What would you have to see to say to yourself “This turned out to be a potentially good hire”?

[UKwootwoot]

Both events and timeline. I’ll start with

Good first year recruiting class, whether it be HS or portal
Top 4 regular season SEC finish Year 1
One of either a Reg Champ or Tourney Champ by Year 3


What say you?

 

[Smashcat]

He better be an instant portal wizard because he's going to have LOTS of spots to fill.

 

[UKwootwoot]

Bumping this now that it’s been 24hrs and the board seems to be in a better mood

 

[track42]

Recruiting the portal is the huge thing.He couldn't get recruits at BYU but that's not his fault because what kid really wanted that?But it's UK now and he has the name and NIL.No excuses.

 

[SemperFiCat]

My eye test. It won't be the Ws and Ls, or the tournament. It'll be, is this good basketball? Will this be Kentucky basketball? If our arrow is for sure pointed up at the end of the season, than I'm good. The final results of Pope's second season will be much more telling. And yes, I expect at least a tournament win or two. We are Kentucky after all.

 

[ellowelzees]

A round of 32 next year and an Elite 8 the year after would be enough for me to start saying “Maybe I was wrong”.

 

[Rockfly78]

I have no doubt he can coach and motivate. No doubt. But I’m gonna need to see some talent come through here. Otherwise this looks like Woodson/Indiana

 

[triadaz]

1. Modern flowing offense
2. Ability to COACH multiple defensive looks
3. Measurable improvement in players
4. Not worrying about hurting feelings and putting the best starting five on the floor
5. Ability to recruit high level and attract from portal

 

[STL_Cat]

That Pitino video.

 

[Ky_Bred_Cat]

Everything we're seeing today. Period.

 

[RunninRichie]

I'll start.

1. Sweeping Tenneesee
2. Beating Duke, Kansas, and North Carolina at a good clip
3. Getting back to playing Maui and other in-season tourneys
4. Transparency when injuries. Just say a player is dealing with this injury and he'll be out this long.
5. Beat ranked teams at a decent clip
6. Go to the NCAAT first year, win at least 2 games

 

[cornbreadnmilk]

Wins.That's all I care about no matter the coach.

 

[YardCat]

1. Modern flowing offense
2. Ability to COACH multiple defensive looks
3. Measurable improvement in players
4. Not worrying about hurting feelings and putting the best starting five on the floor
5. Ability to recruit high level and attract from portal

#4 for sure. (Might hurt feelings on here)

 

[WildcatNC]

Win.

 

[YardCat]

I'll start.

1. Sweeping Tenneesee
2. Beating Duke, Kansas, and North Carolina at a good clip
3. Getting back to playing Maui and other in-season tourneys
4. Transparency when injuries. Just say a player is dealing with this injury and he'll be out this long.
5. Beat ranked teams at a decent clip
6. Go to the NCAAT first year, win at least 2 games

Glad you don’t have a long list Richie

 

[BBN-N-AZ]

I’m already excited for next year just seeing how excited he is. Excitement breeds excitement just like meh breeds meh. But as far as what I’m looking for? I want to see fight in the team. Everyone plays us likes it’s their Super Bowl. I want our players to feel playing in every game for UK is the Super Bowl as well. That would be a great start for me.

 

[J-Ryan]

For me,
Year 1-make the ncaa tournament
Year 2-complete for a regular season/sec tournament title-sweet 16 or come close
Year 3- make opposing teams fear coming to Rupp again..

 

[RunninRichie]

Glad you don’t have a long list Richie

It's pretty much just winning and being a basketball coach. Bare minimum shit that Calipari couldn't even do.

 

[CB3UK]

I'm on board

 

[deplion]

Both events and timeline. I’ll start with

Good first year recruiting class, whether it be HS or portal
Top 4 regular season SEC finish Year 1
One of either a Reg Champ or Tourney Champ by Year 3


What say you?

He needs a really solid recruiting class to reassure many of the fans.

That seems to be his biggest question mark at this point.

Can he recruit championship level talent?

And I agree, it can come from HS, the portal, or preferably both.

 

[The gutman]

A natty. Nothing else matters.

 

[anonymous_2011]

I don't have any expectations on Wins next year because we were gonna suck with Cal and his 5 stars anyway.

I would love to see :

Game preparation
In game adjustments
Out of bounds plays
Some defense
If we have a lead with under 10 minutes we keep going for the kill.

Also as an old Catspause board member a A "fast paste" offense would be nice.


Edit: Oh and most importantly I would love to see a majority of the team return for 25/26 so we can actually build on something!

 

[Wildcats1st]

I'll start.

1. Sweeping Tenneesee
2. Beating Duke, Kansas, and North Carolina at a good clip
3. Getting back to playing Maui and other in-season tourneys
4. Transparency when injuries. Just say a player is dealing with this injury and he'll be out this long.
5. Beat ranked teams at a decent clip
6. Go to the NCAAT first year, win at least 2 games

Im here. We’ve been without any march success for 5 years. We can’t afford another. I need to see next year a sweet sixteen. Some big wins. Top 4 SEC. We are not in position for a rebuild. If pope is the right guy he will have us in the thick of it year one. Between the portal, current players and possible recruits it’s win right away or see ya. I need to see pope has some connections to land quality players. Right now at byu his niche is being Mormon.

