When should we be nervous?

[The Last Ronin]

So, last week, several people on here and the KSR crew were saying no one should panic unless we get to the end of this week without much movement. Well...we getting close to the end of the week.

While we have gotten coaches in place for the most part, we have only added 1 transfer player, 1 recruit we flipped from BYU and we got Perry to essentially recommit. While none of those are negatives, we are still a long way off from even having a team that can play 5 guys.

The 2 freshman probably shouldn't be expected to play major minutes this year if we hope to be very successful, and we have no idea of how impactful Williams will be at the P5 level.

So, when is it reasonable to start expressing concerns?

It seems every major portal player we are after is spurning us, and there aren't many HS guys we can still get even if we wanted them. The BYU guy that visited seems torn on transfering, and Robinson seems like he would like to go pro of possible.

It seems like we are struggling to get players.

 

[RunninRichie]

Next week.

 

[TM2013]

May 1st for me. Gotta have 5-6 dudes by then including another stud. Then get another 4-5 by end of May including another stud.

 

[zgcrawfo94]

Not yet, but

 

[DreadLox]

When two dogs get out of the car with the police.

 

[3Eye]

Lot of day drinkers on the Rafters.🙄

 

[Woodrow_Call_1998]

With all of the good players out there, no need to panic at this point.

 

[stuway]

Never

 

[cornbreadnmilk]

Soon.I mean Pope was talking big and needs to deliver some players.

 

[University-6]

There is a difference between not knowing what is happening behind the scenes and nothing happening. UK will be more than fine. Portal combat is just starting.

 

[LXWildcat]

If some of these targets start going to other schools then I’ll get nervous. But we are fine right now, we are just being impatient

 

[Smashcat]

It seems like we are struggling to get players.

 

[cbrwalt]

Some of you all need to just check back in the middle of May. It's going to be a while

 

[WeWant9]

I can be pretty impatient, but I’m not sure what some were expecting at this point. It wasn’t like we were going have a full team announced by the end of April. The assistants have very recently been sorted out, Pope is trying to build connections after being at BYU, guys are setting up visits to UK (I think people were expecting guys to just commit on the spot if Pope reached out), and there is still like a full week for guys to enter into the portal.

 

[anonymous_2011]

Trust the plan -Q

 

[UKBloke]

Agents are pushing narratives right now and it’s going to take some time. They know UK is a top NIL destination and they want us to spend spend spend. We’re not going to be stupid about it or you set a really bad precedent moving forward. Pope is too smart to just start throwing crazy money around because it will handicap us in the future.

It’s agents pushing the nonsense about Arkansas in order to make them pay up. It’s not Arkansas leaking double payments, they’re not going to do it.

What Kentucky is doing right now is what they should be doing. You don’t cave in to crazy demands from agents or you will have to continue to do it from here on out. Kentucky has the brand that pulls its own weight and the NIL to get the best players. What’s happening here is a lot of people don’t have a firm grasp of negotiating in business. Some of this will calm down but you have to hold to a certain point. It’s going to be frustrating but Kentucky is always ahead of the curve this will not be any different. Anybody out here buying pieces won’t do anything with it.

Kentucky isn’t desperate and they’re not going to operate from a desperate position. If you can’t handle some of this then just do something until it clears. The portal isn’t close to being complete or out of deadline. It’s also early in the new era, and a lot of schools are going to over promise everything to get a good roster. Which means eventually they won’t get a lot of players like they did when they lied to get them in year 1.

I hate it too but this is a process that unfortunately has to play out, and has to play out while we’re also wheeling a new coach out there.

 

[THE_HOOK]

It has been reported over 2000 are in the portal, that is alot to choose from.

 

[UKortho]

Most fans were shocked Pope was given the keys to UK. I am sure most high level players are wondering who the heck is this guy? He coached mainly white men at a highly religious university. It’s not going to be easy unless he just buys some players imo.

 

[ralphdaltonfan]

May 1st for me. Gotta have 5-6 dudes by then including another stud. Then get another 4-5 by end of May including another stud.

agree with this take 100%. Well said. We'll see them likely accomplish this too. A lot of OV's this weekend coming up.

 

[Eight_Banners]

So, last week, several people on here and the KSR crew were saying no one should panic unless we get to the end of this week without much movement. Well...we getting close to the end of the week.

While we have gotten coaches in place for the most part, we have only added 1 transfer player, 1 recruit we flipped from BYU and we got Perry to essentially recommit. While none of those are negatives, we are still a long way off from even having a team that can play 5 guys.

The 2 freshman probably shouldn't be expected to play major minutes this year if we hope to be very successful, and we have no idea of how impactful Williams will be at the P5 level.

So, when is it reasonable to start expressing concerns?

It seems every major portal player we are after is spurning us, and there aren't many HS guys we can still get even if we wanted them. The BYU guy that visited seems torn on transfering, and Robinson seems like he would like to go pro of possible.

It seems like we are struggling to get players.

When there aren't any studs left in the portal and Kentucky no longer has any options but to take leftovers.

 

[chroix]

Never

This is the only correct answer. Get it together people.

 

[W1LDCAT22]

So, last week, several people on here and the KSR crew were saying no one should panic unless we get to the end of this week without much movement. Well...we getting close to the end of the week.

While we have gotten coaches in place for the most part, we have only added 1 transfer player, 1 recruit we flipped from BYU and we got Perry to essentially recommit. While none of those are negatives, we are still a long way off from even having a team that can play 5 guys.

The 2 freshman probably shouldn't be expected to play major minutes this year if we hope to be very successful, and we have no idea of how impactful Williams will be at the P5 level.

