When will we be Kings of the SEC again?

[UK67KU59]

How long before we are feared again?

How long until we roll to another SEC tourney championship?

How long until we win the SEC regular season outright?

 

[Seth_C]

I hate my choice, but it is what it is. I’m being honest with myself.

 

[UKWildcats1987]

Who knows. Sec is brutal. If tyty doesn't get hurt against AU n 2022 we win the regular season. We finished 2nd last year as well.

It's gonna be tough to dominate the sec going forward.

 

[SemperFiCat]

Nobody is gonna be "king of the SEC" for a long time. We'll be right up there to challenge soon.

 

[BGCATFAN2012]

Its all about money and how you can buy your team. They old days are gone and that's fine but teams are rebuilding and winning. Hell even Louisville is better then us right now. How the hell do you lose 3 starters to season ending injuries.

 

[jmw23712]

NIL and transfer porter has taken away “kings” of anything. It will be hit or miss every year now. The days of blue bloods are dead.

 

[FilsonCat]

With blatant cheating, game fixing, and corruption everywhere you turn, never. Barnhart isn't the type of AD who would be willing to do what it takes in this era.

 

[JDHoss]

How long before we are feared again?

How long until we roll to another SEC tourney championship?

How long until we win the SEC regular season outright?

I hate to break it to you, but in this day of NIL and free transfers, NO ONE fears ANYONE else, including UK. This isn't the 50's and 60's with Rupp when it the SEC was the equivalent of taking 6 Canadians to Mississippi to participate in a hockey league with teams comprised of players only from Mississippi. It's not the 90's with Pitino or the first 10 years of Cal, where we pretty much just out talented everyone. Those days are gone and not coming back with any consistency, no matter who is coaching. It's a completely different landscape. How long until we win the SECT or regular season SEC? Could be as early as next year, or it could be a few years. The landscape changes every year.

 

[JDHoss]

With blatant cheating, game fixing, and corruption everywhere you turn, never. Barnhart isn't the type of AD who would be willing to do what it takes in this era.

Do what it takes? What exactly does that even mean? Neither Mitch, nor any other AD has any control over the things you mentioned.

 

[catlogic15]

With blatant cheating, game fixing, and corruption everywhere you turn, never. Barnhart isn't the type of AD who would be willing to do what it takes in this era.

What does “game fixing” have to do with Kentucky winning the SEC again?

 

[flacat22]

It’s all about money and how you can buy your team. The old days are gone and that's fine but teams are rebuilding and winning. Hell even Louisville is better than us right now. How the hell do you lose 3 starters to season ending injuries.

Stop. They play in a trash conference and have gotten fat off beating the likes of BC, VT, PITT, Cal, Miami, Stanford (twice) and the other bottom dwellers in that dumpster fire they call the ACC. They wouldn’t be .400 in the SEC.

 

[TTTblue24]

This is embarrassing, I know we are out manned but it’s almost 30 now.

 

[FilsonCat]

What does “game fixing” have to do with Kentucky winning the SEC again?

Being kings of the SEC probably means dominating the league again. Winning the league a single season, which could happen, isn't what I think OP was implying.

KY won't be in the position we enjoyed in past eras by hook or crook, no matter how much NIL we spend or talent you can put on the roster. There's just too many resources being spent by other teams for it to end up being the case again.

 

[fatguy87]

I think we are still 2 years away at least from being elite if we do indeed return to that level. We need to build some continuity.

 

[OmahaCats]

How long before we are feared again?

How long until we roll to another SEC tourney championship?

How long until we win the SEC regular season outright?

SEC is much stronger than I’ve ever seen in my 40 years of being alive. Which is awesome! I love the competitive games. So if that continues, I’ll never expect to dominate. But be in that top 2-3 in the conference would make us consistently top 10 nationally and top 5 quite often. That would be a great place to be

 

[NoDef]

We have a top 5 NIL budget and not landed a high rated recruit outside of kids that live in Kentucky. We will have to get much better with NIL if we can keep competing.

 

[chattanoogawildcat]

We still are.

 

[FilsonCat]

Do what it takes? What exactly does that even mean? Neither Mitch, nor any other AD has any control over the things you mentioned.

I'll argue the opposite. Some programs in our conference have really embraced the new normal, and are pushing the envelope on multiple levels. It is definitely a period of transition for the sport. I'm not sure what the endgame will look like in a decade, at the rate things are going.

 

[billoliver40]

Timed are different. There are a ton of older players in the conference, and teams will have to reform next season...including Kentucky. If we can keep from having a ton of transfers OUT...we may be better quicker than we think.

 

[buster3.0]

This isn't your father's SEC men's basketball conference. That is for sure. Everyone else has raised their level.

 

[JDHoss]

I'll argue the opposite. Some programs in our conference have really embraced the new normal, and are pushing the envelope on multiple levels. It is definitely a period of transition for the sport. I'm not sure what the endgame will look like in a decade, at the rate things are going.

That's a really vague description.

