Kentucky players stayed up most of the night talking after the season-ending loss to Tennessee. (Vicky Graff Photo)
The standard for the future has been set at Kentucky.
Lamont Butler, Koby Brea, Jaxson Robinson and Andrew Carr, all graduate seniors, will be remembered as key components of Wildcats coach Mark Pope’s first upper senior class at Kentucky.
The four experienced players, along with senior Ansley Almonor, helped set the tone for what’s to come as Pope and his staff prepare for their second season at Kentucky.
The Wildcats finished 24-12 and reached the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2019. Kentucky had gotten past the first round just once in the past five years.
“I think it’s really cool we were able to set the culture for Pope’s first year,” Butler said. “People have to come in and the bar is going to be set high for the next people who come under Pope. It’s gonna be fun to watch for sure.”
Pope said his elite upperclassmen have “had an incredible impact” building a foundation for future teams to follow.
“They’ve gone out of their way to have an incredible impact on BBN and the state of Kentucky and the community around them, whether it’s been their regular hospital visits or Ronald McDonald House visits, or meeting with fans before or after games, finding other ways to serve, and serving each other,” Pope said. “I think this group was brought together to serve the best they can.
“These guys did it in an incredible fashion. We didn’t finish the job, which is a real thing. But short of that, you couldn’t ask one more thing from these guys in how they serve, the standard they set, and how much of themselves they have given to this jersey and this community.”
Following the team’s 78-65 loss to Tennessee last Friday night in Indianapolis, Pope said the players stayed up most of the night to reminence about the season. the Kentucky coach said he had never “seen that on a team before.”
“It was exactly the right kind of last night for those guys… I think it was a beautiful relationship. That’s what it’s supposed to be,” Pope said. “That’s what’s supposed to be in Kentucky, and our guys understood that. They took it really seriously. They cared, they care, they will always care.
“It was fun to hear the guys’ comments postgame about refusing to give back their jersey, refusing to take off their shoes. There’s some realness to that, it was a special group.”
Pope and his staff have spent the past week assembling a roster for next season, one that is likely to include returnees Otega Oweh, Brandon Garrison, Collin Chandler, Trent Noah and Travis Perry.
After the loss to the Volunteers, Carr offered words of recommendation for veterans who are currently in the transfer portal.
“If you’re in the transfer portal and looking for a place to go, go to Kentucky — I’ll tell you that much,” he said. “Go to Kentucky.”
“For sure,” Butler added.
15 Responses
Need at least two nasty bigs to split fouls to take turns in the middle especially if we have a true stretch 4 shooting 3’s. Where Oscar when you need him 🤷♂️.
I heard that Broome was coming to Kentucky before we got Oscar.
Not sure which would’ve been best. I loved Oscar though.
Oh yeah, loved me some OT!
Broome might have left with Cal.
Who knows.
We need 2 bigs one who is a bruiser and one who is good on both offense and defense. I like the kid from Spain but how is his defense? Ryan Lemond said we were getting that 7 footer from San Diego state and I was very happy because he would have been incredible but he stayed at San Diego state and for this reason and many others is why I don’t listen to what anybody at KSR says. We have 9 guys on next years team. I think at least one more of them will either transfer or maybe go pro (Oweh) if we can keep these 9 guys we definitely need 2 point guards and 2 post players. I wouldn’t rush into anything right now. With 9 guys on board you can take your time and go with the best you can get in the portal. We need a true point guard. One with defense and that can find players open in space who is a good free throw shooter and 3 point shooter. It shouldn’t be too hard to find one great point guard and one great post player. I think With Moreno and Garrison we could even go with one more post guy and then a stretch 4. Then grab 2 great point guards. Point guard play killed our team last year also having a big who messed up just as much good as he did. I like the kid that’s averaging 17/11 for the stretch 4 because he can do absolutely anything you need him to do. I’m more worried about the 1 at this point than anything. We have 0 point guards on our team. Perry isn’t a good point guard because he is turnover prone and also gets beat off the dribble almost every time. Other teams would score at will on us with him at the point or guarding the point. He’s better as a 2 guard even tho he’s undersized. We need a guy that’s going to average at least 10 ppg and at least 7 assistper game. If we don’t find a great point guard expect much of the same from this years team as last years team. For some reason we go after a ton of combo guards instead of point guards. That’s not going to work. I would prefer 2 point guards playing over 2 combo guards. You get better ball movement. As of right now our Starters are PG Lewis/Perry SG Oweh/Chandler/Noah SF Johnson/Williams/Noah PF Garrison/Williams C Moreno/Garrison… We need a true big because Moreno should really be played at the 4 in my eyes and Garrison the 5 but you can switch them around anyway. I like Williams because he can play the 2-3-4. So he is very versatile.
It doesn’t sound to me like Perry should be a starter.
Oh yeah, loved me some OT!
I agree we need two good point guards. And we’ve gotta have one true , I say a 7 ft Big. Big. And he’s gotta be multi capable. A good shooter, excellent with rebound, and great at assists.
With you on that Deb
Don’t want the season to end? Win.
Exactly!
Sometimes it doesn’t work that way. Been a hell”va ride compare to the last 6 years.
I certainly agree. I so loved what Coach Pope brought us. I would not trade him for ten Calipari’s. Pope gets what it means to excel as opposed to using us as a NBA training camp.
I’m pretty sure they tried. Tennessee’s two best players have played together at Knoxville for the last four years, and no Robinson, that makes a difference.
The transfer portal boils down to 2 questions: How much money do I get and how much playing time am I guaranteed? Nobody is concerned about winning as long as they get what they want.