You guys think Pope would have recruited....

[catrecruit]

Wall
Cousins
The real T. Jones
Archie Goodwin

I could go on but wondered what everybody else thought....just curious because while outstanding players, they don't seem like the type Pope would consider

 

[Phil_The_Music]

I think he definitely would have gone after Wall.

 

[MachineHead1]

Wall, yes. It’s John freaking Wall.

 

[TFCats11]

Wall
Cousins
The real T. Jones
Archie Goodwin

I could go on but wondered what everybody else thought....just curious because while outstanding players, they don't seem like the type Pope would consider

Yes, he would have absolutely recruited them! Wall would have commanded $3million, Boogie $2.5+ million, Jones $2 million, and AG probably around $750,000…

And UK would have missed on all of them except Goodwin. Fact💯

 

[DraftCat]

Potentially... but if were putting Pope into that era of basketball no one was getting these dudes but Coach Cal.

 

[TriCountyCat]

While great players Wall and Cousins only made it one game further than the current rag tag bunch that Pope put together. Archie Goodwin lost to Robert Morris in the NIT. I prefer Pope put together a real team, if you can’t be a team player and just want to be the man, it hasn’t worked. T Jones is an exception but a big that can shoot 3s, I think Pope would have been all about him.

 

[SemperFiCat]

Yes, he would have absolutely recruited them! Wall would have commanded $3million, Boogie $2.5+ million, Jones $2 million, and AG probably around $750,000…

And UK would have missed on all of them except Goodwin. Fact💯

You're going to give yourself a mental episode or something. Watch a movie or take a walk or something.

 

[MachineHead1]

Yes, he would have absolutely recruited them! Wall would have commanded $3million, Boogie $2.5+ million, Jones $2 million, and AG probably around $750,000…

And UK would have missed on all of them except Goodwin. Fact💯

touch grass

 

[BMR_1987]

Including Archie "1-on-5 fast break" Goodwin (as my dad used to call him) with those other names makes me think this is sarcasm....

 

[SemperFiCat]

Wall
Cousins
The real T. Jones
Archie Goodwin

I could go on but wondered what everybody else thought....just curious because while outstanding players, they don't seem like the type Pope would consider

What's the point of this thread? Why not just say what you think? Be brave, shoot your shot.

 

[CincinnatiWildcat]

Including Archie "1-on-5 fast break" Goodwin (as my dad used to call him) with those other names makes me think this is sarcasm....

I think Archie always got a bad rap... Hadn't thought about it until this post but I think OO is actually a decent comp for Archie Goodwin. Oweh just has/had a much better team around him that fits his style better. Give Oweh no point guard and a team without shooting and see how he looks all year.

 

[Edgarman]

Potentially... but if were putting Pope into that era of basketball no one was getting these dudes but Coach Cal.

Whether you love, dislike, hate, or despise Cal, no one would or could have recruited at the level he did while at Kentucky. He may not go down as the greatest coach but we can't deny he will go down as the greatest recruiter in college basketball since John Wooden. Do I or would I want him back in Lexington, not only no, but hell no. For us to think Pope will or can recruit on Cal's level, we are as dumb as a coal bucket. I think Pope will do a great job with the kids he signs but he will not be signing many Walls, Cousins of the world on a regular basis like Cal did. Currently, Duke is by far the best recruiting program. I have no idea who is second, maybe Auburn or Florida.
It certainly is not UNC, Kansas, UCLA or any other SEC school. Texas could get scary with their money and new coach.

 

[PopesReignOverCardinals]

As someone who transferred from Washington to UK, I think Pope could have easily recruited Terrence Jones and provided his own personal experience about why UK is better.

 

[Someguywhodoesntlikeyou]

Whether you love, dislike, hate, or despise Cal, no one would or could have recruited at the level he did while at Kentucky. He may not go down as the greatest coach but we can't deny he will go down as the greatest recruiter in college basketball since John Wooden. Do I or would I want him back in Lexington, not only no, but hell no. For us to think Pope will or can recruit on Cal's level, we are as dumb as a coal bucket. I think Pope will do a great job with the kids he signs but he will not be signing many Walls, Cousins of the world on a regular basis like Cal did. Currently, Duke is by far the best recruiting program. I have no idea who is second, maybe Auburn or Florida.
It certainly is not UNC, Kansas, UCLA or any other SEC school. Texas could get scary with their money and new coach.

Based on everything I’ve read, seen and been told Duke is going to dominate for a long long time.

 

[bigblueinsanity]

Completely different time. You really cant compare pre nil recruiting to what exists today.

