Robinson raises the floor, brings things in focus.

[ukpence]

This season will be interesting to say the least! It'll be a complete contrast to the last four years. Will that be good or bad? Only time will tell. However, this is definitely a top 20-25 team on talent alone imo.

Jaxson could be the piece that makes everything work. Not only does he have talent, but he knows Pope. He believes in his vision and understands what he wants to do on the court. If this season is a success, then it could be because of Robinson being the perfect connecter.

 

[Trollsensor]

It's been hard for a lot of people to wrap their minds around. People got so used to seeing big time recruits and 5 stars that they couldn't appreciate the job Pope has done in such a short time. He took over a program that was gutted. Cal made sure he left a scorched earth when he took another job. To have assembled the staff and roster he has managed, I think Pope has done a great job. This team should be a hard out in the tournament.

 

[JAPierce_2]

What Robinson does is make us click. ~15 points/game we can count on even despite opposing defenses keying on him. That’s the big thing that was missing for us. And having it guarantees that our offense will be clicking 1 through 5. Because when you have a guy who can score 15 points a night with defenses keying on him, defenses have to key on him. Otherwise he’ll light you up for 30 or 40. That makes all our other players more dangerous. And we have a deep roster of players who, when they get more dangerous, they get much more dangerous.

Make no mistake. Robinson doesn’t just raise our floor. He raises the fire out of our ceiling.

I mean have you seen him play? Just curious if you’ve actually watched him play or this is just based off stats or what.

 

[Tubbyfan78]

I think and am hoping this will resemble one of the better Tubby teams. No SUPER high end talent but a lot of really good players coached well.

 

[K_TIME]

I see the starting line up as :

PG: Butler 25 mpg
SG: Brea 28 mpg
SF: Robinson 30 mpg
PF: Carr 25 mpg
C: Williams 28 mpg

That is a great defensive unit...tons of length and rangy guys that can defend. Good ball defenders and we ain't getting punked inside as well as our guards can play tough

The other part of this roster....we won't get tired as we'll finally play some depth and kids will go harder and then rest.

Krissa
Chandler
Oweh
Almonor
Garrison

That is a strong depth....I especially love Garrison and Oweh toughness off the bench. We can play to that strength. Those games were we'd play 1-2 guys down.....and lose games due to it....will be gone and that helps seeds lines that Cal just coudlnt care less about.

 

[BigKari]

It’s a team full of guys who would be 3rd round draft picks…if there was a 3rd round. A bunch of really good college basketball players. With so much roster turnover throughout college basketball, I think depth and experience is going to be such a huge advantage, I don’t think it’s being talked about enough by national media guys. It’s really going to come down to how the group gels because Robinson & Pope is all the continuity we have. The way I see it, Kansas is absolutely loaded, but after them are there more than 1 or 2 teams we’d trade rosters with?

 

[BigKari]

I see the starting line up as :

PG: Butler 25 mpg
SG: Brea 28 mpg
SF: Robinson 30 mpg
PF: Carr 25 mpg
C: Williams 28 mpg

That is a great defensive unit...tons of length and rangy guys that can defend. Good ball defenders and we ain't getting punked inside as well as our guards can play tough

The other part of this roster....we won't get tired as we'll finally play some depth and kids will go harder and then rest.

Krissa
Chandler
Oweh
Almonor
Garrison

That is a strong depth....I especially love Garrison and Oweh toughness off the bench. We can play to that strength. Those games were we'd play 1-2 guys down.....and lose games due to it....will be gone and that helps seeds lines that Cal just coudlnt care less about.

Starting squad is a Round of 32 team, the backups are team that scratches and claws for an NIT bid. The question is, when combined, what does that equate to? Do we top out at Round of 32 potential, or does that gel together well enough to make a dark horse contender?

 

[Coach Marrow]

It’s a team full of guys who would be 3rd round draft picks…if there was a 3rd round. A bunch of really good college basketball players. With so much roster turnover throughout college basketball, I think depth and experience is going to be such a huge advantage, I don’t think it’s being talked about enough by national media guys. It’s really going to come down to how the group gels because Robinson & Pope is all the continuity we have. The way I see it, Kansas is absolutely loaded, but after them are there more than 1 or 2 teams we’d trade rosters with?