 

[Butters' Dad]

We have a top 5 NIL budget and not landed a high rated recruit outside of kids that live in Kentucky. We will have to get much better with NIL if we can keep competing.

You know if I were a smarter man I'd think that was probably pretty good evidence we do not have a top 5 NIL Budget. Maybe the proof is in the pudding? Nah.

 

[CrimsonCats]

Depends on what you’re really asking. We could have a good year and win the conference as soon as the next year or two. We’re probably never going back to the Rupp years where the rest of the conference could pretty much assume they were playing for second before the season ever started though. There’s a lot more parity at the national level than there was back then, and some of the other SEC schools in particular have really started investing more in the sport recently. Almost every year is going to be a battle now.

 

[hotelblue]

be patient. our last regular season title was 2020. we probably would have won that tournament as well if not for covid. 2018 was the last.

sec regular season championships:

1. kentucky (49)
2. tennessee (12)

sec tournament championships:

1. kentucky (32)
2. alabama (8)

 

[AJG-15]

If we were healthy we were one best team in the country.

 

[NKYWildcat]

Since everyone in the league is now investing in basketball, "never" is probably the answer if you are asking when UK will dominate again. Those days are never coming back. But we'll contend again shortly. Maybe win the league next year, depending on the portal haul and rthe retaining and development of existing players.

 

[Supafuzz75]

Won't be for long long time if it happens.. But we'll be back up there with UT,, UF,, UA and AL at the top of the sec very soon..

 

[FilsonCat]

That's a really vague description.

https://apnews.com/article/nil-house-settlement-ncaa-0b8081f9f5cfb4092352aea987471829

This is what MB is working on. Now, picture how programs in our conference are already preparing to sidestep the new rules. That is what I mean by pushing the envelope in more explicit terms.

 

[UKBB4Ever]

We will be back on top next year. And stay there for a while.

This season is simply a correction and reset.

 

[Wildskatfan]

I hate to break it to you, but in this day of NIL and free transfers, NO ONE fears ANYONE else, including UK. This isn't the 50's and 60's with Rupp when it the SEC was the equivalent of taking 6 Canadians to Mississippi to participate in a hockey league with teams comprised of players only from Mississippi. It's not the 90's with Pitino or the first 10 years of Cal, where we pretty much just out talented everyone. Those days are gone and not coming back with any consistency, no matter who is coaching. It's a completely different landscape. How long until we win the SECT or regular season SEC? Could be as early as next year, or it could be a few years. The landscape changes every year.

I agree....the days of Cal and being at the top of the conference year in and year out are gone.
We have to accept that. We just have to hope that Pope continues to pan out and get us on the mountain top eventually. If/when we get there, it will be like kings of the mountain. Staying there will be as hard as getting there

 

[Eagles_Ball]

I’m not sure Mark Pope can be king of anything where they keep score. I just can’t buy it. I think he’s quality. Good dude. Means well. But it’s just not there. If nothing else, we will be ready to get our hands dirty in another 3-5 yrs.

 

[The_Answer1313]

Define kings

I think we are way past the days of anyone dominating this conference. The other teams have obviously taken huge steps forward.

 

[Smashcat]

If Golden at Florida can have a national championship contender in his third year, Pope should, or better, be able to do the same here.

 

[Rideordiewildcat]

Kentucky fans if we lose 1st rd again.

 

[UK90]

I doubt we’ll ever dominate the SEC in the same way we used to simply because the conference and sport has changed so much.

That old traditional image of the SEC as one basketball school (UK), one academic school (Vandy), and a pack of football schools is a relic of the past. They ALL want to win big in hoops now …and are willing to spend the money needed to make it happen.

Our fans may need to adjust their expectations in light of this new reality.

 

[MegaBlue05]

NIL and transfer porter has taken away “kings” of anything. It will be hit or miss every year now. The days of blue bloods are dead.

I don’t think many UK fans my age (44) and up understand this cold, new reality.

5-7 programs will no longer ge able to hoard top talent like in previous eras. Nearly every game is televised for all P4 schools so playing at a marquee program for more exposure doesn’t matter anymore.

Players are free to transfer as they wish to include entering the portal to start a bidding war.

It’s basically going to ge a one year crap shoot for the foreseeable future for a lot of programs. Might strike gold. Might strike out.

I can’t say I’m a fan of this direction, but I am trying to adapt to it.

 

[katkraze]

Fans need to kick in millions more so Mark can buy elite talent

 

[the nail at the foul line]

NIL and transfer porter has taken away “kings” of anything. It will be hit or miss every year now. The days of blue bloods are dead.

Only Duke is that this year. Injury free we were knocking on door.

UNC, Kansas, UCLA are not good.

 

[Dontworryboutit23]

We have a top 5 NIL budget and not landed a high rated recruit outside of kids that live in Kentucky. We will have to get much better with NIL if we can keep competing.

Acaden Lewis doesn’t exist now?

 

[Fox2monk]

What does “game fixing” have to do with Kentucky winning the SEC again?

It’s hard to win when refs are out for you every game.