Travis Perry to the portal

[Kybluedude]

Was hoping he would help replace some of Brea and Robinson’s outside shooting and spreading the floor. Average about 8 off the bench.

Who replaces those 2 and their shooting?

Pope falling into the Cal/ fans’ “athlete over skill and Bball iq” type?

 

[Slowwalker]

This has to be playing time. His NIL will not be bigger anywhere else. Hope he does well for himself. Would have been cool to see a few KY kids contribute to a banner or two…/

 

[PopesReignOverCardinals]

Random thoughts … the romantic side of me says I wish he would be a 4 year guy .. add some serious depth and experience to step in at the right moments .
Secondly is this move gonna cost him major bucks ??? He’s wildly popular in / around Lexington and the entire state . Gotta have nice NIL going , to go be the 8-9th man at a nice D1 or go score 45 a game at UPike .. either cost him money . If he goes to non power 5 he gets PT but no money .
Lastly I hope he goes outside the SEC - I don’t want to root against him , all else outside BBN is the enemy .

He should seriously consider Murray State. I think their top 5 scorers from last season were all seniors. He would be handed the keys to the offense. I wouldn't be shocked if he was among the NCAA leaders in scoring there.

He would command some very nice NIL opportunities there. If he becomes their leading scorer and maybe makes the Tournament, then he could earn more in the transfer portal next season.

 

[drew_ukfan]

Why is it a mistake?

Because being a Kentucky basketball player comes with a lot of perks, even after playing. He’s not going pro.

 

[flacat22]

Just because a player grows up watching and cheering for Kentucky, doesn't mean they are willing to sit on the bench and watch guys be recruited over him. The front of the jersey thing no longer exists. Guys come here for money and leave here if they think they can get better money or better playing time. This guy is the all-time leading scorer in Kentucky high school history. Do you think he's content playing 8 minutes game because he grew up a fan...heck no.

I disagree 1000%. For Kentucky born and raised kids it ABSOLUTELY means something to play for the name on the front of the jersey. He was KY Mr. Basketball and Kentucky Sports Figure of the Year AND he could've gone to Alabama, Cincy, WKU or Ole Miss and maybe gotten more playing time there, why didn't he then? Because of money? No. Because it IS different for a KY kid getting the chance to lace em up for the Wildcats. I don't buy the premise that KY boys come to UK just for the money, that's just nonsense. He'll always be a Cat and I wish him the best but to say money was a motivating factor in this instance is simply wrong.

Moreno and Johnson likely had better NIL deals on the table outside of Lexington but they stayed home to play for the Cats, why?

 

[PopesReignOverCardinals]

Because being a Kentucky basketball player comes with a lot of perks, even after playing. He’s not going pro.

He might not ever make the NBA, but he could probably make some decent money overseas if he wanted to do that.

 

[bigblueinsanity]

If you were disappointed with Travis Perry this season then your expectations for him were out of whack. He was signed as a shooting guard to run off screens and hit open jumpers in the flow of the offense. We all know what actually happened. Due to the injuries to Butler and Kriisa, he was thrown to the wolves playing out of position in the fierce SEC. It crushed his confidence, to the point he could not make open shots for the first time in his life. He never had a chance to integrate his own skillset into the team concept in the normal way.

Pg had to be his college position in any high major program. That's just how it is.

He really struggled towards the end. Chandler had an awful handle and still eventually played over him at pg.

I still thought he could contribute down the road and wish hed stay. However im not sure what level of expectations he had that weren't met, especially how he performed last season.

Just a wag but i het he was asked to red shirt.

He should seriously consider Murray State. I think their top 5 scorers from last season were all seniors.

He would command some very nice NIL opportunities there. If he becomes their leading scorer and maybe makes the Tournament, then he could earn more in the transfer portal next season.

I think that's a good suggestion. With revenue sharing coming, he will need to replace lost income and something local would help.

 

[drew_ukfan]

He might not ever make the NBA, but he could probably make some decent money overseas if he wanted to do that.