 

[Wildcats1st]

I don't have any expectations on Wins next year because we were gonna suck with Cal and his 5 stars anyway.

I would love to see :

Game preparation
In game adjustments
Out of bounds plays
Some defense
If we have a lead with under 10 minutes we keep going for the kill.

Also as an old Catspause board member a A "fast paste" offense would be nice.

If we don’t make the tournament what you saw last night will be back on steroids. Former uk player at the helm or not.

 

[Bhad Rhabies]

Both events and timeline. I’ll start with

Good first year recruiting class, whether it be HS or portal
Top 4 regular season SEC finish Year 1
One of either a Reg Champ or Tourney Champ by Year 3


What say you?

Sweet 16 year one, head to head win vs Cal.

 

[Roe07]

Get 8 players drafted in 2025 and I'm all in.

 

[megablue]

Both events and timeline. I’ll start with

Good first year recruiting class, whether it be HS or portal
Top 4 regular season SEC finish Year 1
One of either a Reg Champ or Tourney Champ by Year 3


What say you?

For me, it is simple. Just get by the first weekend of the tournament.

 

[flacat22]

Between the portal, current players and possible recruits it’s win right away or see ya.

So so dumb and short-sighted. You’re giving him one year to make the sweet sixteen with a patchwork roster? Laughable

 

[anonymous_2011]

If we don’t make the tournament what you saw last night will be back on steroids. Former uk player at the helm or not.

Yep Im sure it will but I personally have no expectations in the first season.

The thing with Pope's offense is if we have the personnel (shooters) we can beat anyone on any given night.

 

[bookerfan66]

Yep Im sure it will but I personally have no expectations in the first season.

The thing with Pope's offense is if we have the personnel (shooters) we can beat anyone on any given night.

He needs to make the tourney next season.I don't expect anything after that but really needs to just make it for me to believe.

 

[G-PIP]

Build teams that play good entertaining basketball and can consistently win in November and compete for championships in March. Winning a title probably won't happen more than once a decade or so on average, but a blue-blood top CBB program should be a serious contender most years.

 

[Bryant 50]

I won’t know until I see it. But, I do know what I’ve been watching for the last few years. And, it’s truly regrettable that it snowballed into the 💩 show that it did. It’s every coaches prerogative to prioritize his, or her goals and pursuits. But when those coaching choices/habits rub the fan base as abrasively as the former coaches did…it’s clearly time for a change. And now change has arrived.

I fully embrace this hire. I truly believe Mark Pope will hook up on day one, and will work diligently to right the ship that we feel is listing as of late. Anyways, I intend to sit back…relax my crack, and watch the Mark Pope rack attack unfold this fall in an arena near you. So looking forward to it. Best wishes Coach Pope!

 

[know1]

I already think it's a good hire.

 

[catman111]

Get back Reed, Adou, and Z

Win the portal by having the #1 class

Beat Duke, North Carolina (if we play them), Indiana, Louisville, and Gonzaga

In conference beat Arkansas and Tennessee

Win the SEC regular season

Win SEC tournament

Get to at least the final 4

Going forward have top 10 recruiting classes.

Have top 10 Ken Pom offense and defense

Win a title within first 2-3 years.

 

[Snarks0]

Top 15 team next year and final four within 3-4 years.

 

[Bluegrassking]

I'll start.

1. Sweeping Tenneesee
2. Beating Duke, Kansas, and North Carolina at a good clip
3. Getting back to playing Maui and other in-season tourneys
4. Transparency when injuries. Just say a player is dealing with this injury and he'll be out this long.
5. Beat ranked teams at a decent clip
6. Go to the NCAAT first year, win at least 2 games

I really don't like #4. There is no point.

It isn't our job to help the opposition prepare and it produces ZERO value for the fans to be in that loop beyond betting and sometimes you don't exactly honestly know anyway.

 

[ghorn19]

Style of play

Effort.

From what we know/learned about Mark Pope, fans will be happy with both.

The rest will fall into place.

 

[UKWildcats1987]

Win a national title and make 2 final fours in 6 to 7 seasons and win the SEC regular season and tourney a few times each.

 

[Deli owl]

For me it’s all about entertainment. Bring in Tubby ball (which he doesn’t play that style) and I’m checking out. Make it fun and I’ll watch more.

 

[TNCatfanforever]

I'll start.

1. Sweeping Tenneesee
2. Beating Duke, Kansas, and North Carolina at a good clip
3. Getting back to playing Maui and other in-season tourneys
4. Transparency when injuries. Just say a player is dealing with this injury and he'll be out this long.
5. Beat ranked teams at a decent clip
6. Go to the NCAAT first year, win at least 2 games

I like 4. We were lied too so often by Cal. He was far more worried about draft status.