 

[shaudyshaud]

Pope recruited Caleb Wilson and Nate Ament . I think it’s a good chance he would have recruited them . Also this was before the transfer portal .

 

[SemperFiCat]

Based on everything I’ve read, seen and been told Duke is going to dominate for a long long time.

"dominate for a long long time."?? For sure? Well, darn it. So much for college basketball.

 

[Edgarman]

Completely different time. You really cant compare pre nil recruiting to what exists today.

Most schools have about the same amount of money, it is still about basic recruiting.

 

[MegaBlue05]

Wall and cousins, yes because you have to.

T. Jones - most likely, versatile 3-4 who was decent from 3, good rebounder

Goodwin - no chance, ball dominant brick layer

 

[cathouse]

Most schools have about the same amount of money, it is still about basic recruiting.

Wrong again.
The outside money from the shoe pimps drive recruiting.

 

[Someguywhodoesntlikeyou]

Wrong again.
The outside money from the shoe pimps drive recruiting.

Not anymore

 

[Someguywhodoesntlikeyou]

"dominate for a long long time."?? For sure? Well, darn it. So much for college basketball.

When you have “dark money” coming from VC’s that amount to a blank check.

Some people aren’t living in reality.

 

[catrecruit]

What's the point of this thread? Why not just say what you think? Be brave, shoot your shot.

I have no idea...that's why I asked

 

[cathouse]

Not anymore

Lol. Do you think they just magically quit buying the top players to wear their brand and tieing them up for their future pro contract???

You can't be that naive.

 

[CELTICAT]

pretty sure Caleb Wilson is around TJ level, so he did recruit at that level, he just lost out to UNC.

 

[Someguywhodoesntlikeyou]

Lol. Do you think they just magically quit buying the top players to wear their brand and tieing them up for their future pro contract???

You can't be that naive.

The money is now coming from Hedgefunds and VC’s at the level Kentucky should be playing in.

 

[Edgarman]

Wrong again.
The outside money from the shoe pimps drive recruiting.

Would most schools not have shoe money? I would think our shoe vendor would give as much to KY as any other school.

 

[billoliver40]

Sorry....but really what's this question about? The portal didn't exist then so recruiting was a different game.

 

[cathouse]

Would most schools not have shoe money? I would think our shoe vendor would give as much to KY as any other school.

No. Shoe money is just like NIL.
The best players get the most money because of their future earning potential for the shoe company if they become an NBA star.

Second level players aren't getting shoe money.

 

[cathouse]

The money is now coming from Hedgefunds and VC’s at the level Kentucky should be playing in.

NIL money, yes. You are correct.
But the big dollar shoe contracts are still very much in play for the top players.

 

[shaudyshaud]

I think Archie always got a bad rap... Hadn't thought about it until this post but I think OO is actually a decent comp for Archie Goodwin. Oweh just has/had a much better team around him that fits his style better. Give Oweh no point guard and a team without shooting and see how he looks all year.

I hate the slander Archie receives . People wil say Cal isn’t a good Xs and Os coach(which is true) . Also the PG has mental issue which forces Archie the combo guard to run PG.

Under these circumstances I’m not sure what people expected Archie to do.

 

[AJG-15]

In NIL times, I don’t think John Wall would have played for Kentucky, even if John Calipari was recruiting him. NIL is not favoring Kentucky’s odds to get top5 players, unless they are Kentucky native, where Pope could play a significant role in recruiting them.

Our fans need to understand that we are not a money rich university. We are rich in tradition. So going forward we need to be very smart on how we utilize resources ( relations with former players, boosters, former coaches , shoe manufacturers, agents) and be very smart on how we build the basketball roster.

Also, patience should be part of our arsenal.

 

[ftp000]

Yes, he would have absolutely recruited them! Wall would have commanded $3million, Boogie $2.5+ million, Jones $2 million, and AG probably around $750,000…

And UK would have missed on all of them except Goodwin. Fact💯

"Fact"? I don't think you're using that word correctly.

 

[Smashcat]

Sure. Why not? He recruited Dybantsa, Cenac, the Boozers and Ament in the 2025 class.

 

[W1LDCAT22]

Wall
Cousins
The real T. Jones
Archie Goodwin

I could go on but wondered what everybody else thought....just curious because while outstanding players, they don't seem like the type Pope would consider

He probably would have recruited them, but that's a totally different story then actually getting them to come here.

 

[MrHotDice]

Yes, he would have absolutely recruited them! Wall would have commanded $3million, Boogie $2.5+ million, Jones $2 million, and AG probably around $750,000…

And UK would have missed on all of them except Goodwin. Fact💯

Mind readers aplenty on here.