Team nickname “The Third Rounders.” I like it.

 

[know1]

I posted something similar in a thread a few weeks ago. Expectations will ebb and flow throughout the offseason and regular season but it's fun to dream in the summer doldrums.

Regular Season: 25-6 (lose to Gonzaga)
Conference Record: 14-4
Top 4 Seed in SEC Tourney
SEC Tourney Runner-up
Record entering NCAA: 27-7 [Low #2/High #3 Seed Line]
Season Record: 31-8
NCAA Final Four

Alabama looks tough in the SEC, but I think we at least compete for the regular season crown. It's so hard to peg teams in the portal/NIL era because rosters get completely overhauled, but Kansas, Houston, Baylor and Gonzaga look like they are set up well for good seasons. October/November can't get here soon enough!


Home

• Alabama - W
• Arkansas - W
• Auburn - W
• Florida - W
• LSU - W
• South Carolina - W
• Tennessee - W
• Texas A&M - L
• Vanderbilt - W

Away

• at Alabama - L
• at Georgia - W
• at Ole Miss Rebels - L
• at Mississippi State - W
• at Missouri - W
• at Oklahoma - W
• at Tennessee - L
• at Texas - W
• at Vanderbilt - W

This is pretty much what I'm thinking other than the listing of the individual games. One of the top teams in conference, strong showing in SEC tourney and a 3 seed in the NCAA.

 

[ralphdaltonfan]

I agree with everything except Kriisa. I think people are wildly underestimating his ability and the way he fits so well with these kinds of players. He’s what you’d call a gamer, cannot be intimidated, and is playing for wins. He can also get red hot when he’s on which will make UK that much more deadly. There’s a reason Pope wanted Kriisa at his last stops too. And we shouldn’t forget he had already led a team to a top seed in the tournament.

Kriisa is going to give this team an edge that will be very much needed in the rough and tumble of the SEC.

Didn't ask for anyone to agree with me on Kriisa. I think he's vastly overrated and have felt that way since watching him at Arizona. He was a putrid performer in NCAA tournament play for Arizona and didn't show up in the games they won or lost.

"Edge" and "gamer" talk means more when guys produce when it matters to me. It's easy to play well with a safety net, once you get to the point your season is on the line....then you find out who has an edge and who is fake. Look up Kriisa's NCAA Tournament numbers--he crapped the bed.

When you shoot 3-24 in 3 NCAA Tournament games and have an Assist to TO ratio of 4 to 8 that's awful.

Hope you are right, but it's not like I'm just biased and didn't watch them play. Arizona had some major gutless no shows on their NCAA Teams in '22 and '23 and that big kid Tubelis and Kriisa were major reasons they got beat--Mathurin saved their asses in '22 TCU game to make Sweet 16 or it would've been a really rotten resume.

Now he did have the injury excuse in '22 to cover for him but he played the exact same way in '23's awful showing against Princeton. At some point......you either play well or you don't. He didn't play in their opening game in '22 so they were 1-2 with him playing on the court in NCAA play.

I'll be very pleased to come admit that I was wrong if he shows out and has a great season but I'm less enthused about him and really like the other players on the roster.

 

[Killswitch24]

Didn't ask for anyone to agree with me on Kriisa. I think he's vastly overrated and have felt that way since watching him at Arizona. He was a putrid performer in NCAA tournament play for Arizona and didn't show up in the games they won or lost.

"Edge" and "gamer" talk means more when guys produce when it matters to me. It's easy to play well with a safety net, once you get to the point your season is on the line....then you find out who has an edge and who is fake. Look up Kriisa's NCAA Tournament numbers--he crapped the bed.

When you shoot 3-24 in 3 NCAA Tournament games and have an Assist to TO ratio of 4 to 8 that's awful.