So, when is it reasonable to start expressing concerns?

It seems every major portal player we are after is spurning us, and there aren't many HS guys we can still get even if we wanted them. The BYU guy that visited seems torn on transfering, and Robinson seems like he would like to go pro of possible.

It seems like we are struggling to get players.

YESTERDAY!

 

[cornbreadnmilk]

agree with this take 100%. Well said. We'll see them likely accomplish this too. A lot of OV's this weekend coming up.

True.But seems like some already have excuses ready if Pope fails to get a good roster.

 

[Jamal Mercer]

Let’s put it this way: I’m a pretty big pessimist and can be very negative. I’m not gonna be worried for a couple more weeks.

 

[UKortho]

Most fans were shocked Pope was given the keys to UK. I am sure most high level players are wondering who the heck is this guy? He coached mainly white men at a highly religious university. It’s not going to be easy unless he just buys some players imo.

I’ll add- we could really use a 2024 “Mashburn” to break through.

 

[Sejonesy]

I mean, Pope just added two assistants in the last couple days that will help immensely in recruiting. No need to panic yet. The deadline to enter the portal is still another week away. He’ll get some good players.

 

[JwUKFan11]

If Osobar goes somewhere else I'll start to worry things are going wrong. We won't know that one for a couple of weeks if the visits hold up.

 

[ralphdaltonfan]

Most fans were shocked Pope was given the keys to UK. I am sure most high level players are wondering who the heck is this guy? He coached mainly white men at a highly religious university. It’s not going to be easy unless he just buys some players imo.

Pope's staff hires put that to rest immediately. Biggest issue for him is that most HS guys are signed to their schools already because Hart was in on many of them and the G-League Ignite program shut down. Some would've done what Holland did last year and asked out of LOI's to go that route.

You bring in Jason Hart/Alvin Brooks III-you aren't some hayseed and know people laugh but once they meet Pope's wife---they know he's got some serious game to him. Confidence is an interesting thing. I've sat in front of CBB coaches who would ask our Staff why our best player had such an ugly GF and feared he lacked confidence. Cruel/Rude? Up to you but it's type of things that coaches research and want to know the why's to everything. Pope doesn't lack confidence and look at his BYU roster/Staff. Diverse and fit together well.

 

[zgcrawfo94]

Pope's staff hires put that to rest immediately.

I wish the kids saw it that way, but I dont think they do.

 

[ralphdaltonfan]

If Osobar goes somewhere else I'll start to worry things are going wrong. We won't know that one for a couple of weeks if the visits hold up.

Kind of my litmus test for him if I were to pick one recruit too JwUK.

 

[UKortho]

Pope's staff hires put that to rest immediately. Biggest issue for him is that most HS guys are signed to their schools already because Hart was in on many of them and the G-League Ignite program shut down. Some would've done what Holland did last year and asked out of LOI's to go that route.

You bring in Jason Hart/Alvin Brooks III-you aren't some hayseed and know people laugh but once they meet Pope's wife---they know he's got some serious game to him. Confidence is an interesting thing. I've sat in front of CBB coaches who would ask our Staff why our best player had such an ugly GF and feared he lacked confidence. Cruel/Rude? Up to you but it's type of things that coaches research and want to know the why's to everything. Pope doesn't lack confidence and look at his BYU roster/Staff. Diverse and fit together well.

That’s encouraging. Appreciate your take.

 

[Wonky]

You should be nervous if you’re a sheltered pantywaste who has nothing better in life to be nervous about.

The rest of us will trust our coach and staff to put together a solid team this year, and a great team next year.

 

[catben]

When most of our top targets ACTUALLY commit to another school. Whether that is the end of this week or the next, that’s when I will start to panic.

Let the kids that only care about the money get out of the way first, then Coach Pope and his staff can deal with the kids that want to play in his system. The 2 assistants we just hired are OUTSTANDING recruiters, so until these kids we are in on sign with someone else, I’ll give them my patience.

 

[meow_cat]

I just know I picked a bad time to quit drinkin’.

 

[ralphdaltonfan]

True.But seems like some already have excuses ready if Pope fails to get a good roster.

I'm the odd fan that some were mad at for saying I wasn't going to lower any standards for Pope but am also willing to give him some time with the actual roster building--he just needs to start getting elite visitors to Campus and that's beginning. He took the time to staff build and love that result to this point. Still has a spot open too.

Portal closing will give us the pool they have to recruit from--after May 1st-that's it. You won't see any other movement unless a player is released by a school for an individual reason but as far as just testing the Portal/being in it--that's it. May 1st--so then you know who you want to go after and don't rush to get someone and then miss on better options because they entered April 30th or May 1st.

 

[Lempface]

No panic at all this year. It's TOUGH to replace an entire roster. We'll get enough to play no doubt, but this year was always going to be a rebuild and it might be an ugly season. THAT'S OKAY! We HAD to get away from Cal, and it was always going to be like this with the current landscape of CBB.

The good part is even if we suck next year, we'll have fun cheering on players and a coach who are not OfCal and his stink.

 

[RMorris33]

It seems like we are struggling to get players.

How so? It's April 24th.

 

[ukwizard]

Kentucky fans asking for a championship caliber roster in 2 weeks.

 

[KYFOSSIL]

True.But seems like some already have excuses ready if Pope fails to get a good roster.

And it seems some like you are looking for him to fail

 

[cornbreadnmilk]

Kentucky fans asking for a championship caliber roster in 2 weeks.

Yeah people are really asking for championships,lol.i'll take one good player right now.