That can be done while playing at UK

 

[flacat22]

He’s not going pro.

Good point, he's not a pro but had the opportunity to play for his home state school, the pinnacle of college basketball programs which will pay dividends long after he's done playing. He'll be set up for life having been a Cat and making the connections he presumably has.

 

[Sparkaces1]

He should seriously consider Murray State. I think their top 5 scorers from last season were all seniors. He would be handed the keys to the offense. I wouldn't be shocked if he was among the NCAA leaders in scoring there.

He would command some very nice NIL opportunities there. If he becomes their leading scorer and maybe makes the Tournament, then he could earn more in the transfer portal next season.

Leading scorers in the NCAA lol. Come on man.

 

[PopesReignOverCardinals]

That can be done while playing at UK

Yes, and it could also be done playing at Murray State. He could bounce back into the portal next season if he has a season where he is showcased as a scorer. That would possibly be a bigger long-term earning opportunity for him, and also a pathway back to UK if he makes a jump in development.

 

[$Z71$]

Can’t say that was a smart long term decision for him. I understand he wants to play but he will never be a pro. Staying at Kentucky 4-5 years and earning playing time when he could would have set him up for life as an in state kid. Playing one year and leaving will give him less opportunities after basketball.

 

[PopesReignOverCardinals]

Leading scorers in the NCAA lol. Come on man.

If he is allowed to take tons of shots there, then why not?

 

[shaudyshaud]

He might not ever make the NBA, but he could probably make some decent money overseas if he wanted to do that.

I don’t know why people act like it’s over for a basketball player just because they don’t make it to the NBA. Like you said you have overseas . Even if he doesn’t play overseas he could just want to get a lot of playing in college knowing this is the end for him.

People put wayyy too much stock in life in Kentucky after college .

 

[Sparkaces1]

If he is allowed to take tons of shots there, then why not?

You realize mid majors have good athletes and defenders too. How about hopefully start for a Murray level team next year and average about 10 a game and somehow play decent defense.

 

[jedwar]

I just had a thought. Shocked no one has mentioned this. Perhaps he will transfer back in after he works on his game.

 

[Pygmy Sasquatch]

Gates and Misery were interested in him. Hope he doesn't pull a reverse Travis Ford. I hate Misery.

 

[ManitouDan]

Because being a Kentucky basketball player comes with a lot of perks, even after playing. He’s not going pro.

Yeah he’s leaving behind a lot of intangibles. Playing a year at UK and not leaving much an impression won’t buy him a lifetime of admiration from the state . And fans

 

[Sparkaces1]

By the way if you heard the Leach show this morning, mid majors are gonna start getting a lot of these high school kids ranked 75-150 in the country exactly because of this, the Perry's and Noah's will start there and try and move up.

 

[CNJ1966]

I think the signing of Aberdeen was the deciding factor. Travis probably thought he could maybe be the fourth guard along with Oweh, Chandler and lowe, meaning back up minutes, 15 or so a game. Probably thought he could beat out Jasper seeing as Jasper is a freshman but when you bring in Aberdeen that knocks him into the fifth guard and basically just mop up minutes. I think he was gonna stay until Aberdeen happened.

 

[Someguywhodoesntlikeyou]

What are these “intangibles” you speak of?

He can get a no show job at Kentucky Bank like many others did in the past

 

[PopesReignOverCardinals]

You realize mid majors have good athletes and defenders too. How about hopefully start for a Murray level team next year and average about 10 a game and somehow play decent defense.

Yes. You realize that Travis Perry led a tiny high school team to a state championship? He's not helpless. He does have to have some floor level of decent talent to do that.

Max Green went to Holy Cross and was allowed to take 12+ shots per game. You think Perry won't get off that many in the MVC?

 

[MegaBlue05]

I didn't read the entire 6 pages on this, but isn't it a tad late to be entering the portal? Doesn't it all end tonight at midnight? What if no one comes along that is enticing enough to leave Kentucky? I guess he returns, correct? I'm sure someone has already made a deal - wouldn't surprise me if a lot of these kids have already been contacted and enticed to enter the portal from other schools, so it's likely Perry already had something in place.