Hope you are right, but it's not like I'm just biased and didn't watch them play. Arizona had some major gutless no shows on their NCAA Teams in '22 and '23 and that big kid Tubelis and Kriisa were major reasons they got beat--Mathurin saved their asses in '22 TCU game to make Sweet 16 or it would've been a really rotten resume.

Now he did have the injury excuse in '22 to cover for him but he played the exact same way in '23's awful showing against Princeton. At some point......you either play well or you don't. He didn't play in their opening game in '22 so they were 1-2 with him playing on the court in NCAA play.

I'll be very pleased to come admit that I was wrong if he shows out and has a great season but I'm less enthused about him and really like the other players on the roster.

He just fits well with the pieces UK has, I don’t think much of his former teams especially WVU and his injury almost assuredly caused issues in 22. He needs to assert himself as more of a passer than he really has been and I think it all takes care of himself from there. When I look at Kriisa I see a guy that needs certain players around him and on a certain roster to be as good as I believe he is. We’ll see, but I don’t think anyone will look back and say they’d have rather not had him on this team.

 

[KYCAT78]

Mid Major teams with less talent than us have made the Elite8 and FF. If the team gels and plays as a team I think we will be OK and go further than Cal took us supposedly with 5 star talent.

 

[ukfan1622]

I think many are sleeping on Carr.

those lazy bastards!

 

[blue cincy]

Best part of all this guessing is just that. It is fun to guess.

We have no idea which teams come together, which teams are tons better than all the so called experts are even giving a chance. We have no idea of injuries to any team, luck, drive and desire. We have no idea about chemistry for any team in college basketball for all of this. So we all can keep discussing our points, using any metric to help prove our data and such. None matter. None is proven reliable.

KENTUCKY will be KENTUCKY under Mark Pope all season long. By March we will have an indicator of just how KENTUCKY we are. Same goes for all other squads.


Cannot wait to see it all unfold. Cannot wait to go along for the ride. My take, we will be a much better product, representing the State of KENTUCKY, University of KENTUCKY and all of us KENTUCKY fans.

GO BIG BLUE!

 

[ukfan1622]

It’s a team full of guys who would be 3rd round draft picks…if there was a 3rd round. A bunch of really good college basketball players. With so much roster turnover throughout college basketball, I think depth and experience is going to be such a huge advantage, I don’t think it’s being talked about enough by national media guys. It’s really going to come down to how the group gels because Robinson & Pope is all the continuity we have. The way I see it, Kansas is absolutely loaded, but after them are there more than 1 or 2 teams we’d trade rosters with?

It will be an interesting experiment. The common wisdom is that you need stars to win big but it looks like we have no stars but at least 10 guys that would be late 2nd round to 3rd round picks(I miss the 3rd round).

 

[stereonut]

I hope the floor isn’t raised like Vandy’s.

 

[Bluegrassking]

Talked about watching Robinson in several clips in another thread. Did not know he was this good. He will be a problem for everyone. His offense is high level. And with him already knowing the offense and playing with more older and talented guys than he ever has it will be interesting to see how it all comes together.

He makes tough shots, if he was a just take what the defense gives him sort of guy his efficiency would be much higher.

Plays long, good first step, NBA plus deep range.

 

[Bluegrassking]

If this group gels and then can consistently rebound I think we can compete at a very high level.

I think rebounding will be the toughest aspect to lock down to being better than solid.

All the threes and being so spread has some cost.

 

[HenryMuto]

Still not in Parrish top 26 but Alabama is #2 with Sears coming back

 

[TucsonCat]

I don’t think Carr will score a lot, but I hope he’ll be extremely reliable for 10+ points a game.

I gotta say, if the 4th leading scorer on NIT Wake Forest increases his numbers with this team, I'm going to be concerned.

 

[BlueRunner11]

I agree with everything except Kriisa. I think people are wildly underestimating his ability and the way he fits so well with these kinds of players. He’s what you’d call a gamer, cannot be intimidated, and is playing for wins. He can also get red hot when he’s on which will make UK that much more deadly. There’s a reason Pope wanted Kriisa at his last stops too. And we shouldn’t forget he had already led a team to a top seed in the tournament.

