Author: Titusikpaka
The first UK HealthCare Practice Report of the summer is in the books, and Kentucky Wildcatshead coach Mark Pope had plenty to reflect on following his team’s closed scrimmage against La Familia, which is a veteran squad featuring former Wildcats preparing for The Basketball Tournament (TBT). With 19 total practices scheduled this offseason, Pope is emphasizing development over results, especially when it comes to decision-making. “We get so much out of this because we’re a decision-making team,” Pope told Cameron Mills. “It takes longer to teach decision-making than it does to teach sets and plays. And we do it both…
The Boston Celtics utilized the No. 46 pick in this year’s NBA Draft on Amari Williams. The Nottingham, England, native spent the first four years of his collegiate career at Drexel before taking his talents to the University of Kentucky. Wildcats head coach Mark Pope couldn’t wait to insert the seven-foot center with a pterodactyl-like seven-foot-five wingspan into his lineup to patrol the pivot. Flashing a smile, Pope glowingly told Forbes of his initial assessment of Williams’ game upon arriving in Lexington, “We loved him. We loved his defensive prowess. His work on the glass was exceptional. His rim-protection capability…
There is a lot of hype surrounding this Kentucky basketball team, and for good reason. Coach Pope did an excellent job putting together this roster and putting it together in a way that he has a team and not a bunch of star players who want to shoot the ball a lot. When Pope got to Lexington, he said that he wanted to build his roster year in and year out with high school recruits, transfer portal talent, and retaining players from the year before. He has done exactly that this season, and this is a big reason why the…
Mark Pope and his staff are currently in the thick of recruiting the class of 2026, but that has not stopped them from creating some strong relationships with the rising junior class. With the class of 2027 on the doorstep of entering college programs, the Kentucky Wildcats are already starting to fill out their big board for players they hope to have in Lexington for the 2027-28 season. One of those players is 5-star forward Ryan Hampton, and according to Brandon Jenkins of 247 Sports, Kentucky is one of the three schools right in the mix. Alongside of UK he…
Kentucky basketball is staying aggressive on the 2026 recruiting trail, officially offering 4-star center Arafan Diane. Diane announced the news on Wednesday via Twitter. The 7-foot-1, 260-pound big man out of Norwalk, Iowa, has quickly gained attention this summer from his strong performances with Iowa United on the Adidas 3SSB circuit. Diane’s physical presence and advanced offensive game have made him a standout at multiple events. At the Palmetto Road Championships, Jamie Shaw of On3 and Rivals had high praise for the big man. “He is very offensively skilled, able to score consistently over both shoulders, make reads out of…
Kentucky men’s basketball is looking to land its first 2026 commitment, but there are plenty of options out there still regularly hearing from the Wildcats. A new name to monitor is four-star power forward Cam Williams (no, not the Kam Williams already on Kentucky’s current roster). The 6-foot-11 prospect out of Arizona is considered the No. 16 overall rising high school senior in the country, according to On3. He spoke with KSR at the adidas 3SSB Championships in Rock Hill, SC, on Friday to talk about the Wildcats’ recent push in his recruitment. “It’s good, it’s starting to pick…
Lance Ware spent three seasons of a five-year collegiate career playing at Kentucky. Now, as he begins his professional career, with him soon to be headed overseas, he still thinks well of his time spent with the Wildcats. Ware recently spoke with Christos Tsaltas at Athletiko about his signing with Iraklis BC in Greece. That interview included several references to his three years spent at UK and his love from when he played for Big Blue Nation. “I was really blessed to play at a school like Kentucky that has the best fans in the United States,” said Ware.…
The grind does not stop for Mark Pope as his staff works to bring in key pieces for the 2026 roster. Pope has landed numerous big recruits but is working hard to bring in the No. 12 overall recruit in the class of 2026: 5-star small forward Anthony Thompson. Thompson is currently working to narrow down schools, and his list is currently down to 15. Kentucky, North Carolina, BYU, Michigan, Ohio State, Michigan State, Purdue, Notre Dame, Auburn, Indiana, Georgetown, Louisville, Kansas, Texas, and Xavier are the 15 schools that Thompson is set to go forward with. It is quite…
The first Kentucky basketball player to announce that he was entering the transfer portal was forward Adou Thiero. He made the decision even before John Calipari left for Arkansas. Now, with Mark Pope at the helm, it looks like Thiero is at least keeping the door open for a return to Kentucky. Per a report from ESPN’s Jeff Borzello, the former Wildcat has narrowed his list to five teams, and Kentucky is one of them. Calipari’s new team is also one of the five finalists to land Thiero. The others are North Carolina, Pittsburgh, and the Indiana Hoosiers. Last…
The high school basketball world is buzzing as the nation’s elite players hit the hardwood this summer, and the live evaluation period for high school hoops recruiting is officially back on! Coaches from top college programs are hitting the road to scout potential stars for their rosters, and it’s all eyes on some standout prospects who are turning heads. Deron Rippey Jr. is making waves in the basketball scene, and his performance at the Adidas SSB Palmetto Championship is turning heads. The 6-foot-2 guard from Blair Academy (NJ) is known for his impressive skills, which include blowing past defenders, shooting…