That deadline is to enter. Portal players can sign any time prior to the start of fall semester.

 

[drew_ukfan]

Yes, and it could also be done playing at Murray State. He could bounce back into the portal next season if he has a season where he is showcased as a scorer. That would possibly be a bigger long-term earning opportunity for him, and also a pathway back to UK if he makes a jump in development.

I’d politely pass if he wants to come back. Can’t burn a bridge and come back

 

[Someguywhodoesntlikeyou]

I’d politely pass if he wants to come back. Can’t burn a bridge and come back

How is he “burning a bridge”

 

[PopesReignOverCardinals]

I’d politely pass if he wants to come back. Can’t burn a bridge and come back

Unless he is going to a rival like Louisville or sh*t-talking on the way out, then I don't see this move as burning a bridge at all.

 

[Digger-Cat]

Welcome to 2025. Everything has changed.
That's why you got to be careful who you sign , you can get one player and loose 2.

Not sure why 2 guys would become loose, sounds painful, unless you're in the Arkansas locker room in 2023.

As far as losing guys, it is what it is. You can't prioritize the hurt feelings of your bench guys when you have the opportunity to bring studs in that can win games against the best competition.

This isn't a day camp and if Acadan Lewis is afraid of competition, well, don't come here. If Travis Perry wants to play right now, it is best for him to go to WKU, X, or Morehead, but he has to know, if he's playing important minutes for UK, well, we won't be very good.

 

[bookerfan66]

Seems the best situation for both sides.

 

[TankedCat]

The weirdest part is that he came to Kentucky thinking that he wouldn't be recruited over.

with Cal

 

[Someguywhodoesntlikeyou]

with Cal

So?

 

[SkyPrince1]

I’d politely pass if he wants to come back. Can’t burn a bridge and come back

He's never coming back
It's not like UK is going to stop recruiting good players.
The path to playing time will be just as tough 3 years from now

 

[DraftCat]

Would like to think he'd come back as a senior. Lets just hope the develops nicely at another school and comes back for 1 more season.

 

[Tampa_cat54]

Who is acting like that? Nobody I see. I think everybody even slightly paying attention gets it by now.

The whole concept of “development” players is basically now outdated thinking. That’s just not the way it works nowadays. What matters is this year only …not what might happen years down the road.

Efforts toward developing the undeveloped will most likely just be money and time wasted in this era. The fruits of your labor will be enjoyed by some other school after he transfers.

Based on the guy I quoted who said this has happened since the dawn of time, which isn't true. 2,500 players have not been entering the portal year after year since the dawn of time. Guys like Hawkins and Willis used to stay in the same program, get better, and develop into a role in their later years- that doesn't happen anymore.

So no, this hasn't been happening "since the dawn of time".

 

[flacat22]

I’d politely pass if he wants to come back. Can’t burn a bridge and come back

Politely, horrible take, what bridge was burned?

 

[wkycatfan]

The idea of people thinking Pope asked him not to come back is absolutely ridiculous. This is definitely a Travis decision.

There was no conversation, but the writing was on the wall.

 

[wkycatfan]

Hope not, Noah will help us in the future

Perry and Noah can shoot. Noah is 6'7".

 

[HogFan2012]

unless you're in the Arkansas locker room in 2023.

That was even on the sidelines during games.

 

[UK90]

Noah is 6'7".

In some imaginary world?

 

[HogFan2012]

Based on the guy I quoted who said this has happened since the dawn of time, which isn't true. 2,500 players have not been entering the portal year after year since the dawn of time. Guys like Hawkins and Willis used to stay in the same program, get better, and develop into a role in their later years- that doesn't happen anymore.

So no, this hasn't been happening "since the dawn of time".

When you had to sit out a year after transferring a lot less of it happened.

 

[ManitouDan]

What are these “intangibles” you speak of?

Popularity , investments , networking , business offers , never having to buy a drink, On and On BBN loves its own . But you know that , why ask ?