Summer workouts are heating up in Lexington — and so are the opinions.
As Mark Pope begins shaping his first Kentucky roster, early scrimmage reports and insider buzz have sparked a very familiar question from BBN:
> “Is he playing favorites?”
Multiple sources close to the team say certain players are getting consistent first-unit reps, even though others — who have arguably looked sharper — are still stuck with the second group.
The main point of tension?
Denzel Aberdeen.
By most accounts, the Florida transfer has been electric in practice — pushing the tempo, showing leadership, and hitting tough shots with confidence. Yet somehow, he’s still rotating behind more “established” names in key drills.
> “Every time he steps on the floor, the energy changes,” one insider said.
“It’s noticeable. But he’s not getting the nod… not yet.”
Meanwhile, players like Otega Oweh and Trent Noah, while steady and dependable, have been locked into first-team sets — even during stretches where they’ve struggled to find rhythm.
Fans are starting to notice the trend.
Message boards, Twitter (X), and Reddit threads are filling up with speculation:
> “Is Pope rewarding experience over production?”
“Aberdeen looks like the best guard out there. What are we doing?”
To be clear — there’s no internal drama (yet).
And Pope has been very open about his coaching style: he values chemistry, trust, and accountability as much as raw numbers. For him, it’s not just about who’s scoring — it’s about who’s doing the little things right.
Still, fans can’t help but wonder if some players are being eased into roles too slowly, while others are being fast-tracked based on prior reputation.
> “There’s a fine line between loyalty and stubbornness,” one fan posted.
“Hope Pope knows the difference.”
With the season still months away, these rotations are far from final.
But if practice trends continue — and certain players keep outperforming their spot on the depth chart — Pope might be forced to answer some tough questions.
Because if there’s one thing Big Blue Nation doesn’t tolerate…
It’s talent being wasted on the bench.
