but you must also have defenders & rebounders to be successful. Ament is described as more advanced on the offensive side and smaller, thinner. Wilson also seemed to defer to the Boozer twins during the summer when they played together. Maybe, he had no choice as they were always the main attention getter.

Personally, I’d rather have Ament than Wilson. By all accounts, I haven’t heard that Kentucky figures to be trending with Ament though. Definitely more likely to get Wilson. They are very different players. Wilson is a defense first, versatile player with more athleticism to his game, but Ament is an offensive problem with three level scoring ability and a much better jumper. The Ament comp is a Michael Porter Jr. to give an idea. To me, that would be awesome in Pope’s system but you have to play both sides of the ball and some have Wilson as the best defender out of anyone at his position, while also showing an ability to let the game come to him.

 

[mcwildcats04]

 

[BlueWorldOrder74]

That's a good point. I'd still like to have Wilson. If Almonor gets his '5th' year and comes back, I really like that combo at C/PF/SF, but we are still laking an elite guard from the portal.

C Garrison Moreno
PF Wilson Almonor
SF Oweh Chandler Noah
SG Johnson
PG Lewis/Krissa/Perry

I’m not sold on Moreno yet. He just seems so soft. Guy needs to get in the gym and also needs to find a mean streak. Hopefully it’s just the few times I’ve seen him, but that was my takeaway.

 

[mcwildcats04]

Torres still thinks UK leads (disagrees with Shaw/Branham). Cites UNC shifting more in NIL towards football and mentions their more recent recruiting misses in basketball (Jasper, Mullins, etc.)

 

[westerncat]

The NCAA has been saying 5 years to play. I have not kept up with this so is it been official yet ? If they do who can come back for their 5th year for UK ?

 

[Supafuzz75]

-

The NCAA has been saying 5 years to play. I have not kept up with this so is it been official yet ? If they do who can come back for their 5th year for UK ?

Supposed to discuss it early this year when they meet is all they've said so far..

 

[Dontworryboutit23]

Torres still thinks UK leads (disagrees with Shaw/Branham). Cites UNC shifting more in NIL towards football and mentions their more recent recruiting misses in basketball (Jasper, Mullins, etc.)

The only thing concerning for me is the longer this recruitment goes on without Wilson announcing a commitment date.

 

[Fox2monk]

The only thing concerning for me is the longer this recruitment goes on without Wilson announcing a commitment date.

It’s supposed to be this month. I agree if it goes into or past February I’ll be worried.

 

[chroix]

Posted right after our awesome win last night…

 

[westerncat]

Wish he would just go ahead and get it over with. If not UK then we can move on.

 

[Skyguyb27]

I’m not talking about just Wilson.

If we start conceding the top tier talent to the Dukes and UConn’s because of some nostalgia longing for how things “used to be” or we don’t want to pay then we will be IU in five-ten years.

Top tier talent hasn’t proven to be better than skilled experience players this year so far.

 

[blackcat714]

We have been doing pretty good with the last minute portal guys this year so far why not keep going that route.

 

[chroix]

We have been doing pretty good with the last minute portal guys this year so far why not keep going that route.

That’s a crazy (borderline idiotic) plan. Hope you get a good one last minute vs working all of the angles to get the best possible roster? You for real here?

 

[blackcat714]

That’s a crazy (borderline idiotic) plan. Hope you get a good one last minute vs working all of the angles to get the best possible roster? You for real here?

Talking about last years portal guys it had already been open 20 days before Pope was named coach so he had a late start

 

[Someguywhodoesntlikeyou]

Top tier talent hasn’t proven to be better than skilled experience players this year so far.

Cooper Flag. Jackious, Pettiford all come to mind as difference makers on top teams.

Bailey and Harper would be difference makers if they had gone somewhere other than Rutgers. Steve Pikell is just not the type of coach that can handle elite talent.

 

[Skyguyb27]

Cooper Flag. Jackious, Pettiford all come to mind as difference makers on top teams.

Bailey and Harper would be difference makers if they had gone somewhere other than Rutgers. Steve Pikell is just not the type of coach that can handle elite talent.

Pettiford? LUL Butler has better stats, better defense, and Butler doesn’t get rattled. Try again. Flag is a true 1 and done but when UK played him, he had how many turnovers against our experience? It cost them the game, experienced beat him and his boys.

 

[chasingwildcat]

Pettiford? LUL Butler has better stats, better defense, and Butler doesn’t get rattled. Try again. Flag is a true 1 and done but when UK played him, he had how many turnovers against our experience? It cost them the game, experienced beat him and his boys.

again, if you can grab player like Flagg, do not hesitate even with one second

If we have flagg in this team, we would lose zero game

 

[chasingwildcat]

Pettiford? LUL Butler has better stats, better defense, and Butler doesn’t get rattled. Try again. Flag is a true 1 and done but when UK played him, he had how many turnovers against our experience? It cost them the game, experienced beat him and his boys.

Duke is not a balanced team in offence. Duke only relies on he and that white shooting guy in offence. Duke offence is performed purely on talent and almost no coaching system, and their defence is very good. Duke is relied on super ond talent.

So if we can combine super ond talent with experience and built a more balanced system, we can make success.

 

[YardCat]

again, if you can grab player like Flagg, do not hesitate even with one second

If we have flagg in this team, we would lose zero game

Flagg would be an elite player more than he is if he was in our offense. Maybe one day..

 

[The_Catfather]

I'm not sure Ament wouldn't be a bigger need than Wilson. A 3/4 that can dribble, shoot, drive. Get a big body PF that is a good rebounder and serviceable shooter whether it be a portal transfer or European player. I'm likely completely wrong but Wilson gives me serious Damian Collins vibes.

I remember watching Damion Collins highlights a few years ago and being concerned before he ever got to Lexington. He's from Atlanta (Texas) and was playing in gyms that looked like elementary school gyms and was being guarded by little white dudes. Not to mention he looked like he weighed about 160. Wilson is from the other Atlanta and has played against superior competition for years, in addition to all the camps. It took a couple years for Collins to develop and he's carved out a nice role at LSU. I'm really happy for him. That game-ending block against the Hogs last night was awesome.

I think Pope looks at Wilson as an ideal complement to Garrison next year. Wilson's got a good build already, but give him (and Garrison) another year of offseason development and that's a pretty stout 4-5 combo next year. Wilson's not as well-rounded as Carr, but would give us another rim-protector, a more versatile defender and an elite finisher in transition. I get Terrence Jones vibes from watching him. The only way I'd back off is if he'd completely drain our NIL and I don't think Pope would be recruiting him as hard if that was the case.

Depending on what Oweh, Almonor and Kriisa do (and if there's any expected transfers) there wouldn't be many roster spots to fill and Pope could really hone in on 2-3 portal guys to perfectly fill out the roster.