Kriisa is going to give this team an edge that will be very much needed in the rough and tumble of the SEC.

Kriiisa is the number 2 catch and shoot player in the country. Right behind Brea. Not a stat most might not pay that much attention to but it’ll fit perfect in Popes system. Expect a lot of kickouts.

 

[bucsrule8872]

Kriiisa is the number 2 catch and shoot player in the country. Right behind Brea. Not a stat most might not pay that much attention to but it’ll fit perfect in Popes system. Expect a lot of kickouts.

Pair that with Williams and Garrison being great passers out of the post. On paper, that looks very promising.

 

[kennyskywalker34]

With Robinson/Brea on the wings--the lane should open up for a lot of easy baskets or at least opportunities to get some easy hoops. That should make Butler's job a lot easier than what he was used to at San Diego State on the offensive end. How the team finishes at the rim will matter--Oweh is strong in this area and so was Chandler out of HS--he's the guy who has highest upside on the entire roster if he can knock off the rust as expected.

Very experienced/solid roster and can play a variety of ways. Only player I'm not nearly as high on as the Coaching Staff/Pope is Kriisa. But hope that I'm wrong and he has a fantastic last season.

As the season goes on I'm not sure how much Kirisa plays. He is a good but very streaky shooter and is very careless with the ball and is a bad defender. That's what I've saw from him in the past at least.

 

[Skyguyb27]

Right... we have a talent group of upper class men. But yet we all fell head over heel for freshman players who couldn't shoot a lick but rather jump out of the gym.

Keep hearing we need a "superstar" this isn't the fricken NBA.

Pope has a squad now if it comes together we will see but these are the teams I've been clamoring for years.

I agree, with this offense and the shooters we have, everyone is a go get me a bucket type guy and there is enough if someone is having an off night then it’s next man up. It’s unfortunate that the SEC is gonna be so brutal his first year where as the last coach enjoyed the weak conference several times.

 

[ThrowBackCat9]

Are there a better comparison for JR than Antonio Reeves?? I don’t think so as they have several similarities including size and play style.

If JR can make the improvements driving the ball that Reeves did coming into this past season, watch out!

 

[Slowwalker]

BYU was a 6 and this team has WAY more talent. Raise your expectations.

BYU didn’t play in the 2024/25 SEC

 

[Jim Malone Lt.]

BYU didn’t play in the 2024/25 SEC

They did play in the Big 12 2024.

 

[BigBlueTrue75]

Honestly, I don't really care about seeding and final record. I have this sense of relief, hope, optimism and joy because I know we have Kentucky basketball back. And I am perfectly happy to give Pope a couple years to make us a legit contender. I fully expect Kentucky to be a solid top 10 team in the near future. I'm so freaking happy about what's happened in the last month or so. Feels great to be rid of Cal!!

💯 Same boat here sir, agree completely. That sense of relief is still present every day, it took me a couple days to fully believe it because it was too good to be true!

 

[UK67KU59]

I gotta say, if the 4th leading scorer on NIT Wake Forest increases his numbers with this team, I'm going to be concerned.

I think Carr was on par with Sallis last year as one of Wake’s best players. He may not have had the highest usage but his offensive and defensive efficiency were great relative to his teammates. His versatility and well rounded game are strengths. His team wasn’t great but I think he will be one of our top three guys next year on a really good team.

 

[Jkwo]

Agree. There is a lot of hesitancy yet year in and year out we (for the most part and myself included) but hook line and sinker on every one of Cal's classes....and those guys never stepped foot on a CBB floor.

Personally, I think this team was a contender without Robinson. This is farnmore talent than Pope has ever had as a HC.

Fully expect us to compete for SEC title and beyond next year.

Because there are 10-15 teams or so with equal or more talent and way more continuity.

This roster is 10-15 in a vacuum, but that's before accounting for the fact that none of them have ever even met except our Kentucky freshmen.

Could they be top 10 by March? It's not impossible, but setting that as the expectation is not fair to Mark or the new cats.